Cylinder liner insert and method of making engine block therewith
AssigneeFord Motor Company
InventorsNathanial L. Field, Benjamin P. Winter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of casting-in-place iron cylinder liners in light alloy, preferably aluminum, engine blocks is made possible by a cylinder liner insert comprising at least two generally cylindrical cylinder liners which are joined together along aligned portions of the liners in a "semi-siamese" fashion. The cylinder liners are joined at the lower ends of the liners with the upper combustion ends remaining independent and unattached. Alternately, narrow ribs can be formed at or arched above the upper ends of the liners to join and stabilize the upper ends of the liners during cylinder block casting operations, with such ribs ultimately being machined off during block finishing operations.
Claims23
A cylinder liner insert to be cast-in-place in a light alloy cylinder block for an internal combustion engine, said cylinder liner insert comprising:
- at least two generally cylindrical cylinder liners each of which includes an upper end and a lower end, an interior surface for defining a combustion chamber of said engine and an exterior surface adapted to successfully interface with a light alloy during a casting process;
- and
- bridge means for joining said at least two cylinder liners along aligned portions of the exterior surfaces of said cylinder liners, said aligned portions being spaced from said upper ends of said cylinder liners which correspond to combustion ends of the combustion chambers formed therein to permit said light alloy to surround the combustion ends of said cylinder liners and thereby enhance heat transfer adjacent the combustion ends of said combustion chambers, said bridge means also serving to enhance the rigidity of the cylinder block incorporating said cylinder liner insert.
A cylinder liner insert to be cast-in-place in a light alloy cylinder block for an internal combustion engine, said cylinder liner insert comprising:
- at least two generally cylindrical cylinder liners each of which includes an upper end and a lower end, an interior surface for defining a combustion chamber of said engine and an exterior surface adapted to successfully interface with a light alloy during a casting process;
- first bridge means for joining said at least two cylinder liners along first aligned portions of the exterior surfaces of said cylinder liners, said first aligned portions being spaced from said upper ends of said cylinder liners which correspond to combustion ends of the combustion chambers formed therein;
- and
- second bridge means for joining said at least two cylinder liners along second aligned portions of the exterior surfaces of said cylinder liners, said second aligned portions being adjacent said upper ends of said cylinder liners.
A method of making a light alloy cylinder block for an internal combustion engine including a cylinder liner insert which is cast-in-place, said method comprising the steps of:
- forming a cylinder liner insert as an integral unit made up of at least two generally cylindrical cylinder liners each of which includes an upper end and a lower end with bridge means for joining said cylinder liners along aligned portions thereof which aligned portions are sized and positioned along said cylinder liners such that the upper ends of said cylinder liners remain unattached;
- positioning at least one of said cylinder liner inserts into appropriate casting apparatus;
- performing a casting operation to cast-in-place said at least one cylinder liner to form said light alloy cylinder block;
- and
- removing said cylinder block from said casting apparatus.
A method of making a light alloy cylinder block for an internal combustion engine including a cylinder liner insert which is cast-in-place, said method comprising the steps of:
- forming a cylinder liner insert as an integral unit made up of at least two generally cylindrical cylinder liners each of which includes an upper end and a lower end, first bridge means for joining said cylinder liners along first aligned portions of said cylinder liners which first aligned portions are spaced from said upper ends of said cylinder liners, and second bridge means for joining said cylinder liners along second aligned portions of said cylinder liners which second aligned portions are adjacent the upper ends of said cylinder liners;
- positioning at least one of said cylinder liner inserts into appropriate casting apparatus;
- performing a casting operation to cast-in-place said at least one cylinder liner to form said light alloy cylinder block;
- and
- removing said cylinder block from said casting apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.