US2548989A - Carburetion system - Google Patents

Description

Apm il?, 19M H. J. MCLEOD CARBURETION SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 13, 1948 INVENToR. 7e

April 17, 1951 H. J. MCLEOD 2,548,989

CARBURETION SYSTEM Filed Jan. 13, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

faQ/7 Eff/M356@ Patented Apr. 17 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARBURETION SYSTEM Henry J. McLeod, Gary, Ind. Application January 13, 1948, Serial No. 2,072

6Claims.

l This invention relates to improvements in liquid fuel carbureting systems for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to such a system for producing gas from liquid fuel, such as gasoline, for the operation of variable speed internal combustion engines, the primary object of the invention being to provide a highly practical and eicient system of this character which is relatively compact and simple in structure and in operation, and can be produced at relatively low cost for devices of this character.

Another important object of the inveition is the provision of a carbureting system of the above-indicated character which provides more economical and eicient utilization of liquid fuel, whereby substantial economies are obtained when aconventional carburetor is replaced by such a carbureting system.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a carbureting system of the character indicated above which supplies air-mixed gas,

derived from a conventional liquid fuel supply,

. for the operation of an internal combustion engine, instead of the air-mixed, merely atomized liquid supplied by conventional curbureting systems, the desired results being achieved by progressively more finely atomizing the liquid fuel in the presence of heat, mainly derived from the engine, until the fuel assumes the form of gas in advance of its delivery to the carburetor of the system for charging the engine.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein, for present purposes of illustration only, a specic embodiment of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is atop plan view.

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse vertical section taken on the linev 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken through the primary and secondary vaporizing and heating chambers.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taken through the secondary chamber and its air inlet valve.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section taken through the carburetor tube and primary and secondary chambers.

Figure 6 is a side elevation taken at right angles to Figure 5 with the primary chamber in vertical longitudinal section.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 1 generally designates a Vertical carburetor tube provided at its upper end with an air filter and having a ange 8 at its lower end for bolting, as indicated at 9, to the engine intake manifold Ill in the usual way. In the lower part of the carburetor tube is a butterfly-type speed valve II on a horizontal shaft I 2, and in the expanded upper part 1' ofthe tube a butterflytype choke valve I3 on a horizontal shaft I 4.

On a level between the valves II and I3 and near the expanded tube portion 1', and axially aligned at right angles to the shafts I2 and I 4, a stud I5 and a tubular tting I6 are threaded into opposite sides of the carburetor tube, the stud I5 acting solely as support for the primary atomizing and heating chamber I1, and the fitting I6 acting as support for the secondary atomizing and heating chamber I8, and also as the means for charging the carburetor tube 1 with gaseous fuel from the secondary chamber.

The primary chamber I1, as shown in Figures 3 and 6, is cylindrical and horizontally elongated, comprising an outer, preferably aluminum, cylindrical shell I 9 covered with heat insulation 20, such as asbestos, with the stud I5 threaded into one side of the shell, with insulated material rings 2I set into and closing the opposite ends. Cup-like metal heads 22 are set into the rings 2! and supportably receive and close the opposite ends of a metal cylinder 23, the cylinder 23 thereby being substantially spaced from the shell I9 so as to del-lne an engine exhaust gas chamber 24. The heads 22 are axially traversed by liquid fuel atomizing jets 25, to which are connected branch fuel lines 2B leading from opposite sides of a T-fitting 21 connected with the liquid fuel line 28 leading from the fuel pump 29 which draws liquid fuel, such as gasoline, from the fuel tank 30. The pressure exerted by the pump is suicient to cause the jets 25 to fill the cylinder 23 with atomized liquid fuel, and to cause the atomized fueltherein to pass upwardly through a T-tting 3l having its standard 32 passing through the top of the shell I9 and threaded into the top of the cylinder 23, as shown in Figure 5, and having heated tubes 33 leading from its cross-head 34 and connected to open-fittings 35 in the opposite ends of the secondary chamber I8.

The heated tubes 33 are Wound with wire electric heating elements 36, and an outside asbestos covering 31, one end of 'the coils 36 being together connected to a wire 38, and the remaining ends of the coils being together connected to a wire 39, these wires being suitably connected to lend thereof.

the electrical system (not shown) associated with the engine (not shown).

The secondary chamber I8 is the same in construction as the primary chamber Il, except for the absence of the T-iitting 3l, and has an air inlet valve 38 traversing the outer side thereof, as shown in Figure 4. The air inlet valve 38 may be of any suitable adjustable needle-type with the axial needle 39 adjustable in the tubular valve body 40 which passes through the outer shell I9 and connects at its inner end with the cylinder 23', by means of an apertured boss 4l with its bore 42 opening into the interior of the cylinder 23.

