Adjustable accessory mounting system for automobile motor

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6349919
  • Patent Number
    6,349,919
  • Date Filed
    Monday, August 7, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, February 26, 2002
    23 years ago
Abstract
Disclosed is an adjustable accessory mounting bracket for mounting an accessory to an engine including a main body and accessory mounting portion that is movably attached thereto. The accessory mounting portion is configured to removably support an engine accessory, such as an air conditioning compressor or an alternator. The accessory mounting portion is slidably attached to the main body in such a manner that the position of the accessory mounting portion relative to the main body is adjustable in a predetermined direction. The accessory mounting bracket also includes at least one mounting aperture that may be aligned with an existing aperture on an engine for mounting the bracket to the engine.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to a mounting system for adjustably mounting an accessory to an automobile engine. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved bracket for mounting an accessory to an automobile engine where the position of the accessory is adjustable in a predetermined direction relative to the engine.




2. Description of the Related Art




Hot rods are automobiles that are adjusted or rebuilt for high performance, such as quick acceleration and great speed. It is very common for hot rods to be assembled from older model automobiles. Unfortunately, many older model automobile parts are in short supply and therefore difficult to obtain. Consequently, hot rods are often assembled using a collection of parts from different models and different years. The parts often have to be rebuilt or machined in order to correctly fit together. Because of the rebuilt nature of hot rod engine, there are many difficulties associated with mounting new accessories, such an alternator or air conditioning compressor, to the engine.




One such difficulty involves mounting an accessory that is driven by a belt that is coupled to a pulley on the engine drive shaft. When installing such an accessory, an installer must adjust the position of the device so that the device is correctly aligned with the plane in which the associated pulley rotates so that the belt rotates smoothly. If the belt is not correctly aligned between the accessory and the pulley, the accessory may vibrate during operation which can damage the engine or reduce engine performance. Moreover, if the belts are not correctly aligned between the device and the engine, the belts may break or throw themselves from the engine. Unfortunately, current accessory mounts do not provide the installer with a way of easily adjusting the position of the mount relative to the engine.




Installation of engine accessories to a hot rod engine is also time consuming and inconvenient. Because a hot rod engine is often assembled from a collection of parts from different engine manufacturers and models, these engines do not have mounting holes that are dedicated to the mounting of newer parts, such as an air conditioner or alternator. Consequently, an installer must typically drill mounting holes onto the engine in order to install the new part. The installer thus risks damaging the engine while drilling the holes, such as by breaking into water passages within the engine. Moreover, the installer must often remove certain parts of the engine, such as the engine heads, prior to drilling, which is time-consuming.




There is therefore a need for a device that can be used to mount accessories, such as air conditioning units or alternators, onto a hot rod automobile engine where the position of the device is adjustable in a predetermined direction so that belts and pulleys that drive the accessory may be aligned for optimal operation. An installer should be able to easily mount the device without having to drill mounting holes in the engine.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The aforementioned needs are satisfied by the present invention, which is an adjustable mounting bracket that is used to mount an accessory, such as an air conditioning unit or an alternator, to an automobile engine.




In one aspect of the invention, a mounting bracket is configured to be removably attached to an engine. The mounting bracket acts as a mount to which an engine accessory, such as an alternator or an air conditioning unit, may be attached. The bracket is advantageously adjustable in a direction that allows the installer to correctly align the accessory with an associated belt and pulley on the engine. Preferably, this allows the installer to mount the accessory to the engine so that vibration caused by the belt is reduced.




In another aspect of the invention, one or more mounting holes are located on the bracket. The mounting holes are positioned such that the bracket may be mounted to an automobile engine using pre-existing holes that are located on a standard engine. Hence, an installer does not have to drill holes into the engine in order to mount the bracket to the engine.




In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed an adjustable accessory mounting bracket for mounting an accessory to an engine including a main body and accessory mounting portion that is movably attached thereto. The accessory mounting portion is configured to removably support an engine accessory, such as an air conditioning compressor or an alternator. The accessory mounting portion is slidably attached to the main body in such a manner that the position of the accessory mounting portion relative to the main body is adjustable in a predetermined direction. The accessory mounting bracket also includes at least one mounting aperture that may be aligned with an existing aperture on an engine for mounting the bracket to the engine.




