US1767452A - Fuel-feeding system - Google Patents

Description

June 24, 1930. w R, HEwlTT 1,767,452

FUEL FEEDING SYSTEM l Filed July 25, 192e 36 i I .57

INVENTOR.l

**** A TT ORNEYS.

Patented June 24, 1930 WILLIAM n. HEwrrr, or NEW YORK. N. Y.

'd FUEL-Famine' SYSTEM 'Application filed July 25, 192s. serial Nb. 295,303.

This invention relates to devices for elevating liquids from a low to a higher level, and is particularly applicable to motor driven vehicles-in which the main source of fuel supply is a tank located at a low level and where the fuel is raised to an auxiliary:

tank positioned at a higher level, in order to feed the fuel by gravity to the carburetor of the motor.

1o In such devices it is desirable to provide an apparatus which will operate with great` certainty under widely varying conditions of low throttle opening and variations of the vacuum by which the device is operated.V

It is-also desirable'to design the apparatus so that it willhave a minimum number-of moving parts yand that such parts will be rugged and not affected by road vibrations and the like.

The object of the present invention is to improve and generally simplify y the 'construction and operation of fuel feeding de-'` vices of the character described, to provide a simple form of valve mechanism whereby a partially evacuated condition is maintained when fuel is being delivered to the auxiliary tank and whereby the tank is vented when the fuel is discharging to provide means whereby the rise and fall of the float within 39 the tank automatically actuates the valve, and further to provide a valve mechanism which is balanced successively both as to atmospheric and vacuum conditions. The fuel feeding device is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, `in which:

Fig. 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section of the fuel feeding device, said view showing the valve in a position where the vacuum is being maintained and fuel delivered,

Fig. 2 is a section similar to Fig. 1 but showing the vacuum and fuel `controlling valves closed and the vtank vented to permitdischarge of the fuel,

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. 4

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the'valve housing.

Fig. 5 is a .sectiontaken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.Y

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly Figs.` 1 and 2, A indicatesrin general an auxiliary fuel receiving tank provided with a bottom section 2, anda head member 3. Y Supported by the head member is a valve casing generally indicated aty B, and. the lower end of the casing is provided with a cylindrical extension 4,7which extends through a central opening in the head member` 3 and which is threaded to receive a se y curing and clampingnut 5, said nut serving the function of; securing the casing B with relation to the head of the tank, and

,also maintaining an air tight connection by interposing a packing gasket, as indicated at 6. Extending centrally through the casing is a passage 7 the upper end of which isA closed by means of a cap 8 threaded or otherwise secured therein. This cap is provided with a venting valve 9,-which controls the admission `or exclusion of atmospheric air to tank A, as will `hereinafter be described. Y Slidably mounted in the passage 7 is an elongated cylindrical shaped plug C in which is formed a plurality of longitudinally extending venting passages 10, these passages communicating at one end-withy the interior of the tank and at the opposite or upper `end with the venting valve 9. Suitably secured 'to the lower end of the plug is a valve stem 11. Formed near the upper end` thereof Vis a collar 12, and supported by said collar are a pair ofvalves, such as indicated at 13 and 14. Thesevalves are provided with stems such as indicated at 15, which guide themwith relation to the collar 12, and the lower` end'of'theV valve casing.

Formed in the valve casing are a pair ofV passages, such as indicated at 16 and 17, and connected with the respective passages `are pipes 16a and-17, the pipe 16a being connected with theintake manifold of an engine, while the pipe 17a is connected with a source of fuel supply such as the manifold tank on amotor vehicle. Valve 14 valigns with the passage 17,-, while valve 13 aligns with a passage 16. The valves 13 and 14 areadapted to intermittently open and close said passages and the manner in which this is accomplished will later be described.

