You learn from what's killing you.

October 27, 2008

Radial Engines and the main rod..

So, Noah and I were talking about Radial engines and basically we got into the discussion of how the hell do they work? How are the rods layed out?
so, i did some digging through my collection of 20's - 40's aircraft manuals and found this stuff...

Here is a very basic crankshaft, very similar to most radial engines, the ones with mulitple banks just have more journals, like a car one. Most use a main rod with Link rods attached to it, this rod assembly ius one piece, well not exactly, but you get the idea.

Here is another rod and crank assembly, the main rod beins fixed to the crank race and the other 4 attached to it radially.

Here is the Wright Cyclone Rod assembly, 9 pistons!


Here is the best drawing i found of a main rod.

Another!


Ok and here is the weirdest engine design I have EVER seen!

You wonder how the hell it works?
Well this diagram shows way better...

Thats bizarre!
More to come!

8 comments:

Milo said...

cool pictures. i was wondering what's the firing sequence?

Anonymous said...

See a P&W radial cutaway display engine in motion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTbEZGPCUy0
Ray

ScooterMcRad said...

That's RAD!!! I want one!!!

Wingnut Kai said...

thanks dave thats cool insite!!!

keep um coming i love learning!!

Anonymous said...

Freakin' awesome post! You can see how the typical air cooled American V Twin motorcycle engine is (simply put) two adjacent cylinders of a radial engine. Sorta kinda.

Radials rule dude.

luke said...

very neato.

lforney said...

If you like the odd engine, check out the Napier Deltic. Rad name, three crankshafts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napier_Deltic

Anonymous said...

yeah, someone asked questions on that in the - It's sad that stuff like this - blog. kinda made me wonder too. any info on the oiling system like that comment asked about?