Lubricating Means for Pin Connected Relatively Rotatable Engine Part and Method of Lubrication

The present invention relates to a lubricating system for relatively rotatable parts connected by a pin. More specifically, it concerns a configuration in the bore of the rotatable member enabling entrapment of a pocket of oil which can be distributed around the pin.

In engines of different types and particularly piston engines there are a number of places where a pin or shaft rotates relative to a member. That member or the pin or both may be subject to movement. In today's engine such relatively rotatable junctions are rarely designed to be immersed in the oil in the crank case. Instead, typically lubrication of joints on the crank shaft is accomplished by providing ducts through the crank shaft to individual bearing areas. An oil pump supplies oil to an oil gallery of ducts in the engine block connected to the crank shaft through the main bearings. The oil supplied to the bearings is under high pressure which causes the oil to spread out through the bearing and beyond onto the surface of the crank shaft. Oil on the crank shaft is flung off to lubricate other parts of the engine, particularly the cylinders and their pistons. Remote rotational joints like the wrist pin between the piston and its connecting rod receive a heavy splattering of oil on exposed surfaces. It is expected that some oil will work its way into the very limited space between a pin and the bore of a piston or a connecting rod. Thus in such remote locations, lubrication depends upon the relatively small amount of oil splashing from the crank shaft some distance up into the cylinders, for example.

A typical remote junction between a pin and a linkage member which is subject to some relative rotation is the wrist pin connection which connects the piston rod to the piston. In such a location there is essentially no pressure on the oil splashed into the area to urge the oil into the space between the bore and the pin. Nevertheless, some lubrication does occur at the wrist pin and any other locations which, like the wrist pin, are subject to receiving oil splash periodically. However, the amount of lubrication has never been totally satisfactory in such locations. The more power that is demanded from a given piston displacement, the more a better mode of lubrication is needed. Even relatively well lubricated junctions like the crank shaft could be better lubricated to great advantage.

Various means of supplementing lubrication from the exposed ends of the bore have been tried, for example, channels through the link member to the bore in various types of configurations. Unfortunately all such techniques have had limited success and a great need still exists for a more satisfactory means of lubricating in this splashed oil type of environment.

The present invention is directed to a lubricating system in which a shallow pocket is provided within a bore to trap oil or other lubricants. Such a pocket tends to perform better when it is located generally parallel to translational movement of the pin due to the force acting to drive the mechanism. For example, in driving a piston a piston rod applies great force up and then great force down to the wrist pin coupling it to the piston. This force produces a small transverse movement of the pin relative to the bore. When a pocket for the oil is provided laterally or extending generally parallel to the transverse movement of the pin in accordance with the present invention, oil which is trapped in the pocket tends to be moved around the pin both by fluid pressure and by the accompanying rotational movement. The oil is also moved into the greater opening that is created on the side of the bore away from the transverse movement of the pin. The vacuum developed as a void opens between the pin and the bore as well as fluid pressure created along the side of the pin where the oil is compressed aids in drawing the oil into the void, as does capillary attraction. Between these forces and the rotation, the oil gets distributed a substantial distance around the pin. If such pockets are provided in the bore on each side of the pin so that a plane through the axis of the pin transverse to the linear movement intersects the pockets, lubrication is greatly improved and readily distributed around the pin within the bore. As the transverse force moves the pin in the opposite direction, the other side of the bore opens slightly and as oil is squeezed out of the closing side back into a pocket, oil also moves into the opening side.

Even if the pockets are not located in the preferred position some improvement in lubrication is realized by their use.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a lubricating configuration in an engine for a junction of relatively rotatable members in an environment where oil is available to be fed between the rotatable members. In this configuration a relatively rotatable member is provided with a bore. A member having a cylindrical bearing portion extends through that bore and is snugly received therein, but so that rotation will occur between the cylindrical portion and the relatively rotatable member in use. As used herein the term "cylindrical bearing portion" can mean a pin, a shaft or other relatively rotatable members having a cylindrical surface contacted by the bore or a bushing or sleeve bearing within the bore. Also, the bushing or sleeve bearing, if movable relative to the bore, may be considered the cylindrical bearing surface. The bore is provided with at least one recess, preferably of crescent shaped cross section in a plane perpendicular to the bore axis, whereby a pocket is provided between the bore of the member and the pin for accumulation of oil to lubricate the surfaces between the pin and the bore.

