Cummins Engine Company, Inc.

Karl Graham

Larry D Wells

A lubricant supply rail is provided for an internal combustion engine to provide an adequate supply of lubricant from the engine lubrication circuit to the bearing surfaces of the rocker arms, the valves and the push rods. The lubricant supply rail of the present invention is configured to provide automatic fluid communication between the cylinder head lubricant outlet port and the lubrication channels contained within the rocker arm support assembly and includes a lubricant supply inlet which communicates directly with the cylinder head and a plurality of transfer bores spaced to communicate directly with each rocker arm support assembly. The lubricant supply rail is preferably formed of nylon or like material and includes a conduit portion sealed at each end by end caps having a configuration which permits effective sealing of the conduit by ultrasonic welding techniques. The conduit portion of the lubricant supply rail has a cross-sectional configuration which permits the rail to be held in sealing engagement with the rocker arm pedestal base. Installation of the lubricant supply rail is accomplished quickly and easily during engine assembly.

Lubricant supply rail

A valve cover for an internal combustion engine has a cover body of an inverted trough-like configuration and a perimetric flange surrounding its open bottom side. A seal receiving groove is formed in a bottom surface of the perimetric flange and extends more than one full circuit around the perimeter of the open side. An elongated elastomeric seal strip of a length that is greater than the circumference of the cover body, as measured within the seal receiving groove, is inserted into the seal receiving groove in a manner wherein opposite ends of the seal strip are overlapped side-by-side and wherein the bottom of the seal strip extends out of the seal receiving groove in a manner forming a sealing ridge around the bottom of the perimetric flange of the cover body. Furthermore, through the provision of O-ring seals on thread fastening bolts used for securing the cover body to an engine, in conjunction with the elastomeric seal strip, the valve cover is able to minimize the production of engine vibration related noise. Additionally, an arrangement of partition walls, ribs, and columns is utilized to distributing loading applied by a row of top mounted fastening bolts uniformly throughout the periphery of the valve cover and a pair of the partition walls are also utilized to form an isolated chamber for a breather vent connection.

Growing community of inventors

Columbus, IN, United States of America

Karl Graham