Flathead Adaption System for Engine

In the 1950's, engines such as small block Ford engines employed what was known as a "flathead" on the engine block. With such flathead engine blocks, the head was flat and had ribs protruding therefrom along with spark plugs. The flathead design became obsolete when internal combustion engines underwent changes whereby the valve lifters and push rods were moved so that they protruded near the top left and right sides of the engine while the spark plugs at the ends of the cylinders protruded at intermediate sides of the engine block. Present day internal combustion engines such as for automobiles thus are generally arranged in a shape as approximately shown in prior art FIG. 1 by reference numeral 10.

Car enthusiasts are attracted to the nostalgic "early days of hot-rodding" look of the flathead engine design of the 1950's. However, such engines are rare and expensive to obtain and install.

It is an object of the present invention to provide the 1950's "flathead look" without the need of actually purchasing and installing such an old style 1950's engine in an automobile.

According to the invention, a flathead adaption system is provided for retrofitting or converting relatively current production internal combustion engines such as small or large block Chevrolet or Ford engines so that they will have the nostalgic "flathead look" of the 1950's. With the present invention, a flathead member is provided which, together with an adapter member, replaces valve covers on a current production engine. The adapter member together with the flathead member thus form a replacement valve cover. The flathead member preferably has ribs and protruding spark plugs arranged to look like the 1950's flathead. The spark plugs are "dummy" spark plugs which are not actually electrically connected and/or fired. However, by unscrewing one or more of the spark plugs, the aperture from which the spark plug or plugs was unscrewed may then be used as an oil filling aperture in place of the oil filling aperture on the valve covers which have been removed and replaced with the flathead member and adapter member.

FIG. 1 is an end view from the front of a typical current production internal combustion engine such as in an automobile, and which has two valve covers;

FIG. 2 is a front end view of the engine of FIG. 1 with the flathead adaption system according to the invention in place on the engine;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view from the top of the flathead adaption system of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the disassembled flathead adaption system of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the disassembled flathead adaption system of the invention viewed from the bottom.

To provide a full understanding of the invention, first a typical prior art current production engine will be described with reference to FIG. 1. Such a conventional engine is generally illustrated at 10 and is formed of an engine block 11 having a carburator and air cleaner assembly 12 at the top thereof. Pocket-shaped valve covers 13 and 14 are provided at either side of the air filter system 12 on slightly sloping side walls 19 and 20 of the engine block 11. Typically one of the valve covers such as 14 has an oil filling aperture 15 with a cap 15a thereover.

On side walls of the engine block 11 rows of spark plugs 16 and 17 are provided. At the front of the engine block, a pulley 18 is shown connected to a crank shaft protruding from the engine.

On the sloping side walls 19 and 20, the valve covers 13 and 14 are respectively mounted over slot-shaped openings 21 and 22 at which the valve rocker arms are located. Valve covers are retained at these apertures by bolts 24 passing through a side flange 23 on each valve cover and into a threaded hole 25.

The invention will now be explained with reference to FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, the same engine as illustrated in FIG. 1 is shown, but with the valve covers 13 and 14 removed and the flathead adaption system of the invention as generally shown at 27 and 31 in place of the valve covers 13 and 14. The flathead adaption system includes a plate-shaped rectangular flathead member 28 bolted to an adapter member 29 which is also bolted to the engine block 11 so as to cover the slot-shaped opening 21. Similarly, the flathead adaption system 31 at the left side of the engine is also formed of a plate-shaped member 28 and adapter member 29.

Using at least some of the same threaded holes 25, the adapter members are fastened with bolts 32 at the inside of the adapter members 29. The plate-shaped flathead member 28 is attached to the adapter member 29 by bolts 36 and 37 as shown in FIG. 3.

Each of the flathead members 28 has a plurality of non-energized spark plugs 30 screwed into receiving apertures 34 at the bottom of pocket-like recesses 33, as shown in FIG. 3. These spark plugs are not actually fired, but are for appearance to simulate the 1950's flathead appearance. However, if one or more of these spark plugs 30 is unscrewed, the opened aperture 34 may then be used to fill the engine with oil in lieu of the oil filling aperture 15 in the conventional valve cover as shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 3, the flathead member 28 has a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs 32 and a plurality of dome-shaped bolts 35. These bolts are not used, with the exception of the end bolts 36 and 37, and are for appearance purposes to simulate the 1950's flathead look.

In the disassembled perspective view of FIG. 4, the screws 36 and 37 are shown removed so that the flathead member 28 is disassembled from the adapter member 29. The adapter member 29 has slanting or skirting side walls 42a, b, c, d which slant inwardly from the flat member attachment surface on top down to an inwardly facing circumferential flange 45 which bolts at the respective valve cover aperture 21 or 22. This inwardly circumferential flange 45 has widened portions or ears 47 each with an aperture 47a used to bolt the adapter member 29 in the existing threaded apertures 25 within the engine block at the valve cover apertures.

As shown in FIG. 4, only the outer walls 42a and 42c are slanting, whereas the end walls 42d and 42b are vertical. At an inner surface of these vertical walls 42b, 42d, a support pillar 43 and 44 each having respective mounting apertures 40 and 41 therein are provided for receiving the bolts 36 and 37 which hold the flathead member in place on top of the adapter member 29.

As shown at FIG. 5, the bolts 35 are threaded through the plate-shaped flathead member and provide the "look" of the 1950's flathead. Also, the bottom of the recesses 33 holding the spark plugs 30 can be seen in FIG. 5 as shown at 48. 49 illustrates the threaded apertures holding the bolts 35. Finally, as shown at 50, the bottom of the flathead member is formed as a pocket with an outer mating surface 51 which abuts against a surface 52 on the adapter member.

As is evident in FIG. 3, the row of spark plugs 30 is offset to one side of a longitudinal center line of the flathead member 28.

Preferably, both the flathead member and the adapter member are constructed of cast aluminum. This cast aluminum structure can be finished in a variety of ways such as by polishing, painting, or a combination of both.

With the flathead adaption system according to the invention, full engine breathing capabilities in a unique oil filling system is provided, while at the same time accomplishing a truly ultimate and unique engine accessory for the car enthusiast who wishes to provide an engine which is reminescent of the 1950's flathead look.

Although various minor changes and modifications might be suggested by those skilled in the art, it will be understood that I wish to include within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such changes and modifications as reasonably come within my contribution to the art.