Radial engine piston-crankshaft interfaces
OwnerJoseph B. Crover, Stephen E. Croverinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Improved radial engine configurations where the pistons and their associated connecting rods interface with a center crankshaft by the use of slipper bearings, which only contact a portion of the center crankshaft throw. The improved radial engine crankshaft interface includes at least one connecting rod with a bearing that encircles the center crankshaft throw, and acts as a retaining ring for the slipper bearings.
Claims20
A radial engine crankshaft interface, comprising a plurality of pistons arranged in a radial configuration around a center crankshaft, wherein:
- the center crankshaft possesses a crankshaft throw;
- each of the pistons possesses a connecting rod with a first end pivotably affixed to the piston and a second end possessing a slipper bearing with a bearing surface that is shaped in an arc, the arc being of a substantially similar radius as the crankshaft throw and disposed upon a portion of the crankshaft throw;
- and
- the plurality of pistons is divided into a plurality of subsets of pistons, each of the plurality of subsets of pistons being aligned in a plane that is parallel to the planes of the other subsets of pistons, and each piston in each of the plurality of subsets of pistons possessing a connecting rod with a slipper bearing with a bearing surface in contact with the crankshaft throw.
A radial engine crankshaft interface, comprising:
- a crankshaft with a crankshaft throw;
- a plurality of sets of pistons, each set comprising no more than four pistons that are aligned in a plane parallel to the other sets, and each piston in each set possessing a connecting rod, wherein each connecting rod possesses:
- an end proximal to and movably affixed to its associated piston;
- and
- an end distal to its associated piston that possesses a slipper bearing, the slipper bearing having a bearing surface substantially shaped in an arc with a radius substantially identical to the radius of the crankshaft throw;
- and
- at least one piston located between two of the plurality or sets of pistons, the at least one piston having a connecting rod with an end distal to the at least one piston, the distal end having a bearing that encircles the crankshaft throw.
A radial engine, comprising:
- five to nine pistons in a radial configuration around a center crankshaft with a crankshaft throw, wherein:
- two to four of the pistons are in a first subset and aligned in a first plane of movement;
- two to four of the pistons are in a second subset and aligned in a second plane of movement, the second plane of movement parallel to the first plane of movement;
- and
- one piston is located in a center plane of movement parallel to the first and second planes of movement, the one piston positioned between the first subset and second subset of pistons;
- the pistons in the first subset and second subset interface the center crankshaft using slipper bearing in partial contact with the crankshaft throw, the partial contact being a maximized area of the crankshaft throw for each slipper bearing;
- and
- the piston located in the center plane of movement interfaces the center crankshaft using a bearing that encircles the crankshaft throw, and partially overlaps the slipper bearings of the pistons in the first subset and second subset.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.