Sept. 12, 1939. R. L.

Bourke 2,172,670
CRANKCASE WENTILATING MEANS
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Sept. 12, 1939. R. L. Bourke 2,172,670
CRANKCASE WENTILATING MEANS
Original Filled May 12, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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 Patented Sept. 12, 1939 2,172,670

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,172,670
CRANK CASE WENTIILATING MEANS
Russell L. Bourke, Petaluma, Calif.
Original application May 12, 1936, Serial. No.
79,288. Divided and this application May 24,
1938, Serial No. 209,31
4. Claims. (C. 123-196)
This invention relates to improvements in in which is slightly beneath the central axis of the
ternal combustion engines and more particularly said case, and with packing glands of the custom
to novel Crank case ventilating means, alry kind" which serve to prevent the escape of
An object of my invention is to provide an im oil through the crankshaft bearings. The bear
proved internal combustion engine having a ing at the front of the crank case through which is
novel crank shaft construction wherein is em the shaft 2 extends is particularly designed to
bodied means for ventilating the crank case, the eliminate any whip action on the end of Said
Said means permitting the efficient lubrication of shaft and to take up the thrust ordinarily accom
the engine in any position without allowing the panying the fast rotation of said shaft in either
loss or escape of any of the lubricant from the direction. The shaft 2 is encircled by a thrust 10
crank case. bearing 3 which is partly imbedded in an annu
Another object of my invention is to provide lar groove in the front side of the casing. Also
an improved internal combustion engine having encircling the shaft 2 and spaced from the bear
a Splash or bath system of lubrication, wherein ing 3 by a Washer 4 and a flanged split bushing
5 a novel crank shaft construction is embodied 5 which is partly imbedded in an annular groove 5
Which not only permits the ventilation of the in said shaft, is a similar bearing 6. A fiber or
engine's crank case at all times irrespective of felt pad lencircling the shaft 2 is held against
the engine's operating position, but which at the the front side of the bearing 6 by a front or
Same time allows the efficient lubrication of the nose plate 8 which is bolted to the crank case
engine without loss or escape of any of the lubri and is so shaped and positioned that it encases to
cant from the crank case. the bearings 3 and 6 and maintains them in
Other and further objects of my invention will proper operating positions. The bearing 6 being
be pointed out hereinafter, indicated in the ap in engagement with the split bushing 5 secured
pended, claims, or obvious to one skilled in the in a fixed position" on the shaft 2, the said bush
25 art upon an understanding of the present disclo ing being in contact with the thrust bearing 3, 25
Sure. For the purposes of this application I have and the latter being in engagement with the
elected to show herein certain forms and details front side of the casing , affords a novel and im
of Crankshaft and bearing assemblies for inter proved construction for taking up the thrust ac
nal combustion engines which are representative tion of the shaft, thereby preventing the usual
30 of my invention; the constructions herein shown damaging effect to the shaft's crank arm or so
and described, while capable of use with engines throw When the engine is operating at high
of Various kinds, are particularly well adapted for Speeds.
use with internal combustion engines of the type The rear end of the crank case is enclosed by
disclosed in my co-pending application for Let a rear cover plate 9 having an inwardly disposed
35 ters Patent Serial No. 79,288, filed May 12, 1936, annular flange 9a, within which a bearing O is sis
of which this application is a division; it is un mounted. The bearing 0 is mounted on the hub
derstood, however, that the particular construc of a circular gear to which is keyed the rear
tion herein illustrated is not to be regarded as end of the shaft 2. A circular gear 2 having
exhaustive of the variations of my invention nor a rear Wardly projecting rod 3 secured thereto
40 is it to be given any interpretation such as might for use in starting the engine, is in mesh with
have the effect of limiting the claims, short of the gear .
the true and most comprehensive scope of the The crank shaft 2 is formed with a suitable
invention in the art. crank arm or offset 2' which is adapted to dip
In the accompanying drawings: into the oil in the crank case during its rotation,
45 Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken on the the Said crank arm having a suitable split bush- 45
line - of Fig. 2, showing a crank shaft and ing 4 extending therearound. Mounted on the
bearing assembly embodying my invention; and bushing 4 is a bearing member 5 having an
Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 encircling ring 6 secured thereto. The bearing
of Fig. 1. member 5 is mounted between two co-operating
so Referring to the drawings, the numeral des
