For Crankshaft Patents (Class 384/429)
  • Patent number: 5462366
    Abstract: A rolling bearing for mounting a crankshaft (1) in a crankcase (6) of an internal combustion engine comprising a bearing housing (4), between which housing (4) and a journal of the crankshaft (1), rolling elements (18) roll on raceways (19), the bearing housing (4) being split radially into two semi-shells (7,8) which can be connected to each other by screws (11), characterized in that a radially outer rolling element raceway (19) is formed directly on the semi-shells (7,8) and an outer peripheral surface of the semi-shells (7,8) comprises at least one fitting surface (9) extending parallel to a longitudinal central plane of the screws (11), by which fitting surface (9) the semi-shells (7,8) are guided in a preferably fork-shaped seat (5) formed in the crankcase (6), the semi-shells (7,8) being jointly held on the crankcase (6) by screws (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Ina Walzlager Schaeffler KG
    Inventor: Oskar Hausler
  • Patent number: 5299871
    Abstract: A bearing housing assembly comprising a generally U-shaped casing (12); a cap (13) which fits into and cooperates with the casing to define a bearing housing; and bolts (15) to hold the casing and the cap together. The cap (13) is a clearance fit in the casing (12); and a location and load transferring member (18) extends through a bore (22) whose cross-section extends partly into the casing and partly into the cap and which straddles the clearance (c), the location and load transferring member (18) being stressed to locate the cap within the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Assignee: Vickers PLC
    Inventor: Roland J. Hancock
  • Patent number: 5203854
    Abstract: A main bearing cap for an internal combustion engine consists of an aluminum alloy with a steel core (6). The cap has a supporting surface (2) for the bearing shell (3). The supporting surface is the outer surface of a 3 mm thick aluminum layer (10) outside the steel core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignee: AB Volvo
    Inventors: Lars Nilsson, Kjell Berntson
  • Patent number: 5201246
    Abstract: A lightweight composite camshaft has stamped sheet metal or other lightweight journal and/or cam elements having locating hubs and assembled onto a hollow tube. An economical and rapid method of assembly uses indexing balls pressed into accurately positioned blind holes in the tube and grooves in the bores or hubs of the cam elements to angularly locate the cams with precision prior to locking them tightly in place by expansion of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Philip D. Arnold, Roy G. Kaywood
  • Patent number: 5133313
    Abstract: An engine cylinder block includes lower and upper cylinder block portions which are fastened together by bearing cap fastening bolts and cylinder block fastening bolts. The engine cylinder block is provided with a baffle plate, for separating a crankcase from an oil pan. The baffle plate is fastened to the engine cylinder block by the cylinder block fastening bolts. Bearing cap fastening bolts are arranged in a row parallel to an axis of rotation of the crankshaft at each side of a row of bearing caps. The cylinder block fastening bolts, each of which is located between adjoining bearing caps, are arranged in a row parallel to the axis of rotation of the crankshaft on each side of the row of bearing caps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1992
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Inoue, Shigeki Nakatani, Akinobu Aoki
  • Patent number: 5107809
    Abstract: An improved engine block and crankshaft bearing assembly with an arrangement of the engine block and the bearing assembly that simplifies casting of the engine block, with the block having cylinders and a crankcase with opposed spaced support structures in the crankcase for mounting thin profile, forged steel upper bearing caps between adjacent cylinders with the upper bearing caps spanning the spaced support structures and coupling to conventional bearing caps for at least the main bearings of the crankshaft between the end bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Assignee: Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Chung M. Suh
  • Patent number: 5072707
    Abstract: A four cycle outboard engine having a crankshaft substantially vertically oriented when running A cylindrical block supporting the crankshaft. A thrust metal composed of a pair of semi-circular plates of different thicknesses are mounted in semi-circular grooves of differing depth formed on the bearing portions of the cylinder block and mounted in such a way that the semi-circular plate having the greater thickness contacts the end surface of the semi-circular groove having the shallower depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1991
    Assignee: Aichi Kikai Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiichiro Takai, Haruo Sano
  • Patent number: 5054442
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bearing bridge connecting the main bearing seats of a reciprocating-piston combustion engine in the longitudinal direction of the crankshaft. To reduce the power loss caused by the oil flowing back into the crank case space striking the rotating drive parts, and the oil ageing rate, it is proposed to provide the bearing bridge between the main bearing seats with a shape which screens off the rotating drive parts of the combustion engine with respect to the crank case space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1991
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Albert Pietsch, Georg Eiermann, Wolf Boll
  • Patent number: 5009205
    Abstract: A crankshaft supporting device for a multi-cylinder engine including a plurality of bulkheads provided in a cylinder block of the engine to be arranged along an axis of the crankshaft, disposed in a lower part of the cylinder block. A bearing cap member has a plurality of bearing cap portions each coupled with a lower end of one of the bulkheads so as to constitute a bearing portion for supporting the crankshaft in conjunction with the bulkhead, and a pair of beam portions extending along the axis of the crankshaft to interconnect therethrough two adjacent bearing cap portions. A reinforcement member has a side wall portion which is coupled with a skirt portion of the cylinder block, and a plurality of bolt seats are located underneath the beam portion of the bearing cap member. A plurality of ribs interconnect at least one of the bolt seats and at least one of the side wall portions. A plurality of bolts fasten the beam portions with the bolt seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1991