For supplying engine exhaust gas to the spaces 24 of the chambers l1 and I8, a pipe 43 leads from the engine exhaust manifold 44 at a forward point and has branches 45 which open through the bottom of the outer chamber shells I8 near one Outlet branch pipes 46 lead from the opposite ends of the outer chamber shells to carry off the exhaust gas to a pipe 4T which is connected to a rearward point of the engine exhaust manifold 44.

The above-mentioned tubular fitting i6, supporting the secondary chamber I8 on the carburetor tube 1, extends radially through the outer shell I9, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, at a point intermediate the ends of the chamber, and has its radially-inward end connected to a tubular boss 48 by means of which the fitting l5 communicates with the interior of the cylinder 23', so that the fuel gas Vformed in the cylinder 23 can pass therefrom into the carburetor tube l for charging into the engine intake manifold l0.

A liquid fuel drain pipe 49 traversing the lower side of the primary chamber Il leads from the bottom of the cylinder 23 to the fuel line 28 to drain away any liquid fuel Which might otherwise accumulate in the cylinder 23 while the system is not in operation. Another drain pipe 50 traversing the lower side of the secondary chamber I8 leads from the bottom of its cylinder 23' through a point l on the .adjacent side of the carburetor tube 1 at the juncture of the lower end of the carburetor tube with its flange S, so that any vapor which may condense in the cylinder 23' while the engine is inoperative may drain oif into the engine manifold 44.

In operation, the engine with which the abovedescribed system is associated being in operation, the fuel pump 29 draws liquid fuel, such as gasoline, from the tank 3B, and forces the liquid through the main fuel line 28 with sufficient pressure to cause the primary chamber jets 25 to atomize and spray liquid fuel in the interior of l the cylinder 23. The cylinder 23 being heated by engine exhaust gas in the space 24, the atomized fuel is warmed as it passes from the cylinder 23, and further warmed as it passes through the electrically-heated tubes 33 on its Way to the secondary chamber. The heated liquid fuel in atomized condition is drawn into the secondary cylinder 23 through the connections 35 in such a fine mist that the heat of the cylinder 23', derived from the engine exhaust gas-heated space 24', is sufficient `to turn the mist into gas, under sufficient pressure to pass through the fitting it into the interior of the carburetor tube 1. To render the gas produced in the secondary chamber adequate for combustion in the associated engine, sufficient air for admixture to the gas is admitted into the cylinder 23' through the air inlet valve 38, adjustment of the needle 39 determining an efficient air and gas mixture.

I claim:

l. In a device for supplying a mixture of airl and vaporized liquid fuel to the tube of a carburetor of an internal combustion engine having an exhaust manifold, said device comprising a primary chamber for heating liquid fuel and having atomizing jets at its opposite ends, a liquid fuel force pump connected in supply relation to the jets of said primary chamber, an outlet intermediate the ends of said primary chamber, a secondary chamber having openings at its opposite ends connected to said outlet for further atomizing the fuel received from said primary chamber, said secondary chamber having an outlet intermediate its ends, means adapted to be connected in communication with the exhaust manifold of the engine arranged in heating relation to both of said chambers whereby fuel present in said primary chamber is warmed prior to entering said secondary chamber and whereby the further atomized fuel present in said secondary chamber is sufficiently heated to pass into gaseous form, an outside air inlet intermediate the ends of said secondary chamber for admitting air for admixture to the gas present in said secondary chamber, and a conduit leading said outlet of the secondary chamber and entering said carburetor tube for conveying the gas and air mixture into the carburetor tube, a choke valve in said carburetor tube above the point of entrance of said conduit in said carburetor tube, and a speed valve in said carburetor tube below said point of entrance of said conduit.

2. In a device for supplying a mixture .of air and vaporized liquid fuel to the tube of a carburetor of an internal combustion engine having an exhaust manifold, said device comprising a primary chamber for heating liquid fuel and having atomizing jets at its opposite ends, a liquid fuel force pump connected in supply relation to the jets of said primary chamber, an outlet intermediate the ends of said primary chamber, a secondary chamber having openings at its opposite ends connected to said outlet for further atomizing the fuel received from said primary chamber, said secondary chamber having an outlet intermediate its ends, means adapted to be connected in communication with the exhaust manifold of the engine arranged in heating relation to both of said chambers whereby fuel present in said primary chamber is warmed prior to entering said secondary chamber and whereby the further atomized fuel present in said secondary chamber is sufficiently heated to pass into gaseous form, an outside air inlet intermediate the ends of said secondary chamber for admitting air for admixture to the gas present in said secondary chamber, and a conduit leading said outlet of the secondary chamber and entering said carburetor tube for conveying the gas and air mixture into the carburetor tube.

