US 4,294,203 AGranted

Internal combustion engine with integral upper cylinder section and head

AssigneeCummins Engine Company, Inc.

InventorPhilip E. Jones

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Abstract

An engine structural assembly is disclosed including an integral head and upper cylinder section assembly for use in combination with an integral crankcase and lower cylinder section assembly wherein the upper and lower assemblies are formed to receive a wet cylinder liner which is adapted to be directly contacted by engine coolant over only the exterior surfaces of the liner which are received within the upper assembly. For purposes of forming a coolant cavity around the portion of the liner received in the upper assembly, a coolant seal is provided between the liner and the upper assembly adjacent the joinder zone between the upper and lower assemblies. In one embodiment the liner includes a mid stop located adjacent the upper and lower assemblies for holding the mid section of the liner in a fixed axial position and for applying an axial compressive force to the liner along the portion of the liner received within the upper assembly. Greater efficiency, lower weight, easier maintenance and reduced manufacturing costs are achieved by limiting the total axial length of the liner received in the upper assembly to no more than 40%, and preferably approximately 30%, of the total axial length of the liner.

Claims21

Dependent claims

An engine structural assembly for an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft, at least one reciprocating piston connected with the crankshaft and a cylinder cavity for receiving the reciprocating piston, said engine structural assembly comprising

(a) liner means for guiding the reciprocating movement of the piston within the cylinder cavity, said liner means including a liner disposed within the cylinder cavity of the engine structural assembly, said liner including stop means intermediate the ends of said liner for retaining said liner in a desired axial position within the cylinder cavity, said stop means including a generally radial flange integral with said liner, said radial flange being positioned from the upper end of said liner by a distance which is less than 75 percent of the total axial distance of the lower limit of travel of the upper surface of the piston as measured from the end of said liner;
(b) an integral crankcase and lower cylinder section assembly containing that portion of the cylinder cavity which receives the lower portion of said liner extending downwardly from said radial flange toward the crankshaft when said liner is positioned within the engine structural assembly, said lower assembly includes a stop engaging means for engaging said radial flange and for applying a sealing force to said liner to form a gas tight seal between the upper end portion of said liner and said upper assembly;
and
(c) an integral head and upper cylinder section assembly containing a recess shaped to form that portion of the cylinder cavity which receives the upper portion of said liner extending upwardly from said radial flange away from the engine crankshaft when said liner is positioned within the engine structural assembly, said upper assembly including
(1) a combustion chamber forming wall integral with said upper assembly extending across the upper end of said liner when said liner is positioned within the engine structural assembly, and
(2) coolant cavity forming means for directing cooling fluid through the engine structural assembly along a coolant path shaped to bring the coolant into direct contact with the liner only along that portion of said liner extending above said stop means,
wherein said stop engaging means includes an upper assembly engaging surface positioned to engage the lower radial surface of said radial flange, said upper assembly engaging surface extending radially outwardly beyond the radial extend of said radial flange, said upper assembly including a lower assembly engaging surface for contacting said radially outwardly extending portion of said upper assembly engaging surface.

4 more elements

In an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft, at least one reciprocating piston connected with the crankshaft and a cylinder cavity within which the reciprocating piston moves between upper and lower limits of travel, the combination comprising

(a) an integral head and upper cylinder section assembly containing a recess shaped to form a first portion of the cylinder cavity, said upper assembly being formed of cast iron;
(b) an integral crankcase and lower cylinder section assembly containing the remaining portion of the cylinder cavity, said lower assembly being formed of metallic material distinct from cast iron;
(c) connection means for connecting said upper and lower assemblies along a joinder zone;
(d) liner means disposed within said cylinder cavity portions for guiding the reciprocating movement of the piston within the cylinder cavity, said liner means including an exterior surface spaced from the interior surface of said upper assembly recess to form a coolant cavity shaped to bring coolant into direct contact with no more than 40 percent of the total axial length of said liner means;
(e) combustion gas seal means for sealing the upper end portion of said liner means to form a combustion chamber;
and
(f) coolant seal means disposed adjacent said joinder zone for forming a coolant cavity seal between said liner means and at least one of said upper and lower cylinder section assemblies to cause coolant to contact directly said liner means substantially only along the portion of the liner received within said upper cylinder section assembly.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.