Multiple layer gasket having selectively removable spacer layers and visual indicators

A metallic gasket assembly for use in sealing mating components in an internal combustion engine and permitting selective variation of the compression ratio of the engine, said gasket assembly comprising:

• a plurality of active layers, each having a plurality of active layer apertures formed therethrough and an active layer thickness defined by opposing top and bottom faces, wherein said respective active layer thickness of each of said active layers are all substantially the same;
• a central layer having a plurality of central layer apertures formed therethrough and a central thickness layer defined by opposing top and bottom faces;
• said central layer apertures corresponding to said active layer apertures;
• a plurality of spacer layers, each having a plurality of spacer layer apertures formed therethrough and a spacer layer thickness defined by opposing top and bottom faces, said spacer layer apertures corresponding to said active and central apertures, wherein said respective thickness of each of said spacer layers are all substantially different;
• said active, central and spacer layers being selectively arranged in face-to-face engagement in an alternating manner with said central layer being positioned between said active layers with two of said active layers serving as outermost mounting surfaces of said gasket assembly such that said respective central and active layer apertures are aligned, wherein at least one of said spacer layers is positioned between said central layer and each of said active layers such that said spacer layer apertures are aligned with said active and central layers;
• wherein said active, central and spacer layers are removably engaged in face-to-face engagement such that one or more spacer layers may be selectively added or removed from said gasket assembly in a non-destructive manner to selectively vary the compression ratio of the engine when said gasket assembly is operatively connected to the vehicle engine;
• wherein said central layer is provided with a visual indicator on at least one of said opposing faces to distinguish said central layer from said active layers and said spacer layer;
• wherein each of said active layers are provided with a visual indicator on at least one of said opposing faces to allow for distinguishing said active layers from said central layer and said spacer layers during selective assembly or re-assembly said gasket assembly to achieve varied compression ratios for the vehicle engine when said gasket assembly is operatively connected to the vehicle engine;
• and
• wherein at least one of said central layer, active layers or said spacer layer is provided with a visual indicator to allow for distinguishing between said central layer, active layers and said spacer layer during selective assembly or re-assembly said gasket assembly to achieve varied compression ratios for the vehicle engine when said gasket assembly is operatively connected to the vehicle engine.

A metallic gasket assembly for use in sealing mating components in an internal combustion engine and permitting selective variation of the compression ratio of the engine, said gasket assembly comprising:

• a plurality of metallic active layers, each having a plurality of active layer apertures formed therethrough and an active layer thickness defined by opposing top and bottom faces, wherein said respective active layer thickness of each of said active layers are all substantially the same;
• a central metallic layer having a plurality of central layer apertures formed therethrough and a central thickness layer defined by opposing top and bottom faces;
• said central layer apertures corresponding to said active layer apertures;
• a plurality of metallic spacer layers, each having a plurality of spacer layer apertures formed therethrough and a spacer layer thickness defined by opposing top and bottom faces, said spacer layer apertures corresponding to said active and central apertures, wherein said respective thickness of each of said spacer layers are all substantially different;
• said active, central and spacer layers being arranged in face-to-face engagement in an alternating manner with said central layer being positioned between said active layers with two of said active layers serving as outermost mounting surfaces of said gasket assembly such that said respective central and active layer apertures are aligned, wherein at least one of said spacer layers is positioned between said central layer and each of said active layers such that said spacer layer apertures are aligned with said active and central layers, said active, central and spacer layers being detachably and selectively secured together by removable fasteners;
• wherein said one or more spacer layers may be selectively added to said gasket assembly to selectively lower the compression ratio of the engine, selectively removed in a non-destructive manner to selectively increase the compression ratio of the engine, or selectively substituted in a non-destructive manner with one or more additional spacer layers, said additional spacer layers having a thickness that differs from said thickness of said one or more spacer layers such that selectively substituting one or more of said additional spacer layers serves to selectively vary the compression ratio of the engine;
• wherein said central layer is provided an elastomeric coating in the form of a sealing bead disposed on said top and bottom faces, said coating being dyed a predetermined central layer color and serving as a visual indicator to distinguish said central layer from said active and spacer layers;
• wherein each of said active layers are provided are provided with an elastomeric coating on said top and bottom faces, said coating covering substantially the entire top and bottom faces, wherein said coating is dyed a predetermined active layer color and serving as a visual indicator to distinguish said active layers from said central and spacer layers;
• and
• wherein each of said spacer layers are provided with a unique marking to serve as a visual indicator, said marking being positioned on at least one of said opposing faces, said marking serving to distinguish each of said spacer layers from other spacer layers, as well as distinguishing said spacer layers from said central layer and said active layers during selective assembly or re-assembly said gasket assembly to achieve varied compression ratio for the vehicle engine when said gasket assembly is operatively connected to the vehicle engine.

A metallic gasket assembly for use in scaling mating components in an internal combustion engine and permitting selective variation of the compression ratio of the engine, said gasket assembly comprising:

• at least two metallic active layers;
• and
• a metallic central layer;
• said active layers and central layer being arranged in selectively removable face-to-face engagement such that said central layer and said active layers may be selectively dis-assembled in a non-destructive manner and re-assembled to achieve varied compression ratio for the vehicle engine when said gasket assembly is operatively connected to the vehicle engine;
• wherein one of said active layers and said central layer include a visual indicator to distinguish said layers from one another.

A selectively adjustable gasket assembly kit for selectively varying the compressior ratio of a vehicle engine, comprising:

• a plurality of metallic gasket layers;
• wherein said plurality includes a first subset of multiple active gasket layers, a second subset of at least one spacer gasket layers and a third subset containing a central gasket layer;
• wherein at least one subset is provided with a visual indicator to distinguish said at least one subset from the remaining subsets to assist in assembly and selective re-assembly of said gasket assembly;
• wherein said first subset includes at least two active gasket layers, a first active layer and a second active gasket layer, each of said active gasket layers having a plurality of active layer apertures formed therethrough;
• wherein said second subset includes at least one spacer layer, each of said spacer layers having a plurality of spacer layer apertures that generally correspond in size and shape to said active layer apertures;
• wherein said central layer has a plurality of central layer apertures that generally correspond in size and shape to said active and spacer layer apertures;
• said first, second and third subsets being arranged in an alternating manner with said active, spacer and central layer apertures aligned such that said third subset is positioned between gasket layers of said first subset and at least one gasket layer of said second subset is positioned between said gasket layer from said third subset and one of said gasket layers from said second subset to define a first predetermined compression ratio value;
• said first, second and third subsets being removably engaged such that said gasket assembly may be selectively dis-assembled;
• wherein said gasket assembly may be modified to achieve a second predetermined compression ratio value that differs from said first compression ratio value by selectively disassembling said gasket assembly in a non-destructive manner, selectively adding or removing one or more spacer gasket layers, and re-assembly said gasket assembly.