Oil return system for overhead cam engine

Claim 1

An internal combustion engine having a cylinder block with a cylinder bore formed therein and extending at an inclined angle to the vertical, a cylinder head affixed to said cylinder block and inclined to the horizontal to form a lower side at one side thereof and a higher side at the other side thereof, exhaust passage means formed at one side of said cylinder head and terminating at said cylinder bore for discharge of exhaust gases, exhaust valve means supported by said cylinder head for controlling the flow through said exhaust passage means, exhaust valve actuating means carried at least in part by said cylinder head for operating said exhaust valves, intake passage means formed at one side of said cylinder head and terminating at said cylinder bore for the induction of an intake charge into said cylinder bore, intake valve means supported by said cylinder head for controlling the flow through said intake passage means, intake valve actuating means carried at least in part by said cylinder head for actuating said intake valves, a lubricant return extending longitudinally in said cylinder head beneath one of said passage means and at the lower side of said cylinder head, a return conduit formed in said cylinder head at its lower side and extending between the area containing said valve actuating means and said lubricant return for delivering lubricant to said lubricant return and a drain conduit formed in said engine below said return conduit for returning lubricant to the engine crankcase from said lubricant return.