Patent ID: 6941837

Claim:
A bilateral connecting rod apparatus comprising: a crankshaft defining an axis of rotation and a rod journal eccentrically mounted for circular rotation about the axis; a pair of connecting rods attached to the rod journal for reciprocating motion in a common plane extending perpendicularly through the rod journal, cach connecting rod including: a shank portion defining a longitudinal midplane of the connecting rod, a bearing saddle, the bearing saddle having a cylindrical surface bisected by the longitudinal midplane and subtended by an angle of less than 180 degrees centered at a radius of the cylindrical surface along the longitudinal midplane for engaging the rod journal, and an arcuate surface extending parallel to the cylindrical surface of the bearing saddle, wherein the crankshaft includes a first and a second axially facing wall respectively defining a first and a second end of the rod journal separated by a length of the rod journal; a retaining ring, the retaining ring engaging the bearing saddles of the connecting rods and having a first bearing surface thereof configured for bearing against the arcuate surface of each connecting rod, a second bearing surface thereof configured for bearing against the rod journal, and an axial bearing surface thereof for bearing against one of the first and second axially facing walls of the crankshaft; and a bearing insert disposed between the cylindrical surfaces of the bearing saddles of the connecting rods and the rod journal.