Abstract: A barrel engine has a housing with a longitudinal bore with a pair of spaced apart bearing surfaces. An output shaft is disposed in the bore and has an outer surface with engagement elements. A cam plate has a central portion and a cam portion. The central portion has an outer surface with a pair of spaced apart bearing surfaces and a bore with an inner surface with engagement elements. The cam plate is received on the output shaft with the engagement elements on the inner surface of the cam plate bore being mechanically coupled to the engagement elements on the outer surface of the output shaft such that the shaft and cam plate are coupled for rotation and the cam plate is longitudinally slidable with respect to the shaft. The cam plate is disposed such that the bearing surfaces are generally aligned with the bearing surfaces of the bore.

Abstract: A barrel engine has a longitudinal output shaft defining a longitudinal axis. A plurality of cylinders is disposed about the output shaft and are each generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. A cam plane is defined perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and disposed between the open ends of the cylinders and a second end of the engine housing. A cam plate is disposed in the engine housing and supported for rotation about the longitudinal axis. The cam plate has a central portion and an outwardly extending cam portion. The cam portion has a cam surface that undulates from one side of the cam plane to the other. A flywheel has a plurality of lobes, each lobe being disposed generally in alignment with an area where the cam surface undulates closest to the open end of a cylinder.

Abstract: An intake system is provided for a barrel internal combustion engine. The intake system includes a main air inlet, an intake plenum for a plurality of combustion cylinders, a first throttle, a second throttle and a control unit. The first throttle is operative to control a flow of air from the main air inlet, through a charging unit, and to the intake plenum. The second throttle is operative to control a flow of air from the air inlet to the intake plenum. The control unit controls the operation of the first and second throttles in supercharged or normally aspirated modes, where the first throttle operates as a main throttle and the second throttle is closed in the supercharged mode, and where the first throttle is closed and the second throttle operates as the main throttle in the naturally aspirated mode.

Abstract: A barrel engine has a longitudinal output shaft defining a longitudinal axis. A plurality of cylinders is disposed about the output shaft and are each generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. A cam plane is defined perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and disposed between the open ends of the cylinders and a second end of the engine housing. A cam plate is disposed in the engine housing and supported for rotation about the longitudinal axis. The cam plate has a central portion and an outwardly extending cam portion. The cam portion has a cam surface that undulates from one side of the cam plane to the other. A flywheel has a plurality of lobes, each lobe being disposed generally in alignment with an area where the cam surface undulates closest to the open end of a cylinder.

Abstract: A barrel engine has a housing with a longitudinal bore with a pair of spaced apart bearing surfaces. An output shaft is disposed in the bore and has an outer surface with engagement elements. A cam plate has a central portion and a cam portion. The central portion has an outer surface with a pair of spaced apart bearing surfaces and a bore with an inner surface with engagement elements. The cam plate is received on the output shaft with the engagement elements on the inner surface of the cam plate bore being mechanically coupled to the engagement elements on the outer surface of the output shaft such that the shaft and cam plate are coupled for rotation and the cam plate is longitudinally slidable with respect to the shaft. The cam plate is disposed such that the bearing surfaces are generally aligned with the bearing surfaces of the bore.

Abstract: A barrel engine includes a central drive shaft and a cam plate interconnected to the drive shaft. The barrel engine includes a plurality of cylinders each having a longitudinal axis that is generally parallel with the drive shaft. The axes of the cylinders are arranged in a generally circular manner about the drive shaft. A pair of guide rods are provided, which correspond to each cylinder of the engine. Each guide rod has an axis generally parallel with the axes of the cylinders. The barrel engine includes a plurality of piston assemblies. Each piston assembly includes a piston head slidably coupled to one of the cylinders for reciprocal movement along the axis of the cylinder. Each piston assembly also includes a guide block slidably coupled to a respective pair of guide rods for guiding the piston head during reciprocal movement along the axis of the cylinder.

Abstract: A multi-axially forged mono-bloc piston includes a lower crown part forged of steel and including a pair of pin bosses and an integral skirt formed as one piece with the pin bosses 20. The lower crown part is friction welded to an upper crown part to form at least one closed oil gallery within the piston head. The lower crown part is forged in the longitudinal direction of the piston as well as laterally to impart longitudinal and laterally forged features of the piston. The laterally forged features may comprise undercut recesses formed in the piston skirt to reduce material in the overall piston structure. The lateral forging may also result in the piston skirt portion being discoupled from the piston head by laterally forged slots formed in the lower crown part 14 between the skirt and head.

