# US 10,309,870 B2 · Angular orientation of camshafts and crankshaft of an engine assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,309,870 B2 - Document ID: US10309870B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/620,155 - Filed: 2017-06-12 - Published: 2017-12-21 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-15 - Assignees: Fca US LLC - Applicants: Kenneth D Dudek; Mark S Hannon - Inventors: Kenneth D Dudek; Mark S Hannon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309870B2 ## CPC - G01M 15/06: by monitoring positions of pistons or cranks - F01L 1/02: Valve drive (transmitting-gear between valve drive and valve F01L1/12) - F01L 1/053: overhead type - F01L 1/34: characterised by the provision of means for changing the timing of the valves without changing the duration of opening {and without affecting the magnitude of the valve lift} - F02B 77/08: Safety, indicating, or supervising devices (thermal insulation F02B77/11; monitoring or diagnostic devices for exhaust-gas treatment apparatus F01N11/00) - F01L 2303/01: Tools for producing, mounting or adjusting, e.g. some part of the distribution - F01L 2303/02: Initial camshaft settings - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F01L: CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES - F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G) ## Abstract A fixture assembly includes a primary gage member, camshaft gages, a crankshaft gage and an engine gage, all of which have planar datum surfaces that are each dimensionally located relative to the primary gage member planar datum surface. The engine gage includes an engine datum surface, and is sized and shaped to receive, support and dimensionally locate the engine. An engine block datum surface is configured to be positioned on the engine datum surface thereby locating the engine relative to the primary gage member datum surface. The primary, first, second and engine datum surfaces are fixed in a parallel relationship to each other so as to form a parallel alignment system such that when the fixture assembly datum surfaces engage and form parallel alignment with the corresponding engine datum surfaces, the camshafts and crankshaft are angularly located in a predetermined angular orientation for proper timing of the engine assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for locating rotating components of an engine assembly for timing of the engine assembly, the system comprising: a fixture assembly including: a primary gage member having a primary datum surface that is planar; a plurality of camshaft gage members adjustably coupled to only the primary gage member and dimensionally located relative to only the primary datum surface, each of the plurality of camshaft gage members having a first datum surface that is planar and configured to engage a corresponding camshaft planar datum surface of a camshaft of the engine assembly; a crankshaft gage member adjustably coupled to only the primary gage member and dimensionally located relative to only the primary datum surface, the crankshaft gage member having a second datum surface that is planar and configured to engage a corresponding crankshaft planar datum surface of a crankshaft of the engine assembly; an engine assembly gage member connected to the primary gage member and dimensionally located relative to the primary datum surface, the engine assembly gage member including an engine datum surface, the engine assembly gage member sized and shaped to receive, support and dimensionally locate the engine assembly, wherein a block datum surface of a block of the engine assembly is configured to be positioned on the engine datum surface thereby dimensionally locating the engine assembly relative to the primary datum surface; wherein the primary, first, second and engine assembly datum surfaces of the fixture assembly are fixed in a parallel relationship to each other so as to form a parallel alignment system such that when the datum surfaces of the fixture assembly engage and form parallel alignment with the corresponding datum surfaces of the engine assembly positioned on the engine datum surface, the camshaft and crankshaft are angularly located in a predetermined angular orientation for proper timing of the engine assembly. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein when the datum surfaces of the fixture assembly engage and form parallel alignment with the corresponding datum surfaces of the engine assembly positioned on the engine datum surface, the camshaft and crankshaft are automatically positioned in a predetermined angular orientation for proper timing of the engine assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of camshaft gage members and the crankshaft gage member are vertically adjustable toward and away from the primary gage member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of camshaft gage members and the crankshaft gage member include an upper gage member adjustably coupled to the primary gage member and a lower gage member telescopically adjustable relative to its respective upper gage member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the engine gage member is dimensionally located relative to the primary datum surface and suspended from the primary gage member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein when the engine assembly is positioned on the engine datum surface of the engine gage member, the primary gage member is positioned above the engine assembly and the engine gage member is positioned below the engine assembly. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of camshaft gage members and the crankshaft gage member are laterally adjustable toward and away from a camshaft centerline and a crankshaft centerline, respectively. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of camshaft gage members and the crankshaft gage member are fore-aft adjustable along camshaft centerlines and a crankshaft centerline, respectively. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the engine assembly includes dual overhead camshafts and the fixture assembly includes four camshaft gage members. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each of the camshaft gage members, the crankshaft gage member and the engine assembly gage member are all connected to and dimensionally located only from the datum surface of the primary gage member.