referring now to the drawings in detail , the connecting rod 1 has a central longitudinal axis 1a and comprises two rod components 2 and 3 which can be connected to each other by threaded bolts 4 and 5 in the form of threaded screws with torx multipoint recessed head cap screws . at its upper longitudinal end in fig1 the connecting rod has a piston pin bearing boss 6 with a bearing 7 centered on an axis 7a for receiving a piston pin ( not shown ) and , at its lower end , it has a crankpin bearing boss 8 with a bearing 9 centered on an axis 9a for receiving the crankpin ( likewise not shown ) of a crankshaft . the two bearing bosses 6 and 8 are connected to each other by webs 10 and 11 . the extension of the webs 10 and 11 in the transverse direction defined by the direction of the bearing axes 7a , 9a is somewhat smaller than that of the bearing bosses 6 and 8 . the bearing bosses 6 and 8 are split . the piston pin bearing boss 6 is split along a dividing plane 12 which passes perpendicular to the bearing axis 7a and centrally relative to the transverse extension of the webs 10 and 11 and of the bearing boss 6 . the boss 6 comprises two hollow cylindrical segments 15 and 16 , each associated with one of the rod components 2 and 3 . the crankpin bearing boss 8 is split along a dividing plane 13 which extends through the bearing axis 9a and the longitudinal axis la of the connecting rod 1 . the plane 13 divides the bearing boss 8 axially and longitudinally into left and right lateral halves 17 and 18 , which are associated with the rod components 2 and 3 , respectively , and are disposed on opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane 1b defined by the axes of the bearings 7 and 9 and coextensive with the dividing plane 13 . as is clearly apparent from fig3 the rod component 2 carries the left lateral half 17 of the bearing 9 as well as the hollow cylindrical segment 15 of bearing 7 which includes an extension 21 that overlaps the central plant 1b by half . analogously , the rod component 3 includes an extension 22 which forms the part of the hollow cylindrical segment 16 which overlaps the central plane 1b by half . rod component 3 also carries the right longitudinal half 18 of the bearing 9 . the two longitudinal bearing halves 17 and 18 correspond to the dimension of the bearing boss 8 in the axial direction . the two hollow cylindrical segments 15 and 16 are arranged coaxially , one behind the other in the direction of the bearing axis and each forms a half of the upper bearing boss 6 . in the zone of the bearing boss 6 , the webs 10 and 11 are provided with clearance spaces extending in the transverse direction between the webs 10 , 11 and the extensions 22 , 21 of the opposite rod components 3 , 2 , respectively . for example , clearance space 19 , located between the web 10 and the extension 22 , is shown in fig1 and 2 . the clearance spaces extend to the center of the web in the axial direction and somewhat further than the outer radius of the bearing boss 6 -- starting from its center -- in the radial direction . thus , they permit the two hollow cylindrical segments 15 and 16 of the bearing boss 6 to butt against each other and to be rotated relative to one another . the webs 10 and 11 are spaced from the central plane lb of the connecting rod 1 to define an opening 20 between them in the assembled state of the connecting rod 1 . the rod component 2 has two additional extensions 23 and 25 of semicircular cross section which overlap the central plane . these extensions form parts of round fastening eyes 27 and 28 which overlap the central plane 1b . in fig3 these parts are adjacent the far end of the bearing boss 8 and are provided with threaded holes 31 . analogously , the rod component 3 has two additional extensions 24 and 26 of semicircular cross section which overlap the central plane and form parts of the round fastening eyes 27 an 28 . in fig3 these parts are adjacent the near end of the bearing boss 8 and are provided with through holes 32 . as is especially apparent from fig4 the extensions 23 and 24 as well as 25 and 26 are arranged one behind the other in the direction of the bearing axes and they overlap each other in the mounted state of the connecting rod 1 . they are held in contact with each other by threaded bolts 4 , 5 in the form of torx multipoint recessed head cap screws which are inserted into the holes . with contact surfaces 29 extending in a transverse central plane of the connecting rod 1 , the extensions 21 , 23 and 25 of the rod component 2 abut contact surfaces 30 of the extensions 22 , 24 and 26 of the rod component 3 . the connection of the connecting rod with a piston ( not shown ) and the crankpin of a crankshaft ( also not shown ) will be explained below on the basis of fig5 . as is shown in fig3 the rod components 2 and 3 are associated with each other , and the extensions 21 and 22 are overlapped to form the bearing boss 6 