Abstract: An intake system is provided for a barrel internal combustion engine. The intake system includes a main air inlet, an intake plenum for a plurality of combustion cylinders, a first throttle, a second throttle and a control unit. The first throttle is operative to control a flow of air from the main air inlet, through a charging unit, and to the intake plenum. The second throttle is operative to control a flow of air from the air inlet to the intake plenum. The control unit controls the operation of the first and second throttles in supercharged or normally aspirated modes, where the first throttle operates as a main throttle and the second throttle is closed in the supercharged mode, and where the first throttle is closed and the second throttle operates as the main throttle in the naturally aspirated mode.

Abstract: A barrel internal combustion engine includes a plurality of pistons, a drive shaft, a cam plate and an oil pump. The plurality of pistons is slidably coupled to a plurality of cylinders for reciprocal movement along axes generally parallel with a central axis. The drive shaft is rotatable about the central axis. The cam plate is coupled to the drive shaft for rotation therewith. The cam plate is operatively coupled to the pistons to cause rotation of the drive shaft about the central axis in response to the reciprocal movement of the pistons. The oil pump has a rotatable input member coupled coaxially with the drive shaft for rotation therewith about the central axis for actuating the oil pump. The oil pump may be provided in the form of a geroter.

Abstract: A barrel engine includes a central drive shaft and a cam plate interconnected to the drive shaft. The barrel engine includes a plurality of cylinders each having a longitudinal axis that is generally parallel with the drive shaft. The axes of the cylinders are arranged in a generally circular manner about the drive shaft. A pair of guide rods are provided, which correspond to each cylinder of the engine. Each guide rod has an axis generally parallel with the axes of the cylinders. The barrel engine includes a plurality of piston assemblies. Each piston assembly includes a piston head slidably coupled to one of the cylinders for reciprocal movement along the axis of the cylinder Each piston assembly also includes a guide block slidably coupled to a respective pair of guide rods for guiding the piston head during reciprocal movement along the axis of the cylinder.

Abstract: A monobloc piston assembly has at least two parts fixedly joined together forming a piston body having an oil cooling gallery. The oil cooling gallery is defined by an upper wall, a lower wall, and a pair of radially spaced inner and outer annular walls. A skirt is formed as one piece and of the same material with at least one of the two parts and depends generally along a longitudinal axis from the lower wall. A pair of pin bosses are spaced laterally from the longitudinal axis and depend generally from the lower wall. At least one elongated opening extends generally between the pin bosses with the opening preferably spanning a substantial portion of the distance between the pin bosses. Oil flows into and out of an oil cooling gallery through the opening.

Abstract: A wrist pin for a heavy-duty piston assembly has a body with an axis of rotation and a generally cylindrical outer surface. The outer surface is adapted for pivotal connection to both a pair of laterally spaced pin bores and a small end of a connecting rod generally between the pin bores. The outer surface has a surface roughness equal to or less than 0.10 ?m. The outer surface has a Kurtosis value that is inversely proportional with the surface roughness such that a product of the Kurtosis value and the surface roughness is between about 0.30 ?m to 0.60 ?m. The outer surface has a skewness of about ?1.0 to 0.0 and a lay angle relative to the axis of about 85 to 95 degrees.

Abstract: A monobloc piston assembly has at least two parts fixedly joined together forming a piston body having an oil cooling gallery. The oil cooling gallery is defined by an upper wall, a lower wall, and a pair of radially spaced inner and outer annular walls. A skirt is formed as one piece and of the same material with at least one of the two parts and depends generally along a longitudinal axis from the lower wall. A pair of pin bosses are spaced laterally from the longitudinal axis and depend generally from the lower wall. At least one elongated opening extends generally between the pin bosses with the opening preferably spanning a substantial portion of the distance between the pin bosses. Oil flows into and out of an oil cooling gallery through the opening.

