US1944013A - Engine - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 16, 1934.

A. J. MEYER ENGINE Filed Jan. 8, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

A. J. MEYER Jan. 16, 1934.

ENGINE Filed Jan. 8. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. cfMgafi ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 16, 1934 STATES ENGINE Andre J. Meyer, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Continental Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Virginia Application January 8, 1932.

Serial No. 585,531

8 Claims. (01. 123-81) My invention relates to internal combustion.

engines of the sleeve valve type and more particularly to counterbalancing means for opposing the unbalanced rocking couples set up by the sleeve motion. 7 I

For purposes of illustration I have shown a sleeve valve engine of the Burt-McCollum .type wherein a single sleeve per cylinder is moved with combined reciprocation and oscillation, in controlling the engine intake and exhaust.

A study of the inertia forces of the sleeve) motion in a single sleeve valve engine has revealed that these forces can be suitably analyzed into vertical and rotational components. It has been found that in multi-cylinder engines, where the engine timing is spaced at equal time intervals, that the rotational components are in complete balance. However, with regard to the vertical components, a harmonic analysis shows that the unbalanced forces of one cylinder consist of an-infinite series of components, each of which varies as a sine waves The analysis is given by the following formula:

wherein F is thetotal unbalanced vertical force; o is valve shaft angle; A, B, C, etc., are constants.

It has been further found that the constants (or coefficients) A and B are the only ones which for practical purposes have to be taken into consideration since all other constants are very small, therefore the unbalanced force per cylinder may be closely approximated by As will be clear to anyone familiar with an analysis of this sort, the shaking force for a multi-cylincler engine, where the timing of the sleeve comes at equal time intervals, will be zero. .I-Iowever, the unbalanced forces of all cylinders will give rise to a primary and secondary rocking couple acting in the engine longitudinal plane containing the cylinder axes which may be represented by the following formula:

P(primary couple) =D cos (qS-i-a) S(secondary couple) :E cos (2+,8) on and [3 are phase angles and D' and E are constants.

A guided plunger, associated with the engine valve shaft and driven therefrom by an eccentric substantially constructed and arranged as shown in the illustrated embodiment of my invention, will be found to produce an inertia force which may be closely approximated by the formula:

By selecting the proper degree of eccentricity, length of eccentric strap, and weight of plunger, it has been found possible to create a rocking couple equal and opposite to P and S thereby bringing the engine into substantially complete balance.

It is the object of my invention to provide a construction wherein a maximum of balance is obtained by incorporating suitable means associated with the engine valveshaft for opposing the rocking couple produced in the engine during the operation thereof.

For a more detailed understandingof. my invention, reference. may be had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form which my invention may assume, .and in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse sectional .view through a typical enginecylinder and showing a balanced valveshaft constructed in accordance with my invention, a

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the valve shaft 7 and balancing means,

Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof showing the balancing means in relation with a counterweight secured to the driving pulley carried by said valveshaft and taken substantially on the line 50 33 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the other end of the valveshaft taken on the line 4.-4 of Fig. 2.

In, the accompanying drawings 10 designates the crankcase of a single sleeve valve engine A, said crankcase being provided with a plurality of cylinders 11 and a plurality of cylinder heads 12, each cooperatively associated with an engine cylinder and each having a portion 13 depending within the cylinder and spaced from the Walls thereof to provide a sleeve pocket 14 for ;accommodating the upper, portion of a single sleeve 15. The sleeve valve.15 is constructed for operation within an engine cylinder and is provided with suitable intake and exhaust ports 16 and 17 adapted for cooperative association with the cylinder intake and exhaust ports 18 and 19. respectively. An engine crankshaft 20 is supported by suitable bearings 21 in the crankcase and is provided with crankportions 22 to which the connecting rods 23 may be connected, these connecting rods each being associated with a piston 24 operating within the sleeve valve15.

The sleeve valve '15 is operated by any suitable mechanism, and in the illustrated embodiment of my invention I have provided a wobble valveshaft 25 having a plurality of wobble cranks 26, each of these wobble cranks being connected with the respective sleeve valves by means of the connecting links or arms 27, the outer portion of ing portions 31.

said arms or links being provided with a ball socket 28 adapted for cooperative engagement with the ball 29 carried by the sleeve valve 15. The wobble valveshaft is provided with intermediate bearing portions 30 and the end bearing portions 31, these bearing portions adapted for cooperative association with bearings 32 carried by the crankcase, Fig. 1 illustrating one of said bearings 32 which is adapted to support one of the end bearing portions 31 of the valveshaft.

In order to provide means for opposing the rocking couple developed in the engine by centrifugal or rotating forces I have preferably provided counterweights which are secured to the valve shaft. Due to the fact that a valve shaft of this character does not permit the location of any counterweights intermediate the end bearings without unnecessarily lengthening the engine block, I have preferably constructed the counterweights and 41 in such a way as to secure the same respectively to the front and rear ends of the valveshaft beyond the end bear- I find it convenient to secure the counterweight 40 at the front end of the valveshaft to a pulley or driving element i2, this driving element being secured to the valveshaft in any suitable manner and operatively connected to the engine crankshaft by a chain or other suitable driving connections 44. The counterweight 41 is angularly spaced about said valve shaft 180 With respect to the counterweight 40 and is located at the opposite end of the valveshaft, this counterweight 41 being secured to the valveshaft in any suitable manner. The construction herein illustrated provides an engine in which a rocking couple set up by the rotating forces is eliminated, this means including counterweights secured to the valveshaft ends, said counterweights acting to oppose the rocking couple-set up by the sleeve motion and to partially counteract the said rocking couple.

