US3019521A

US3019521A - Cylinder head aligning means

Info

Publication number: US3019521A
Application number: US824541A
Authority: US
Inventors: James T Clark
Original assignee: Clark Feather Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Clark Feather Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1959-07-02
Filing date: 1959-07-02
Publication date: 1962-02-06
Anticipated expiration: 1979-02-06

Description

Feb. 6, 1962 J. T. CLARK CYLINDER HEAD ALIGNING MEANS- Filed July 2, 1959 3,019,521 Patented Feb. 6, 1962 filice 3,019,521 CYLINDER HEAD ALIGNING MEANS James T. Clark, Fort Morgan, Cola, assigner to flash- Feather Manufacturing (10., Fort Morgan, Colo a corporation of Colorado Filed July 2, 1959, Ser. No. 824,541 1 Claim. (Cl. 29-283) This invention relates to means for aligning the head gaskets and cylinder heads of an automotive engine in accurate register with the corresponding openings and passages in the cylinder block thereof. In the past, cylinder blocks were provided with threaded studs projecting from the block upon which the head gasket and cylinder head could be placed so as to accurately retain them in place while clamping nuts were threaded on the studs. 'It is the present practise to eliminate the studs in the cylinder blocks and provide the latter with threaded sockets for receiving cap screws inserted through the cylinder head and through the head gasket. Without the studs, it is exceedingly difficult to align and retain the gasket and the cylinder head in position for the reception of the cap screws.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a simple, highly efficient, easily used and economical means for quickly and easily aligning and retaining the head gasket and cylinder head in place on the cylinder block for the accurate insertion of the retaining cap screws without damage to the gasket.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side view of gripping tongs employed in the improved cylinder head aligning means;

FIG. 2 is a side View of an aligning plug with which the tongs of FIG. 1 are used;

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross section through the aligning plug of FIG. 2 illustrating the tongs of FIG. 1 in gripping relation therewith;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the tongs;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the aligning plug;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross section through a portion of a conventional cylinder block illustrating the aligning plug of FIG. 2 in place therein; and

FIG. 7 is a similar cross section illustrating a conventional head gasket and cylinder head in place on the aligning plug.

In FIGS. 6 and 7 portions of an internal combustion engine have been fragmentarily indicated as follows: cylinder block 21, head gasket 22, cylinder head 23, threaded cap screw sockets 24 and cap screw passages 25. The improved head gasket aligning means consists of a set of elements, each set containing one of the tongs of FIG. 1 and a plurality of the plugs of FIG. 2.

The tongs consist of a single length of resilient fiat wire preformed to form a finger-engaging loop at its midpoint from which two

resilient wire legs

11 and 12 de pend. The resiliency of the wire tends to constantly urge the two legs apart within the confines of a confining band 13 positioned immediately below the loop 10. Each leg is twisted 90 intermediate its extremities, as indicated at 14, so that the lower extremities of the legs lie in a common plane and in the plane of the loop 10.

The lower extremity of each leg is narrowed, as indicated at 15, and the narrowed portions are notched to form outwardly extending hooks 16. The two legs can be forced together in overlapping relation and when released will expand to the normal position of FIG. 1.

The aligning plugs are formed with cylindrical, enlarged upper portions 17 and cylindrical lower portions 16 of reduced diameter. The diameter of the upper portions 1'7 is such as will pass snugly through the cap screw passages in the cylinder head 23 and the diameter of the lower portions 18 is such as to pass freely and snugly into the threaded cap screw sockets 24 in the cylinder block 21. The upper extremity of each plug is drilled and broached to form a hollow internal cavity 19 opening to the top of the plug. The neck or opening of the cavity is surrounded by an inwardly extending hooked flange 26.

It can be seen in FIG. 3 that if the

legs

11 and 12 of the tongs are compressed into overlapping relation, they can be inserted into the cavity 19 of a plug and when released, will expand outwardly against the walls of the cavity so that the hooks 16 will engage beneath the hooked flange 20 to attach the plug to the tongs.

Let us assume that it is desired to place the head gasket 22 and the cylinder head 23 upon the cylinder block 21. The lower portions 18 of a plurality of the plugs are inserted into a chosen plurality of the threaded cap screw sockets 24 of the head, as shown in FIG. 6, with the larger upper portions 17 resting on the upper extremity of the threads therein. The head gasket 22 is now fitted over the upwardly projecting portions 17 of the plugs to accurately align the gasket in register with the openings in the cylinder block 21. The cylinder head 23 is now fitted over the upwardly projection portions 17 of the plugs, as shown in FIG. 7, to accurately position the head on the block. Since all of the threaded sockets 24 do not contain plugs, the conventional cap screws can now be threaded into place in the available sockets 2.4 to secure the head 23 and the gasket 22 in place. The tongs are now compressed and inserted into the screw passages 25 and into the cavities 19 of the plugs so that the hooks 16 will engage the hooked flanges 20 to enable the plugs to be removed in succession and replaced by the conventional cap screws with full assurance that the parts are in accurate position.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be varied within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

Means for aligning and holding cylinder heads and cylinder head gaskets in place on a cylinder block having threaded cap screw sockets comprising: a removable cylindrical plug having a smooth outer surface, the lower portion of said plug having a diameter to fit closely within one of said threaded screw sockets and the upper portion of said plug having a larger diameter substantially equal to the root diameter of the threads in said socket so that it cannot enter therein; a cylindrical cavity formed in said upper portion opening to the top thereof; an inwardly extending hooked flange surrounding the opening of said cavity for receiving a withdrawing tool for lifting said plug from said threaded cap screw sockets after the cylinder head and gaskets have been placed on said cylinder block.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,781,807 Labbee Feb. 19, 1957 2,816,473 Labbee Dec. 17, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 488,963 Great Britain July 18, 1938