US2124757A - Piston ring groove cleaner - Google Patents

Description

July 26, 1938. w VAUGHAN 2,124,757

PISTON RING GROOVE CLEANER Filed June 1, 1956 fswm INVENTOR. 6 W'ILLIAM VAU HAN BY Caz/own m ATTORNEYS Patented July 26, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE PISTON RING GROOVE CLEANER Application June 1, 1936, Serial No. 82,964

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to piston ring groove tools and has particular reference to that type of tool which is adapted to be used for both removing incrustations of carbon and deepening the normal depth of the grooves.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of the foregoing type which is of simple and durable construction and which can be manufactured very inexpensively on a large commercial scale by modern mass production methods.

Another object of equal importance is to provide a device of the foregoing type having a relatively low maintenance cost.

The invention contemplates certain features of construction, combinations and arrangements of elements novel to this art whereby certain important and well-defined advantages are obtained. Among said advantages may be mentioned the following:

The device is readily adjustable to operate on pistons of widely varying diameters.

The device is readily adjustable to clean or deepen grooves of different widths.

The cutter element is pressed against the groove with uniform working pressure, thus providing a non-gouging and non-chattering action such as is essential in order to obtain a smooth and clean surface. 7

Proper cutter pressure is readily and automatically obtained, regardless of the diameter of the piston upon which the device is being used.

Additional cutter pressure may be very easily obtained.

The tendency of the cutter element to swing sideways is totally eliminated, thus entirely obviating the danger of damaging the side of the grooves or cutting the bottom of the grooves at an angle.

The number of exposed or protruding cutter teeth is reduced to a minimum.

' The cutter element is readily removable for resharpening or replacement.

The tendency of the operative cutting tooth to drop into the oil holes is entirely eliminated.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

The inventive concept underlying the invention is adapted to be embodied in various physical forms, one of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

Referring briefly to the drawing,

Figure 1 is an elevation of the illustrative embodiment of the invention, showing the cutter element and its associated parts in both operative and inoperative positions relative tothe piston to be operated upon, the parts in their inoperative position being indicated by dot and dash lines;

Figure 2 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-section taken on line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross-section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a cross-section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a View in perspective of the spring for urging the tool holder toward the forward end of the device;

Figure 7 is a view in perspective of the cutter element and the screw for pivotally mounting it upon the tool holder; and

Figure 8 is a view in perspective of the locking means for the cutter element.

Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, it will be noted that the device comprises a thin bar I of substantially rectangular crosssection. The forward end 2 of the bar is bent back upon itself as shown to provide means for engaging pistons of different diameters at two spaced points. The main portion of the bar is straight to provide a guide for the slidable member 3 as well as a convenient handle 4 for the device.

The slidable member 3 consists of a lower portion 5 which is of hollow rectangular cross-section to serve as a guide-way to enable the member to slide along the bar I, and the two upper portions 6 and l. The portion 6 is of hollow rectangular cross-section and serves a purpose to be hereinafter pointed out. The portion 1 is U- shaped in cross-section and as will be hereinafter pointed out serves as a mounting for the tool holder. The slidable member 3 may advantageously be made out of a single blank, the rivets 8 serving to hold the formed blank together.

Means may be provided to lock the slidable member against movement at any desired point along the main portion of the bar I. The means may consist of a slot 9 in one side of the slidable member and a screw II] which is threadably connected to the side of the bar I through the slot 9. The screw has the milled head I I, the screw thread l2 and the enlarged shank 13. the screw is tightened, the annular shoulder between the shank l3 and the threads l2 presses against the edges of the slot 9 and clamps the slidable member against movement.

The tool holder is designated as I4 and is piv- When I otally mounted by means of the pivot pin I5 at the forward end of the U-shaped portion 1 of the slidable element 3. The tool holder comprises the two spaced walls I6 and I1 and the connecting wall l8, and is normally urged about its pivotal point toward the forward end of the tool by means of the spring IS. The holder may advantageously be made out of a single blank of suitable material.

