Ford Motor Company Limited

Michael A Pulick

Nathaniel L Field

George F Leydorf

Armen Topouzian

A method of making a cast dual-metal monoblock, by (i) casting an iron-based insert to define walls for one or more chambers or passages for each of combustion, piston reciprocation, gaseous induction and gaseous exhaust; (ii) forming a sand core wrapping directly about said insert to cover such insert except for the extremities of the walls defining the passages for gaseous induction and exhaust and the chamber for piston reciprocation, such extremities being remote from the walls defining the combustion chamber; and (iii) die casting an aluminum-based metal jacket about the assembly of said insert and core wrapping to complete the dual-metal monoblock. Advantageously, in step (ii), there is further included the formation of a top sand core assembly for defining one or more oil and/or valve train passages or chambers, the top sand core assembly being stationed to rest on the insert during casting of the jacket.

Method of making and apparatus for monoblock engine construction

A method of making a cast dual-metal monoblock, by (i) casting an iron-based insert to define walls for one or more chambers or passages for each of combustion, piston reciprocation, gaseous induction and gaseous exhaust; (ii) forming a sand core wrapping directly about said insert to cover such insert except for the extremities of the walls defining the passages for gaseous induction and exhaust and the chamber for piston reciprocation, such extremities being remote form the walls defining the combustion chamber; and (iii) die casting an aluminum-based metal jacket about the assembly of said insert and core wrapping to complete the dual-metal monoblock. Advantageously, in step (ii), there is further included the formation of a top sand core assembly for defining one or more oil and/or valve train passages or chambers, the top sand core assembly being stationed to rest on the insert during casting of the jacket.

A construction for an internal combustion engine is disclosed which improvies engine performance, reduces the cost of assembly and manufacture, and reduces engine weight. The construction comprises: (a) a cast iron monoblock having a bank of aligned cylinders with the axes of the cylinders lying in a common central upright plane, the monoblock being closed at the top except for means permitting ingress and egress of combustion gases to or from the cylinders; (b) a pair of die cast aluminum complementary clamshell housing sections having margins mateable along the central upright plane effective to support and envelop the monoblock in spaced relation therein to define a water jacket chamber, the sections having a cast-in-place oil passage system defined in and along the margins mateable at the central upright plane; (c) means (grooves and compressible sealing rings) extending between the sections and monoblock to seal the water jacket chamber against oil and water migration; (d) means extending annularly about the monoblock and received by the housing sections to transfer cylinder axial thrust loads therebetween; and (e) means to fixedly joint the sections together in the mated relationship.

Chamber construction for internal combustion engine

A construction for an internal combustion engine is disclosed which improves engine performance, reduces the cost of assembly and manufacture, and reduces engine weight. The construction comprises: (a) a cast iron monoblock having a bank of aligned cylinders with the axes of the cylinders lying in a common central upright plane, the monoblock being closed at the top except for means permitting ingress and egress of combustion gases to or from the cylinders; (b) a pair of die cast aluminum complementary clamshell housing sections having margins mateable along the central upright plane effective to support and envelop the monoblock in spaced relation therein to define a water jacket chamber, the sections having a cast-in-place oil passage system defined in and along the margins mateable at the central upright plane; (c) means (grooves and compressible sealing rings) extending between the sections and monoblock to seal the water jacket chamber against oil and water migration; (d) means extending annularly about the monoblock and received by the housing sections to transfer cylinder axial thrust loads therebetween; and (e) means to fixedly join the sections together in the mated relationship.

An indirect Brayton cycle is employed for an energy recovery system useful for large mass flow applications, such as a cast-iron making cupola. Exhaust gases from the cupola (elevated in temperature due to conversion by burning to CO.sub.2 and due to elimination of cooling of the exhaust passages) are directed to a turbine (which extracts energy to drive a compressor and electrical generator), the exhaust gases are then expanded (reduced in pressure), passed through a heat exchanger to release additional heat units to an air supply feeding the cupola, and then through the compressor to be raised in pressure to ambient for dumping. The exhaust gases are roughly filtered prior to entry into the recovery system and fine filtered after leaving the system prior to dumping; the residual temperature of the fine filtered exhaust gases is about 390.degree. F. In contrast, the direct Brayton cycle employed by the prior art for energy recovery (steam plants) conveys a fresh air supply to a compressor-turbine-generator combination, first raising the pressure and temperature of the air supply by the compressor, then passing the air supply through a heat exchanger for an additional temperature increase (receiving heat units from a trailing portion of the steam system) and then passing the air supply through a turbine for return to ambient pressure conditions with a residual heat content of about 850.degree. F.

Growing community of inventors

Livonia, MI, United States of America

Michael A Pulick