Abstract: A monobloc piston has at least two steel parts welded together to define an inner cooling gallery. An outer ring belt is spaced from an inner annular support wall and is joined by a combustion bowl and a lower wall. A pair of pin bosses have axially aligned pin bores. A skirt is formed as one immovable piece with the pin bores. The piston has the following dimensional relationships: ISMD=42-55% of BD, where ISMD is a mean diameter on the inner support wall and BD is an outer diameter of the ring belt wall, ISW=3-8% of BD, where ISW is a sectional width of the inner support wall, CH>53% of BD where CH is a compression height measured between the pin bore axis and the upper surface, TLH>4% of BD, where TLH is a top land height measured between the top of the upper ring groove and the upper surface, SL=30-80% of BD, where SL is a length of the skirt measured between the upper and lower ends of the skirt, SW=2.5-6.

Abstract: A multi-axially forged mono-bloc piston includes a lower crown part forged of steel and including a pair of pin bosses and an integral skirt formed as one piece with the pin bosses 20. The lower crown part is friction welded to an upper crown part to form at least one closed oil gallery within the piston head. The lower crown part is forged in the longitudinal direction of the piston as well as laterally to impart longitudinal and laterally forged features of the piston. The laterally forged features may comprise undercut recesses formed in the piston skirt to reduce material in the overall piston structure. The lateral forging may also result in the piston skirt portion being discoupled from the piston head by laterally forged slots formed in the lower crown part 14 between the skirt and head.

Abstract: A wrist pin for a heavy-duty piston assembly has a body with an axis of rotation and a generally cylindrical outer surface. The outer surface is adapted for pivotal connection to both a pair of laterally spaced pin bores and a small end of a connecting rod generally between the pin bores. The outer surface has a surface roughness equal to or less than 0.10 &mgr;m. The outer surface has a Kurtosis value that is inversely proportional with the surface roughness such that a product of the Kurtosis value and the surface roughness is between about 0.30 &mgr;m to 0.60 &mgr;m. The outer surface has a skewness of about −1.0 to 0.0 and a lay angle relative to the axis of about 85 to 95 degrees.

Abstract: A monobloc piston assembly has at least two parts fixedly joined together forming a piston body having an oil cooling gallery. The oil cooling gallery is defined by an upper wall, a lower wall, and a pair of radially spaced inner and outer annular walls. A skirt is formed as one piece and of the same material with at least one of the two parts and depends generally along a longitudinal axis from the lower wall. A pair of pin bosses are spaced laterally from the longitudinal axis and depend generally from the lower wall. At least one elongated opening extends generally between the pin bosses with the opening preferably spanning a substantial portion of the distance between the pin bosses. Oil flows into and out of an oil cooling gallery through the opening.

Abstract: A wrist pin is provided comprising a generally cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis. The body is fabricated of at least two metallic parts joined to one another at a weld joint. In joining the two parts to one another, a pair of laterally spaced support ribs are defined and an internal chamber is further defined between the support ribs.

Abstract: A piston (10) particularly suited for heavy duty diesel engine applications includes upper and lower crown sections (28, 30) joined by a friction weld (32) to define an annular ring belt (14) formed with ring groves (22) and having a lower end (20) and an internal piston cooling chamber (34). A pair of pin bosses (40) depend from the ring belt (14) and are formed as one piece with the lower crown section (30). A skirt (46) is also formed as one piece with the pin bosses (40) and has an upper end (48) that is spaced from the lower end (20) of the ring belt (14) to define a space (52) therebetween which effectively uncouples the skirt (46) from the ring belt (14).

Abstract: A monobloc piston has a piston head with a combustion bowl formed in its upper surface and a plurality of ring grooves formed in an outer surface of a ring belt. An oil cooling gallery is formed in the piston head which is defined in part by a wall of the combustion bowl and ring belt. The piston has a unitized, immovable piston skirt which is formed as one piece with the pin bosses and fixed at its upper end to the ring belt. Piston rings are disposed in each of the ring grooves, and the piston head is further formed with an oil drainage groove which is located below the lowest of the ring grooves. The oil drainage groove is closed in the vicinity between adjacent pin bores but is open across outer side faces of the pin bores such that oil collected in the oil drainage is drained to the crank case across the open side faces to better manage the flow of oil scraped from the walls of the piston cylinder during operation of the piston to reduce oil consumption and hydrocarbon emissions.