US1721846A - Internal-combustion engine - Google Patents

Description

J y 1929- F. x. ATZBERGER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aug. 26, 1927 ,,,,,,,,,iii/// INVENTOR /7TZ52 are ATTORNEY FEHNK 6 Patented July 23, 1929.

firs a sra'r FRANK X, ATZBERGER, or RIDGEFIELD, unw JERSEY.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application filed August 26, 1927. Serial No. 215,535.

Theinvention relates to internal combustion engines of the type which include a cooling system in which a circulation of water constitutes the coolingmediumf Such systems, particularly when the engines are installed in automotive vehicles, are liable to become frozen when the temperature is at or below the freezing point, and in such cases ofttiines result in serious injury to the engine. The object of the invention is to provide a novel and simple means whereby injury to the engine, as a result of freezing up of the cooling system will be efliciently and positively prevented. The invention will be fully de scribed hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates an example of the invention without defining its limits, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation partly broken away of an engine equipped with the novel means; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view with parts in sec tion; and Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic crosssection on the line 3-8 of Fig. 2.

The engine primarily maybe of any usual type and conventional construction and includes the customary block 10 in which the cylinders 11 are located; in the illustrated example a head 12 is secured upon the block 10 by bolts 13 in the well known way. The block 10 and head 13 are provided respectively with chambers 14: and 15 which are in communication with each other and with the customary radiator or equivalent heat exchanging device and comprise part of the cooling system through which the water or other cooling fluid circulates.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the chambers 14 and 15 are closed at their one ends and open to the exterior of the engine at their other ends to receive tubes 16 and 17 respectively which preferably are closed at their inner ends and open at their outer ends; the tubes are made of brass, copper or other hard metal having the inherent characteristic of returning to its original position and preferably are of elongated oval and flat form in cross section, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The tubes 16 and 17 furthermore are dimensionedto snugly fit the openings at the ends of the chambers 14 and 15, and if desired, may be suitably packed to prevent leakage at these points. The aforesaid tubes extend throughout said chambers 14 and 15, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and are fixed in place therein in any convenient manner; in the preferred arrangement the tubes are provided at their outer, opencnds with outwardly projecting flanges 18 adapted to hem surface engagement with the engine block 10 and head'12 respectively for the accommodation of bolts or the like 19,

whereby said tubes are removably secured in he chambers 14: and 15.:

With this arrangement the tubes 16 and 17 are easily inserted into the respective chambers 14: and 15'until the flanges 18 engage the block 10 and head 12 respectively, said'flanges, in addition totheir other functions, serving thus to define the operative position of said tubes" in the respective chambers. When in place the tubes 16 and-17 present surfaces of material area in the several chambers without however interfering with the circulation-of the cooling water ther ethrough.

If at any time the water or its equivalent in the chambers 14: and 15 should freeze, the

pressure of the resulting ice upon the surfaces of the tubes 16 and 17 will compress the latter, so that any pressures thus developed will be absorbed by said tubes and consequcntly will have no effect to injure the engine. As the tubes 16 and 17 are thus compressed by the pressure of the frozen cooling medium, the air within said tubes will be forced therefromthrough the outer open ends of said tubes, so that no effective resistance to the aforesaid compression will be developed in the tubes. When, due to the .thawing of the frozen water or its equivalent, the pressure on the tubes is relieved, the inherent tendency of the metal to resume its normal position, will restore the tubes to their origi nal cross-sectional form. The tubes in question thus provide an adequate and efiicient protection to the engine against injury from freezing up of the cooling system. By having the inner ends of the tubes 16 and 17 closed circulation of air therethrough whereby undesirable chilling or cooling of the engine might take place, particularly in the case of a swiftly moving automotive vehicle, is avoided. Furthermore, the chambers 14 and 15 are easily provided with the openings through which the tubes 16 and 17 may be inserted, and the latter are easily placed in position in and removed from said chambers at will. Repairs to the tubes or replacement thereof may thus be accomplished with a minimum of effort and in a minimum of time. The arrangement in addition is such that the devices may be readily incorporated in existmg engines at very small cost.

The improvement is of greater efliciency than an arrangement which includes closed tubes, for instance, as shown in my Patent #1,580,633, for the reason that the air in the closed tubes creates cushions therein which resist the compression of said tubes and thereby neutralize the beneficial effects thereof. Also in case the tubes develop leaks and permit the cooling medium or water to enter the same, such water or its equivalent may easily pass out of the open ends of said tubes, whereby freezing of any water which may leak into said tubes and interfere with the intended operation thereof is prevented. If it is found that the completely open ends of the tubes develop too great a cooling of the engine, due to the cool air in said tubes, provision may be made to reduce the area of said open ends without interfering with the exit of any water therefrom as described above; in such cases the air in said tubes would be trapped to a certain extent and consequently would become heated and thereby add to the efiiciency of the engin e, without however being prevented from passing out of Silld tubes should the latter become compressed because ofthe freezing up of the cooling fluid. Furthermore, the closed tubes located in the closed chan'ibers, as in said patent, present structural problems which are difficult and expensive to overcome.

Various changes in the specific form shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. The combination of an internal combustion engine provided with cooling chambers comprising part of a circulatingwater cooling system, said chambers having openings to the outer air, and tubes of hard metal having an elongated form in cross-section fitted in said openings and extending into said chambers, said tubes having their inner ends closed and provided with openings communicating with the outer air at their outer ends. 2. The combination of an internal combustion engine provided with cooling chambers comprising part of a circulating water cooling system, said chambers having openings to the outer air, tubes of hardmetal having elongated flat form in cross-section fitted in said openings and extending into said chambers, said tubes having their inner ends closed and their outer ends open, flanges at the outer ends of said tubes adapted to lie against said engine, and fastening means extending through said flanges into said engine for securing said tubes in place. I

3. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder block, a head carried by said block, said block and head being provided with cooling chambers comprising parts of a circulating water cooling system and having openings to the outer air, hard metal tubes of elongated, flat cross-section fitted into said openings and extending into said chambers, said tubes having their inner ends closed and their outer ends open, outwardly projecting flanges at the open ends of said tubes adapted to lie against the surfaces of said block and head to determine the operative position of said tubes in said chambers, and bolts extending through said flanges into said block and head respectively for fixing said tubes in place.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK X. ATZBERGER.

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