Engine cooling system for vehicles

Claim 2

In a vehicle having a body of monocoque construction and an engine mounted in said body, a cooling system comprising: a means disposed on said body defining a plenum chamber disposed between said engine and a side wall of said vehicle body, an exhaust means associated with said plenum chamber, a radiator disposed between an interior portion of said body including said engine and said plenum chamber, mounted substantially in a rear corner of said body, and operatively connected to said engine, a fan mounted in said plenum chamber between said radiator and said exhaust means and adjacent said radiator, a driving means for driving said fan, whereby upon operation of said fan air within the interior portion of said body including said engine is drawn through said radiator and said plenum chamber and expelled through said exhaust means, an access means on said body positioned generally over said engine for providing access to said engine from outside said body, an air inlet means associated with said access means for providing air from outside said body to said radiator, and a directing means associated with said access means for directing air provided by said air inlet means to said radiator so that the incoming ambient air does not scrub over said engine.

Claim 3

A cooling system according to claim 1 further comprising: an engine exhaust means disposed in said plenum chamber exhaust means.

Claim 4

A cooling system according to claim 1 wherein: said air inlet means is disposed on a top wall of said body, at least partially above said engine.

Claim 5

A cooling system according to claim 1 wherein: said fan is driven by a fluid motor disposed in said plenum chamber and operated by a pump driven by said engine.

Claim 6

A cooling system according to claim 1 wherein: said exhaust means is mounted forwardly of said radiator whereby air drawn through said radiator from said vehicle interior will be caused to flow forwardly through said plenum chamber and be expelled through said exhaust means.

Claim 7

A cooling system according to claim 1 wherein: said exhaust means includes means for diverting exhaust gases laterally and outwardly.

Claim 8

A cooling system according to claim 1 wherein: said plenum chamber is defined by a portion of said vehicle body, an interior side wall disposed between said engine and said vehicle body, a front wall disposed between said interior plenum side wall and said vehicle body and said radiator disposed between said interior plenum side wall and said vehicle body.

Claim 9

A cooling system according to claim 7 wherein: said radiator is disposed in substantially longitudinal alignment with said interior plenum side wall.

Claim 10

A cooling system according to claim 1 further comprising: a turbocharger assembly operatively connected to said engine having an air inlet opening into the interior of said body.

Claim 11

A cooling system according to claim 2 further comprising: an entraining means for entraining the exhaust from said engine exhaust means with the exhaust from said plenum chamber exhaust means prior to expelling into the atmosphere.

Claim 12

A cooling system according to claim 10 wherein: said vehicle includes two or more axle assemblies and the outlet of said exhaust means is disposed above the rearmost of said axle assemblies.

Claim 13

A cooling system according to claim 1 wherein: said access means includes a hood member removably disposed over an opening in a top wall of said body, and said air inlet means includes spacing means for spacing said hood member a distance from said body whereby air may flow through said opening into said body.

Claim 14

A cooling system according to claim 12 wherein: said directing means includes a blocking means associated with said hood member positioned over the portion of said opening directly above said engine for blocking the flow of air through said opening away from said engine.

Claim 15

A cooling system according to claim 13 wherein: said blocking means comprises a cover member connected to and spacedly depending from said hood member, the space between said cover member and said hood member defining at least a portion of said air inlet means.

Claim 16

A cooling system according to claim 12 wherein: said spacing means includes a mesh means connected to said hood member and positionable against said body.

Claim 17

A cooling system according to claim 12 further comprising: an exhaust blocking means for blocking air exhausted from said exhaust means from directly entering said air inlet means, said exhaust means includes diverting means for diverting exhaust gases laterally and outwardly, and said exhaust blocking means is attached to said hood member on the side of said hood member adjacent said diverting means.

Claim 18

A cooling system according to claim 1 further comprising: an exhaust blocking means for blocking air exhausted from said exhaust means from directly entering said air inlet means.

Claim 19

A cooling system according to claim 12 wherein: said air inlet means further includes a grate mounted on a top plate of said hood member whereby air may pass downwardly through said hood member.

Claim 20

A cooling system according to claim 18 wherein: said grate is mounted to an aft portion of said hood member.

Claim 21

A cooling system according to claim 12 further comprising: a handle attached to one side of said hood member, and a hinging means for hinging the side of said hood member opposite said one side to said body.

Claim 22

A cooling system according to claim 12 further comprising: a pair of lifting eyes attached to opposite sides of said hood member.

Claim 23

A cooling system according to claim 1 including, an operator's station disposed in said body, and said driving means driving said fan so that air is drawn from said operator's station through said radiator and said plenum chamber and expelled through said exhaust means.

Claim 24

In a vehicle having a body of monocoque construction and an engine mounted in said body, a cooling system comprising: a means disposed on said body defining a plenum chamber, an exhaust means associated with said plenum chamber, a radiator disposed between an interior portion of said body including said engine and said plenum chamber and operatively connected to said engine, a fan mounted in said plenum chamber between said radiator and said exhaust means and adjacent said radiator, a driving means for driving said fan, whereby upon operation of said fan air within the interior portion of said body including said engine is drawn through said radiator and said plenum chamber and expelled through said exhaust means, an access means on said body positioned generally over said engine for providing access to said engine from outside said body, an air inlet means associated with said access means for providing air from outside said body to said radiator, a directing means associated with said access means for directing air provided by said air inlet means to said radiator so that the incoming ambient air does not scrub over said engine, said access means including a hood member removably disposed over an opening in a top wall of said body, said air inlet means including a spacing means for spacing said hood member a distance from said body whereby air may flow through said opening into said body, said directing means including a blocking means associated with said hood member positioned over the portion of said opening directly above said engine for blocking the flow of air through said opening away from said engine, and said blocking means comprising a cover member connected to and spacedly depending from said hood member, the space between said cover member and said hood member defining at least a portion of said air inlet means.

Claim 25

In a vehicle having a body of monocoque construction and an engine mounted in said body, a cooling system comprising: a means disposed on said body defining a plenum chamber, an exhaust means associated with said plenum chamber, a radiator disposed between an interior portion of said body including said engine and said plenum chamber and operatively connected to said engine, a fan mounted in said plenum chamber between said radiator and said exhaust means and adjacent said radiator, a driving means for driving said fan, whereby upon operation of said fan air within the interior portion of said body including said engine is drawn through said radiator and said plenum chamber and expelled through said exhaust means, an access means on said body positioned generally over said engine for providing access to said engine from outside said body, an air inlet means associated with said access means for providing air from outside said body to said radiator, a directing means associated with said access means for directing air provided by said air inlet means to said radiator so that the incoming ambient air does not scrub over said engine, said access means including a hood member removably disposed over an opening in a top wall of said body, said air inlet means including a spacing means for spacing said hood member a distance from said body whereby air may flow through said opening into said body, said directing means including a blocking means associated with said hood member positioned over the portion of said opening directly above said engine for blocking the flow of air through said opening away from said engine, and said blocking means comprising a cover member connected to and spacedly depending from said hood member, the space between said cover member and said hood member defining at least a portion of said air inlet means.

Claim 26

A cooling system according to claim 23 wherein: said spacing means includes a mesh means connected to said hood member and positionable against said body.

Claim 27

A cooling system according to claim 23 further comprising: an exhaust blocking means for blocking air exhausted from said exhaust means from directly entering said air inlet means.

Claim 28

A cooling system according to claim 23 further comprising: a handle attached to one side of said hood member, and a hinging means for hinging the side of said hood member opposite said one side to said body.

Claim 29

A cooling system according to claim 23 further comprising: a pair of lifting eyes attached to opposite sides of said hood member,

Claim 30

A cooling system according to claim 23 further comprising: an operator's station disposed in said body, and said driving means driving said fan so that air is drawn from said operator's station through said radiator and said plenum chamber and expelled through said exhaust means.

Claim 31

In a vehicle having a body of monocoque construction and an engine mounted in said body, a cooling system comprising: a means disposed on said body defining a plenum chamber, an exhaust means associated with said plenum chamber, a radiator disposed between an interior portion of said body including said engine and said plenum chamber and operatively connected to said engine, a fan mounted in said plenum chamber between said radiator and said exhaust means and adjacent said radiator, a driving means for driving said fan, whereby upon operation of said fan air within the interior portion of said body including said engine is drawn through said radiator and said plenum chamber and expelled through said exhaust means, an access means on said body positioned generally over said engine for providing access to said engine from outside said body, an air inlet means associated with said access means for providing air from outside said body to said radiator, a directing means associated with said access means for directing air provided by said air inlet means to said radiator so that the incoming ambient air does not scrub over said engine, said access means including a hood member removably disposed over an opening in a top wall of said body, and said air inlet means including a spacing means for spacing said hood member a distance from said body whereby air may flow through said opening into said body, and a grate mounted on a top plate of said hood member whereby air may pass downwardly through said hood member.

