US4156409A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
V-Shaped forced air cooling 4-cycle engine
Assignee: Kubota Corp
•
Filing: 1977-04-19
•
Granted: 1979-05-29
•
Expires: 1997-04-19
Abstract
Abstract An engine crankcase has oppositely inclined surfaces thereon, to which cylinders equipped with cooling fins are attached, to form a V-shaped engine. The crankcase has a crankshaft rotatably mounted therein, the front end of which projects from the front of the crankcase and has a cooling fan mounted thereon, the fan being housed within a cover adapted to pass cooling air backwards over the cylinders. A cam shaft is mounted vertically above the crankshaft, and the two are connected by gears mounted at the front of the crankcase. The rear end of the V-shaped region between the cylinders is open to provide for the escape of foreign matter, and the engine is balanced by locating the governor and the lubricant pump within the rear end of the crankcase.
Inventors
- 👤 Keiichi Nakano
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 23:06
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02B; F02B75/00; F02B75/16; F02B75/18; F02B75/22; F01; F01P; F01P5/00; F01P5/02; F01P5/06; F02B75/02; F02B2075/022; F02B2075/027
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
351 words
A V-shaped, air-cooled engine, comprising: a crankcase; cylinder means mounted on said crankcase, and defining a V-shaped region therebetween, said cylinder means having cooling fins thereon; means for supplying fuel to said cylinder means, including carburetor means; a crankshaft rotatably mounted within said crankcase to extend axially thereof, said crankshaft being mounted centrally of the height of said crankcase and including a front end portion that projects through the front end of said crankcase; a flywheel cooling fan mounted on said projecting portion of said crankshaft; cover means secured to the front of said crankcase and enclosing said cooling fan, said cover means being arranged to direct cooling airflow rearwardly past the fins on said cylinder means and through said V-shaped region; a camshaft mounted within said crankcase above said crankshaft; means defining a gear chamber at the front end of said crankcase rearwardly of said cover means; a first gear received within said gear chamber at the front end of said crankcase and mounted on said crankshaft; a second gear also received within said gear chamber at the front end of said crankcase and mounted on said camshaft, said second gear being in mesh with said first gear to drivingly connect said camshaft with said crankshaft; governor means mounted within said crankcase at the rear end thereof below said crankshaft, for controlling the position of said carburetor means; a lubricant pump also mounted within said crankcase at the rear end thereof below said crankshaft, and in alignment with said governor means; common drive shaft means connected at its opposite ends to said lubricant pump and said governor means, and extending therebetween; a third gear mounted on said common drive shaft means between said lubricant pump and said governor means; a fourth gear mounted on said crankshaft and located at the rear end of said crankcase, said fourth gear being in mesh with said third gear for drivingly connecting said governor means and said lubricant pump with said crankshaft, whereby said governor means, said lubricant pump, and said third and fourth gears are arranged to counterbalance said first and second gears.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
351 words
A V-shaped, air-cooled engine, comprising: a crankcase; cylinder means mounted on said crankcase, and defining a V-shaped region therebetween, said cylinder means having cooling fins thereon; means for supplying fuel to said cylinder means, including carburetor means; a crankshaft rotatably mounted within said crankcase to extend axially thereof, said crankshaft being mounted centrally of the height of said crankcase and including a front end portion that projects through the front end of said crankcase; a flywheel cooling fan mounted on said projecting portion of said crankshaft; cover means secured to the front of said crankcase and enclosing said cooling fan, said cover means being arranged to direct cooling airflow rearwardly past the fins on said cylinder means and through said V-shaped region; a camshaft mounted within said crankcase above said crankshaft; means defining a gear chamber at the front end of said crankcase rearwardly of said cover means; a first gear received within said gear chamber at the front end of said crankcase and mounted on said crankshaft; a second gear also received within said gear chamber at the front end of said crankcase and mounted on said camshaft, said second gear being in mesh with said first gear to drivingly connect said camshaft with said crankshaft; governor means mounted within said crankcase at the rear end thereof below said crankshaft, for controlling the position of said carburetor means; a lubricant pump also mounted within said crankcase at the rear end thereof below said crankshaft, and in alignment with said governor means; common drive shaft means connected at its opposite ends to said lubricant pump and said governor means, and extending therebetween; a third gear mounted on said common drive shaft means between said lubricant pump and said governor means; a fourth gear mounted on said crankshaft and located at the rear end of said crankcase, said fourth gear being in mesh with said third gear for drivingly connecting said governor means and said lubricant pump with said crankshaft, whereby said governor means, said lubricant pump, and said third and fourth gears are arranged to counterbalance said first and second gears.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A V-shaped, air-cooled engine as recited in claim 1, wherein the rear end of said V-shaped region is open, thereby enabling intruded foreign materials to be discharged from said region by cooling air flowing over said engine.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
A V-shaped, air-cooled engine as recited in claim 2, wherein said gear chamber at the front end of said crankcase is partially contained in the front face of said crankcase, and partially contained in a front plate detachably secured to the front face of said crankcase, said cover means being secured to said front plate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A V-shaped, air-cooled engine as recited in claim 1, wherein said crankshaft and said camshaft lie in a common vertical plane.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2174676A
Cited
US2411653A
Cited
US2650578A
Cited
US2585083A
Cited
US2632340A
Cited
US2758580A
Cited
US2736299A
Cited
US2902985A
Cited
US2966146A
Cited
US3149618A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-05-28 | 1982-11-27 | 1983-05-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-05-28 | 1986-11-27 | 1987-05-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-05-28 | 1990-11-27 | 1991-05-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |