Cylinder liner support

Claim 1

An internal combustion engine having: a cylinder block having a top deck portion; a plurality of cylinder bores therein; a tubular column within and in spaced concentric relation to each bore and extending from a position adjacent one end of the bore to a position intermediate the ends of the bore, thereby at least partially defining coolant passages within the cylinder block; a generally cylindrical cylinder liner in each cylinder bore; an end face on each cylinder liner; a shoulder on each cylinder liner; each generally cylindrical cylinder liner being dimensioned so as to be in spaced relation to a respective cylinder bore over the length along said liner between said end face and said shoulder; a cylinder head on the cylinder block having a bottom deck portion contacting both said cylinder liner end faces and said top deck portion; means for securing said head to said cylinder block, and at the same time imposing a load on said liners; and yieldable spacer means between each of said tubular columns and a respective shoulder for yieldably supporting said liners so that a limited and at least substantially equal loading is maintained on each one of said liners regardless of the different loading imposed on each liner by said securing means due to dimensional differences between liners.