Additionally, a shoe bearing 37 is placed between the outer surface 38 of link 32 and the piston 14 to provide a double-backed bearing at the linkage of the connecting rod 30 to the piston 14. As shown in FIG. 2, each connecting rod 30 connects to the spider bearing 40. More specifically, the inner circular surface 34 of the connecting rod link 32 is fitted with a bearing ring 36 for engagement about wrist pin 42 attached to the spider bearing 40 within a round cavity 41. In a preferred embodiment, the spider bearing 40 is formed of a bearing material which surrounds the outer surface 38 of the connecting rod link 32, thereby providing a double-backed bearing to carry the piston load.
Not only are there bushings on the pins, but the outside radius of both ends of the connecting rod also act as plain bearings.
Here's the "spider bearing" itself:
No room for any hybrid rolling element bearings, even on the crank pin.
So if plain bearings, aka bushings, as used in car engines are bad, why are even more plain bearing surfaces (i.e., four per Cyclone connecting rod vs two per I/C engine connecting rod) in a Cyclone engine good?
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.