Thus, the present invention is a device that may be used to adjustably mount an accessory to an automobile engine. The device may be mounted onto pre-existing holes on a standard motor so that an installer does not have to drill holes in order to mount the device. Moreover, the position of the device relative to the engine is adjustable so that an installer can correctly align the accessory with associated belts with pulleys on the engine.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




These and other features of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention which is intended to illustrate and not to limit the invention and in which:





FIG. 1

perspective view of a mounting bracket of the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a top plan view of a main body of the mounting bracket of the present invention;





FIG. 3A

is a cross-sectional view of the mounting bracket in a first sliding position;





FIG. 3B

is a cross-sectional view of the mounting bracket in a second sliding position;





FIG. 4

schematically shows the mounting bracket of the present invention as mounted on an engine; and





FIG. 5

is a side view of the mounting bracket attached to an engine.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT





FIG. 1

illustrates a perspective view of a mounting bracket


10


configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The mounting bracket


10


includes a main body


12


having a top surface


14


and a bottom surface


16


. The mounting bracket


10


also includes an engine mount


20


and an accessory mount


22


slidably attached to the main body


12


, as further described below. The main body


12


and the engine mount could also be combined to collectively comprise an engine mounting member. It will be appreciated that the terms “top” and “bottom” are with respect to the illustrations included herein and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the particular shape of the mounting bracket


10


may be varied while remaining within the scope of the present invention.




With reference to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the main body


12


has a substantially elongated shape with an angled portion


23


oriented at an angle relative to the rest of the main body


10


. As best shown in

FIG. 12

, the illustrated embodiment of the main body


12


has a first side edge


21


and a second side


25


oriented at an angle with respect to the first side edge


21


. The mounting bracket


10


desirably includes an attachment mechanism that allows the engine mount to slide relative to the main body


12


. In the illustrated embodiment, an adjuster shaft


26


extends either partially or entirely through the main body


12


where the angled portion


23


begins to angle away from the main body


10


. The adjuster shaft


26


is shaped to slidably receive a slide member of corresponding shape, such as a slide key


32


. As illustrated in

FIG. 1

, two threaded apertures


31


extend into the slide key


32


.




A mounting shaft


24


also extends through the main body


12


at the end opposite the location of the adjuster shaft


26


. In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting shaft


24


is oriented along an axis that is substantially parallel to the axis of the adjuster shaft


26


.




As best shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

, a receiving channel or slot


30


extends across one end of the main body


12


on the angled portion


23


. The receiving slot


30


extends in substantially the same direction as the adjuster shaft


26


. An elongated aperture


28


(FIG.


2


), having a length that is less than that of the adjuster shaft


26


, is aligned with the adjuster shaft


26


and places the adjuster shaft


26


in communication with the receiving slot


30


.




With reference again to

FIG. 1

, the engine mount


20


includes an abutment portion


33


and a connector portion


34


oriented substantially perpendicular to the abutment portion


33


so that the engine mount


20


has a substantially upside-down “L”-shape. An abutment surface


36


on the abutment portion


33


is configured to contact the bottom surface


16


of the main body


12


when the engine mount


20


is removably attached to the main body


12


. Two apertures


40


extend through the abutment portion


33


of the engine mount


20


. The apertures


40


are each configured to receive a securing device


42


, such as, for example, a bolt. The securing device


42


may be used to removably mount the engine mount


20


to the main body


12


. An engine mounting aperture


44


extends through the end of the connector portion


34


on the engine mount


20


.




Referring to

FIG. 1

, the mounting bracket


10


also includes an accessory mount


22


that is configured to support an engine accessory, as described more fully below. The accessory mount


22


includes two arms or prongs


46


defining a space that is sized to receive an engine accessory and provide the accessory mount


22


with a substantially “U”-shape. An elongated attachment rail


50


extends outward from one end of the accessory mount


22


. The attachment rail


50


has a cross-sectional shape that substantially conforms to the cross-sectional shape of the receiving slot


30


in the main body


12


. The attachment rail


50


is configured to be slidably inserted into the receiving slot


30


. It will be appreciated that the cross-section of the attachment rail


50


and the receiving slot


30


may define any wide variety of shapes that are configured to slidably mate with one another.




Two mounting apertures


54


extend through the tips of the prongs


46


. The mounting apertures


54


are co-axially aligned. Additionally, two shafts


60


extend through the engine mount


20


between the prongs


46


. The shafts


60


are each configured to receive a securing device


62


, such as bolts, as shown in the illustrated embodiment. The shafts


60


are preferably spaced apart by a distance equal to the distance between the apertures


31


on the slide key


32


.




