US1312660A - Carbttration - Google Patents

Description

W. H. WINSLOW.

CARBURATION. PPLlcATloM FILED fea. 12. 19er.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

THB coLUMllA PMNOGIIAPM co1, WAsmNn'Tonl, D. l:

W. H. WINSLOW.

CARBURATION.

APPLlcATlou flu-:a ria. 12. 1911.

1 ,3 1 2,660 n Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. WINSLOW, OF RIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 CHARLES A. BROWN, OF HINSDALE, ILLINOIS.

CARBURATION.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

Application filed February 12, 1917. Serial No. 147,990.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. WINS- Low, a citizen of the United States, residing at River Forest, in the county of Cook Iand State of Illinois, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Carburation, of which the following is a full, clear, concise1 and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved method of and means for Carburation.

In preparing the proper fuel charge for internal combustion engines and the ilike, it is desirable to produce as intimate a mixture as possible of fuel and air to secure high thermal efficiency and clean combustion.

The earliest type of internal combustion engines were operated upon a mixture of air and fuel gas. Carburation was easy because of the natural tendency for the gases lo mix because of their high fluidity, small inertia and because of the tendency for diffusion.

The desirability of employing liquid or solid fuel was at once recognized because of the requirement for mobility.

Perhaps the first attempt at the use of liquid fuel Was made by oarbureting the air by drawing the same through a tube submerged in a tank of liquid fuel. For obvious reasons this was not practical. The more volatile constituents were first evaporated and the remainder would finally be a residue of high boiling point which was dif ficult to vaporize. It was soon proposed to employ the mixing valve. This is an early form of carburetor in which the intake of the engine is closed ofi by a valve body. This valve body when opened by suction uncovers a port or jet from Which the fuel issues under a certain head and is injected into the current of air. y

This form of device was fairly satisfac tory for fuel that Was easily vaporized. It is highly wasteful of fuel and can make no compensation for the speed of the engine.

The simple jet carbureter Was soon proposed. This provided a jet or nozzle in the intake passage of the engine, fuel being maintained at substantially the top of the j et by a fioat controlled or other level maint-ain' ing device. This device was fairly successful for easily vaporizable fuel though it could make no compensation for engine speed.

The final form in which the carbureter for easily vaporized fuels appears is the constant level jet with compensating means for engine speed and for starting condition.

But at this stage of the development of the art the necessity arises for using fuel of a muc-h lower degree of vaporizability.

It was resognized that lovv grades of fuel are so inert to the action of a simple current of air that Carburation is substantially impossible by such means. There have recently been develo-ped devices for causing the incoming air to act more intimately upon the fuel as by what is termed air-bled jets and as by employing a plurality of jets and the like.

It alpears that this type of fuel is not only di cult tovaporize or atomize but also it is diflicult to get a proper mixture such as' is necessary for clean and efficient combustion.

My invention is a departure from the above line of development. My invention aims to provide an improved method of preparing liquid fuel for carburation; an improved method of employing the prepared fuel in carbureting the air of the charge; and an improved method of compensating the mixture for starting and for varying engine speed.

A further object distinct from the above aims is the provision of novel means for carrying out each of the above method-s.

According to my invention as set out in the first object above, the fuel is prepared for Carburation by mechanically Whipping or beating the same much 1n the Way that eggs are Whipped or beaten to form a larger bulk or body of an air emulsion of much lower density, greater fluidity and capable of being readily carried into mixture by a current of air.

My invention further teaches according to the second object above an advantageous manner of utilizing liquid fuel for carburation by injecting the air in fine streams into the liquid fuel, the fuel being mechanically driven into the fuel charge so that no residue is left. More particularly my invention provides in this aspect a manner of using the fuel prepared as above. This is accomplished by releasing air throughout the extent of emulsion, which air under the suction of the engine expands and further subdivides the fuel to sa degree of neness not heretofore approached. lnslrad of in jecting fuel into the air, I first subdivide the 'fuel and inject the air into it.

'llu` third object above is attained according to my invention hy adding a centrifugal impulse to the suction impulse which moved the air, thisl ceiitril'ugal impulse being effettive in greater degree at high engine speed.

For starting purposes, fuel is substituted for a part of the air which is supplied to the engine.

Having disclosed in eneral terms the nature of my invention, in detail with the aid of the accompanying drawings7 one embodiment of my invention to make clear to those Skilled in the art a manner or practising the same.

Figure 1 is a lon itudinal vertiral section of a device embo ying my invention;

Fig. Q is a transverse section on the line 2N2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a general elevational View indi-- eating the manner of applying my invention to an internal Combustion engine.

As shown in the drawings, my invention comprises a stationary housing or mixing barrel 1 and a rotor element 2 mounted to rotate in said mixing barrel, and a manifold housing 3.

The central rotating member or rotor 2 comprises a tubular member 4 provided with a disk or fiange 5 at its innermost end and being mounted for rotation upon the roller bearings 6 and 7 which are mounted Within the hub 8 forming an extension of the main barrel or housing 1.

The rotor 2 is provided with. a plurality of short tubes 9 of small diameter which are mounted in apertures in the Walls of the rotor l as by means of screw threads, these tubes being open from end to end and communicating at their inner end vvith the 1nterior of the tube 4 and discharging at their outer ends into the barrel 1. In constructing a carbureter of this type I prefer to employ a suitable number of tubes of Small diaineter Whose aggregate area of 'opening will be substantially equal to or greater than the area of opening of the tube For example: In constructing the tube 4.- of g inchdiameter inside, I have found that six rows of 16 tubes each provide, when each of the air tubes 1s le inch diameter opening, a total aggregate area approximately equal to the a'rea of the intake tube. It is obvious that the number of 'tubes in eaeh row and the arrangement of the rows may be varied Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In four of the tubes of each row, preferably in quartered relation, I have added transverse openings about half Way down the length of the tubez these openingsbeing drilled at right angles to the run of' e tube to introduce a small amount of air at 'the intermediate poiitin'of thebariel 1 in the `mid shall novi1 describe Zone of the` mixing space. In the Construction indicated, for a ineh diameter tube having an internal diameter of I inchl l ferm the transverse holes 1f) ol llu` size of a No. (50 drill. Radially projecting pins 11 are inonnled upon the inside olf the barrel 1, these pins being ol' a relatively small diaine ter, as for example, ['6- inch.y and lying in rows between the radial tubes S). The ronibined action of the statioi'iary pins and the centrifugal mixing tubes 9 is to eh'op up or whip the contents of the barrel 1 in a very thorough manner. At the outer end of the barrel 1 I have provided a centrifugal spraying 'or spreading disk 12 which is provided With a curved flange and a plurality of blades 13 lying radially to the flange, this spreading or spraying disk being positioned in front of the fuel jet 14 which opens into the bottoni of the barrel 1 as indicated in Fig. 1. The upper end ol' the jet 11 is di rerted toward a spraying disk in such a man ner that the fuel discharged from the now/.le will strike the spreading disk and will then be spread or sprayed into the space between the barrel 1 and the rotating tube 4. T he spraying disk 1:2 is provided With a hub 15 which is mounted upon a reduced part of the tube 4 and rests against a shoulder 16. TheJ lower race 17 of the roller bearing 6 is mounted against the hub 15 upon the reduced fpart of the tube 4. Between the race 17 of the roller bearing 6 and the race 18 of the roller bearing 7, I have provided a spacing ring 19 which carries a felt washer or ring 20. These parts are held in place by a lock nut 21 which is threaded upon the reduced part of the tube 4. A driving Wheel 22 is also mounted upon the tube 4 and is held in place by a second lock nut 23. The

Wheel 22 may be in the form of a driving pulley or in the form of a gear for imparting suitable motion to the rotor 2. The rotor may be driven by a solid shaft from the opposite end or by any other means found desirable Whether driven by the engine or a separate motor.

The open end of the rotating tube 4 is connected as by means of the tube 24 to a ho-t air box heated by the exhaust manifold of the engine.

The barrel 1 and the manifold easing 3 are provided With eoperating flanges 25 and 26 which are fastened together by suit able screws Q7. The fiange 25 is formed upon the outer edge of the bell shaped por'- tion 28 which Connects by means of a reduced portion 29 to the vertical tube 30. This tube is connected by a suitable flange 31 to the intake pipe or manifold 32 of the engine. The usual throttle 33 and means to control the same 34 is provided for governing the amount o'f the fuel charge supplied to the engine. The easing 3 is pro-vided with ,auxiliary air inlet 35 that is controlled 'by a' suitable valve 36, said valve being typical of any manually or automatically controlled valve which may be found desirable.

The jet 14 is connected by a pipe 37 to the float chamber 38 which is kept constantly supplied with liquid fuel.

For the purposes of providing a rich mixture at starting, a tube 38 is introduced into the rotating tube 4, the tube 38 having discharge openings 39 for discharging a quantity of liquid into the end of the tube 4 ad jacent the open ends of the centrifugal tubes 9. The tube 38 is connected to the usual priming means which may be in the form of a pump, an auxiliary Well or the like. c

As shown in Fig. 3, the gear 22 may be driven by a gear 41 connected by means of a suitable shaft 42 to a gear 43 lying within the casin 44 and meshing with the pump or cam sha t gear. The shaft 42 may be directly connected to the rotor 2 if so desired.

