Ford Motor Company Limited

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Thomas John Heater

Robert Gordon Rentschler

Robert A Martin

Gary D Helgesen

Gary Michael Fenn

Mark Allen Hayley

Furqan Zafar Shaikh

Robert Jay Natkin

Neal James Corey

Gary Allan Vrsek

Craig Edward Burch

John Edmond Allison

Bret Allen Oltmans

Grant K Tappen

Martin Andrew Brogley

Frank V Crocco

Charles R Dysarz

Dietmar Peiskammer

Daniel S Hudock

Murray P Donnelly

Joy Adair Hines

John V Counihan

A crank shaft support assembly for increasing stiffness and reducing thermal mismatch distortion in a crank shaft bore of an engine comprising different materials. A cylinder block comprises a first material and at least two crank journal inserts are insert-molded into respective crank journal regions of the cylinder block and comprise a second material having greater stiffness and a lower thermal coefficient of expansion that the first material. At least two bearing caps are bolted to the respective crank journal inserts and define, along with the crank journal inserts, at least two crank shaft support rings defining a crank shaft bore coaxially aligned with a crank shaft axis. The bearing caps comprise a material having higher stiffness and a lower thermal coefficient of expansion than the first material and are supported on the respective crank journal inserts independently of any direct connection to the cylinder block.

Crank shaft support assembly

Method of rapidly making casting, comprising: designing a computer graphic model of the casting; sectioning the graphic model into graphic members which are at least one of blocks and slabs; carving a solid member for each of the graphic members, the solid members being (i) constituted of a meltable or evaporative solid material (i.e. wax or polystyrene), (ii) proportional to and enveloping its corresponding graphic member, and the carving being carried out by accessing two or more sides of each solid member to at least essentially duplicate the corresponding graphic member; forming a mold around the pattern, and casting metal within the mold while removing the pattern from such mold either by evaporation during pouring of the molten metal thereinto or by melting prior thereto.

Rapidly making complex castings

The isolator core cooperates with companion core elements in a casting operation to form a short coolant jacket surrounding the upper portion of each engine cylinder adjacent the air/fuel combustion chamber and an air pocket that surrounds the lower region of the cylinder. Drainback passage core elements may be formed integrally with the isolator core thereby reducing the total number of cores in the casting mold package during a casting operation, the finished casting thereby eliminating dividing walls between the isolator and the oil drain cores thus reducing the number of core elements and reducing the cost and complexity of the casting operation as well as reducing the weight of the finished casting. The isolator core may be used independently of cylinder liners during the casting operation. Alternatively, the isolator core may be used in combination with cylinder liners to simplify the casting operation and to reduce further the total weight of the finished casting by eliminating one cylinder bore wall at the lower region of the cylinder.

Method for forming a cylinder bore isolator core for casting engine

A cylinder block isolator core for use in casting engine cylinder blocks for internal combustion engines. The isolator core cooperates with companion core elements in a casting operation to form a short coolant jacket surrounding the upper portion of each engine cylinder adjacent the air/fuel combustion chamber and an air pocket that surrounds the lower region of the cylinder. Drainback passage core elements may be formed integrally with the isolator core thereby reducing the total number of cores in the casting mold package during a casting operation, the finished casting thereby eliminating dividing walls between the isolator and the oil drain cores thus reducing the number of core elements and reducing the cost and complexity of the casting operation as well as reducing the weight of the finished casting. The isolator core may be used independently of cylinder liners during the casting operation. Alternatively, the isolator core may be used in combination with cylinder liners to simplify the casting operation and to reduce further the total weight of the finished casting by eliminating one cylinder bore wall at the lower region of the cylinder.

Cylinder bore isolator core for casting engine cylinder blocks

A plurality of inter-connected cores includes barrel cores (18). Bore liners (10) surround the barrel cores (18) and are fixed in relation thereto. A cylinder block mold core package (22) is assembled from the cores (14, 24, 26, 28). The liners (10) are heated while they are within the cylinder block mold core package (22) by induction heating. To prevent migration, a mechanical interlock is provided between each liner (10) and its associated barrel core (18).

Core assembly manufacturing apparatus of casting engine blocks and

A multi-cylinder internal combustion engine cylinder block is formed with communication ports allowing communication between cylinders that, when assembled with pistons and a crankshaft, are 180.degree. out of phase. This allows the trapped mass of air beneath a piston to flow beneath a piston in a different cylinder 180.degree. out of phase. As a result, advancing and returning pistons are matched to effectively balance pressures.

Multi-cylinder internal combustion engine with lower cylinder

A method for preparing an engine block casting having integral cylinder bore liners (10). A barrel slab core (14) includes barrel cores (18). Bore liners (10) surround the barrel cores (18) and are fixed in relation to the barrel slab core (14). A cylinder block mold core package (22) is assembled from the barrel slab core (14), and other cores (24, 26, 28). The liners (10) are heated while they are within the cylinder block mold core package (22) by induction heating. Access holes (30) are defined within the barrel slab core (14), each access hole (30) communicating with the interior of one barrel core (18). A heater (32) is inserted through each access hole (30). Thermal energy is thus transferred across the barrel core (18) to the cylinder bore liner (10) to assure optimum integrity of bonding between a solidified cylinder block casting and the cylinder bore liners (10). The heaters (32) are then retracted before adding the molten metal.

Method for preparing an engine block casting having cylinder bore liners

An engine cylinder block having a shallow water jacket in either a V-type, in-line, or opposed engine configuration. The engine cylinder block further having an isolation chamber below the shallow water jacket forming a cavity between the cylinder bore walls and the outer engine block wall. Additionally, ventilation passages are located between the crankcase and isolation chamber through the upper crankcase plate.

Cylinder block cylinder bore isolator

The pattern assembly is comprised of: (a) mating first and second clamshell-shaped foam members, the first and second foam members meeting along exteriorly exposed joint margins defined by mateable surfaces extending along opposite sides of each of the members; (b) at least one other foam member nestable totally within the mated assembly of the first and second members and nestable without joint margins exposed to the exterior of the mated assembly; (c) surfaces enclosed within the mated assembly for piloting the first, second and other member into mating relationship; and (d) adhesive material bonding the first and other members together and bonding the second member to the assembly of the first and other member.

Foam pattern assembly for use in evaporative casting process

First and second clamshell-shaped foam members are mated, the first and second foam members meeting along exteriorly exposed joint margins defined by mateable surfaces extending along opposite sides of each of the members. At least one other foam member is nested totally within the mated assembly of the first and second members and nested without joint margins exposed to the exterior of the mated assembly. The surfaces enclosed within the mated assembly pilot the first, second and other members into mating relationship. The first and other members are adhesively bonded together and the second member is adhesively bonded to the assembly of the first and other member.

Method of joining foam patterns for evaporative casting process

A method is disclosed for increasing productivity when casting Vee configuration engine blocks in a given size, two-part refractory mold having a single parting plane. The method comprises (a) preparing an assembly of refractory cores consisting of (i) one or more pairs of crankcase cores siamesed together and presenting core faces in opposite directions (ii) two pairs of complimentary barrel slab valley cores nested respectively into two pairs of complimentary water jacket cores to form two pairs of complimentary barrel core nests (each pair of complimentary barrel core nests is preferably adapted to be mounted on one of said faces of a crankcase core) (iii) a pair of cam tunnel cores, each cam tunnel core being insertable onto a face of a crankcase core and sandwiched between a pair of barrel core nests to define a Vee angle between said barrel core nests with the bisector of said angle passing through the cam tunnel core and (iv) a pair of dual end cores stationable at each end of the crankcase core transverse to the core faces; (b) planting the assembly of said refractory cores in the mold to define a casting cavity and having the bisector of each of the Vee angles aligned with the mold parting plane; and (c) pouring molten metal into said cavity to form a pair of engine block castings.

Growing community of inventors

Milford, MI, United States of America

Thomas John Heater