US Patent 11703012 Engines with multiple thrust bearings

An internal combustion engine includes a crankshaft. The crankshaft includes multiple crank journals, at least two crank pins positioned between two of the multiple crank journals that neighbor one another, and at least one pin arm. Each pin arm may be positioned between two of the crank pins neighboring one another. Arrangements may include multiple crankshaft supports and multiple thrust bearings. These elements may be distributed about the crankshaft such that two or more of the multiple crankshaft supports have at least one associated thrust bearing. Each of the crankshaft supports having the associated thrust bearing may support one of the multiple the crank journals. Each thrust bearing may be positioned between the crankshaft and the crankshaft support having the associated thrust bearing.