Patent Publication Number: US-2016222879-A1

Title: Engine-pump support unit

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to an engine-pump support unit and more specifically to the engine-pump support unit disposed between an engine flywheel casing and a pump. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many machines may utilize pumps which are driven by an engine provided on the machine. Some of the machines may require the pumps to be supported on the engine and thus require a mounting device. A mounting device may be disposed between the pump and an engine flywheel casing in order to attach the pump to the engine. Known designs of this mounting arrangement include a three piece structure having a plate, a beam and a yoke. More specifically, the plate is attached to the engine flywheel casing, the beam extends below the pump and the yoke is upstanding from one end of the beam in order to provide support to the pump. The known solutions may occupy a lot of space, may be cumbersome and may be expensive. Moreover, in some situations, reduced space may be available for the mounting arrangement, based on the application. 
     Hence, there is a need for an improved design of the mounting arrangement. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     In one aspect of the present disclosure, an adaptor for mounting a pump to an engine is provided. The adaptor includes a main body having a pump side, an engine side and an outer periphery. The pump side is for mounting the pump to the adaptor. The engine side is for mounting the adaptor to the engine. A wall projects from the pump side and extends around at least a part of the outer periphery of the main body. 
     Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary pump and engine assembly; 
         FIGS. 2 and 3  are perspective views of a pump side of an adaptor, according to the disclosure; and 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an engine side of the adaptor shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or the like parts.  FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary arrangement including an engine  102  and a pump  104 . The present disclosure relates to an adaptor  108  for mounting the pump  104  to an engine flywheel casing  106  of the engine  102 . Various views of the adaptor  108  are shown in  FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 . The adaptor  108  includes a main body  202  having a pump side  204  (shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) and an engine side  402  (shown in  FIG. 4 ). The main body  202  of the adaptor  108  may have a plate like structure possibly with a substantially circular shape. The adaptor  108  may be made of any suitable metal known in the art. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the adaptor  108  also includes a wall  206  extending from at least a part of an outer periphery of the main body  202 . The wall  206  extends in a direction parallel to that of an axis X-X of the adaptor  108 . The wall  206  is present on the pump side  204  of the adaptor  108 , and more specifically projects in the direction away from the engine flywheel casing  106 . In one embodiment, the wall  206  may be positioned in a lower section  208  of the main body  202 . The wall  206  is configured to provide mechanical support to the adaptor  108 . In one embodiment, a portion of the wall  209  may extend in a co-planar manner from the outer periphery of the adaptor  108 . This portion of the wall  209  may be positioned in an upper section  210  of the main body  202 . This portion of the wall  209  may provide further mechanical strength and support to the overall structure of the adaptor  108 . This portion of the wall  209  may also include lifting points  212  for assembly and removal of the adaptor  108 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , a hole  302  may be provided on a bottom surface of the adaptor  108  in order to hold a coolant line via a clip. 
     A foot mounting portion  216  may be defined on an outer face  217  of the wall  206 . A foot  110  (see  FIG. 1 ) may be attached to the foot mounting portion  216  using known mechanical fasteners like bolts, rivets, screws and so on. In the accompanying figures, a pair of the foot mounting portions  216  is defined on either side of a lower section  208  of the adaptor  108 . The foot mounting portions  216  may be generally planar and lie in a plane normal to a plane of the main body  202  of the adaptor  108 . Also, the foot mounting portions  216  may have a pad like configuration and may extend axially in the direction away from the engine flywheel casing  106 , in order to prevent interference with the engine flywheel casing  106 . An absorbing element  112  (see  FIG. 1 ) may be attached to a base of the foot  110 . The foot  110  may allow for the adaptor  108  to be attached to a frame (not shown) or support member (not shown) of a machine for support. The absorbing elements  112  of the foot  110  may prevent transfer of vibrations to and fro between the engine  102  and the frame. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the main body  202  has a through hole  218  provided in an inner portion  220  of the adaptor  108 . The hole  218  allows for passage of a shaft of the pump  104  through the adaptor  108  and into the flywheel within the engine flywheel casing  106 . 
     Further, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a raised portion  222  exists surrounding the hole  218  on the pump side  204  of the adaptor  108 . The raised portion  222  may have a thickness T 1  (see  FIG. 3 ). In one embodiment, webs  224  may extend radially outwards from the hole  218  towards the outer periphery of the main body  202 . In the illustrated embodiment four webs  224  are shown, such that each of the pairs of webs  224  is located at substantially opposed positions to one another. The pump  104  may be mounted to these webs  224  present on the pump side  204  of the adaptor  108 . 
     Additionally, the raised portion  222  and the outer periphery of the main body  202  may define pockets  226  or depressions  226  on various parts of a surface of the pump side  204  of the adaptor  108 . These pockets  226  may be positioned in locations experiencing relatively lesser mechanical stress. Voids created by the pockets  226  may result in an overall lesser volume of the material needed to form the adaptor  108 . This may allow for a reduction in cost associated with the material utilized in forming the adaptor  108 . 
     The outer periphery of the main body  202  also includes raised protrusions  228  configured to receive mechanical fasteners such as bolts and screws for attaching the adaptor  108  to the engine flywheel casing  106 . In one embodiment, a pattern of alternate raised protrusions  228  and depressions  230  are formed on the outer periphery of the main body  202 , allowing for reduction in the volume of the material used to form the adaptor  108 , and thereby providing a cost effective solution. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a rib  232  may be provided extending from the wall  206  towards a centre of the adaptor  108 . In one embodiment, a pair of the ribs  232  is provided in the inner portion  220  of the main body  202  of the adaptor  108 . As is clearly visible in  FIG. 3 , these ribs  232  have a thickness ‘T 2 ’ greater than the thickness ‘T 1 ’ of the raised portion  222 . These ribs  232  may provide improved mechanical support and stiffness to the main body  202 , in order to hold the pump  104  securely in place with respect to the pump side  204  of the main body  202  of the adaptor  108 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the engine side  402  of the main body  202  of the adaptor  108 . The engine side  402  is configured to attach the adaptor  108  to the engine flywheel casing  106 . As seen, the engine side  402  includes a substantially raised mounting face  404  having a step like configuration to align the adaptor  108  with engine flywheel casing  106 . The diameter of the raised mounting face  404  of the main body  202  of the adaptor  108  may coincide or be equal to that of the engine flywheel casing  106  in order to provide a good fit. 
     The adaptor  108  disclosed herein provides improved mechanical support due to the stiff structure of the design. Further, the design of the adaptor  108  allows for installation and also is less costly due to savings in the material used to form the adaptor  108 . 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The installation of the adaptor  108  will now be described in detail. The adaptor  108  is configured to be lifted and positioned in place with the help of lift arms attached to the lifting points  212  on the adaptor  108 . The adaptor  108  may then be bolted to the surface of the engine flywheel casing  106 . Further, the pump  104  is configured to be bolted to the pump side  204  of the adaptor  108 . The mounting foot  110  or leg or associated known absorbing elements  112  may be attached to the foot mounting portion  216  defined on the outer face  217  of the wall  206  of the adaptor  108 . The base of the foot  110  may then be affixed to the frame of the machine. 
     While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof.