Sheet metal compression ring

Claim 2

Split piston ring of hollow construction for internal combustion piston engines, comprising a closed shell of sheet metal bent into a tubular generally uniform cross section; said shell presenting respective thin side walls at the face, at the back, and at the top and bottom sides, and having a nearly closed gap in the bent sheet metal located in one of said sides; and a weld effective in said gap to close the cross section, said weld extending for the circumferential length of the ring, sealing across the gap and sealing off the closed shell air tight.

Claim 3

The split ring of claim 1 characterized by two adjacent ends; and end closure means to complete the sealing by closing off the ends of the ring.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 2, the closure means characterized by fixed end plugs.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 2 characterized by an internally cooled ring with the hollow interior containing coolant.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 4, the coolant characterized by a mass which is at least in part sodium.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 1 characterized by: the face and back of the shell being curved sides; the gap and weld being located in one of said curved sides.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 6 further characterized by: a wear plating on the side wall at the face side.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 6, said one side characterized by the back side of the shell.

Claim 10

Multi-part gapped piston ring of fabricated construction comprising: a circumferential tube nearly closing on itself at the ring gap and carrying thereat plugs individual to the tube ends; and end flanges on the plugs exposing the same geometric cross section as the tube.

Claim 11

Multi-part gapped piston ring of fabricated construction comprising: a circumferential tube nearly closing on itself at the ring gap and carrying thereat plugs individual to the tube ends; and end flanges on the plugs exposing the same geometric cross section as the tube.

Claim 12

In combination with an engine cylinder: a piston reciprocable therein having a top ring groove closely adjacent the head of the piston; a headland between the groove and piston crown, set back so as to confront the cylinder with a short generally annular, gas loading orifice defined therebetween; a split ring of tube construction in the groove sealing the piston in the cylinder, said ring having two adjacent ends, a top side, and a back side with adjacent walls defining a nearly closed gap in the tube construction, said ring and groove mutually defining a first side clearance between the top side of the ring and the upper side of the groove, and mutually defining a backside clearance between the gapped backside of the ring and bottom of the groove; and closure means sealing off the hollow interior of the tube, by sealing the ends and backside gap, so that the ring limits dead cylinder space about the piston head to the sum of the volumes of the defined short orifice, first side clearance, and backside clearance.

Claim 13

In combination with an engine cylinder: a piston reciprocable therein having a top ring groove closely adjacent the head of the piston; a headland between the groove and piston crown, set back so as to confront the cylinder with a short generally annular, gas loading orifice defined therebetween; a split ring of tube construction in the groove sealing the piston in the cylinder, said ring having two adjacent ends, a top side, and a back side with adjacent walls defining a nearly closed gap in the tube construction, said ring and groove mutually defining a first side clearance between the top side of the ring and the upper side of the groove, and mutually defining a backside clearance between the gapped backside of the ring and bottom of the groove; and closure means sealing off the hollow interior of the tube, by sealing the ends and backside gap, so that the ring limits dead cylinder space about the piston head to the sum of the volumes of the defined short orifice, first side clearance, and backside clearance.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 10, said closure means comprising a weld effective in said gapped backside to close the cross section, said weld extending for the circumferential length of the ring, sealing across the gap and sealing off the closed tube air tight.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 10, said ring further having a side wall defining a face side, and a wear plating on the side wall at the face side.

Claim 16

The invention of claim 10, said closure means comprising plugs individual to the two adjacent ends of the ring, and end flanges on the plugs externally exposing the same geometric cross section as the tubular cross section of the split ring construction.