Importance

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Abstract

An internal combustion engine having a rotary crankshaft and pistons reciprocable in cylinders is tested for imbalance by suspending the engine from above to preclude vertical displacement of the engine and clamping the engine horizontally to preclude horizontal displacement thereof. Force sensors act on the engine to detect both vertical and horizontal forces imposed on the engine in response to rotation of the crankshaft by a crankshaft driver and resulting reciprocation of the pistons at speeds sufficient to cause the imposition of horizontal and vertical forces on the engine by a moving, unbalanced mass. The forces may be measured and oriented to enable the imbalance to be corrected. The cylinders are evacuated during rotation of the crankshaft to avoid the imposition of loads on the moving parts of the engine during the test. Changes in torque due to changes in the speed of rotation of the crankshaft may be detected by load cells which are responsive to rocking movements of the crankshaft driver.

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First Claim