Liquid cooling unit for an internal combustion engine

A cooling unit is provided for an internal combustion engine wherein the latter is provided with a first interior portion having external inlet and outlet ports through which a first liquid circulates and a second interior portion through which a second liquid circulates. The second interior portion is provided with an access opening. The unit includes a base section which overlies the access opening and is sealingly secured to surface portions circumjacent the access opening. The base section is provided with a first set of ports which register with the inlet and outlet ports of the first interior portion, and a second set of ports. Mounted on one side of the base section is a heat exchange section which projects through the access opening into the second interior portion. The exterior of the heat exchange unit is contacted by the circulating second liquid. The interior of the heat exchange section is provided with a passageway through which the first liquid circulates. Mounted on and in sealing engagement with a second side of the base section is a cover section which is provided with a plurality of passages. One of the passages interconnects one of the first set of ports with one of the second set of ports and a second of the passages interconnects another of the first set of ports with another of the second set of ports.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The utilization of oil coolers on internal combustion (diesel) engines has 
been well known for many years; however, because of certain inherent 
design characteristics, they have been beset with one or more of the 
following shortcomings: (a) they are awkward and difficult to install 
because they embody an inordinate amount of fittings, hoses, piping, and 
the like; (b) they are of bulky, complex, and costly construction and 
thus, seriously limit where the units can be placed on the engine; and (c) 
the seals utilized in the units are subjected to high pressure oil during 
operation of the engine and thus, the likelihood of oil leakage is greatly 
enhanced. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide a liquid cooling unit 
which avoids all of the aforementioned shortcomings of the prior art. 
It is a further object to provide a liquid cooling unit wherein the 
passages for the circulating liquid (oil) is concealed within the cover 
section of the unit. 
It is a still further object to provide a liquid cooling unit which permits 
wide flexibility in the selection of sizes, shapes, and locations of 
various ports and passages formed therein so as to attain optimum cooling 
capacity. 
Further and additional objects will appear from the description, 
accompanying drawings, and appended claims. 
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, an oil cooling unit for 
a diesel engine is provided having a heat exchange section which extends 
through an access opening into the cooling jacket for the engine. The heat 
exchange section is mounted on one side of a base section which is 
sealingly mounted in overlying relation with respect to the access 
opening. The base section is provided with a first set of ports which 
communicate with oil inlet and outlet ports formed in the engine, and a 
second set of ports which communicate with inlet and outlet ports for the 
heat exchange section. Sealingly mounted on the side of the base section 
opposite the heat exchange section is a cover section having a plurality 
of concealed passages. One of the passages interconnects one of the first 
set of ports with one of the second set of ports formed in the base 
sections and a second passage interconnects another of the first set of 
ports with another of the second set of ports.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, one form of 
an improved liquid cooling unit 10 is shown which is adapted for use on an 
internal combustion engine E (e.g. diesel engine). The engine is provided 
with a housing H having a cooling jacket portion 11 which is adapted to 
surround the various cylinders, not shown. Water, or a suitable liquid 
coolant, is caused to circulate through the jacket portion during 
operation of the engine. The jacket portion is provided with a large 
access opening 12. 
In addition to the jacket portion, the engine housing is provided, in the 
illustrated embodiment, with a plurality of exposed ports 13, 14, 15 which 
communicate, respectively, with an oil pressure line 16; an oil pressure 
relief line 17; and an oil return line, not shown. Under normal operating 
conditions the oil pressure within line 16 will not exceed 60 psig. The 
ports 13, 14, 15 and the access opening 12 are preferably in proximity to 
but spaced from one another. 
The improved cooling unit 10 includes a plate-like base section 18 which is 
adapted to overlie and close off the access opening 12. The periphery of 
base section 18 is secured by suitable fasteners, not shown, to the 
portion 12a of the housing H circumjacent the access opening 12. A 
suitable gasket, not shown, is interposed the base section and the housing 
portion 12a so as to provide a seal between the base section and portion 
12a. The base section has a lower portion 18a which is adapted to overlie 
the ports 13, 14, and 15. The lower portion 18a is provided with ports 
13', 14', and 15' which are adapted to register with corresponding ports 
13, 14, and 15 formed in the engine housing. 
The same gasket, previously mentioned, may be of such a shape that it will 
have a portion thereof interposed the lower portion 18a of the base 
section and a corresponding portion of the housing adjacent the ports 13, 
14, 15. 
