US1615512A - Electrically-controlled fuel-inlet device - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 25, 1927 1,615,512

w. J. HARKIN ELECTRICALL-Y CONTROLLED FUEL INLET DEVICE Filed August 51, 1925 gnmwto'r,

Patented Jan. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRIGALLY-CONTROLLED FUEL-INLET DEVICE.

Application filed August 31, 1923. Serial No. 660,445.

My invention relates to improvements in electrically controlled devices for governing the flow of fuel to internal combustion engines and is a continuation in part of my application Serial Number 554,040 filed April 17, 1922.

The object of my invention is to provide electrically operated means arranged to be ccmnected with the generator circuit of the engine of a motor vehicle for controlling or governing the supply of fuel to said en- "1116. b A more specific object is to provide electrically operated means that may be used in connection with and in addition to the main carbureter of an engine to supply fuel to the engine for slow speed or idling purposes, said means being adapted to be connected with the fuel inlet passageway to the engine at a point between the engine and the throttle valve and being arranged to be closed by electrical means and opened by the pressure of a spring.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Before describing the invention in detail I desire to have it understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction and arrangement of parts which I have illustrated and shall hereinafter describe and that various changes may be made in the mechanism shown without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, and that the phraseology which I employ is for the purpose of description and not for limitation.

In the drawings the figure is a view in cross section of an electrically operated fuel inlet device constructed in accordance with my invention.

In the art of fuel carburetion one of the most difficult problems usually encountered in carbureter construction and adjustment is the problem of providing a carbureter that will operate with maximum efficiency at both high and low speeds of the engine, it usually being found that, when a carbureter is adjusted to the greatest possible efficiency for high speeds of the engine said carbureter will not operate satisfactorily when the engine is running at the very slow speed commonly termed idling. The present invention overcomes this difiiculty by providing a separate low speed fuel inlet device arranged to be opened by suction when the engine is running at. a very slow speed to supply fuel for idling the engine and to be closed automatically when the engine is run- :ing at a higher speed.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates a body having a chamber 2 communicating by a passageway 3 with a boss 4; to which a fuel inlet pipe, not shown, may be connected. A needle valve 6, having an enlarged upper end 7 that screws into the housing 1 is disposed axially within the chamber 2 with its point 8 in alignment with and arranged to enter the passageway 3, the outer end of said needle valve being provided with means 9 by which it may be adjusted to vary the area of the valve opening 3 through which fuel may enter,

The chamber 2 is connected by a passageway 10 with a chamber 11 wherein is disposed a valve stem 12 having at one end a pointed valve member 13 arranged to close the passageway 10 and having at the other end a pointed valve member 14: arranged to close a valve port 15 in the end of a. shank or stem 16 that has a tubular bore 17 within which a portion of the valve stem 12 is disposed. The tubular shank 16 is preferably of magnetic material and projects through the end 18 of the housing 1 which end and housing are preferably of nonmagnetic material.

Secured to the valve stem 12 and disposed within the chamber 11 is an armature 19, preferably of cylindrical shape, and having an annular flange 20 that terminates short of the wall of the chamber 11 so that fuel may pass freely through said chamber. A compression spring 21 between the wall 18 and flange 20 tends to urge the valve stem 12 to the left as seen in the drawings to close the valve 13. The valve stem 12 is preferably guided within the passageway 17 in the shank 16 by any suitable means that will not obstruct the flow of fuel as for instance portions of said stem 12 may be of triangular cross sectional shape or may be provided with fin members that slide in the bore 17.

The end of the shank 16 may be screwed into, or otherwise connected with the body portion 22 of a carbureter, preferably above the throttle valve, so that when the throttle valve is closed maximum suction through this fuel supply device will be exerted.

An electromagnet coil or winding 23 is provided on the shank 16 and is connected in the generator circuit of the motor vehicle on which the device is installed. The generator, being connected directly with the engine, will deliver very little current through the coil 28 when the engine is idling or running slowly but will deliver more current as the speed of the engine increases.