ignates a crank case having centrally disposed
cam plates 7 and 18, each of which is formed so
in the shape of a circular disc. The cam plates
bearings at its front and rear sides within which 7 and 8 are provided respectively with elon
a crankshaft 2 is rotatably mounted. The crank gated slots 7' and 8' through which the crank
case is provided with suitable inlet means for the arm 2' of the crank shaft rotatably and movably
is insertion of lubricating oil, the normal level of extends, the said slots being disposed at right iss
 2 2,172,670
angles to one another. Secured as by bolts to channel being S0 disposed that the portion there
the opposing faces of cam plates 7 and 8 re of Which extends through the shaft proper is
spectively, are blocks 7a and 8a, which respec Out of alignment With that portion extending
tively provide opposing shoulders Tb and 8b. through the offset part of the shaft, whereby
over which the ring shaped member 6 of the when the said offset part of the shaft dips into
bearing S moves back and forth. The slots the lubricating oil that part of the breather
fl' and 8' are parallel to the shoulders 7b and Channel located in the Offset part is lower than
8b respectively, thereby permitting the crank that part of the channel located in the shaft
arm 2' and the bearing member 5 with its outer proper, thereby preventing oil from draining
O ring 6 to move simultaneously back and forth. from the crank case through the channel to a O
Formed integrally with, or otherwise Suitably point outside the crank case.
secured to the blocks 7a and 8a are a number 2. In an engine, a crank case adapted to con
of connecting rods 9 which extend into oppo tain quantities of oil for lubrication purposes,
sitely disposed cylinders 20 bolted to the crank and a crank shaft extending into the crank case
5 case . The connecting rods 9 each slidably having a crank arm thereon which is located 15
extends through a guide member 2 and is Se inside the said case, the said crank shaft and
cured at its outwardly disposed end to a piston its crank arm having a continuous breather
which is mounted for reciprocating motion in a channel extending therethrough, one end of
cylinder 20. which terminates at a point on the shaft located
20 The crank shaft 2 and its crank arm 2' are externally of the crank case and the opposite
provided with a continuous bore or breather end of which terminates at a point on the crank
channel 2a, which is open to the atmosphere at al.
a point outside the crank case and which pro 3. In an engine, a crank case adapted to con
Vides means for permitting air or gases to pro tain quantities of oil for lubrication purposes,
25 Ceed to and from the crank case When the a Crank Shaft extending into the crank case, a
temperature of the engine changes. The in crank arm. On the shaft adapted to dip into the
Wardly disposed end of the channel 2a terminates oil in the crank case, and a continuous breather
at the rear end of the horizontal part of the channel located in the shaft and its crank arm,
Crank arm 2' and at a point not in alignment One end of the channel terminating externally
30 With that part of the channel located in the of the crank case and its opposite end termi 30
shaft proper, thereby preventing the escape of nating at a point on the crank arm and inside
the oil from the interior of the crank case, irre the crank case.
Spective of What position the engine might as 4. In an engine, a crank case adapted to con
Sle. tain quantities of oil for lubricating purposes,
35 As illustrated on the drawings each of the the normal level of Said oil being beneath the
bearings 3, 6, O and 5 are preferably made Central axis of the case, a crank shaft extending
up of inner and outer circular spaced races into the crank case having a crank arm thereon
between which are a number of steel balls. which is adapted to dip into and out of the
Having described my invention, what I lubricating oil in the case, and a continuous
40 claim is: breather channel extending through the shaft 40
1. In an engine, a crank case adapted to con and its crank arm for the passage of air into
tain quantities of oil for lubrication purposes and Out of the Crank case, the said channel
and a crank shaft extending into the crank case having that part thereof which extends through
having an offset part normally positioned above the crank arm out of alignment with that part
45 the normal level of the oil in the crank case but extending through the shaft proper, whereby
Which is adapted to intermittently dip into and When the crank arm dips into the lubricating oil
Out of the oil as the shaft rotates, the said shaft that part of the channel located in the crank arm
having a breather channel therein which is open is lower than that part of the channel located
at both ends, one end of the channel terminating in the shaft proper, thereby preventing the oil
at a point on the offset part of the shaft and the from running through the channel to a point
56 other 50
end terminating at a point on the shaft Outside the crank case.
externally of the crank case, the said breather RUSSELL. L. BOURKE.

3.