Caterpillar Inc.

Samuel L McLaughlin

Stephen V Kelly

Allyn P Bock

Brian R Weller

An articulated piston apparatus including an improved skirt member wherein the skirt member includes a cooling gallery channel with means for providing a directed flow of lubricant from the cooling gallery channel to the elements of the piston apparatus disposed within the skirt bore, wherein during the upward stroke of the piston apparatus a downwardly directed flow of lubricant flows from the cooling gallery channel through a bore from the cooling gallery channel to the skirt bore and therein impinges those elements of the piston apparatus to assure complete lubrication thereof.

Articulated piston apparatus including a cooling gallery

The design and construction of past articulated pistons include an open space between a head portion and an independent skirt portion. The open space allows excess cooling fluid, such as oil, to exit the piston and flow toward the cylinder, increasing oil consumption and carbon deposits within the engine. The present invention overcomes these problems by positioning a sealing means within an open space between a head portion and a skirt portion of an articulated piston. The sealing means completely blocks the oil from exiting the piston while being adequately conformable to allow the necessary articulation between the head and skirt portions.

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Lafayette, IN, United States of America

Samuel L McLaughlin