Air compressor assembly

Abstract

An air compressor with a cylinder head attached to a cylinder deck of a crankcase is disclosed. Openings are provided through the cylinder deck and cylinder head and elongated fasteners having a fastening complement are used to provide a compressed engagement between the deck and cylinder head. Using a fastener inserted through the openings and a fastener complement reduces the potential that the bore is distorted during assembly without adding material to the assembly that undesirably increases its weight or complicates foundry operations. Machining of the deck is also simplified by providing the opening therethrough.

Having thus described the invention, it is claimed:  
     
         1 . An air compressor assembly comprising; 
 a crankcase having at least one cylinder formed therein and a cylinder deck with first fastener receiving openings therethrough, the at least one cylinder capable of receiving a piston; and    a cylinder head secured to the cylinder deck, the cylinder head including second fastener receiving openings therethrough spaced for alignment with the first fastener receiving openings.    
     
     
         2 . The air compressor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and the second fastener receiver openings have a smooth bore.  
     
     
         3 . The air compressor assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising fasteners disposed through the first and second fastener receiving openings.  
     
     
         4 . The air compressor assembly of  claim 3  wherein the fasteners are bolts threaded along at least one end and an associated nut.  
     
     
         5 . The air compressor assembly of  claim 4  wherein the fastener nuts have a dimension greater than the first fastener receiving openings for abutting engagement with an underside thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The air compressor assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a gasket interposed between the cylinder deck and the cylinder head.  
     
     
         7 . The air compressor assembly of  claim 1  wherein the cylinder head has a substantially rectangular conformation and the fastener receiving openings are located at corner regions thereof.  
     
     
         8 . An air compressor assembly comprising: 
 a crankcase with at least one cylinder bore formed therein and having a cylinder deck with first fastener receiving openings therethrough; a cylinder head having second fastener receiving openings therethrough at locations aligned with the first fastener receiving openings; and fasteners having a head at a first end and threads at a second end for receipt through the aligned openings in the deck and cylinder head, wherein the fastener heads abuttingly engage the cylinder head and nuts are threaded onto the fasteners and abuttingly engage the deck.    
     
     
         9 . The air compressor assembly of  claim 8  further comprising a metal gasket interposed between the deck and cylinder head.  
     
     
         10 . A method for manufacturing an air compressor comprising: 
 providing a crankcase with at least one cylinder bore formed therein;    supplying a cylinder head for receipt on the crankcase; and    forming aligned openings through the cylinder head and crankcase, the openings capable of receipt of fasteners therethrough.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 inserting the fasteners through the openings; and    securing the fasteners externally of the openings to attach the cylinder head to the crankcase.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the fasteners comprise a bolt threaded at one end.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the securing step comprises threading a nut onto the threaded end of the bolt.