Sound-proofed internal combustion engine

Claim 1

An internal combustion engine having a soundproofing casing therearound and defining a chamber therebetween through which air is circulated from a blower mounted adjacent to an inlet opening in a first front wall of the casing to remove generated heat from the engine, the improvement in which comprises at least one partition wall dividing the chamber into two separate cooling air ducts which are sealed from each other, a first one of the cooling air ducts containing all fuel carrying parts of the engine including a fuel injection pump, fuel pressure pipes and fuel injection nozzles, the second one of the cooling air ducts containing at least the major portions of those components of the engine exhaust system which are located within the soundproofing casing including an exhaust manifold and an exhaust tube, and the soundproofing casing having two separated cooling air outlet ports therein each of which is connected to a separate one of the two cooling air ducts whereby any combustible materials carried by the cooling air from the fuel carrying parts of the engine are prevented from encountering hot exhaust system surfaces thereby significantly reducing any danger of fire.