A NEW "H" BEAM CONNECTING ROD DESIGNED FOR MODERN RACING ENGINES

This new design is a DOUBLE MONOQUE ROD with two "H" beams inline in place of a single "H" beam.

The current design uses Titanium (6AL-4V) heat treated to 165PSI allowing greater down sizing (reduced weight) when compared to conventional "H" beam steel rods used on serious racing equipment.

The "h" beam side webs are tapered from the crankpin to the wrist pin. The center web is also tapered b©ecause the stresses are proportional going from the wrist pin to the crank pin. This design distributes stresses in true proportions. It costs more to manufacture than common "H" beams, which are milled with a slotting cutter. This new design requires a 4 and/or 5 axis CNC machine because there are two tapers cut at once. Also the radii on each end of the "H" beam slot are smaller when compared to other rods machined with "H" beam, because it is generated with an end mill.

The purpose of the short thin cross web that connects the "H" beam (slightly above the center of the rod) is to stop the rod from twisting with large pistons, which is innate to modern racing engines. This twisting is the last of 13 calc used to design rods. However only 8 calc have been written into finite element CAE/CAD programs. For this reason rod designing still allows a certain small amount of art form. The second reason for this connecting web is to transfer forces more uniformly down and or up the "H" beam webs.

The "H" beam was proven to be stronger than "I" beam in 1937 by the P&W Aircraft Engine Co. The "H" beam also replaced tubular rods started in WW 1 aircraft engines and later (1921) in the Miller Offy racing engines.

The Double Monocoque design is a step forward in downsizing to increase strength and to reduce weight.