Secured to the bottom section 2 of the tank, and centrally thereof is a casing 18, in which is mounted a check valve generally indicated at D. The upper end of the casing extends into the tank, and it forms a guide for the lower end of the valve stem 11. r1`he valve stem is provided with two collars, one indicated at 12, which is formed near the upper end, and a second collar indicated at 19 which is formed near the lower end. Mounted within the tank and slidable on the valve stem is a float generally indicated at E. This float is annular or ring shaped, as shown, and it is provided with a' disc like bottom section 20, through which the valve stem extends. The Hoat is free to rise and fall with relation to the valve stem but its movement upwardly or downwardly thereon is limited by the collars 12 and 19. This movementis utilized to raise the plug C Ato `assume the position shown in Fig. 2 whentlie tank is filled withfuel, and finally to lower the plug -to :the position shown in F 1 when the tank lis substantially emptied.

Formed in one side of the valve casing B is a slot 22, (see Figs. 3 and This slot communicates with the central rpassage 7. Pivot-ally mounted on the side ofthe valve casing, as at 23 is, a ydead beat lever 2l, the inner end of the lever vbeingfcoimected with a plug C by means :of a pin 25, while trie ou'terend'of the lever is attached to a tension spring 27. The dead beat'lever and the spring are provided forthe purpose of imparting aquick movement to the plug C Vat opposite ends of lits stroke r`so 'as to quickly openrand close the valves 13 and 1i when suction is to be applied, or the tank is 'to be vented as the case maybe.

In actual operation the float Will normally assume the posi-tion -shownin Fig. 1 when the tank is empty or substantially so, and theplug C will assume its lowermost position and valves 13 and la will be open. If pipe llnlis connected With a Asource of fuel supply and the pipe 16 with the intake manifold of a carbureteig a partially evacuated condition will be Vmain-tained wit-hin the tank and fuel will be admit-ted through pipe 17a. As'fuel is admitted float E willv gradually rise, and as it rises the bottom portion 2() thereof lwill engage the valve stem guides 30 of the collar 12. The vcollar 12, together with the valves 13 and 1li ywill `accordingly rise slowly and-upwardly with the doat as the fuel levelincreases, Iand so will'the valve stem 11 and the'p'lug C, and a-s the plug C is connected with the vdead beat lever through means of pin 25, this will swing about itslpivot 23v until spring 22s'traightens out. A Yslight further -movement of the float, lthe valve stem Aand the plug willv cause the spring 27 to move over center and a pull will then be exerted which will almost instantly swing the dead beat lever to the opposite end of its stroke. A quick upward movement will thus be imparted to the plug, the valve stem and the valves 13 and 1l actuated thereby and the passages 16 and 17 will be closed, hence shuttingoff the suction .and also the fuel supply. At the same time the tank will be vented, as valve 9 will be opened, as shown in Fig. 2 when it is engaged bythe plugC as this reaches the upper end of its stroke. Atmospheric air will accordingly enter by the valve 9 and the' passages 10 into the tank, and the fuel will accordingly be free to discharge through the check valve D and flow by gravity to the carbureter.

The reverse operation will take place when the fuel discharges. That is, the float E will gradually settle as the fuel level decreases, and it will finally engage the lower collar 19 andthereby impart a downward movement to the valve stem and .the plug. `Valves 13 and 11- however will now remain seated until sufficient movement has been imparted to swing the dead beat lever over center, when it will pull the' plug and the valve stem downwardly with a rapid movement. The lower end of the plug will, during this rapid movement, strike the ianges of the valves 13 and 14 with a han'nnerlike movement and thus rapidly unseat them, thus the venting valve 9 is at the same time closed -as it is released by the plug, and a partially evacuated condition will immediately be established, which causes the check valve D to close, and fuel to be supplied by the pipe 17a.

lt should be noted that the moving parts employed are simple and rigid in 'construction, and few in number as the plug C, together with the valve stem 11, and collars 12 and 19 may be considered one member, and the valves 9, 13 and 14 the only other movable members. These members are rigidly secured in both of their positions by the tension of the spring 25, but -their positions are automatically changed by {ioat action. Road vibrations, jolts etc. are not liable to affect the operation of the mechanism whatsoever.