Preferably, a pair of opposed recesses are employed in a plane transverse to the major direction of the minute linear movement of the cylindrical bearing surface transverse to the axis. This ideal is not practical in certain sleeve bearings, for example, but is to be approximate wherever possible.

In many applications a duct of diameter sufficiently small to inhibit back flow from the recess is provided between the recess and a surface of the relatively rotatable member exposed to splashed oil. In other words, the duct does not necessarily prevent back flow but is too small to permit a significant amount of back flow. At the same time creation of a partial vacuum as oil is drawn out of recess provides suction to draw inward to the recess oil splashed on the external surface.

In other situations, as at the crank shaft, oil may be pumped through ducts into the bearing area.

FIG. 1 is a highly schematic sectional view of part of an engine taken in a plurality of transverse planes to show a piston rod connection to the crank and sections through two different cylinders in the V configuration;

FIG. 2 is an axial sectional view of a piston according to the invention showing its connection to a piston rod by a wrist pin;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2 and showing the piston rod 16 in phantom;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic representation of a section taken through the bearing block perpendicular to the axis of the bore, greatly exaggerating the space between the wrist pin and the bore and showing the structure at rest;

FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing similar to FIG. 4, but showing the wrist pin in the position it assumes as the force of combustion acts in opposition to the rod moving the piston into the cylinder;

FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing similar to FIG. 4, but showing the wrist pin in the position it assumes as the rod withdraws the piston from the cylinder;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing one piece of the sleeve bearing seen in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 shows a modified bearing arranged for a pair of connecting rods in a V-configured engine employing a common sleeve bearing for the two rods;

FIG. 9 shows both halves of the modified sleeve bearing of FIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 1 there is schematically shown some of the parts of an engine block which may have a need for the present invention. Engine block 10 contains a plurality of cylinders 14. Each cylinder contains a piston 12 connected by a piston rod 16 to a common crank shaft 18. Crank shaft 18 rotates in an engine block 10 and is sealed at opposite ends by bearing and seal assemblies (not shown). Counter weights 22 are provided periodically along the crank shaft 18 to balance piston effects.

FIGS. 2 and 3 represent a typical piston assembly employing a lubricating system in accordance with the present invention. The piston 12 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is a machined aluminum piston having a cast aluminum head 32. Disposed on diametrically opposite sides of the head 32 are a pair of part-way-round main skirts 34 and 36 each having an angular extent around the head of less than 90.degree. . Each of the mentioned skirts is integral with and depends from a peripheral portion of the bottom of the head. The bottoms of skirts 34 and 36 are designed to be in contact with opposite sides of the wall of a cylinder 14 formed in engine block 10, and in which the piston 12 moves in reciprocating motion generally along the cylinder axis.

Disposed below the bottom of head 32 and cast integrally with that head are a pair of parallel structural mirror image walls 40 and 42 extending laterally between the skirts 34 and 36 and integrally cast with the skirts. The walls 40 and 42 and the skirts 34 and 36 together form a box frame which makes the configuration more rigid, even the cantilever edges of the skirts. The walls 40 and 42 are themselves lightweight and cutouts 44, for example, further reduce the weight. The walls are also symmetrical in relation to an imaginary diametrical plane passing through the piston axis and through the skirts 34, 36.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the wall structures 40 and 42 have central bearing block portions or bosses 46 and 48 which are transversely thickened and have flat parallel opposing vertical faces 50 and 52 (FIG. 2) between which the end of the piston rod 16 fits. Formed through bearing block portions 46 and 48 are axially aligned cylindrical bores 54 and 56 at a level such that there is substantial room or clearance for the end of the piston between the top of the bore and the bottom of head 31. The bearing block portions 46 and 48 serve to support a wrist pin 60 which is received in bores 54 and 56 and bore 58 of like diameter through piston rod 16.

The pin 60 thus serves to couple piston 12 to piston rod 16. Because the bores 54 and 56 are disposed well below the bottom portions of head 32, adequate room is provided beneath the head for the upper end piston rod 16 to move as necessary in operation. To prevent sliding of the pin 60 out of the bores in which it is received, the pin 60 has at each end an annular slot 62, 64 in which is received a removable split retaining ring 66 of larger diameter than the bores.

