Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Robert L Weber

Benny Ballheimer

Stephen G Shoup

John L Johnson

Edward H Betts, Jr

Mark W Jarrett

Werner H Koeslin

Charles J Kocian

Kenneth R Kamman

David M Erickson

Past pistons have been susceptible to reduced longevity due to increased forces of combustion thereon during operating cycles of an engine. The present two piece unitary piston increases the longevity of pistons used with increased forces of combustion. For example, a head member has a crown portion defining a ring band portion having a bottom surface and a support portion. And, a skirt member defines a ring band support surface and a mating portion. The head member and the skirt member have a preestablished material strength being generally the same. The head member and the skirt member are joined at an interface of the support portion and the mating portion by an interference fit and are joined at the interface of the bottom surface and the ring band support surface by a weld. The force of combustion acting on the crown portion is resisted by the ring band support surface being in contacting relationship with the bottom surface. Thus, the skirt member structure supports and resists the bending moment of the combustion forces on the head member.

Method and apparatus for making a two piece unitary piston

The present invention relates generally to an engine control system, and more particularly to an engine control system that decreases the amount of waste oil that must be disposed of in an internal combustion engine by automatically burning spent oil based upon engine speed.

Apparatus and method for burning spent lubricating oil in an internal

Present day diesel engines having aluminum piston assemblies are limited to combustion chamber pressures of approximately 12,410 kPa (1,800 psi) whereas the desire is to increase such pressures up to the 15,170 kPa (2,200 psi) range. To reach such levels the instant engine has a piston assembly including a steel piston member having an upper cylindrical portion of a diameter D and defining a top surface, a depending tubular wall having a top ring groove a minimal elevational distance TRH below the top surface, and an annular cooling recess located beneath the top surface and juxtaposed to the top ring groove for removing heat away therefrom in use. The piston member is preferably forged and subsequently machined to precisely controllable dimensions, and has a ratio of TRH to D of less than 0.06. Moreover, the piston assembly is preferably of the articulated type and includes a forged aluminum piston skirt connected to the piston member through a common wrist pin. The skirt has an upwardly facing oil trough that is disposed in a cooperating relationship with the cooling recess of the piston member. A midsupported cylinder liner surrounds the piston assembly and a recess is provided thereabout at an elevation aligned with the top ring groove for maximizing cooling.

Engine including a piston member having a high top ring groove

A V-8 internal combustion engine has its two cylinder banks disposed at an included angle of 65.degree. and each adjacent pair of crankpins of a two-plane, counterweighted crankshaft displaced at an angle of 25.degree. with respect to each other. Sharp edges initially formed at diametrically opposed intersections of each pair of crankpins are ground-off to form an S-shaped blended surface area thereat for reducing stress concentrations.

V-Type internal combustion engine

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Lacon, IL, United States of America

Robert L Weber