In operation, when the engine is running at any speed higher than the slow or idling speed the coil 28 will be energized and by magnetizing the shank 16 will cause the armature 19 to be attracted or drawn toward such shank 16 thus moving the valve stem 12 so that the valve 14 will close the passage way 15 and prevent the low of fuel to the carburetor. As the speed of the engine decreases the amount of current in the generator circuit decreases so that when the engine is running at the slow or idling speed the force of the spring 21 overbalances the force of the electromagnet and moves the valve stem to the left opening the passageway 15 by withdrawin valve 14-. At the time this opening of the valve 14 takes place the throt tle valve in the carbureter 22 will be closed and the suction of the engine acting on the armature 19 and flange 20 will hold the valve 13 open slightly and draw in fuel from the chamber 2 which fuel will pass on through the bore 17 and into the engine.

hen the engine is stopped no suction-will be exerted and the pressure of the spring 21 will cause the valve member 13 to close the passageway 10 thereby preventing leakage of fuel. If desired the valve 13 may be dis p'ensed with and a suction operated check valve inserted in fuel inlet pipe 5. Air may also be admitted through pipe 5 along with the fuel if desired. 25 is an engine driven generator.

The needle valve 8 may be adjusted so that the proper amount of fuel for idling purposes will be admitted thus preventing any waste of fuel and tending to increase the general efliciency of an engine.

The device may be quickly and easily installed in connection with any ordinary carbureter so as to furnish fuel for idling purposes thus making it possible to adjust the carburetor for maximum efliciency at the higher speed without reference to low speed or idling.

By connecting the device in the generator circuit the same is made to operate automatically, opening when the engine is run ning idly at slow speed and being closed electromagnetically when the engine is running at higher speeds.

lVhile I have described the device as particularly adapted for use in supplying fuel to an engine, at slow speeds, for idling purposes, it will be understood that its use is not so limited but that the same may be used for supplying fuel to an engine at higher speeds.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose a prefer-red form of my invention but it will be understood that the disclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made as are within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a fuel inlet system including a throttle valve, of valve controlled means for supplying fuel at a point between the engine and the throttle valve for slow speeds of the engine, and electromagnetic devices arranged to be operated by an increase in the speed of the engine for rendering said fuel supply means inoperative.

2. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a fuel inlet system includin g a carbureter, having a throttle valve, of valve controlled means for supplying fuel at a point between the engine and the throttlevalve for slow speeds of the engine and electrical devices governed by the speed of the engine for controlling the movement of said independent fuel supply means.

8. The combination with an internal combustion engine having an electrical circuit supplied with current by a generator driven by the engine, of fuel inlet means connected with said englne, a throttle valve for closing said fuel inlet means, independent fuel supply means connected with said fuel inlet means between the engine and the throttle valve, a valve in said independent fuel supply means, rcsilient means for urging said valve into an open position to permit the inlet of fuel and an electromagnet connected with said generator circuit and arranged to exert a force that varies directly with the speed of the engine to close said valve.

4. A device for supplying fuel for slow speed purposes to an internal combustion engine, embodying a body member having two chambers formed therein and having a passageway connecting said two chambers, means for admitting fuel to one of said chambers, a tubular shank forming an electromagnet core and having an axial bore communicating between said two chambers, the outer end of said shank being arranged to be connected with a fuel inlet conduit of an internal combustion engine and said bore being of reduced diameter near the outer end of said shank to form a valve port, a valve stem smaller than said bore movable axially therein and having a valve member on one end, said valve members being arranged to close the passageway between said two chambers, an armature on said valve stem Within said larger chamber, a spring urging said armature away from said electromagnet core and a winding on said core arranged to have electric current flow therethrough to magnetize said core.

This foregoing specification signed at Seattle, Wash, July 31, 1923.

WALTER J. HABKIN.

Images