with the holes in the extensions 21 and 22 aligned with each other to form the bearing 7 . the piston pin is inserted into the bearing 7 to connect it with an associated piston . the two rod components 2 and 3 , which can be pivoted around the bearing axis fixed by the piston pin are now pivoted out or unfolded in a tong - like manner by rotating at least one of the rod components 2 and 3 until they assume the position shown in fig5 in the unfolded or opened state . the two lateral halves 17 and 18 of the hollow cylinder or bearing boss 8 forming the bearing 9 are thus spaced from each other an amount sufficient for introducing the crankpin . the assembly unit formed by the piston the piston pin and the rod components 2 and 3 is pushed for this purpose into the cylinder bore associated with the piston until a predetermined assembly position is reached . with the rod components folded together , the connecting rod can be pushed through the cylindrical bore from the top , which means that the bearing boss 8 can be pushed through the entire cylinder bore . once the connecting rod with the bearing boss 8 has been completely pushed through the cylindrical bore , so that the rod components with the bearing boss 8 project from the cylinder bore at the bottom , the rod components can again be pivoted apart or unfolded so that the crankpin of the crankshaft can be introduced into the bearing 9 . the unfolded rod components 2 and 3 are then folded together . in the folded - together state , the bearing 9 is closed and the threaded holes 31 and the through holes 32 are aligned with each other , so that the two threaded bolts 4 and 5 can be screwed in to hold the rod components 2 and 3 in contact with each other . a modified embodiment of connecting means associated with the bearing boss 8 on the crankpin end is shown in fig6 and 7 . unlike in the above - described design , the axes of the threaded bolts extend perpendicular to the longitudinal plane 1b of the connecting rod 1 rather than in the direction of the axis of the bearing 9 in the center plane . stepped holes , which have , beginning from the dividing plane 13 , a cylindrical section 62 and an adjoining threaded hole 61 , are provided in the rod component 2 ; the cylindrical section 62 has the same diameter as the through hole 63 in the rod component 3 . the threaded bolts 65 are designed as fit screws . fig8 shows an embodiment of the bearing boss 8 in which the dividing plane 13 receiving the bearing axis is inclined by an angle a relative to the central plane 1b defined by the axes 7a , 9a of the bearings 7 and 9 . the dividing plane is inclined 7 ° from the central plane in the example . this bearing boss 8 otherwise corresponds to the above - described design shown in fig6 and 7 . fig9 and 10 show a connecting means for the two rod components 2 and 3 which is , in principle , of the same design and orientation as the connecting means shown in fig4 and described above . a tongue - shaped extension 93 with a semicircular end section extends from the web 10 in a transverse plane . this extension overlaps the center plane between the two webs 10 and 11 , while a tongue - shaped extension 94 , which also overlaps the center plane with a semicircular end section , extends from the web 11 . in fig9 the extension 94 is located on the near side of the extension 93 in the transverse direction . the extension 93 has a threaded hole 96 and the extension 94 has a through hole 97 , the two holes extending in the same direction ( transverse direction ) as the axis of the piston pin bearing 7 . a torx multipoint recessed head cap screw is provided as the threaded bolt 95 . after folding up or closing the rod components 2 and 3 , the threaded bolt 95 is screwed into the threaded hole 93 . the connecting means shown is arranged next to the piston pin bearing boss 6 and may be provided , in addition to the connecting means , with the threaded bolts 4 , 5 ( fig1 through 5 ) and 5 ( fig6 through 8 ), which are arranged next to the bearing boss 8 . in an embodiment which is not shown , the two connecting means associated with the crankpin bearing 9 can be designed such that the lower of the two connecting means is arranged like the lower connecting means on the crankpin bearing 9 in fig1 through 5 , while the upper of the two connecting means is arranged like the upper connecting means on the crankpin bearing 9 in fig6 and 7 . it is also possible to additionally provide connecting means according to fig9 and 10 the dividing plane 13 of the crankpin bearing 9 may also be inclined . while the invention has been described by reference to certain preferred embodiments , it should be understood that numerous changes could be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described accordingly it is intended that the invention not be limited to the disclosed embodiments , but that it have the full scope permitted by the language of the following claims .