Apparatus for measuring piston position

Claim 2

In an apparatus for measuring the axial position of a piston within a cylinder bore of an internal combustion engine via a spark plug opening intercepting the bore, the combination comprising a gauge having a linearly movable spindle adapted to extend into said bore via said opening in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the bore and to be resiliently biased against the head of the piston to follow displacement of the piston and develop readings on the gauge indicative of piston position and mounting apparatus for mounting the gauge on the engine comprising first and second plates, the first plate being adapted to be mounted flat against and fastened to the engine, means for hingedly connecting the two plates about a hinge axis such that the second plate is angularly displaceable about the hinge axis relative to the first plate, means for locking the two plates together at a selected angle about the hinge axis, a rod, means for fixedly mounting the gauge on the rod so that the spindle is inclined at an angle to the rod, means for mounting the rod on the second plate at a location disposed from the hinge axis such that the rod is displaceable axially of and angularly about its own axis relative to the second plate and means for locking the rod on the second plate at selected axial and angular positions about its own axis with respect to the second plate.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein the gauge is mounted on the rod such that the spindle is substantially perpendicular to the rod.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2 wherein the rod is mounted on the second plate such that the rod is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the second plate.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 3 wherein the rod is mounted on the second plate such that the rod is substantially perpendicular to the hinge axis.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 1 wherein the rod is mounted on the second plate such that the rod is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the second plate.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 5 wherein the rod is mounted on the second plate such that the rod is substantially perpendicular to the hinge axis.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 1 wherein the rod is mounted on the second plate such that the rod is substantially perpendicular to the hinge axis.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 1 wherein said means for hingedly connecting the two plates comprises a clevis on one of the plates and a tongue on the other plate, said tongue being disposed within the notch of the clevis, a bore extending through the clevis coaxial with the hinge axis, a bore extending through the tongue and axially aligned with the clevis bore and hinge pin means extending through said two bores to hingedly connect the two plates.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 8 wherein said means for locking said two plates together comprises a screw thread on a portion of said clevis bore and a screw thread on a portion of said hinge pin means threadedly engaging the threaded portion of the clevis bore, a head disposed on said hinge pin means such that when the hinge pin means is rotated in opposite directions about the hinge axis, the head is respectively advanced and retracted axially of the hinge axis to respectively forcibly engage and release the clevis to thereby cause the clevis to respectively clamp and release the tongue.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 1 wherein said means for mounting the rod on the second plate comprises a cylindrical bore in the second plate and said rod comprises a cylindrical portion journaled within said cylindrical bore.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 10 wherein the cylindrical bore is perpendicular to the plane of the second plate.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 11 wherein said means for locking the rod to the second plate comprises a threaded bore intercepting said cylindrical bore and a set screw threaded into said threaded bore to engage and lock the rod in the cylindrical bore.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 1 including a slot in the first plate adapted to recEive a fastener for attaching the first plate to the engine.

Claim 15

In an apparatus for measuring the axial position of a piston within a cylinder bore of an internal combustion engine via a spark plug opening intercepting the bore, the combination comprising a dial indicator gauge having a linearly movable spindle adapted to extend into said bore via said opening in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the bore and to be resiliently biased against the head of the piston to follow displacement of the piston and develop readings on the gauge indicative of piston position and means for mounting the gauge on the engine comprising a first plate having a slot, said first plate being adapted to be mounted flat against the engine and fastened thereto by a fastener extending through said slot into the engine, a clevis on one end of said first plate having a laterally central notch, a second plate having a tongue at one end thereof, said tongue being disposed within said notch and having a lateral dimension slightly less than the lateral dimension of said notch, a cylindrical bore extending laterally of the second plate completely through said tongue, a clevis bore extending laterally of said first plate completely through said clevis and having a first portion thereof disposed laterally of one side of said tongue and a second portion thereof disposed laterally of the other side of said tongue, said second portion comprising a screw thread, said two clevis bore portions being coaxial with said tongue bore, a screw having a threaded shank and a head, said shank extending into and through said first clevis bore portion and said tongue bore to threadedly engage said screw thread of said second clevis bore portion with said first clevis bore portion and said tongue bore being disposed between the screw head and the second clevis bore portion, said screw head having a transverse dimension greater than the transverse dimension of the first clevis bore portion so that the screw may be rotated to advance the screw head against the clevis and thereby cause the clevis to forceably clamp said tongue within said notch, a cylindrical journal bore extending transversely through the second plate in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the second plate, a rod comprising a cylindrical portion journaled within said journal bore, a threaded bore in said second plate intercepting said journal bore, a screw threaded into said threaded bore for engaging and locking the rod to the second plate and means for mounting the dial indicator gauge on the rod so that the spindle is substantially perpendicular to the rod.