With reference to

FIG. 1

, the mounting bracket


10


is assembled in the following manner. The engine mount


20


is attached to the bottom surface


16


of the main body


12


using the securing devices


42


, which are inserted through the apertures


40


and into corresponding threaded apertures on the bottom surface of the main body


10


. The slide key


32


is then inserted into the adjuster shaft


26


so that the apertures


31


in the slide key


32


are oriented toward the receiving slot


30


and are visible through the elongated aperture


28


(FIG.


2


).




With reference to

FIGS. 3A and 3B

, the accessory mount


22


is then attached to the main body


12


by slidably inserting the attachment rail


50


into the receiving slot


30


. The position of the accessory mount


22


relative to the main body


12


may be adjusted by sliding the attachment rail


50


of the accessory mount


22


within the receiving slot


30


of the main body


12


so that the slide key


32


also slides within the adjuster shaft


26


. The accessory mount


22


is preferably positioned with respect to the slide key


32


so that the two shafts


60


axially align with the two apertures


31


in the slide key


32


. The securing devices


62


are then inserted into the shafts


60


and screwed into the apertures


31


within the slide key


32


. The securing devices


62


are then tightened to thereby secure the slide key


32


tightly within the adjuster shaft


26


and secure the accessory mount


22


onto the main body


12


. In particular, the securing devices


62


are tightened against the slide key


32


thereby pressing the outer surface of the slide key


32


against the inner wall of the adjuster shaft


26


. As the securing devices


62


are tightened, the frictional forces between the outer surface of the slide key


32


and the inner wall of the adjuster shaft


26


are increased thereby reducing the likelihood of movement of the slide key


32


within the shaft


26


.




With reference to

FIGS. 3A and 3B

, the securing devices


62


are loosened to allow adjustment of the position of the accessory mount


22


relative to the main body


12


in a first direction. That is, the accessory mount


22


is slidable relative to the main body


12


along the length of the receiving slot


30


. The attachment rail


50


slides along and within the receiving slot


30


. The securing devices


62


act as stops which abut against either end of the elongated aperture


28


and prevent the accessory mount


22


from sliding entirely out of the receiving slot


30


. When the desired position of the accessory mount


22


is obtained along the axis defined by the receiving slot


30


, the securing devices


62


are tightened to thereby press the accessory mount


22


against the main body


12


and secure the position of the accessory mount


22


in a desired position with respect to the main body


12


of the accessory.





FIG. 4

schematically illustrates how the mounting bracket


10


may be used to attach an accessory, such as an alternator


70


or air conditioning compressor


72


, to a motor. The mounting bracket


10


as illustrated herein is particularly suited to be mounted onto a Chevrolet engine block. However, it will be appreciated that the configuration of the mounting bracket


10


and the placement of the mounting shaft


24


and mounting apertures


44


,


54


, may vary widely so as to be used with different engines.




With reference to

FIG. 4

, the accessory, such as an alternator


70


or an air conditioning compressor


72


, is mounted to the mounting bracket


10


using the mounting apertures


54


on the accessory mount


22


. Preferably, the accessory is mounted between the prongs


46


on the accessory mount. The prongs


46


define an attachment point for the accessory, however, it will be appreciated that the exact configuration of the attachment point will vary depending upon the configuration of the accessory without departing from the spirit of the present invention.




The mounting bracket


10


may then be attached to the motor as follows. The aperture


44


on the engine mount


20


is aligned with a pre-existing hole on the engine, such as on the water pump


76


. The mounting aperture


24


on the main body


12


is then aligned with another pre-existing hole on the engine, such as to the cylinder heads (not shown). Fasteners, such as bolts, are then inserted into the apertures and used to secure the mounting bracket


10


to the engine.




In the illustrated embodiment, the alternator


70


or air conditioning compressor


72


are driven by a belt and pulley system that rotates in a plane parallel to the page in FIG.


4


. As best shown in

FIG. 5

, the accessory includes a rotor or pulley


78


that rotates within a first plane A. The position of the rotor or pulley


78


of the accessory is desirably aligned with a second plane B, in which a drive pulley


80


on an engine


82


rotates. Desirably, the first plane A is aligned with the second plane B so that the pulley


78


on the accessory rotates within the same plane as the drive pulley


80


on the engine


82


.




