Lubrication fluid filtering and cooling assembly

Abstract

A compact lubrication fluid filtering and cooling assembly including a bracket (16) for simultaneously mounting a pair of lubrication filters, (12 and 14) and a lubrication fluid cooler (10) on the block (4) of an internal combustion engine equipped with an internally contained lubrication circuit and providing fluid connection therewith. The bracket (16) provides a plurality of fluid flow passages (30, 77, 80, 88 and 91a) whereby lubrication fluid is conducted from the main engine oil discharge port (24) into bracket (16) into a first discharge port (26) leading to filter (12) from which oil is returned to the bracket for delivery to cooler (10), and from cooler (10) back through bracket (16) to the main return port on the engine block. At the same time, a predetermined amount of lubrication fluid is diverted through a bleed passage (30) to an auxiliary filter (14) and then conveyed through a flow passage (80) in bracket (16) to an auxiliary port (81) which communicates with an auxiliary inlet port (82b) formed on the engine block. Cooler (10) includes a hollow shell (45) in which a plurality of spaced coolant tubes are supported by a pair of support plates (50, 51) positioned at opposite ends of the shell and secured to hollow shell (45) to form a fluid tight seal. End caps (60, 62) are joined to hollow shell (45) in a manner to prevent the nondestructive disassembly of cooler (10) and require its replacement during engine maintenance or overhaul. Cooler (10) is mounted on bracket (16) in an offset position with respect to its central longitudinal axis to form a compact cooler/filter assembly in a manner which does not unduly complicate the internal flow passages (30, 77, 80, 88 and 91a) contained within the bracket (16).