Engine camshaft and piston lubrication

Claim 2

An internal combustion engine including a unitary cylinder block having walls defining two V arranged banks of cylinders, a valley with a valve lifter gallery between the banks and a crank chamber below, pistons in the cylinders having skirts engaging the cylinder walls, the pistons being connected with a crankshaft for reciprocation in the cylinders, valves controlling access to each of the cylinders, valve actuating means engageable with cams of a camshaft arranged longitudinally in the valley below the lifter gallery and connected with the crankshaft for rotation of the camshaft to actuate the valves, means for lubricating the valve actuating means and for directing excess lubricant down the valley walls to the crank chamber for return to an oil sump below, and the improvement comprising gutter forming ribs integral with and extending along the valley and lifter gallery walls at each cylinder location to intercept the lubricant passing down the walls at each said location and direct it to the various cams of the camshaft disposed below the lifter gallery and associated with the respective cylinder at each said location.

Claim 3

An internal combustion engine including a unitary cylinder block having walls defining two V-arranged banks of cylinders, a valley between the banks and a crank chamber below, pistons in the cylinders having skirts engaging the cylinder walls, the pistons being connected with a crankshaft for reciprocation in the cylinders with the skirts having lower portions extending below the bottoms of the cylinders at the lower extent of their travel, valves controlling access to each of the cylinders, valve actuating means engageable with cams of a camshaft arranged longitudinally in the valley and connected with the crankshaft for rotation of the camshaft to actuate the valves, means for lubricating the valve actuating means and for directing excess lubricant down the valley walls to the crank chamber for return to an oil sump below, and the improvement comprising gutter forming rib means integral with and extending along lower portions of the valley walls below the camshaft at each cylinder location to intercept returning lubricant flowing therealong and direct it to positions at the inner edges near the bottom of each respective cylinder for lubricating the associated piston skirts by delivery of the intercepted lubricant onto their skirt lower portions as they extend below their cylinders at their lower extent of travel.

Claim 4

An internal combustion engine including a unitary cylinder block having walls defining two V-arranged banks of cylinders, a valley between the banks and a crank chamber below, pistons in the cylinders having skirts engaging the cylinder walls, the pistons being connected with a crankshaft for reciprocation in the cylinders with the skirts having lower portions extending below the bottoms of the cylinders at the lower extent of their travel, valves controlling access to each of the cylinders, valve actuating means engageable with cams of a camshaft arranged longitudinally in the valley and connected with the crankshaft for rotation of the camshaft to actuate the valves, means for lubricating the valve actuating means and for directing excess lubricant down the valley walls to the crank chamber for return to an oil sump below, and the improvement comprising gutter forming rib means integral with and extending along lower portions of the valley walls below the camshaft at each cylinder location to intercept returning lubricant flowing therealong and direct it to positions at the inner edges near the bottom of each respective cylinder for lubricating the associated piston skirts by delivery of the intercepted lubricant onto their skirt lower portions as they extend below their cylinders at their lower extent of travel.

Claim 5

An internal combustion engine including a unitary cylinder block having walls defining two V-arranged banks of cylinders, a valley with a valve lifter gallery between the banks and a crank chamber below, pistons in the cylinders having skirts engaging the walls, the pistons being connected with a crankshaft for reciprocation in the cylinders with the skirts having lower portions extending below the bottoms of the cylinders at the lower extent of their travel, valves controlling access to each of the cylinders, valve actuating means engageable with cams of a camshaft arranged longitudinally in the valley below the lifter gallery and connected with the crankshaft for rotation of the camshaft to actuate the valves, means for lubricating the valve actuating means and for directing excess lubricant down the valley walls to the crank chamber for return to an oil sump below, and the improvement comprising first gutter forming ribs integral with and extending along the valley and lifter gallery walls at each cylinder location to intercept the lubricant passing down the walls at each said location and direct it to the various cams of the camshaft disposed below the lifter gallery and associated with the respective cylinder at each said location, and second gutter forming ribs integral with and extending along lower portions of the valley walls below the camshaft at each cylinder location to intercept returning lubricant flowing therealong and direct it to positions at the inner edges near the bottom of each respective cylinder for lubricating the associated piston skirts by delivery of the intercepted lubricant onto their skirt lower portions as they extend below their cylinders at their lower extent of travel.

Claim 6

An internal combustion engine including a unitary cylinder block having walls defining two V-arranged banks of cylinders, a valley with a valve lifter gallery between the banks and a crank chamber below, pistons in the cylinders having skirts engaging the walls, the pistons being connected with a crankshaft for reciprocation in the cylinders with the skirts having lower portions extending below the bottoms of the cylinders at the lower extent of their travel, valves controlling access to each of the cylinders, valve actuating means engageable with cams of a camshaft arranged longitudinally in the valley below the lifter gallery and connected with the crankshaft for rotation of the camshaft to actuate the valves, means for lubricating the valve actuating means and for directing excess lubricant down the valley walls to the crank chamber for return to an oil sump below, and the improvement comprising first gutter forming ribs integral with and extending along the valley and lifter gallery walls at each cylinder location to intercept the lubricant passing down the walls at each said location and direct it to the various cams of the camshaft disposed below the lifter gallery and associated with the respective cylinder at each said location, and second gutter forming ribs integral with and extending along lower portions of the valley walls below the camshaft at each cylinder location to intercept returning lubricant flowing therealong and direct it to positions at the inner edges near the bottom of each respective cylinder for lubricating the associated piston skirts by delivery of the intercepted lubricant onto their skirt lower portions as they extend below their cylinders at their lower extent of travel.