The operation of the device illustrated is as follows:

The rotor element 2 is connected directly as by gears or a belt to the moving parts of the engine so that the speed of the rotor corresponds to the speed of the engine. When the en ine is started, a small quantity of liquid nel is discharged to the priming tube 38 into the tube 4. This liquid fuel finds its way through the tubes 9 into lthe shell or barrel l and thus is carried along with the air into the intake manifold and into the cylinders of the engine. It is to be noted that the primin charge thus introduced takes the place o some of the air and tends to produ-ce a rich mixture such as is necessary on starting. At the same time that the engine is started, the suction of the engine causes a discharge of liquid fuel from the nozzle 14 against the spreading or ,spraying disk 12 and this fuel is whipped or beaten by the rotating and stationary part into a ne emulsion which is easily carried' away by the air that comes into the centrifugal tubes 9.

During operation of the device, the fuel which enters by Way of the nozzle 14 is thrown into the space in which the centrifugal tubes 9 are moving, where, as above explained, the liquid is very violently agitated and at the same time air is introduced at a number of points in fine jets which air, under the influence of suction, easily carries away this intimate mixture of fuel and air to supply the necessary charge to the engine.

For higher speeds of the engine and correspondingly higher speeds o-f rotation of the rotor 2, an additional force is added to the air, namely, the centrifugal or throwing force of the tubes 9, these tubes acting as minute centrifugal pumps tending to move a greater quantity of air into the intake manifold than would be drawn in by the mere suction impulse. The proportioning of the parts ma be such as to compensate for any particu ar type or size of engine. This centrifugal action automatically thins out the mixture as the speed of the engine is increased.

Independently of the automatic compensation of the mixture, additional air may enter through the pipe 35A to constitute an auxiliary air supply, if so desired. The three basic conceptions in the operation of a device are apparent from the above. First, Whipping, beating or chopping the liquid into an air emulsion. Second, introducing the air in a finely divided space into an agitated mass of liquid, and third, the autolnatic compensation for engine speeds by giving the air a centrifugal impulse in addition to the suction impulse.

The importance of Whipping or finely sub-dividing the liquid fuel before the air is injected is readily apparent from the fact that the arca of a given quantity is thereby greatly increased and the distance of any particular particle of fuel from the incoming air is thereby vastly diminished.

Heating the incoming air is found to be highly advantageous, particularly because of the intimate mixture of the air and fuel. The introduction of heated air in an air emulsion of liquid fuel is peculiarly eiica cious for the heavier grades of oils.

Itl is apparent that the invention may be embodied in other forms, and that the proportions may be varied to suit the condition.

What I claim is:

1. The process of preparing a charge of air and liquid fuel for rapid combustion which consists in whipping the liquid fuel by mechanical impulses and simultaneously subjecting the whipped product to numerous individual jets of air within the whipped product.

2. The process of preparing a charge of air and liquid fuel for an internal combustion engine or the like which consists in Whipping the liquid fuel by mechanical impulses and then causing numerous fine jets of air to discharge in the mass of Whipped fuel. 3. The method of mixingr air and fuel which consists in mechanically whipping a small quantity of fuel and simultaneously injecting into the mixture a plurality of fine jet streams of air under pressure.

4. The method of preparing a proper mixture of air and fuel for higher engine speeds which consists in moving air in a plurality of fine jets into intimate contact with the fuel by suction and simultaneously exerting a force upon the air by centrifugal action caused by the engine.

5. The method of mixing air and fuel,

which consists in mechanically agitatiiug and comminutiug u relatively small quantity of fuel and simultaneously introducing air in numerous line jets throughout the extent of the ccmmrinifited fuel.

6. In combination a casing having a discharge outlet, said casing comprising a barrel por-tion, a rotor in said barrel portion, a jct delivering liquid fuel into said barrel portion upon a portion of said rotor and means on the rotor for mechanically injecting air through said rotor between said jet and the engine manifold.

7. In a carbureter, a barrel or casing, a rotor in said barrel or casing, said rotor comprising a plurality of small diameter tubes and a passage communicating with the atmosphere and said small tubes, said passage being formed in said rotor.

8. In combination a barrel, a rotor in said barrel. said rotor comprising a tube having its inner end closed, said tube communir-ating with the atuiospl'iere and hav ing a plurality of short tubes of small diameter communicating With the interior of said tube and the interior of the barrel, means for projecting liquid fuel into contact with the rotor and means for driving the rotor.