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoji Abe, Junichi Okita, Katsunobu Miyagoshi, Kouichi Hashiyama
  • Patent number: 5007746
    Abstract: A thrust bearing is provided with resilient mounting tangs in the form of one or more axially and radially projecting leaf springs. Each leaf spring is shaped with a wedge-like camming surface which facilitates the insertion and centering of each tang within a mounting recess formed in a bearing housing. As the tang is wedged and cammed within its mounting recess, the leaf spring is resiliently deflected and compressed therein to securely anchor the bearing in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1991
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Corporation
    Inventors: Albert J. Matzelle, William E. Scheerer
  • Patent number: 4922870
    Abstract: In a multi-cylinder internal-combustion engine, bearing shell and bearing cap of the bearings for the crankshaft are decoupled from the side walls of the cylinder block which form the crankcase. The bearing shells communicate with the cylinder block directly through column elements. The resilience of the column elements relieves the cylinder block of any transverse flexure by crankshaft forces and reduces the generation of noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: Daimler-Benz AG
    Inventors: Albert Pietsch, Wolf Boll
  • Patent number: 4856486
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine has a crankcase coupled to a lower end of a cylinder block, the crankcase including an upper case integrally formed with the cylinder block and a lower case fixed to the upper case. The upper and lower cases have a plurality of journal support walls projecting from inner wall surfaces thereof. An oil pan is fixed to the lower open end of the lower case. A crankshaft is rotatably sandwiched by the journal support walls. A breather chamber is mounted on one side of the crankcase and defined by recesses on confronting surfaces of the upper and lower cases, the breather chamber having one end communicating with the crank chamber and an opposite end communicating with an air intake system. At least one balancer shaft is rotatably supported in a balancer chamber mounted on one side of the crankcase. The upper and lower cases define substantially semicylindrical recesses therein which jointly constitute bearings in which the crankshaft and the balancer shaft are rotatably supported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1989
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Seiji Mori, Toshinari Sonoda, Yusuke Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 4838221
    Abstract: An engine construction which comprises a cylinder block having a series of bearing seats formed therein for the support of a crankshaft, a lower block having bearing caps formed integrally therewith and adapted to be secured from below to the cylinder block with the bearing caps aligned with the corresponding bearing seats for the support of the crankshaft, a balancer shaft, a drive transmitting unit for transmitting the drive of the crankshaft to the balancer shaft, and an oil pan adapted to be removably fitted from below to the lower block and positioned on one side of the lower block opposite to the cylinder block. A surface region of the cylinder block and a mating surface region of the lower block which is brought into contact with the surface region of the cylinder block when the cylinder block and the lower block are connected together are formed with respective pluralities of bearing recesses for the support of the balancer shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1989
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Tadao Suemori
  • Patent number: 4836159
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, in the crankcase (2), as shown in FIG. 1, each bearing cap (7) supporting a crankshaft bearing is, in each instance, bolted to its bearing web (4) with only a single screw (8). On the side of the bearing cap (7) opposite the screw (8), there is provided on the bearing web (4) a supporting surface (11), against which the bearing cap (7) abuts, so that some of the forces parallel to the cylinder axis can be conveyed directly into the crankcase (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1989
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Arnold Lobig
  • Patent number: 4831978
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises reinforcing means secured to an edge portion of a lower opening of the cylinder block at a peripheral edge portion thereof. The reinforcing member has a plate-like shape, has connecting parts extending laterally with respect to the direction of the engine for connecting the facing edge portions of the lower opening of the cylinder block and is formed with openings for passage of oil at the front portion thereof and is secured to an oil pan at the lower surface of its front portion. The rear portion of said reinforcing means forms a part of an outer lower wall of a crank case containing a crank shaft and bifurcates into an upper branch extending backwardly and upwardly and a lower branch extending backwardly and downwardly. The upper branch has an end portion for connection with the cylinder block and the lower branch has an end portion for connection with a transmission case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Isamu Iguchi, Hirofumi Ohshima, Hiroaki Deguchi, Tsuyoshi Tsuchida
  • Patent number: 4795220
    Abstract: A thrust bearing which is formed by stamping a plate made of a bearing alloy material or a plate having a bearing alloy layer has an annular shape. The thrust bearing is disposed in a circumferential direction and has a plurality of recesses and projections deformed in the direction of the thickness of the bearing. The thrust bearing may have a positioning and retaining portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1989
    Assignee: Daido Metal Company Ltd.