Claim 16

In an apparatus for measuring the axial position of a piston within a cylinder bore of an internal combustion engine via a spark plug opening intercepting the bore, the combination comprising a dial indicator gauge having a linearly movable spindle adapted to extend into said bore via said opening in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the bore and to be resiliently biased against the head of the piston to follow displacement of the piston and develop readings on the gauge indicative of piston position and means for mounting the gauge on the engine comprising a first plate having a slot, said first plate being adapted to be mounted flat against the engine and fastened thereto by a fastener extending through said slot into the engine, a clevis on one end of said first plate having a laterally central notch, a second plate having a tongue at one end thereof, said tongue being disposed within said notch and having a lateral dimension slightly less than the lateral dimension of said notch, a cylindrical bore extending laterally of the second plate completely through said tongue, a clevis bore extending laterally of said first plate completely through said clevis and having a first portion thereof disposed laterally of one side of said tongue and a second portion thereof disposed laterally of the other side of said tongue, said second portion comprising a screw thread, said two clevis bore portions being coaxial with said tongue bore, a screw having a threaded shank and a head, said shank extending into and through said first clevis bore portion and said tongue bore to threadedly engage said screw thread of said second clevis bore portion with said first clevis bore portion and said tongue bore being disposed between the screw head and the second clevis bore portion, said screw head having a transverse dimension greater than the transverse dimension of the first clevis bore portion so that the screw may be rotated to advance the screw head against the clevis and thereby cause the clevis to forceably clamp said tongue within said notch, a cylindrical journal bore extending transversely through the second plate in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the second plate, a rod comprising a cylindrical portion journaled within said journal bore, a threaded bore in said second plate intercepting said journal bore, a screw threaded into said threaded bore for engaging and locking the rod to the second plate and means for mounting the dial indicator gauge on the rod so that the spindle is substantially perpendicular to the rod.

Claim 17

For measuring the axial position of a piston within the cylinder bore of an internal combustion engine via a spark plug opening intercepting the bore by means of measuring apparatus of the type comprising a gauge having a body and a spindle on the body movable along a linear path relative to the body and resiliently biased in one direction of movement, mounting apparatus for mounting the gauge on the engine such that the spindle extends into the bore via the spark plug opening in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the bore and is resiliently biased against the head of the piston to follow displacement of the piston and develop readings on the gauge indicative of piston position, said mounting apparatus comprising a first plate adapted to be mounted on the engine, a second plate, means for hingedly mounting and locking the two plates at a selected angle about a hinge axis, an elongated member and means for mounting and locking the elongated member on the second plate at a selected axial position along and at a selected angular orientation about its own axis relative to the second plate and means on the elongated member adapted to fixedly mount the gauge thereon so that the spindle is inclined at an angle to the elongated member.

Claim 18

For measuring the axial position of a piston within the cylinder bore of an internal combustion engine via a spark plug opening intercepting the bore by means of measuring apparatus of the type comprising a gauge having a body and a spindle on the body movable along a linear path relative to the body and resiliently biased in one direction of movement, mounting apparatus for mounting the gauge on the engine such that the spindle extends into the bore via the spark plug opening in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the bore and is resiliently biased against the head of the piston to follow displacement of the piston and develop readings on the gauge indicative of piston position, said mounting apparatus comprising a first plate adapted to be mounted on the engine, a second plate, means for hingedly mounting and locking the two plates at a selected angle about a hinge axis, an elongated member and means for mounting and locking the elongated member on the second plate at a selected axial position along and at a selected angular orientation about its own axis relative to the second plate and means on the elongated member adapted to fixedly mount the gauge thereon so that the spindle is inclined at an angle to the elongated member.

Claim 19

The combination of claim 15 wherein the means for mounting and locking the elongated member on the seconD plate comprises a cylindrical bore in the second plate, a tapped hole in the second plate intercepting the side wall of the cylindrical bore and a locking screw threadedly engaging said tapped hole, said elongated member comprising a cylindrical portion disposed within the cylindrical bore, said locking screw being operable to engage the cylindrical portion of the elongated member and thereby lock the same to the second plate.

Claim 20

The combination of claim 15 wherein the means for hingedly mounting and locking the two plates comprises a clevis on one of the plates, a bore extending through the clevis and intercepting the notch of the clevis, the portion of the clevis bore on one side of the notch comprising a screw thread, a tongue on the other plate disposed within the notch of clevis, a bore extending through the tongue and aligned with the clevis bore, a screw comprising a threaded shank and a head, said shank passing through said clevis bore and said tongue bore and having a portion thereof threadedly engaging the screw thread of the clevis bore such that the tongue bore and the portion of the clevis bore on the other side of the notch are disposed axially between the head of the screw and the portion of the shank threadedly engaging the screw thread on the clevis bore whereby the screw is operable to clamp the tongue within the notch.