Gear pump for internal combustion engine and the like

Claim 1

IN AN INTERNAL CONBUSTION ENGINE HAVING A CRANKCASE MEMBER ROTATABLY SUPPORTING A CRANKSHAFT AND DEFINING AN OPENING AT ONE OF SAID ENGINE AND HAVING AN OIL DISTRIBUTION PASSAGE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY BETWEEN ALTERNATE INLET PORTS OPENING ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID ONE END; A GEAR PUMP COMPRISING A HOUSING SECURED TO AND CLOSING THE OPEN END OF SAID CRANKCASE MEMBER AND DEFINING AN OVATE PUMPING CHAMBER DISPOSED OBLIQUELY TO SAID CRANKCASE OPENING, SAID PUMPING CHAMBER HAVING TWO SPACED AN OPPOSED CYLINDRICAL SURFACES OF SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT RADIAL DIMENSION, THE LARGER OF SAID CYLINDRICAL SURFACES BEING CONCENTRIC WITH SAID CRANKSHAFT AND SAID HOUSING HAVING ALIGNED BORES THERETHROUGH EMBRACING THE ADJACENT END OF SAID CRANKSHAFT, A FIRST IMPELLER GEAR DRIVINGLY SECURED TO SAID CRANKSHAFT WITHIN SAID PUMPING CHAMBER, A SECOND IMPELLER GEAR JOURNALED WITHIN THE PUMPING CHAMBER IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATION TO THE CRANKSHAFT ROTATIVE AXIS, SAID IMPELLER GEARS HAVING FLUID PUMPING GEAR TOOTH ENGAGEMENT AND ROTATIVE SEALING CLEARANCES WITH THE PUMP CHAMBER DEFINING SURFACES AND COOPERATING WITH THE PUMP CHAMBER TO DEFINE INLET AND DISCHARGE CHAMBERS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID GEAR ENGAGEMENT, SAID INLET CHAMBER BEING CONNECTED TO THE OIL SUMP OF THE ENGINE, AND PASSAGE MEANS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID HOUSING BETWEEN SAID DISCHARGE CHAMBER AND ALTERNATE PRESSURE INLET PORTS OF SAID CRANKCASE MEMBER AND DEFINING AN ARCH PARTIALLY EMBRACING AND REINFORCING THE PRESSURE DISCHARGE SIDE OF THE PUMPING CHAMBER.