Cummins Engine Company, Inc.

Fleetguard, Inc.

J Eric Parlow

David Paul Genter

Nathan R Ritchie

Roger L Sweet

Peter K Herman

Alan S Bounnakhom

Donald W Beach

David M Ruch

Mark A Voils

John M Partridge

In an internal combustion engine, a barring adapter member is mounted on an auxiliary engine component, such as an air compressor shaft which is geared to the engine crankshaft. The barring adapter member is configured to receive a barring tool, permitting manual rotation of the air compressor shaft for desirably positioning engine crankshaft-driven components during engine repair or adjustment. In an arrangement according to the invention, the air compressor gear is enclosed by a gear casing, but the adapter is accessible through an aperture closeable by a removable cap. The barring adapter member facilitates barring the engine from a convenient position and is particularly advantageous in an engine designed to eliminate most externally-exposed rotational shaft seals and associated external pulleys conventionally used as barring locations.

Air compressor engine barring adaptor

Barring adaptor for an engine air compressor

A separable gasket for use in sealing the interface between a gear housing and an engine block as well as the interface between an air compressor and the gear housing includes a first gasket portion constructed and arranged for sealing the interface between the gear housing and the engine block and a second gasket portion constructed and arranged for sealing the interface between the air compressor and the gear housing. A third gasket portion in the form of a perforated score line is positioned between the first gasket portion and the second gasket portion. In the event the air compressor requires servicing, the present invention enables the second gasket portion to be manually flexed and ultimately separated from the first gasket portion so that a replacement gasket can be assembled when the air compressor is reassembled to the gear housing. By separating the second gasket portion from the first gasket portion, the servicing of the air compressor does not necessitate any disassembly of the gear housing from the engine block nor any replacement of the first gasket portion.

Integrated gear housing/air compressor gasket

A closed crankcase ventilation system which relies on a vacuum assist from the turbocharger inlet to suction blow-by gases from the crankcase. The system includes a coalescer/filter which is operative to filter any oil particles which may be entrained in the blow-by gases before they are released into the turbocharger inlet. A pop off valve is also included in order to prevent the engine crankcase from becoming over pressurized as a result of back pressure caused by either a plugged coalescer/filter or some catastrophic engine malfunction. Further included is a vacuum limiting valve which prohibits the vacuum assist produced by the air inlet to the turbocharger from producing too low of an absolute pressure, thereby preventing an imbalance in pressure across the seals of the turbocharger. The system further includes a bypass valve which also prevents the crankcase from becoming over pressurized by routing the flow of blow-by gases around the coalescer/filter if the pressure in the crankcase becomes too great. Finally, the present invention incorporates a single mounting head which allows the various valves and filters of the present invention to be mounted thereon. The mounting head may then be conveniently attached to the engine at a single location.

Closed crankcase ventilation system

Growing community of inventors

Columbus, IN, United States of America

J Eric Parlow