3. In a device for supplying a mixture of air 'and vaporized liquid fuel to the tube of a carburetor of an internal combustion engine having an exhaust manifold, said device comprising a primary chamber for heating liquid fuel and having atomizing jets at its opposite ends, a liquid fuel force pump connected in supply relation to the jets of said primary chamber, an outlet intermediate the ends of said primary chamber, a secondary chamber having openings at its opposite ends connected to said outlet for further atomizing the fuel received from said primary chamber, said secondary chamber having an `outlet intermediate its ends, means adapted to be connected in communication with the exhaust manifold of the engine arranged in heating relation to both of said chambers whereby fuel present in said primary chamber is warmed prior to entering said secondary chamber and whereby 5 the further atomized fuel present in said secondary chamber is sufficiently heated to pass into gaseous form, an outside air inlet intermediate the ends of said secondary chamber for admitting air for admixture to the gas present in said secondary chamber, and a conduit leading said outlet of the secondary chamber and entering said carburetor tube for conveying the gas and air mixture into the carburetor tube, each of said chambers comprising an outer cylindrical shell closed at its ends, and an inner hollow cylinder spaced Within said outer shell to define an exhaust gas space with which said exhaust manifold is connected, said atomizing jets being arranged in the opposite ends of said inner cylinder. 4. In a device for supplying a mixture of air and vaporized liquid fuel to the tube of a carburetor of an internal combustion engine having an exhaust manifold, said device comprising a primary chamber for heating liquid fuel and having atomizing jets at its opposite ends, a liquid fuel force pump connected in supply relation to the jets of said primary chamber, an outlet intermediate the ends of said primary chamber, a secondary chamber having openings l:at its opposite ends connected to said outlet for further atomizing the fuel received from said primary chamber, said secondary chamber having an outlet intermediate its ends, means adapted to be connected in communication lwith the exhaust manifold of the engine arranged in heating relation to both of said chambers whereby fuel present in said primary chamber is warmed prior to entering said secondary chamber and whereby the further atomized fuel present in said sec- ILO ondary chamber is suiciently heated to pass into gaseous form, an outside air inlet intermediate the ends of said secondary chamber for admitting air for admixture to the gas present in said secondary chamber, and a conduit leading said outlet of the secondary chamber and entering said carburetor tube for conveying the gas and air mixture into the carburetor tube, each of said chambers comprising an outer cylindrical shell closed at its ends, and an inner hollow cylinder spaced within said outer shell to dene an exhaust gas space twith which said exhaust manifold is connected, said atomizing jets being arranged in the opposite ends of said inner cylinder, said jets being arranged axially in the ends of the inner cylinders of said primary and secondary chambers, the jets in the ends of the inner cylinder of said secondary chamber` being finer than the primary chamber jets.

5. In combination, a vertical carbureter tube, a pair of housings mounted on opposite sides o1' said tube and comprising transversely elongated primary and secondary chambers, means for heating said chambers, said primary chamber having atomizing jets in its opposite ends, means for supplying liquid fuel to said jets under pressure whereby fuel is heated and atomized Within said primary chamber, an outlet on said chamber intermediate its ends, said secondary chamber having openings in its opposite ends, a conduit connected to said primary chamber outlet having branches extending around opposite sides of said carbureter tube and connected with the :secondary chamber jets at opposite ends of said secondary chamber, said secondary chamber having a gas outlet intermediate its ends leading directly through the adjacent side of said carbureter tube to convey gas into the carbureter tube.

6. In combination, a vertical carbureter tube, a pair of housings mounted on opposite sides of said tube and comprising transversely elongated primary and secondary chambers, means for heating said chambers, said primary chamber having atomizing jets in its opposite ends, means for supplying liquid fuel to said jets under pressure 'whereby fuel is heated :and latomized within said primary chamber, an outlet o-n saidchamber intermediate its ends, said secondary chamber having openings in its opposite ends, a conduit connected to said primary chamber outlet having branches extending around opposite sides' of said carbureter tube and connected with the secondary chamber jets at opposite ends of said secondary chamber, said secondary chamber having a gas outlet intermediate its ends leading directly through the adjacent side of said carbureter tube to convey gas into the carbureter tube, an outside air inlet traversing the side of said secondary chamber opposite said gas outlet at a point intermediate the ends of said secondary chamber.

HENRY J. MCLEOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Y UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 572,797 Hathaway Dec. 8, 1896` 1,058,660 Davis Apr. 8, 1913 1,189,688 Hansen-Ellehammer July 4, 1916 1,795,037 Portail Mar. 3, 1931 2,172,537 Hilson et al Sept. 12, 1939 2,218,922 Newberry Oct. 22, 1940 2,306,897 Ollig Dec. 29, 1942

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