US1471417A - Means to maintain a. suitable pressure in the liquid-fuel-storage tanks of airplanes - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 23, 1923. 1,471,417

. A. C. E. RATEAU M ANS TO MAINTAIN A SUITABLE PRESSURE IN THE LIQUID FUEL STORAGE TANKS OF AIRPLANES Filed Nov. 7. 1922 Source of air under pressure f I ENTOR. m/ dwfl 22: 41.! 415224...-

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Get. 23, 1923.

AUGUSTE CAHILLE EDMOND RATEAU, 0F PARIS, FRANCE.

MEANS TO MAINTAIN A SUITABLE PRESSURE IN THE LI QUID-FUEL-STORAGE TANKS 0F AIR'PLANES. 4

Application filed November '0, 1922. Serial No. 599,519.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTE CAMILLE EDMOND RATEAU, a citizen of the Republic of France, and resident of Paris, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means to Maintain a Suitable Pressure in the Liquid-Fuel-Sto-rage Tanks of Airplanes, of which the following is a specification.

My inventionrelates to means adapted to increase the air pressure in the liquid fuel storage tank of an airplane above the pressure of the surrounding atmosphere, when the airplane reaches higher altitudes, the airplane being propelled by means of a supercharged motor, 1. e.; a motor operating with air supplied at a greater pressure than that of the surrounding atmosphere.

Airplanes and all other types of flying machines equipped with supercharged motors frequently use pumps to displace the fuel liquid of the tank or tanks in which it s stored, in such a manner as to discharge it directly or indirectly to the carburetor or carburetors. The pumps have to overcome the difference in pressure existing between the surrounding air and the air fed under.

pressure to the motor: they have further to overcome friction losses in piplng. Under these conditions it frequently occurs that these apparatuses when reaching certa n altitudes where the surrounding pressure is low, do not perform their duties rel ably and discharge the liquid fuel in an irregular manner which causes misses in the motor.

By means of my invention I supply the liquid fuel to the pump or pumps at a sufficiently constant pressure regardless of the altitude.

The figure is a diagrammatic vertical cross-secti on through one embodiment of my invention.

liquid fuel from tank B Pump A receives through pipe 8 and discharges the liquid fuel wide to cover the orifice 13 of pipe G. Between pipe G and pipe 11 is interposed chamber H in which is located a closed box I, the upper and lower sides of which are two diaphragms. Box I controls directly piston F b means of stem J. Spring K held by a justable nut L allows for the regulation of the apparatus-this is to say, the regulation of the pressure in tank B to a predetermined value. M is a hole in nut L allowing atmospheric pressure to enter pipe G and to reach tank B when piston F in its downward course clears orifice 13. O is a stop for lower diaphragm of box I. Syis a source of air under pressure, such as a supercharger. X is theairplane motor.

As the airplane ascends box I dilates until piston F closes orifice 13. Atmospheric pressure is cut off from tank 13. When piston F ascends further orifice 13 becomes open and the air pressure of conduit D through pipe E, pipe G and pipe 11 reaches tank B.

When the air pressure supplied by conduit v D is too high, it compresses box I closing partially or completely orifice 13. It will be seen that the pressure maintained by means of reducing valve 10 in tank B is only a fraction of the pressure prevailing in conduit D.

It will 'be seen that I provide means to maintain the suction of pump A sufficiently constant to provide for its proper and reliable operation.

Further fuel tank B having to deal with 7 light pressures can be built of thin plate, the saving of weight being of material importance.

When tank B is in communication with the atmosphere it has no pressure to take care of and when this communication is cut off tank B has to contend with the air pressure controlled by reducing valve 10 which can be adjusted to maintain approximately the pressure of the atmosphere prevailing at the time atmospheric pressure was cut off.

I claim: 1

1. In a fuel feeding device for a flying machine propelled by a supercharged motor means to control the pressure in the fuel tank which consists in reducing the pressure of the air under pressure delivered to the motor and applying said reduced pressure to the fuel tank.

2. In a fuel feeding device for a flying machine propelled by a supercharged motor means to control the pressure in the fuel tank by cutting ofi? the communication of the fuel tank with the surrounding atmos-' phere when it reaches a predetermined value and thereafter appi ing the pressure of the air delivered by th s supercharger to the motor automatically reduced so as to maintain in the fuel tank a pressure substantially equal to the pressure of the atmosphere prevailing at the time of the cut off.

3. In a fuel feeding device for a flying machine propelled by a supercharged motor automatic means to close the communication of the fuel tank with atmosphere for a predetermined value of surrounding atmos- 15 pheric pressure and means to reduce the pressure of the air under pressure delivered to the motor adapted to maintain in the fuel tank a pressure substantially equal to the pressure of the atmosphere at the time such pressure was cut oil,

4L. In a fuel feeding device for a flying machine propelled by a supercharged motor and havin a pump adapted to displace the liquid fuel from a tank to the carburetor, means to maintain the pump suction Within an acceptable range for its proper operation which consists in submitting the liquid fuel Within the tank to a fraction of the pressure of the air delivered to the motor by the supercharger.

AUGUSTE (CADllllLlLE EIDBIQND IRATEAU.

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