Within the bores 54, 56 are recesses 68, 70. The preferred form of the recess is shown in which the recesses in plan, as seen in FIG. 2, tend to be generally rectangular in form, although other shapes may be employed. As seen in FIG. 3, the recesses in section are preferably crescent shaped. The crescent shape is not necessary to the functioning, but aids in efficiency of the desired action. It is believed recesses of some cross section providing a pronounced end wall might induce turbulence and interfere with smooth flow of oil, but would be functional to varying extents. Oil is drawn into the recesses to form pockets of oil by capillary attraction along the surfaces between the wrist pin and the bores.

It is possible also to provide small ducts, which in practice are preferably bores, here shown as generally tangential ducts 72 and 74 which can supply more oil by suction from the splashed surfaces than is supplied by capillary attraction. The ducts must be quite small to inhibit passage of oil within the recess back out of the recess due to transient high oil pressure built up within the recess at various times during each cycle. The ducts may be radial rather than tangential, or come from any other external surface which is likely to receive an adequate supply of splattered oil. Just as it is possible for the invention to function without bores at all, it is possible to use a bore into just one of the recesses. In such event, the bore location selected is preferably the one subject to lesser splashed oil supply.

Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the schematic drawings show an enlarged region around the wrist pin wherein the clearance is greatly exaggerated to more clearly show the action in the space in which oil is moved by the reciprocating movement of the pin 60. Each of these schematic drawings represents a similar section taken through the same structure, and specifically through the bore in the area of the recesses so as to show the open recesses in cross section. It will be understood that the recesses may be dimensioned differently within a fairly wide range but cannot extend laterally (in the sense of FIG. 2) to the edges of the bores. Also, although the recesses are advantageously generally rectangular or oblong in plan, as seen in FIG. 2, they may assume other shapes as well. However, the crescent cross section is the preferable form whatever the peripheral shape.

The theory of operation is not totally understood, but it is believed that oil will be drawn into the bore along the wrist pin by capillary attraction or in a greater amount through the duct. When a pocket is provided, oil will tend to accumulate in that pocket, increasing the demand for additional oil to be drawn into the space, which continues during startup until the recess is full. At some point the pocket will be essentially full and the oil in the pocket and between the pin and bore will experience cyclic pressures as the pin is driven up to drive the piston into the cylinder, as on the compression cycle, for example. The normal clearance between the pin and the bore needed to permit free rotation is sufficient to accommodate a film of oil extending between the pin and the bore. Without the pocket, lubrication between the pin and the bore may often be insufficient and spotty, resulting in wear, noise and, in some cases, rapid mechanical damage. However, with the recess or pocket of oil in that part of the bore where the lubrication is least likely to penetrate, several factors appear to be at work. In particular, pressure tends to build up in the oil as it is squeezed from between the pin and the bore driving it away from the pressure point. The build-up of pressure is transmitted through the fluid and aids other forces which cause the oil to move away from the application of force and into the void which is created by that movement. With every stroke of the piston the direction changes both ways and lubrication tends to follow the direction change in moving out of the pockets. Added to this effect is the rotational movement which occurs between the wrist pin and the piston which tends further to spread oil moved into a particular region. Since the rotation also manifests itself as a reciprocation, oil is moved further circumferentially around the surfaces and tends to better cover the entire region being lubricated.

It can be understood that recesses are far more effective if placed on both sides of the bore relative to the general direction of linear movement than if placed on only one side, but, of course, whatever lubrication is accomplished is an improvement. It will be understood from the above explanation that opening the recesses to the ends of the bore will defeat the purposes of the recesses since this will allow pressure to be dissipated by squeezing oil out of the end of the recesses instead of forcing it around the circumference. However, as will appear below when a floating sleeve bearing is used, ideal positioning is not possible in all cases, and just as the ideal may be achieved from time to time, the ineffective position may also be achieved.

When the ducts 72 and 74 are employed, it is important that they be kept extremely small. The criterion for operability is that the ducts not be so large as to permit oil under pressure in the recesses to be squeezed out, but be sufficiently large to allow a slow pumping of oil inwardly through the ducts to permit the oil to build up in the recesses. As previously mentioned, the movement of the pins causes a cyclic action so that at some times the pressure on the oil would be effectively negative causing it to suck or draw the oil through the bore 72 into the recess. Since the duct is so small, when pressure occurs, the pressure is unable to force the oil more than a short distance into the duct before line friction inhibits the flow. Thus the action tends to provide a cyclic inward pumping of oil to the bearing surface. Ducts are self cleaning because of the constant flow of oil within the ducts.