In order to completely counteract the primary and secondary rocking couples set up by the sleeve motion, I have provided the guided plunger type of balancing devices for opposing said couples whereby the engine is brought into substantially perfect balance.

In the present embodiment of my invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the valve shaft 25 is provided with eccentrics spaced axially of the valve shaft. Each of these eccentrics actuates a plunger 51 by reason of the eccentric strap 52, and each plunger is guided in a well or other suitable recess 53 preferably carried by the crankcase 10. These eccentrics are arranged in such a way as to cause the plungers to reciprocate oppositely to each other. Preferably the guides 53 are located below the valve shaft but the specific location of these guides is not essential as long as the motion of the plungers oppose one another.

With the construction herein illustrated it will be noted that I have provided an engine which may be operated very smoothly and efficiently with a minimum of objectionable vibration. Furthermore, I have provided an engine of improved operating characteristics by providing means associated with the valve shaft for counteracting the unbalanced rocking couples set up in said engine in a manner which provides a construction which will not unnecessarily lengthen the engine block and which canbe readily assembled with the valve shaft with a minimum of time and labor.

The balancing of these rocking couples caused by the rotating and reciprocating forces has become of major importance with the advent of high speed engines. The construction developed by applicant has been largely responsible for the success of engines of the aforesaid type as the incorporation of these balancing devices has eliminated objectionable vibration caused by unbalanced rocking couples.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention pertains that various modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a multi-cylinder engine of the sleeve valve type, sleeve valve means operably associated with each of said cylinders, a valve shaft extending longitudinally of the engine, means operatively connecting the valveshaft and respective sleeve valve means for actuating same, said sleeve valve and operating connections producing rocking couples in the engine, counterweights carried by said valveshaft for opposing the rocking couples set up by centrifugal forces and oppositely moving masses for counteracting rocking couples set up by reciprocating forces.

2. In a multi-cylinder engine of the sleeve valve type, sleeve valve means operably associated with each of said cylinders, a valve shaft 7 extending longitudinally of the engine, means operatively connecting the valveshaft and respective sleeve valve means for actuating same, said sleeve valve means and operating connections producing a rocking couple in the engine, and means including reciprocating weights operatively connected with said valveshaft for opposing said rocking couple.

3. In a multi-cylinder engine of the sleeve valve type, sleeve valve means operably associated with each of said cylinders, a valveshaft extending longitudinally of the engine and provided with crank portions, means operatively connecting said crank portions and respective sleeve valve means for actuating the same, said sleeve valve means and operating connections producing an unbalanced rocking couple in the engine, and means including reciprocating weights operatively connected with said valveshaft adjacent the ends thereof and actuated to produce an opposing rocking couple for counteracting said unbalanced rocking couple produced by the sleeve motion and said operating connections.

4. In a multi-cylinder engine of the sleeve valve type, sleeve valve means operably associated with each of said cylinders, a valveshaft extending longitudinally of the engine and provided with crank portions and end bearing portions, means operatively connecting said crank portions and respective sleeve valve means for actuating the same, said sleeve valve means and operating connections producing a rocking couple in the engine, means including reciprocating weights operatively connected with said valveshaft adjacent the ends thereof, said means constructed and arranged for counteracting said rocking couple, and means for guiding said reciprocating weights.

5. In a multi-cylinder engine of the sleeve valve type, sleeve valve means operably associated with each of said cylinders, a wobble valveshaft extending longitudinally of the engine and provided with crank portions, means operatively connecting said crank portions and respective sleeve valve means for actuating same, said sleeve valve means and operating connections producing a rocking couple in the engine, a pair of eccentrics on said valveshaft and having opposed eccentricities, reciprocating weights actuated by said eccentrics and constructed and arranged to produce a rocking couple for opposing said first rocking couple, and means for guiding said weights. 7

g 6. In a multi-cylinder engine of the sleeve valve type, sleeve valve means operably associated with each of said cylinders, a wobble valveshaft extending longitudinally of the engine and provided with crank portions, means operatively connecting said crank portions and respective sleeve valve means for actuating same, said sleeve valve means and operating connections producing a rocking couple in the engine, a pair of eccentrics on said valveshaft constructed and arranged with opposing eccentricities, counterbalancing members associated therewith, operating connections including an eccentric strap adapted for operative engagement with said eccentrics, and means for guiding said members for reciprocating motion whereby to produce an opposing rocking couple for substantially counteracting the first said rocking couple.

'7. In an internal combustion engine of the type having a plurality of cylinders substantially aligned longitudinally of the engine, sleeve valve means associated with said cylinders, means including a layshaft driven from the engine for operating said sleeve valve means axially of said cylinders whereby a rocking couple is produced in the engine longitudinally thereof, and means actuated in timed relation with said layshaft for producing an opposing rocking couple in the engine, said second means including an element separate from the layshaft.

8. In an internal combustion engine of the type having a plurality of cylinders substantially aligned longitudinally of the engine, sleeve valve means associated with said cylinders, means including a layshaft driven from the engine for operating said sleeve valve means axially of said cylinders whereby a rocking couple is produced in the engine longitudinally thereof, and means actuated in timed relation with said layshaft for producing an opposing rocking couple in the engine, said second means including an element separate from the layshaft, and means for driving said layshaft and said actuating means from the engine.

ANDRE J. MEYER.

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