Liquid cooled diesel engine having gas cooled prechamber

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a first and second housings (10,24) defining an operating chamber (34);
• a piston (14) movable within said operating chamber;
• liquid coolant passages (40) within said first and second housing in proximity to said operating chamber;
• means (46) for circulating a liquid coolant through said passages;
• an opening (50,52) in said first housing extending to said operating chamber to be in fluid communication therewith;
• a third housing (54) defining a prechamber (60) having a gas exit port (58) and a fuel receiving port (62), said third housing being disposed within said opening such that said gas exit port is in fluid communication with said operating chamber but is otherwise generally spaced from said first housing to be substantially out of direct heat transfer contact therewith;
• and
• means (72,82,86,92) for directing a gaseous media to said opening and between said first and second housings.

An internal combustion, reciprocating engine comprising:

• an engine block (10) having at least one cylinder (12) therein;
• a piston (14) mounted for reciprocation in said cylinder;
• a head (24) secured to said block and closing said cylinder to define a combustion chamber (34);
• an opening (50,52) in said head in nominal alignment with the center of said cylinder;
• liquid coolant passages (40) in said head and said block in proximity to said combustion chamber;
• a pump (46) for circulating liquid coolant through said passages;
• a pair of valves (36,38) mounted for reciprocation in said head for movement into and out of said combustion chamber, said valves being oppositely canted with respect to the axis of said cylinder and disposed on opposite sides of said openings;
• gas ports (28,30) in said head and closeable by said valves;
• a housing (54) having an internal prechamber (60), a gas outlet (58) in fluid communication with said prechamber and an oppositely located fuel injector receiving passage (62), said housing being disposed in said opening such that said gas outlet is in fluid communication with said combustion chamber and said fuel injector receiving passage is accessible from the side of said head opposite said block, a substantial part (56,67,68) of the periphery of said housing within said opening being separated from said head by a space;
• and
• means (72,82,86,92) for directing a gas through said space.