Bearing cap assembly
A bearing cap assembly 5 generally comprising at least one bearing cap 10 having a mini-cap bearing cap 20 and a mini-cap 14. The bearing cap 10 having a shaft bore for receiving a balance shaft and a crankshaft bore for receiving a crankshaft upon connection of the bearing cap assembly 5 to an engine. The bearing cap 10 has a fault line extending between the mini-cap bearing cap 20 and the mini-cap 14 whereby split fracturing the bearing cap 10 along the fault line separates the mini-cap bearing cap 20 from the mini-cap 14. The balance shaft is secured between the mini-cap bearing cap 20 and the mini-cap 14.
1 . A bearing cap assembly for housing a balance shaft, said bearing cap assembly comprising:
at least one bearing cap having a mini-cap bearing cap portion and a mini-cap portion, wherein a fault line extends along the bearing cap between the mini-cap portion and the mini-cap bearing cap portion wherein the mini-cap portion and the mini-cap bearing cap portion are separable along the fault line and further wherein the mini-cap bearing cap portion secures to the mini-cap portion to form a shaft bore sized to receive the balance shaft; and
a crankshaft bore connected to said bearing cap.
2 . The bearing cap assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
a first plate connecting the bearing cap to a second bearing cap.
3 . The bearing cap assembly of claim 2 further comprising:
a main bearing cap connected to said first plate, said bearing cap and said second bearing cap.
4 . The bearing cap assembly of claim 3 further comprising:
a crankshaft bore formed within said main bearing cap.
5 . The bearing cap assembly of claim 4 further comprising:
a second plate connecting the mini-cap portion to the mini-cap bearing cap portion.
6 . The bearing cap assembly of claim 1 wherein shaft journals are formed within the mini-cap portion and the mini-cap bearing cap portion.
7 . The bearing cap assembly of claim 6 wherein the mini-cap portion is separated from the mini-cap bearing cap portion by fracture splitting said bearing cap.
8 . The bearing cap assembly of claim 1 further comprising:
bolts connecting said mini-cap portion to said mini-cap bearing cap portion.
9 . The bearing cap assembly of claim 1 wherein said bearing cap has at least two shaft bores.
10 . The bearing cap assembly of claim 1 wherein said crankshaft bore is integrally formed with said mini-cap bearing caps.