Advantageously, the position of the accessory may be adjusted in a first direction by sliding the attachment rail


50


of the accessory mount


22


within the receiving slot


30


on the main body


12


. The first direction intersects the plane B so that the plane A may be moved to align with the plane B. The accessory mount


22


may thus be slidably moved relative to the main body and the engine


82


until plane A and plane B are aligned, or until the accessory is correctly positioned relative to the pulleys on the motor. Once correctly aligned, the securing devices


62


may be tightened against the slide key


32


to secure the accessory mount


22


to the main body


12


of the mounting bracket


10


in the desired location along the first direction to thereby lock the position of the accessory relative to the engine.




Hence, the preferred embodiment provides a device that allows for mounting of engine accessories on engines when the accessories were not originally designed for the engine. The installer simply has to install the engine mounting bracket on the engine and then mount the accessory on the accessory mounting bracket. The accessory mounting bracket is then mounted to the engine mounting bracket in an adjustable manner so that accessory can be correctly oriented with respect to the engine to permit easy installation of belts to power the accessory device. It will be appreciated that the accessory mounting device of the preferred embodiment is particularly useful for use in restoring engines. After market accessory parts can be mounted on engines and then correctly aligned by sliding the accessory mounting bracket with respect to the engine mounting bracket even though the after market accessory part was not necessarily designed to be installed on the existing engine.




Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has shown, described, and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to these embodiments, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form of the detail of the device illustrated, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.



Claims
  • 1. A device for mounting an accessory to an engine, comprising:a main body having a first and a second end configured to be attached to the engine, the main body including a first mounting aperture positioned adjacent the first end of the main body that is configured to be aligned with a pre-existing hole in the engine wherein the first mounting aperture extends in a first direction so as to receive a bolt extending in the first direction that extends into the preexisting hole in the engine and wherein the main body further defines a mounting location at the second end of the main body so as to be spaced in a second direction transverse to the first direction from the mounting aperture; an attachment portion mounted to said mounting location of the main body so as to be adjustable in a first direction relative to the main body, the attachment portion configured to be attached to the accessory; wherein the first direction intersects a plain of rotation of a drive pulley of the engine when the main body is attached to the engine so that the attachment portion may be moved so as to align the accessory with the plane of rotation of the pulley when the main body is attached to the engine.
  • 2. The device of claim 1, additionally comprising an attachment body attached to the main body, the attachment body including at least one mounting aperture that may be aligned with a pre-existing hole on the engine when the first mounting aperture on the main body is aligned with a pre-existing hole on the engine.
  • 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the attachment portion is slidably adjustable in the first direction relative to the main body.
  • 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the main body includes an elongated channel having a cross-sectional shape, and wherein the attachment portion includes an elongated rail configured to slidably mate with the elongated channel on the main body.
  • 5. The device of claim 4, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the elongated rail substantially conforms to the cross-sectional shape of the elongated channel.
  • 6. The device of claim 1, additionally comprising an attachment mechanism that interconnects the main body and the attachment portion so as permit the main body to slidably move relative to the attachment portion.
  • 7. The device of claim 6, additionally comprising a key mounted within a shaft in the main body so as to be slidable in the first direction, and a fastening device coupled to the attachment portion, the fastening device being configured to mate with the key to thereby slidably secure the attachment portion to the main body.
  • 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the key includes an aperture sized to receive the fastening device, and wherein the attachment portion includes a shaft sized to receive the fastening device so that the fastening device is positionable within the aperture in the key when the shaft in the attachment portion is aligned with the aperture in the key, and wherein the fastening device is configured to be secured within the aperture in the key to thereby fix the position of the attachment portion along the first direction.
  • 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the first direction is normal to the plane of rotation of the drive pulley of the engine.
  • 10. The device of claim 1, wherein the attachment portion includes a pair of arms defining a space therebetween, and wherein the space is sized to receive the accessory.
RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/037,587, filed on Feb. 11, 1997 and this application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/021,794, filed Feb. 11, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,950 issued Aug. 8, 2000.

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Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry
Copy of catalog page from JETS catalog, p. 192.
Provisional Applications (1)
Number Date Country
60/037587 Feb 1997 US
Continuations (1)
Number Date Country
Parent 09/021794 Feb 1998 US
Child 09/633331 US