The present invention has been illustrated primarily with regard to a wrist pin connection for a piston and only the piston connection has been shown in detail. The wrist pin also passes through the piston rod, but the assumption has been that this junction is fixed and not subject to relative rotational movement. If the wrist pin moves relative to the piston rod 16, lubrication in the piston rod bore also becomes desirable and the same kind of lubrication can be provided in this location.

Furthermore, the recesses can be provided in a forced oil lubrication environment at the crank shaft. In that location there are also at least two pieces which rotate relative to one another, one of the pieces being a pin or shaft. Often an intermediate sleeve bearing may also be employed. FIG. 1 provides an example of lubrication according to the invention at the crank shaft in the situation where the sleeve bearing has a "crush fit" to the bore, and hence does not rotate relative thereto. In this situation the sleeve bearing, rather than the piston rod, is shown provided with opposed recesses 20. Since this is an area of forced lubrication through the crank shaft, there is no need for other ducts.

FIG. 7 illustrates half of a sleeve bearing for a standard rod bearing. The sleeve is split into two pieces 24a and 24b (FIG. 1) for ease in putting in place around the cylindrical bearing portion of the crank shaft. In addition to a "crushing" effect imposed by tightening the clamp pieces 76 and 78 using the bolts 80, there may be provided a key piece 82 at any selected point around the periphery, but conveniently at one of the break points to fit into a mating portion in member 78. Similarly a member of the same sort may also be used in the upper bearing member 24b to fit in a mating portion of member 76. Such a key, of course, has the function of holding the bearings circumferentially in place. More than one key may be used on each bearing piece as desired. Completely different patterns and arrangements may be employed for the same purpose. This type of bearing, since it does not move relative to the supporting piston rod, does not require lubrication on its outer surface. Lubrication is required, however, between the inner bearing surface and the crank shaft 18. This is facilitated by use of the crescent-shaped recesses or pockets in essentially the same way it is done at the wrist pin. It is to be noted, however, that in most crank shafts today, there is no need for ducts to the outer surface. The reason for this is the presence of lubricating ducts through the crank shaft connected to the oil gallery in the engine block which terminate at the bearing surface. These ducts are not shown, but are conventional in many types of engines and usually provide positive oil pressure through the use of an oil pump. Oil in excess of what is needed at the crank shaft is pumped out of the bearing area and exudes onto the shaft around the bearings to be flung out and lubricate the cylinders and other parts, such as the wrist pin. The pockets of the present invention help to keep oil in the region needing lubrication.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a variation on the sleeve bearing of FIGS. 1 and 7, in which a split thick shell rotating bearing is provided along a section of crank shaft 18' and accommodates two piston rods. In this case, the bearing sections 24a' and 24b' extend along the shaft 18' a sufficient distance to provide bearing surfaces for two piston rods, only one of which is shown in FIG. 8. However, because the same bearing serves for the two piston rods, it must have the ability to move relative both to the piston rods and to the crank. Under those circumstances, lubrication must be provided both inside and outside of the sleeve bearing. Lubrication inside is provided by opposed recesses 20' and 20" for collecting pockets of oil typically supplied by forced lubrication. Convenience in fabrication is one reason for location of the recesses at the dividing line between the halves of the sleeve bearing 24a', 24b', both recesses for the same crank shaft being numbered the same. Since the oil is fed under pressure to the surface of the shaft 18", the inner surface of sleeve bearing 24a', 24b' is well lubricated, particularly so with the aid of recesses 20' and 20". However, the outer surface of the bearing is not so easily lubricated and to insure the lubrication ducts 84' and 84" are provided from the recesses 20', 20" through the bearing. They can be at other locations than at the dividing line between the bearing halves as shown. The ducts 84", 84" also need not restrict flow like ducts 72 and are preferably sufficiently large to permit easy flow to the outside surfaces of the sleeve bearing. Recesses 83 are provided in the bore of the piston rod between the separable pieces 76' and 78' held together by bolts 80'. That way there will be a layer of lubricating oil provided both inside and outside of the sleeve bearing with pockets in both locations to collect and better distribute the oil in accordance with the present invention.

Recesses may alternatively also be placed in the pin or shaft instead of in the bores, or the outer surface of the bushing or bearing, and will function similarly. However, ducting cannot be provided, or as conveniently provided, in such locations. Further modifications of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. All such modifications within the scope of the appended claims are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the present invention.