    Inventor: Sanae Mori
  • Patent number: 4770547
    Abstract: Thrust bearings are described comprising a substantially planar thrust accepting member having at least one locating portion substantially at a right angle thereto and which is adapted to co-operate with a recess formed in the bearing housing. In a preferred embodiment there are two locating portions and the co-operating recesses in the bearing housing have re-entrant geometry to prevent accidental displacement of the thrust bearing during installation of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1988
    Assignee: AE PLC
    Inventor: Nigel H. New
  • Patent number: 4702624
    Abstract: A flanged half bearing includes a plain half bearing rigidly connected to a pair of flanges by projection welds. All finishing operations are carried out on the separate bearing parts prior to assembly so that a finished part results after welding. Each flange is provided with a protrusion which collapses during the projection welding process. Projection welding prevents damage to the bearing antifriction material and also prevents deformation of the bearing parts during welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1987
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Corporation
    Inventor: Mario Fontana
  • Patent number: 4684267
    Abstract: Split bearing assemblies are disclosed having separable bearing caps for both single applications, such as connecting rods, and multiple applications, such as engine crankshaft supports, together with methods and apparatus for making such assemblies by integrally forming the caps with the main body and separating them by fracture separation. A two step separation method is disclosed with bore starter notches and semicircular die expanders that minimize split plane and bore distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1987
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Mohamed A. Fetouh
  • Patent number: 4651691
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises a cylinder block formed of aluminum alloy and having main bearing bulkheads each of which is formed with a bearing surface. Main bearing caps are securely connected respectively with the bearing bulkheads and formed of aluminum alloy. Each bearing cap is formed with a bearing surface which is located in opposition to the bearing surface of the bearing bulkhead. Additionally, the main journal of a crankshaft formed of iron alloy is rotatably disposed between the bearing surfaces of the bearing bulkhead and bearing cap. The surfaces of the crankshaft main journal is in direct contact with the bearing surfaces of the bearing bulkhead and bearing cap without using conventional bearing metals, thereby cutting off engine noise due to the existence of the bearing metals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1983
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 4644624
    Abstract: A process for the manufacture of half bearings with flanges rigidly connected thereto, made of a steel plate with an antifriction layer, in which the plain (i.e. not yet flanged) half bearing and a pair of flanges are produced and worked separately, and subsequently the two flanges are fixed, in the correct position, onto the half bearing by a welding operation carried out by projection or by condenser discharge. The preparation and working of the thus separate components results in being very economical owing both to the reduction of the operational costs and to a considerable reduction of the cost of the necessary equipment, and the production times are remarkably reduced. The welding step requires very short times and, by the suitable choice of the process used for the welding operation, no deterioration of the antifriction layer applied to the support steel plate occurs, nor any deformation of the plate itself, so that no further working on the finished piece is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1987
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Corporation
    Inventor: Mario Fontana
  • Patent number: 4622934
    Abstract: In a crankshaft structure of two-cycle internal combustion engine, a crank web is provided with a reduced diameter portion at one end thereof coming in the proximity of a bearing which rotatably carries a crank journal and a sealing member is disposed on the outer periphery of the reduced diameter portion. This arrangement advantageously reduces the axial length of the crankshaft while keeping a desired length of the supporting part of the crank web fitted with the crank journal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1986
    Assignee: Honda Giken Koygo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuo Oyama
  • Patent number: 4520771
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises a cylinder block having a plurality of main bearing bulkheads, and a skirt section. Each bearing bulkhead is formed with through-holes each of which as an upper end opening to the skirt section and a lower end opening to the bottom surface of the bearing bulkhead. The bearing bulkhead is formed at its bottom surface with a depression. Each of a plurality of bearing caps is installed to the bearing bulkhead in a manner to fit in the bearing bulkhead depression. Additionally, bolts are disposed respectively in the bearing bulkhead through-holes, each bolt having an upper end section located on the skirt section and a lower end section located in the hole formed in the bearing cap, thereby eliminating the need for excess structure on the bearing cap to sharply reduce the weight of the bearing cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1985
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshimasa Hayashi
  • Patent number: 4520770
    Abstract: An automotive internal combustion engine comprises a cylinder block having a plurality of bearing sections, and a bearing beam structure secured to the bottom part of the cylinder block. The bearing beam structure includes a plurality of main bearing cap sections each of which associates with a respective cylinder block bearing section to rotatably support the journal of a crankshaft. First and second beam sections are formed at the upper corner portions of each bearing cap section to securely connect the bearing cap sections with each other. Additionally, first and second side wall sections are respectively formed along the opposite side portions of each bearing cap section to securely connect the bearing cap sections with each other. The first and second side wall sections are integral with the first and second beam sections, respectively. Therefore, vibration of the bearing beam structure and the cylinder block can be effectively suppressed, thereby achieving total engine noise reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1985