Claim 32

In a vehicle having a body of monocoque construction and an engine mounted in said body, a cooling system comprising: a means disposed on said body defining a plenum chamber, an exhaust means associated with said plenum chamber, a radiator disposed between an interior portion of said body including said engine and said plenum chamber and operatively connected to said engine, a fan mounted in said plenum chamber between said radiator and said exhaust means and adjacent said radiator, a driving means for driving said fan, whereby upon operation of said fan air within the interior portion of said body including said engine is drawn through said radiator and said plenum chamber and expelled through said exhaust means, an access means on said body positioned generally over said engine for providing access to said engine from outside said body, an air inlet means associated with said access means for providing air from outside said body to said radiator, a directing means associated with said access means for directing air provided by said air inlet means to said radiator so that the incoming ambient air does not scrub over said engine, said access means including a hood member removably disposed over an opening in a top wall of said body, and said air inlet means including a spacing means for spacing said hood member a distance from said body whereby air may flow through said opening into said body, and a grate mounted on a top plate of said hood member whereby air may pass downwardly through said hood member.

Claim 33

A cooling system according to claim 29 wherein: said grate is mounted to an aft portion of said hood member.

Claim 34

A cooling system according to claim 29 further comprising: a handle attached to one side of said hood member, and a hinging means for hinging the side of said hood member opposite said one side to said body.

Claim 35

A cooling system according to claim 29 further comprising: a pair of lifting eyes attached to opposite sides of said hood member.

Claim 36

A cooling system according to claim 29 further comprising: an operator's station disposed in said body, and said driving means driving said fan so that air is drawn from said operator's station through said radiator and said plenum chamber and expelled through said exhaust means.

Claim 37

In a vehicle having a body of monocoque construction and an engine mounted in said body, a cooling system comprising: a means disposed on said body defining a plenum chamber, an exhaust means associated with said plenum chamber, a radiator disposed between an interior portion of said body including said engine and said plenum chamber and operatively connected to said engine, a fan mounted in said plenum chamber between said radiator and said exhaust means and adjacent said radiator, a driving means for driving said fan, whereby upon operation of said fan air within the interior portion of said body including said engine is drawn through said radiator and said plenum chamber and expelled through said exhaust means, an access means on said body positioned generally over said engine for providing access to said engine from outside said body, an air inlet means associated with said access means for providing air from outside said body to said radiator, a directing means associated with said access means for directing air provided by said air inlet means to said radiator so that the incoming ambient air does not scrub over said engine, said access means including a hood member removably disposed over an opening in a top wall of said body, said air inlet means including a spacing means for spacing said hood member a distance from said body whereby air may flow through said opening into said body, an exhaust blocking means for blocking air exhausted from said exhaust means from directly entering said air inlet means, said exhaust means including a diverting means for diverting exhaust gases laterally and outwardly, and said exhaust blocking means is attached to said hood member on the side of said hood member adjacent said diverting means.

Claim 38

In a vehicle having a body of monocoque construction and an engine mounted in said body, a cooling system comprising: a means disposed on said body defining a plenum chamber, an exhaust means associated with said plenum chamber, a radiator disposed between an interior portion of said body including said engine and said plenum chamber and operatively connected to said engine, a fan mounted in said plenum chamber between said radiator and said exhaust means and adjacent said radiator, a driving means for driving said fan, whereby upon operation of said fan air within the interior portion of said body including said engine is drawn through said radiator and said plenum chamber and expelled through said exhaust means, an access means on said body positioned generally over said engine for providing access to said engine from outside said body, an air inlet means associated with said access means for providing air from outside said body to said radiator, a directing means associated with said access means for directing air provided by said air inlet means to said radiator so that the incoming ambient air does not scrub over said engine, said access means including a hood member removably disposed over an opening in a top wall of said body, said air inlet means including a spacing means for spacing said hood member a distance from said body whereby air may flow through said opening into said body, an exhaust blocking means for blocking air exhausted from said exhaust means from directly entering said air inlet means, said exhaust means including a diverting means for diverting exhaust gases laterally and outwardly, and said exhaust blocking means is attached to said hood member on the side of said hood member adjacent said diverting means.

Claim 39

A cooling system according to claim 34 further comprising: an operator's station disposed in said body, and said driving means driving said fan so that air is drawn from said operator's station through said radiator and said plenum chamber and expelled through said exhaust means.