Affixed to one side of the upper portion 18b of the base section and 
projecting therefrom in one direction is a heat exchange section 20. The 
interior of the heat exchange section is provided with a tortuous passage, 
not shown. The opposite ends of the passage terminate at openings or ports 
19a, 19b formed in the upper portion 18b of the base section 18. It will 
be noted in FIG. 1 that each opening 19a, 19b has a similar elongated 
configuration. The longitudinal axes of openings 19a, 19b are disposed in 
spaced substantially parallel relation. By reason of the elongated 
configuration of the openings 19a, 19b the spacing therebetween can be at 
a maximum, thereby enabling the flow distance through the passage of the 
heat exchange section 20 to be at a maximum. 
The exterior of the heat exchange unit 20 includes a plurality of fin-like 
portions 20a, thus providing a substantial cooling surface. When the base 
section 18 is assembled on the engine housing H, the heat exchange section 
20 extends through the access opening 12 into the housing interior 11 
forming the cooling jacket. The exterior of the heat exchange section 20 
is contacted by the liquid coolant which circulates through the jacket 
formed in the housing interior. 
Removably mounted on the opposite, or outer, side of the base section 18 is 
a cover section 21 which is preferably a metal casting. The concealed side 
21a of the cover section has a peripheral configuration which conforms 
substantially to the peripheral configuration of the outer side of base 
section 18. A suitable gasket, not shown, is interposed the base section 
and cover section and provides a suitable seal therebetween. Projecting 
from the exposed side of the cover section is a bracket 22 which includes 
an elongated arm segment 22a and a connecting segment 22b subtending the 
arm segment. The arm segment is provided with a pair of interior passages 
23, 24, each of which terminates at one end at the concealed side 21a of 
the cover section and the opposite ends of the passages terminate at the 
connecting segment 22b. 
The connecting segment 22b has a lid-like configuration with an internally 
threaded, depending flange F which is adapted to threadably and sealingly 
accommodate the upper end of a conventional oil filter K. When the liquid 
cooling unit 10 is in place on the engine housing, the bracket 22 is 
readily accessible so as to permit replacement of the oil filter when 
required. 
The concealed side 21a of the cover section 21 is provided with a plurality 
of trough-like passages 25, 26, 27. Passage 25 interconnects port 19a 
formed in the upper portion of the base section 18 with the ports 13', 14' 
formed in the lower portion 18a of the base section. Passage 26, on the 
other hand, interconnects the port 19b with the return port 15' formed in 
the base section. Passages 25, 26 are separated from one another by 
projecting land portion 28; the height of the land portion 28 is such that 
the free edge 28a thereof is coplanar with concealed side 21a. Disposed 
outwardly from passages 25, 26 and separated therefrom by land portions 30 
are segments of passage 27. Passage 27 serves as a relief channel for any 
liquid (oil) which might leak from passages 25, 26 while said liquid is 
flowing therethrough. Thus, by reason of passage 27, the liquid will not 
leak to the exterior of the cover section. The lower portion 27a of 
passage 27 communicates with a drain port 31' formed in the lower portion 
18a of the base section. Drain port 31', in turn, is aligned with a 
suitable drain port 31 formed in the engine housing which permits the 
liquid accumulated in passage 27 to return to the crankcase of the engine, 
not shown. Besides providing a relief channel for the circulating liquid, 
the shape of the passage is such that less material is required to form 
the cover section thereby reducing the cost and weight thereof. 
As aforementioned, the lower end of passage 25 communicates with both ports 
13', 14'; thus, if the liquid pressure in line 16 should exceed a 
predetermined pressure (e.g. 60 psig), a pressure relief valve, not shown, 
provided in line 17, will open thereby causing the liquid flow to bypass 
the heat exchange unit and filter and go directly from line 16 to line 17 
through ports 13', 14'. 
By having the passages cast directly into the cover section, the need for 
separate piping and connectors to effect interconnection between various 
ports is avoided thereby significantly facilitating installation of the 
unit on an engine. Furthermore, utilizing the cover section as the 
transfer means for the circulating liquid (oil) permits greater latitude 
in selecting the size, shape, and location of the various ports so as to 
attain maximum cooling capacity for a given size unit. 
The types of liquid and coolant utilized in conjunction with the unit may 
be varied from that heretofore described without departing from the scope 
of the invention.