It should be noted that the lower casing 1S is provided with an enlarged discharge duct, suchas indicated at 31, and that this is vented by means of a small standpipe, such as indicated at 32. The standpipe is provided with -a perforated cap `33, which may be removed if it 'is ever necessary to prime the device.` The enlarged duct 31 serves as a fuel reservoir and it is designed to amplytake care of the fuel supply'to the carbureter during the period that the tank is refilled. y

It should also be noted that the check valve is pivotally mounted on a removable plug 34 which is cylindrical in cross `section, as shown at 85. This plug has a long seat and is secured in the casing 18 by means of a screw and nut, such as 'indicated at 36. It is thus rigidly and tightly secured in position to avoid leakage, and it is furthermore rotatable so that the check valve 19 may assume the best angular position for different operating conditions. That is, -a position where it will readily open or close when the fuel discharges, and vice versa.

lt should also be noted that the valve casing B is provided with an auxiliary cover or dust cap 37, which is vented as at 38 to admit air to the valve 9. v This dust cap encloses the valve9, the dead beat lever and the spring 24. It also excludes dust` from these parts and from the slot 22. The dust cover may be secured in any manner desired, but a simple method of securing the same is here disclosed. That is, perforations are formed in opposite endsthrough which the pipe fittings for pipes 16 and 17a may be inserted, thus permitting the fittings to also serve the function of securing the dust cover in place.

While certain features of the present invention are more; or less specifically described, I wish it understood that various changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims, similarly that the materials and finishes of the several parts employed may be such as the manufacturer may decide, or varying conditions or uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

, 1. ln a device of the character described, a tank; a valve casing secured thereto and having a pair of passages formed therein, one being a fuel delivering passage and the other a suction passage; a fuel and a sucf' tion controlling valve,'one Vfor each passage, a venting valve in oneV end of the valve casing; a plug slidably mounted in the valve casing and having passages formed therein communicating at one end with the venting valve and at the opposite end with the interior ofthe tank; a spring actuated dead beat lever connected at .one end with the plug; a float within the tank whereby movement is imparted to the plug and the dead beat lever; and means actuated by the plug whereby the venting valve, the suction and the fuel valves are intermittently opened and closed in unison.

2. ln a device of the character described, a tank; a valve casing secured thereto and having a pair of passages formed therein, one being a fuel delivering` passage and the other a suction passage; a fuel and a suction controlling valve, one for each passage; a venting valve in one end of the valve casing; a plug slidably mounted in the valve casing and having. passages formed therein communicating at one end with the venting valve and at the opposite end with the interior of the tank; a spring actuated dead beat lever connected at one end with the plug; a float within the tank whereby movement is imparted to the plug andthe dead beat lever; a stem on the plug extending downwardly into the tank; an'uppcr and a lower collar formed on the stem, said float being movable between the collars and adapt-n ed to engage the sameV to impart a sliding movement to the plug inan upward direction when the float rises and in a downward direction when the floatV approaches its lowermost limit, said upper collar forming a support for the suction and fuel valve, and serving the function of raising-the same to a closed position when the ioat and plug move upwardly. i y

3. inta device of the character described a tank, a valve casing secured thereto and having a pair of passages formed therein, one being a fuel delivering passage and the other a suction passage, said valve casing also having a venting opening formed vtherein, a plug. slidably mounted in the valve casing, aV rod extending downwardly therefrom, afloatfsurrounding the rod and having a freeupiand down movement Von the rod, a collar adjacent the upper end ofthe rod and a collar adjacent the lower end of the rod between which thel float moves, and which the float engages to impart movement to the rod and the plug, a pair of valves carried by the upper collar and adapted to open and close the fuel delivering and the suction passage, and means actuated by movement of the rod and plug for opening or closing the venting opening.

li. ln a vdevice of the character described a tank, a valve casing secured thereto and having a pair of passages formed therein, one being a fuel delivering passage and the other a suction passage, said casing also having a venting opening formed therein, a rod vertically movable with relation to the casing, said rod having an upper and a lower shoulder formed therein, a float freely movable on the rod between the shoulders and adapted to impart vertical movement to the rod either in an upward or a downward direction, a dead beat lever connected with the rod and adapted toretain the rod either in a raised or a lowered position, anda plurality of valves actuated by the rod, said valves intermittently opening and closing the fuel inlet, the suction and the venting passages.

wiLL'mM n. rmwrrr.

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