Adjustable reverse rotation camshaft drive mechanism
AssigneeNeutron Engines LLC
InventorCraig Williams
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A piston engine described allows identical cylinder heads rather than requiring mirror image left and right heads. The engine has front and rear sides, with engine block containing two opposing cylinder banks. Identical heads mounted on block, with overhead camshaft structures in each head. Crankshaft between banks has front and rear gears. At rear is reverse-rotation gear mechanism with internal and external gears. External gear engages crankshaft's rear gear. First chain connects reverse-rotation internal gear to first camshaft sprocket on one head at rear. Second chain connects crankshaft's front gear to second camshaft sprocket on other head at front. Allows driving overhead camshafts of identical heads rather than requiring left and right mirror image heads.
Claims10
A piston engine arranged in a V-configuration, the piston engine comprising:
- a front side and a rear side;
- an engine block extending from the front side to the rear side, the engine block including:
- a first cylinder bank;
- a first cylinder head mounted to the first cylinder bank;
- at least one first overhead camshaft arranged within the first cylinder head, the at least one first overhead camshaft including a first camshaft sprocket disposed at the rear side;
- a second cylinder bank;
- a second cylinder head mounted to the second cylinder bank;
- and
- at least one second overhead camshaft arranged within the second cylinder head, the at least one second overhead camshaft including a second camshaft sprocket disposed at the front side;
- a crankshaft extending from the front side to the rear side between the first cylinder bank and the second cylinder bank, a front end of the crankshaft including a front gear, and a rear end of the crankshaft including a rear gear;
- a reverse-rotation gear mechanism arranged at the rear side, the reverse-rotation gear mechanism including internal gear and an external gear, the external gear engaged with the rear gear of the crankshaft;
- a first chain engaged with the internal gear and the first camshaft sprocket so as to drive the at least one first overhead camshaft;
- and
- a second chain engaged with the front gear of the crankshaft and the second camshaft sprocket so as to drive the at least one second overhead camshaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.