US1781090A - Internal-combustion engine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 11, 1930. E. E. WICKERSHAM INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Au fir/m us 7 R o m 2 N n n m 06 N I ELMEF? E. W/c/{ERSA/AM.

Patented Nov. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Application filed August 8, 1928. Serial No. 298,323.

The present invention relates to improvements in internal combustion engines, and its principal object is to provide certain'structural improvements increasing the efficiency of the engine, making the same more compact and giving easy access to the parts there- 'of which are apt to need repairing.

It is particularly proposed to present a novel driving means between the reciproeating piston and the drive shaft which allows the cylinders to be arranged in pairs and each pair of pistons to become active on an individual crank shaft which is disposed transversely relative to the crank case and which may be easily inspected through holes in the side of the crank case, all the transverse crank shafts cooperating in driving a longitudinally-arranged main or drive shaft.

It is further proposed in the present invention to provide a valve-operating mechanism which allows the main or drive shaft to be utilized as a'eam shaft for operating the valves.

Further objects and advantages of my in-' vention will appear as the specification proceeds.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 shows a side view of my internal combustion engine; and

Figure 2, a transverse section taken along line 22 of Figure 1.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, I wish to have it understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claims hereto attached without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In its preferred form, my engine comprises a plurallty of pairs of cylinders 1, the cylinders of each pair being arranged in spaced and parallel relation and the pairs being preferably arranged in longitudinal alignment. Each cylinder has a piston 2 reciproeating therein.

A crank shaft 3 is provided for each pair of cylinders and is mounted in the housing 4 between the two cylinders, so that the cranks 6 of the crank shaft, which are disposed at the ends thereof, may be'conveniently connected to the connecting rods 7 of the pistons by means of crank pins 8. Each crank 6 is counterbalanced by means of a weight 9 diametrically opposite the same.

-The crank shaft 3 has mounted thereon a Worm 11, which latter engages with a worm gear 12 on the main or drive shaft 13 which extends longitudinally through the crank case 4 and which is in driving connection with all the crank shafts.

The cylinders may be constructed in any suitable manner and are formed with intake valves 14 and exhaust valves 16, thevalve rods 17 extending through the crank case toward the main drive shaft 13 so as to ride on cams 18 provided on this shaft, and the manifolds being arranged between the cylinders.

The crank case is formed with apertures 19 opposite the ends of the crank shafts, and these apertures may be closed by means of removable plates 21. The apertures are of sufficient size to allow of free access to the crank shafts and particularly to allow the crank pin and its bearing to be inspectedv and removed for repair.

It will be seen that this arrangement offers decided advantages in so far as the crank '80 pin bearings are easily accessible. It furthermore allows the entire device to be made very compact and narrow, allowing any number of units or pairs to be used in a comparatively small space.

The engine is particularly adapted for marine work and provides a slow speed power shaft which at the same time serves as a cam shaft for operating the valves. Each pair of cranks is properly balanced. 90

I claim:

1. An engine comprising a pair of parallel cylinders having valve chambers polnting toward one another and intake and exhaust manifolds passing therebetween, pistons reciprocable in the cylinders, a crank shaft in the plane of the cylinders, connect ng rods for the pistons engaged with opposite ends of the crank shaft, 2. drive shaft arranged transversely to the crank shaft, 8. driving connection between the two shafts, valves in the chambers and a direct driving connection between the drive shaft and the valves.

2. An engine comprising an aligned series of pairs of cylinders, the cylinders of each pair having valve chambers pointing toward one another and intake and exhaust manifolds passing therebetween, pistonsreciprocable in the cylinders, a crank shaft for each pair of cylinders, connecting rods for the pistons engaged with opposite ends of the crank shafts, a drive shaft arranged transversely of all-the crank shafts, a driving connection between each crank shaft and the drive shaft, valves in each chamber and a direct driving connection between the drive shaft and the valves.

3. An engine comprising a pair of parallel cylinders having valve chambers pointing toward one another and intake and exhaust manifolds passing therebetween, pistons reciprocable in the cylinders, a drive shaft arranged transversely to the plane of the cylinders, a driving connection between the pistons and the drive shaft, valves in the chambers, and. a direct driving connection between the drive shaft and the valves.

4. An engine comprising a pair of parallelcylinders having valve chambers and intake andexhaust manifolds passing therebetween, pistons reciprocable in the cylinders, a drive shaft arranged transversely to the plane of ill}? cylinders, a driving connection between t e pistons and the drive shaft, valves in the chambers, and a direct driving connection between the drive shaft and the valves.

5. An engine comprising a pair of parallel cylinders having valve chambers and pistons reciprocable therein, a drive shaft arranged transversely to the plane of the cylinders, a driving the drive shaft, valves in the chambers, and a direct driving connection between the drive shaft and the valves.

ELMER E. WICKERSHAM.

connection between the pistons and

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