US4071008A — Low-noise-level internal combustion engine

Claim 1

Independent Claim 97 words

A low-noise-level internal combustion engine comprising a crankshaft and crankshaft main bearings which are engine parts directly affected by body resonance and sound vibration, an engine unit support which supports said crankshaft main bearings, a cylinder head mounted on said engine unit support, auxiliary units rigidly connected to the engine unit support and to the cylinder head, and further comprising a crankcase and a flywheel case connected with the crankcase, and at least one resonance-absorbing member located above the crankshaft between said engine parts which are directly affected by sound vibration and said crankcase and flywheel case.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 97 words

A low-noise-level internal combustion engine comprising a crankshaft and crankshaft main bearings which are engine parts directly affected by body resonance and sound vibration, an engine unit support which supports said crankshaft main bearings, a cylinder head mounted on said engine unit support, auxiliary units rigidly connected to the engine unit support and to the cylinder head, and further comprising a crankcase and a flywheel case connected with the crankcase, and at least one resonance-absorbing member located above the crankshaft between said engine parts which are directly affected by sound vibration and said crankcase and flywheel case.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 65 words

An internal combustion engine according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing element located between said engine parts which are directly affected by sound vibration and said acoustically insulated engine parts, said sealing element dividing the engine into a lower oil-wetted engine region and an encapsulated upper dry engine region which is oil-tightly sealed against said lower engine region by means of said sealing element.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 22 words

An internal combustion engine according to claim 2, wherein said resonance-absorbing member and said sealing element are combined in a single unit.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 23 words

An internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein said resonance-absorbing member is located in a plane which is situated above the crankshaft.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 54 words

An internal combustion engine according to claim 1, including a flywheel mounted on one end of said crankshaft within said flywheel case, a gear box rigidly connected to the flywheel case, a gear box drive shaft pivoted in said gear box, a flexible rotary coupling connecting the flywheel to said gear box drive shaft.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 22 words

An internal combustion engine according to claim 5, including means for supporting the engine, said supporting means being secured to said crankcase.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 29 words

An internal combustion engine according to claim 5, including an annular shaft seal fitted in said engine unit support and sealing the crankshaft on its end supporting the flywheel.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 54 words

An internal combustion engine according to claim 5, including an annular elastic sealing element secured on the one hand on said resonance-vibrated engine unit support and on the other hand on said resonance-insulated crankcase on the side of the flywheel case, said annular elastic sealing element sealing the oil-wetted crankcase against the flywheel case.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 35 words

An internal combustion engine according to claim 1, including a sound-proofing casing surrounding said engine parts which are directly affected by sound vibration, said casing being secured to the crankcase and to the flywheel case.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 62 words

An internal combustion engine according to claim 1, including at least one stop provided on said engine unit support and at least one counter-stop mounted on said crankcase and cooperating with said stop of the engine unit support, said stop and counter-stop together limiting relative movement between the engine unit support and the crankcase, particularly when the engine revolves at resonance-revolution numbers.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 113 words

A low-noise-level internal combustion engine which comprises a crankshaft; a cylinder block; means in the form of main bearings supporting said crankshaft on and below said cylinder block; a cylinder head mounted on and above said cylinder block; auxiliary engine means connected to said cylinder head; a crankcase mounted to encompase said crankshaft; a flywheel case connected to said crankcase to form a composite casing; said composite casing connected to said cylinder block by means of at least one resonance-absorbing member at a point above the level of the crankshaft so as to reduce the transfer of mechanical resonance and sound vibration from the cylinder block to the crankcase and the flywheel case.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 113 words

A low-noise-level internal combustion engine which comprises a crankshaft; a cylinder block; means in the form of main bearings supporting said crankshaft on and below said cylinder block; a cylinder head mounted on and above said cylinder block; auxiliary engine means connected to said cylinder head; a crankcase mounted to encompase said crankshaft; a flywheel case connected to said crankcase to form a composite casing; said composite casing connected to said cylinder block by means of at least one resonance-absorbing member at a point above the level of the crankshaft so as to reduce the transfer of mechanical resonance and sound vibration from the cylinder block to the crankcase and the flywheel case.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 57 words

An internal combustion engine according to claim 11, which includes a flywheel mounted in said flywheel case and connected to an end of said crankshaft which extends into said flywheel case from said crankcase, and an annular sealing means positioned around said end of said crankshaft and sealing said flywheel case from any oil in said crankcase.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 25 words

An internal combustion engine according to claim 11, wherein said at least one resonance-absorbing member extends continuously between said cylinder block and said composite casing.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 44 words

An internal combustion engine according to claim 13, including cover means enclosing a space around said cylinder block, said cylinder head and said auxiliary engine means, means connecting said cover means to said composite casing, said resonance-absorbing member also functioning as an oil seal.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 68 words

An internal combustion engine according to claim 13, wherein a first rectangular metal frame is connected to said composite casing, wherein a second rectangular metal frame is connected to said cylinder block, said first and second metal frames being positioned so as to form an overlap area, and wherein said at least one resonance-absorbing member is positioned between said overlaping area between said first and second metal frames.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1981-01-30	1981-08-01	1982-01-31	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1985-01-30	1985-08-01	1986-01-31	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1989-01-30	1989-08-01	1990-01-31	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Low-noise-level internal combustion engine

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