Cylinder liner installation in an opposed-piston engine
View Patent ↗Combinations are provided for installing a cylinder liner in an opposed-piston engine. A main bearing device including a cylindrical bearing recess for a crankshaft main journal can be removed from a crankcase of the opposed-piston engine to enable insertion of a cylinder liner into a cylinder block of the engine. Once the cylinder liner is inserted, a clamping assembly acting between the cylinder liner and the main bearing device clamps the cylinder liner to the cylinder block.
1 . An opposed-piston engine, comprising:
a cylinder block comprising a first crankcase configured to receive a first crankshaft, a second crankcase configured to receive a second crankshaft, and a bulkhead extending between the first crankcase and the second crankcase;
the bulkhead comprising a first end portion situated at the first crankcase and configured to at least partially define a cylinder space in the cylinder block and a second end portion situated at the second crankcase and configured to support a journal of the second crankshaft;
a cylinder liner received in the cylinder space;
a main bearing device comprising a cylindrical bearing recess configured to support a journal of the first crankshaft and an attachment surface configured to be attached to the first end portion; and,
a clamping assembly configured to act between the cylinder liner and the main bearing device so as to clamp the cylinder liner against the cylinder block.
2 . The opposed-piston engine of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of through studs received in the bulkhead and configured to assemble the main bearing device to the first end portion and to assemble a main bearing cap to the second end portion.
3 . The opposed-piston engine of claim 2 , in which the clamping assembly comprises a clamp configured to act between the main bearing device and the cylinder liner and a biasing device situated between the clamp and the cylinder liner and configured to bias the cylinder liner against the cylinder block.
4 . The opposed-piston engine of claim 3 , in which the clamp comprises an annular body with a circular rim which transitions to a pair of radially opposing legs that define opposing arches.
5 . The opposed-piston engine of claim 3 , in which the biasing device comprises a Belleville device.
6 . The opposed-piston engine of claim 1 , in which the cylinder liner comprises an intermediate portion with an outer diameter D M that is greater than a next largest outer diameter D E of the outer surface of either or each of the two end portions.
7 . The opposed-piston engine of claim 6 , in which the first end portion of the bulkhead is scalloped to at least partially define an aperture into the cylinder space.
8 . The opposed-piston engine of claim 7 , in which the scalloped first end portion comprises a concave trench having a partially-circular cross-sectional shape characterized by an effective diameter sufficient to permit the diameter D M of the intermediate portion of a cylinder liner to be received in the cylinder space.
9 . The opposed-piston engine of claim 7 , in which a portion of the aperture into the cylinder space is obstructed when the main bearing device is assembled to the first end portion.
10 . The opposed-piston engine of claim 7 , further comprising a pair of through studs received in the bulkhead and configured to assemble the main bearing device to the first end portion and to assemble a main bearing cap to the second end portion.
11 . The opposed-piston engine of claim 10 , in which the clamping assembly comprises a clamp configured to act between the main bearing device and the cylinder liner and a biasing device situated between the clamp and the cylinder liner and configured to bias the cylinder liner against the cylinder block.
12 . The opposed-piston engine of claim 11 , in which the clamp comprises an annular body with a circular rim which transitions to a pair of radially opposing legs that define opposing arches.
13 . The opposed-piston engine of claim 12 , in which the biasing device comprises a Belleville device.
14 . The opposed-piston engine of claim 11 , in which the biasing device comprises a Belleville device.
15 . A combination for an opposed-piston engine, comprising:
a cylinder block comprising a first crankcase configured to receive a first crankshaft, a second crankcase configured to receive a second crankshaft, and a bulkhead extending between the first crankcase and the second crankcase;
the bulkhead comprising a first end portion situated at the first crankcase and configured to receive a cylinder liner in cylinder space at least partially defined by the first end portion and a second end portion situated at the second crankcase and configured to receive a journal of the second crankshaft;
a main bearing device comprising a cylindrical bearing recess configured to support a journal of the first crankshaft and an attachment surface configured to attach the main bearing device to the first end portion; and,
a pair of through studs received in the bulkhead and configured to assemble the main bearing device to the first end portion and to assemble a main bearing cap to the second end portion.
16 . The combination of claim 15 , further comprising a cylinder liner received in the cylinder space, and a clamp configured to act between the cylinder liner and the main bearing device so as to clamp the cylinder liner against the cylinder block.
17 . The combination of claim 16 , in which the cylinder liner comprises an intermediate portion with an outer diameter D M that is greater than a next largest outer diameter D E of the cylinder liner.
18 . The combination of claim 17 , further comprising a biasing device situated between the clamp and the cylinder liner.
19 . The combination of claim 18 , in which the clamp comprises an annular body with a circular rim which transitions to a pair of radially opposing legs that define opposing arches.
20 . The combination of claim 19 , in which the biasing device comprises a Belleville device.
21 . The combination of claim 16 , further comprising a biasing device situated between the clamp and the cylinder liner.