9. In combination a closed casing adapted to be connected to the intake manifold on an engine, a tube having its inner end closed, said tube projecting into said cas ing and being rotatably mounted with respect to said casing, a plurality of tubes of small diameter projecting from the Walls of said closed end tube, and a plurality of pins mounted upon the interior of said arrel.

10. In combination, an internal combustion engine, and a carbureter for said engine, said carbureter comprising a casing, a rotatable tube in said casing, means mounted on said tube for violently agitating the liquid fuel supplied to said carbureter. means for supplying liquid fuel and projecting the same into contact with the rotor and means connecting Vsaid rotatable tube with the shaft of the engine.

11. In combination, a main driving shaft, a carbureter comprising a housing, a rotor in said housing, means for supplying liquid fuel to said housing, means on said rotor for mechanically agitating the fuel in said housing and means connecting said rotor with the main shaft, said rotor comprlsm .a spreading disk against which the fue 1s sprayed and an air impelling means for forcing air into intimate mixture with the agitated liquid fuel.

12. In combination, a carbureter housing adapted to be connected to the intake manifold of an engine, a rotating tube projecting intc said housing, means for supplying liquid fuel to said housing, said rotating tube having hollow projecting a-rms for agiiitating the liquid fuel and for passing wir through said agitated fuel.

13. In a device of the class described, means for supplying liquid fuel, mechanically impcllcd means for puilveriuing said liquid fu el and means connected to said second means for injecting numerous fine streams of air in the mass of pulverized fuel.

14. In a carburetcr, a barrel or housing having inwardly projecting means, a central tube adapted to be rotated, said tube having short tubes -of smaller diameter projecting in rows therefrom, said rows being adapted to pass between said projections on4 the barrel, said tubes of small diameter commun-icating With the interi-or of said central tube, and means for rotating said central tube.

15. In combination, a barrel having projections upon the interior surface thereof, a central tube adapted to bc rotated With respect to said barrel, said central tube having its inner end closed, an outlet for said bar` rel adjacent said closed end, and a flange secured to the closed end of said central tube, a plurality of projecting members upon said rotating tube and means for supplying liq- -uid fuel to said barrel at a point remote from said flange.

16. In combination, a barrel having an outlet adapted to be connected to `an engine manifold, said barrel -having a plurality of inwardly extending projections, a central tube rotatably mounted adjacent said barrel, a plurality of short tubes projecting from said central tube, a flange closing the inner end of said central tube, a spreadm disk on said central tube and a fuel jet a apted to discharge liquid against said spreading disk.

17. In combination, a casing having an inlet and an outlet, a rotor in the casing, said rotor being adapted to be positively driven, said rotor Ahaving a disk with upturned ed es adapted to throw the liquid fuel outwardgby centrifugal action, separate air mpelling 110 means connected to and axially displaced from the disk for introducing air into the casinrA and forcing air into contact with the liqui fuel and a fuel inlet for projecting the fue] against said disk.

18. In combination, a casing having inlet and outlet, a rotor in the casi-Ang, a shaft for ositively driving said'rotor, said rotor havlng a disk adapted to throw the liquid fuel outward by centrifugal action, centrifu al 120 air impelling means independent of the disk and axial-ly displaced from the disk fcr forcing` air into the casing and into intimate contact with the liquid fuel and a fluid fuel inlletkfor projecting liquid fuel against said 125 19. In a carburcter for internal combustion engines and the like, a barrel, a fuel jet in the barrel, means adapted to be mechanically driven by the engine to Whip or pul- 130 verize the fuel issuing from the jet, and means connected to said first means for injecting air under pressure in numerous fine streams into the mass of pulverized fuel.

20. In a carbureter, a barrel, a suctioncontrolled fuel jet in the barrel, means adapted to be mechanically driven to Whip or pulverize the fuel issuin from the jet, and means connected to sald first means for introducing air under pressure and injecting the same into the mass of pulverized fuel.

21. The method of mixin air and fuel which consists in mechanica y pulverizing a small quantity of liquid fuel and simulta- Copiel of this patent may 'be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the neously injecting in accordance with the speed of the engine a plurality of fine streams of air under pressure. into the mass of pul- Verized fuel.

22. The method of coin ensatin the mixture produced by a carbu eter of t e suction type for higher engine speeds, which consists in mechanically forcing air into the mixture in accordance with the speed of the engine.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe myTname this 8th day of February, A. D. 191

WILLIAM I-I. WINSLOW.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

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