THE PISTON AND THE PISTON ROD

1. Piston ring 16. Piston rod

2. Piston ring 17. Pin
3. Piston ring 18. Crosshead
4. Piston ring 19. Screw
5. Piston ring 20. Lock washer
6. Oil distributing ring 21. Lock washer
 7. Piston ring grove 22. Guide pin
8. Piston – upper part 23. Guide shoe
9. Piston – lower part 24. Piston rod nut
10. Screw 25. Lock washer
11. Pin 26. Lock washer
12. Lock washer 27. Screw
13. Stud 28. Piston rod stuffing box
14. Nut 29. Piston cooling-oil inlet
15. Cotter pin 30. Piston cooling-oil outlet

Pistons are divided into two sections of an extremely strong design. The upper part, the
piston head, is made of special Cr-Mo steel while the lower part is made of a pearlitic cast iron
particularly suitable for working together with the cylinder liner. Each piston is provided with a
suitable number of piston rings. The function of the piston ring is to give gas-tight sealing of the
clearance between the piston and the cylinder liner. This seal is brought about by the gas pressure
and behind the piston ring, which forces it downwards, against the bottom of the ring groove and
outwards the cylinder wall. In order to ensure the optimum sealing it is therefore important that
the piston rings, the grooves and the cylinder walls are of proper shape and the rings can move
freely in the grooves (since the piston will also make small horizontal movements during the
stroke).

As piston rings work at a somewhat higher temperature then the liner, it is important that
they have a gap which is sufficient to permit the extra thermal expansion. The piston rings are of
different shape according to the position on the piston and the role that they play. The piston can
be of following types:

- (ordinary) piston rings;

- Compression rings;
- Lubricating rings;
- Scraper rings.

The pistons can be oil-cooled via crosshead – piston rod. The piston rod is designed of
forged steel to ensure a high strengthening. At the top it is provided with a heavy flange (for the
joint with the piston) and at the bottom, where it is connected with the crosshead, it is provided
with a thread for the nut. The piston rod is bored up on its center to allow the cooling-oil to get to
the piston and back. The crosshead is forged from hard steel with journals of ample dimensions.
It is also bored to allow the cooling-oil to get from the cooling pipe to the piston rod. The
crosshead shoe is made of cast steel lined with white metal on the bearing surface.
 THE CONNECTING ROD AND THE MAIN BEARINGS

The connecting rod:

1. Nut 9. Bolt
2. Ring 10. Guide pin
3. Screw plug 11. Bearing – upper part
4. Bearing – upper part 12. Shim
5. Shim 13. Bearing – lower part
6. Crosshead 14. Bolt
 7. Bearing- lower part 15.Cover
8. Connecting rod 16.Lock washer

The main bearings:

17. Pipe 22. Cover

18. Pipe 23. Shim
19. Nut 24. Bold
20. Ring 25. Shell – upper
21. Screw 26. Shell – lower

The connecting rod transmits the forces from the crosshead (from the pistons at the
engines without crosshead) to the crankshaft. The connecting rod is made of forged steel and its
length is twice that of the stroke. The bearings of the connecting rod are separate to the shaft and
joined to the later by fitted bolts.

The shaft is not forked (but it might be at “V” type engines) and its top end is carried out
with a flange onto which the crosshead bearings are bolted, whereas the bottom end, to which the
crank shells are bolted, is forged in “T”-shape. The bearings are provided with shims for re-
adjustment. The shims allow adjustment of the vertical play; the horizontal play cannot be
adjusted. Crosshead bearings and crank bearings are made of cast steel and lined with white
metal.

The forges steel connecting rod bolts are bored up and heat-treated. The top and bottom
connecting rod bolts can be interchanged. The bolts have counterholding surfaces on which the
tool is fitted when the bolts are tightened. The tool permits tightening and loosening the bolts by
only one engineer. The connecting rod bolts must be taken up alternately and uniformly avoiding
deformation of the bearings. The nuts are provided with Penn securing. The connecting rod is
bored up for lubrication of crosshead bearings. The bearing clearances and lubrication should be
checked at regular intervals and adjusted if necessary.

The main bearings have shells of steel lined with white metal. The bottom shells are so
arranged that they can be removed without lifting the crankshaft. The main bearing covers are
made of sound, strong cast iron of ample dimensions. The main bearing studs are of sufficient
length to give the required elasticity. The studs are turned down on the shank and the thread
screwed into the bedplate is of ample length. The nuts are provided with Penn securing. The
vertical bearing clearance of the crankshaft is adjusted by means of shims. The main bearings are
lubricated from the low-pressure oil system.
 THE CRANKSHAFT

1. Flange 6. Counter weight

2. Gear wheel for camshaft drive 7. Bolt

3. Crankpin journals 8. Lubrication oil intake

4. Crankshaft journals 9. Lubrication oil passages

5. Crank throws
 The crankshaft is the engine port that completes the conversion of the work produced in
the cylinders by reciprocating the movement of the pistons, in rotary motion suitable to provide
active moment rotation. The crankshaft transmits the power generated in the cylinders to the
propeller shaft by means of the trust shaft and the intermediate shafts. The crankshaft is
positioned in a rigid bedplate which is cast in one piece and designed for long, elastic, holding
down bolts. The general shape of the crankshaft depends on: the type of the engine, the number
and the disposal of pistons, the ignition sequence, the engine balancing and the material used.

The crankshaft is as a rule semi built when crank journals and end flanges shrank in the
individual cranks. The angles between cranks are chosen so that optimum conditions are
obtained with regard to mechanical balance, torsional vibrations and supercharging. When the
crankshaft is semi built, the crankshaft journals are of Simens Martin forged steel, whereas the
crank throws are of cast steel and the counter weights of cast iron. The crankshaft is smooth-
turned on journals and flanges. The thrust bearing shaft is flanged to the crankshaft and carries
the flywheel. If the thrust collar of the thrust bearing is small, it is possible to forge the engine
crankshaft, including the thrust collar as one piece. This will reduce the weight and length of the
engine compared with an engine having a fully-built or semi built crankshaft. When the
crankshaft is fitted, it should be adjusted in the axial direction so that the middle of the crank
next to the thrust bearing is displaced by 1 to 1.5 mm towards the flywheel in relation to the
center line of the corresponding cylinder. In order to ascertain the degree of displacement of the
axis of the crank journals in relation to the theoretical crankshaft axis due to bearing wear, the
crank throws deflection has to be checked at intervals. This check is carried out with the aid of
the crankshaft leveling instrument, which is supplied together with the engine. The
measurements are entered into a report. The measuring points should be marked on the
crankshaft and entered into the report as well.