Ford Motor Company Limited

George C DeBell

Richard L Allor

Robert A Pett

Ernest D Stiles

Fred G Oblinger

Edwin J Ounsted

John A Herman, Sr

An engine component assembly is disclosed having a bi-material wrist pin which secures a piston rotatably to an associated connecting rod. The bi-material wrist pin includes a cylindrical ceramic core. Surrounding the cylindrical core is a tubular shell which fixedly secures the core in relation to the shell. The shell rotatably cooperates with the piston and is fixed in relation to the connecting rod.

Wrist pin having a ceramic composite core

A locating pin for positioning weld nuts relative to sheet metal pieces. The locating pin includes a heat and wear resistant ceramic base having a central opening. The locating pin also includes a heat and wear resistant elastomeric tip attached to the base by a shaft depending from the tip into the central opening of the base. The ceramic and elastomeric materials provide the locating pin with an electrically non-conducting characteristic.

Composite insulating weld nut locating pin

A rocker arm of the cam follower type has a rocker arm body formed of a metal matrix composite material comprising a lightweight metal, preferably aluminum, having ceramic material mixed therein. The rocker arm may take the form of a 'slider' arm which included a pad for slideably engaging a cam on a rotating cam shaft for pivotally moving the rocker arm to operate an associated valve. For a slider rocker arm, the cam engaging pad comprises a wear resistant ceramic material which may be integrally formed into the rocker arm or otherwise secured thereto after forming. Alternately, the rocker arm may take the form of a 'roller' rocker arm wherein a roller formed of a first ceramic material is rotatably mounted on an axle formed of a second ceramic material and mounted between sidewalls of the rocker arm body. One or both ceramic materials may be porous and self-lubricating when impregnated with a solid or liquid lubricant. A variety of hardening techniques, coatings and inserts may be provided as required.

Lightweight rocker arm

A compression linkage is disclosed for use between a first swivel pin having a first thermal expansion characteristic and a second swivel pin of a second and differing thermal expansion characteristic, comprising: (a) a first shaft comprised of substantially the same material as the first pin and having a mateable end and another end adapted for swivel connection to said first pin; (b) a second shaft comprised of substantially the same material as the second pin and having a mateable end and another end adapted for swivel connection to said second pin; and (c) means providing a rigid compression joint between the mateable ends of said first and second shafts. Preferably, the first pin is adapted to operate in a high temperature environment, such as 400.degree.-500.degree. F., and is comprised of a ceramic effective to have a flexural strength of at least 100,000 psi (500 MPa) in such temperature range. The material for the second pin is preferably comprised of metal having a tensile strength of at least 550 MPa and a coefficient of thermal expansion in the range of 8-20 ppm/.degree. K. The metal may be selected from the group consisting of high carbon steel and sintered powdered metal.

Growing community of inventors

Plymouth, MI, United States of America

George C DeBell