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 4497292
    Abstract: A bearing beam structure is secured to a cylinder block of an internal combustion engine and includes a plurality of main bearing cap sections each of which associates with each bearing section of the cylinder block so as to rotatably support a crankshaft. At least a beam section is rigidly connected to the lower end portion of each bearing cap section to securely connect all the bearing cap sections with each other. Additionally, first and second side wall sections are rigidly connected to the opposite side portions of each bearing cap section to securely connect all the bearing cap sections with each other. Accordingly, the bearing beam structure is improved in rigidity to suppress various vibrations of the cylinder block, thereby effectively achieving total engine noise reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1985
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Hayashi, Naoki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 4474148
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises a cylinder block having at its bottom part a plurality of bearing sections; and a bearing beam structure including a plurality of main bearing cap sections each of which associates with the cylinder block bearing section to rotatably support a crankshaft, first and second beam sections for securely connecting all the bearing cap sections and extending parallel with the axis of the crankshaft, the distance between the outer-most side-surfaces of the first and second beam sections being equal to or smaller than the width of each bearing cap section, and at least four cap bolts for fastening each bearing cap section onto the cylinder block, thereby effectively suppressing the vibration of the bearing beam structure itself and accordingly the vibration of the lower part of the cylinder block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1984
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Company, Limited
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 4467754
    Abstract: An automotive internal combustion engine comprises a cylinder block having at its bottom section a plurality of main bearing supporting sections, a bearing beam structure secured to the cylinder block bottom section and including a plurality of main bearing caps each cooperating with a main bearing supporting section of the cylinder block, and a beam section securely connecting the main bearing caps with each other, and a support arm disposed on an end portion of the bearing beam structure and rigidly connected to the lower section of a transmission bell housing, thereby effectively suppressing the angular displacement of the cylinder block relative to the transmission bell housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1984
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Hayashi, Yoshikazu Hayakawa, Naoki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 4467755
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises a cylinder block including cylinder barrels, and main bearing bulkheads each having a bearing section; main bearing cap sections respectively secured to the bearing bulkheads so that each main bearing cap section and the corresponding cylinder block bearing section associate to constitute a main bearing for rotatably supporting a crankshaft; and a bearing beam structure detachably secured to the main bearing cap sections to connect the main bearing cap sections with each other as a single unit, the bearing beam structure including a plurality of beam sections which are disposed parallel with each other and extend along the row of the main bearing cap sections, the beam sections being connected with each other, thereby effectively decreasing engine noise while facilitating the handling of the engine parts before assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1984
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Company, Limited
    Inventor: Yoshimasa Hayashi
  • Patent number: 4463914
    Abstract: This invention comprehends a spin casting style fishing reel that has a main crank shaft that is mounted in two bearings located at the ends of the shaft. The bearings are mounted from outside the reel body thus permitting the crank shaft to be assembled at the back of the reel. The back cover plate acts to lock the bearings into place in the reel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1984
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventor: John W. Puryear
  • Patent number: 4454842
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises a cylinder block having cylinder barrels and bearing sections, and a bearing beam structure including bearing cap sections each of which associates with each cylinder block bearing section so as to rotatably support the journal of a crankshaft, first and second upper beam sections disposed along the two upper opposite portions of each bearing cap section to securely connect the bearing cap sections with each other, and first and second lower beam sections disposed along the two lower opposite portions of each bearing cap section to securely connect the bearing cap sections with each other, thereby effectively reducing engine noise particularly due to the vibration of a skirt section of the cylinder block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1984
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Ogawa
  • Patent number: 4453509
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine comprises a cylinder block having a plurality of cylinder barrels and a plurality of bearing sections for the journals of a crankshaft; a bearing beam structure and including a plurality of main bearing cap sections each of which associates with each cylinder block bearing section to form a bore for rotatably receiving the crankshaft journal, each bearing cap section being formed with first and second projections which are spaced from each other and located opposite to each other with respect to the axis of the bore, and first and second beam members which are independent from but securely connected to the first and second bearing cap section projections, respectively, by bolts, thereby greatly reducing engine noise emission and improving the productivity of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1984
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshimasa Hayashi