The spring I9 which is shown separately in Figure 6 is formed of a thin strip of resilient metal and has the slightly arched main portion 20 and the bent back portion 2|. The bent back portion terminates in the small upwardly facing recess 22. As shown in Figure l the spring I9 is disposed with its main portion 20 lyingv on the floor of the two portions 6 and 1 of the slidable member 3,

the bent back portion 2| being bent about the pivot pin l5 and the recess 22 engaging the bot tom of the connecting wall l8 of the tool holder. It will be noted that the two upper portions 6 and I of the slidable member serve asta housing for the spring- Rotatively mounted on the upper end of the tool holder about a horizontal axis by means of the screw 23 is the cutter element 24'. These two elements are shown separately in Figure 7. The cutter element has a hub 25 which may advantageously be of cylindrical form, and is provided with a plurality of. cutter teeth 26, 2'1, 28 and 29 of different thicknesses to adapt the tool for use with grooves of different. thicknesses. As clearly shown in Figure 1 any one of the cutter teeth may be brought into operative. relationship to the piston P which is disposed at the bent end 2' of the bar I. The piston engaging portions of the bar enter into the groove to be cleaned and cooperate with the operative cutter toothto clamp the piston in position. After the desired tooth is brought into operative position the cutter element may be locked against movement by tightening the screw 23.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention the device is shown as being provided with a positive locking means for the cutter element. The locking means 30 is separately shown in Figure 8 as consisting of a solid block of metal of rectangular cross-section having a curved upper portion 3|, a cut off corner 32 and a screw threaded aperture 33. The block 36 is adapted for slidable movement between the two walls [6 and ll of the tool holder 14 and may be moved up in the space between two teeth of the cutter element to lock the cutter element against rotative movement. In order that the block may be easily moved to and from locking position the wall 16 is provided with a slot 34 to receive a screw 35 which is threadably connected with the block 30 by means of its aperture 33. The screw is of substantially the same form and construction as the screw l0 previously described. The block may be moved into locking position by means of the screw 35 and then locked against displacement by tightening the screw.

It is thought that the operation of the device will be readily understood from the drawing and the foregoing description. Suffice it to say that the piston P to be operated upon is positioned as shown in Figures 1 and 2 with the two piston engaging portions of the bar I engaging in the groove to be cleaned or deepened. Obviously the bent end 2 will receive pistons of widely Varying diameters. The cutter element 24 is turned about its pivot to present the required sized cutter tooth toward the piston and the cutter element is locked in position. The slidable element is moved toward the piston until the operative tooth is received within the groove to be operated upon. Then the slidable element is locked in position by means of the screw H]. To operate the device it is merely necessary to turn the piston against the cutter or to rotate the device around the piston. The construction of the device is such that the cutter element is pressed against the groove with uniform working pressure, proper cutter pressure being automatically obtained regardless of the diameter of the piston. Additional cutting pressure may be readily supplied if considered necessary or desirable by exerting a slight pressure upon the connecting wall I8 of the tool holder with the thumb of the hand used to hold the device.

It is thought to be clear that the manner in which the cutter element is mounted entirely eliminates any tendency of the cutter element to swing sideways. Hence, the danger of damaging the side of the grooves or cutting the bottoms of the grooves at an angle is entirely eliminated. It is also to be noted that the operative cutter tooth passes readily over the oil holes instead of dropping into them as in prior devices.

The foregoing embodies the essential and distinctive thought of my invention, but it will, of

course, be understood that the same may be combined with other features without affecting the peculiar results obtained and that various changes and modifications may be resorted to as to details without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A piston ring groove cleaner and deepener comprising a straight bar bent back upon itself at one end to provide means for engaging pistons of widely varying diameters at two spaced points, a cutter element mounted on said bar for both slidable and pivotal movement to and away from the bent end of said bar and spring means urging said cutter element about its pivotal point toward the bent end of said bar.

2. A piston ring groove cleaner and deepener comprising a straight bar bent back upon itself at one end to provide means for engaging pistons of widely varying diameters at two spaced points,

a slidable member mounted on said bar for movement toward and away from the bent end of said bar, a cutter element, means for mounting said cutter element on said slidable member for pivotal movement toward and away from the bent end of said bar and spring means for urging said cutter element about its pivotal point toward the bent end of said bar.

3. A piston ring groove cleaner and deepener comprising a straight bar bent back upon itself 3 WILLIAM VAUGHAN.

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