US2036619A

US2036619A - Throttling means for internal combustion engines

Info

Publication number: US2036619A
Application number: US738002A
Authority: US
Inventors: Brown Louis; Richard J Jones
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1934-08-01
Filing date: 1934-08-01
Publication date: 1936-04-07
Anticipated expiration: 1953-04-07

Description

April 7, 1936` L. BROWN Er AL 2,036,619

THROTTLING MEANS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES ATTORNEY April 7, 1936. L. BROWN ET A1. 2,036,619

THROTTLING MEANS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Aug. 1, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORSv ATTORNEY' Patented 7, 1936 'rimo'r'nmo mums 'son nimmt. conmus'rron imams Louis Brown and Richard J. Jones. San Antonio. Tu.

Application August l, 1984, Serial No. 738,002

'I Claims. (CL 'i4-513) This invention relates to a throttling means for use in controlling the speed of an internal combustion engine.

The invention has for one of its aims the pro- 5 vison of simple means by which the accelerator pedal of an automobile engine may be conveniently and automatically held in a set position without the continued application of foot pressure and in this way, the operator is relieved of l a portion of the strain incident to driving, particularly on long runs, in addition to which there is to be considered the reduced wear accompanying a uniform engine speed in contrast to the wear due to fluctuating engine speeds and, of

l course, a uniform engine speed avoids excessive fuel consumption and flooding the various fuel chambers.

'I'he invention also contemplates a novel governing means by which a constant engine speed may be maintained even though the load upon the engine is varied, due to hill climbing and other reasons, and it will be found that such constant engine speed is maintained without disturbing the previous setting of the accelerator pedal.

With further reference to the governor phase of the invention, it is pointed out that the setting of the governor is determined by the position of the accelerator pedal, with the result that the governor is operative at all engine speeds and requires no separate adjustment aside from ordinary and conventional accelerator pedal actuation to maintain a desired or required engine speed.

Another attribute of the invention resides in the fact that while-the invention providesfor the maintenance of a constant engine speed when such speed is'desred, nevertheless, the accelerator pedal embodied in the invention isoperated after the fashion in which a conventional accelerator is operated, providing a highly responsive means by which the speed of the engine may be either increased or decreased to meet the requirements of driving in congested places.

Another object of the invention is to provide a throttling means of the character indicated which may be easily and quickly applied to an engine, either during the course of manufacture or at anytime thereafter, without elaborate changes in the design of the engine and without the exercise of unusual skill.

A further object is to provide a structure of the character described which is of highly simplifled construction, durable in use and relatively cheap to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent .55 during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parte throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the I throttling means applied,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the controlling means applied, parts being shown in section,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view illustrating a governingunit em- 10 bodied in the invention, the view being taken on line 3 2 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line l-B l5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line O-l of Figure 1.

In the drawings, the numeral il designates an accelerator pedal which may, of course, be 20 pivotally mounted in any preferred manner.

In carrying out the invention, the accelerator pedal i0 is pivotally connected to a combination motion transmitting and valve rod i2, such connecticm being through the intervention of a 25 link l.

As shown in Figure 2, the combination motion transmitting and valve rod i2 extends longitudinally into a cylinder I6 from one end of the cylinder and has operative connection with a pis- 30 ton I8. More specifically, what might be said to be the inner end of the rod I2 is formed with a spherical head constituting a valve element. Such valve element co-acts with the piston i8 in controlling the fluid within the surrounding 35 chamber. That is to say, the piston i8 is longitudinally kported in the head thereof and the spherical head of the rod I2 is adapted to contact the valve seat at one end of such port.

When the spherical head of the rod I2 is in 40 seated position, the port in the piston is closed. On the other hand, when the spherical head of the rod i 2 is unseated, the uid in the surroundiizng lamber may pass freely through the pis- The cylinder it is rigidly mounted upon a bracket I'l which, in turn, is secured by bolts or the like to a support, such as the floor board of an automobile.

As illustrated in Figure 4, the cylinder il is 50 provided intermediate the ends thereof with a partition 22 dividing the cylinder into chambers 24 and 28.

Clearly, it is within the chamber 2l that the valved piston operates and, in addition, a body 5l of liquid. such as cil. is located within the enamber 24 for releasabiy securing the pedal in a set position.

From iin'tlier inspection of Figure 4. it will be seen that advancement of the pedal I will unseat the spherical head of the rod I2 and thereby allow lluid to pass through the ported head of the piston I8 and thereby permit o! advancement ofthe piston I8. With the unseating of the spherical head of the rod I2, such head is brought into motion transmitting engagement with the Inner end wall of a socket 30, the said socket being located in the diametrically enlarged end portion of a piston rod 34. The diametrically enlnrged socketed end portion of the piston rod 34 is shown to be provided with spaced ports 40| by which fiuid in the surrounding chamber 24 may enter the socket 3i) for passage through the ported head of the piston I8.

It is also shown in Figure 4 that a rather light expansion spring 44 is mounted `upon the accelerator rod i2 at a point between the piston I8 and a retainingl element 4B shouldered upon the rod I2. The spring provides a simple means by which the pedal I0 and the associated rod I2 are urged to the retracted positions shown in Figure 2 to normally inhibit the passage of uid through the ported piston I8.

Thus, when the accelerator pedal has been advanced to the desired position and foot pressure thereon is released, the spherical head of the rod I2 will resume its seated position and prevent the passage of uid through the ported piston. In this way, the piston I 8 is held against axial movement until intentionally shifted.

At this point, it might be noted that while 'the piston i8 and associated parts provide a means for holding the pedal against movement so long as no foot pressure remains on the pedal, the application of slight foot pressure to the accelerator pedal will hold the spherical head of the rod I2 in an unseated position to permit the flow of fluid through the piston I8. This allows the piston and associated parts to be retracted under the influence of the springs 50 as will be hereafter more fully described.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that suhstantial or material depression of the pedal i0 results in advancement of the piston i8 and associated parts for the obvious purpose of increasing the speed of the engine. Gn the other hand, when it is desired to produce a reduced speed setting, a light pressure will be exerted on the accelerator pedal suilicient to move the spherical head of the element I2 from its seat in the piston I8 and permit the ow of oil therethrough, but insuflicien't to move such spherical head into engagement with the adjacent end of the piston rod 34. By this arrangement, the piston I8 may move backward under the influence of the springs 50 and the uid in what might be said to be the rear portion of the chamber 24 is passed through the port in the piston I8. Thus, a light foot pressure on the accelerator pedal provides for a new engine setting looking to a reduced engine speed. When the speed of the engine has been re-setl at a reduced number of revolutions per minute, the accelerator-pedal is abruptly released so as to allow the spherical head of the member I2 to close the port in the head I8, whereupon the fluid in the chamber 24 is prevented from passing through the piston. This, of course, holds the piston I8 against movement in either direction with the result that the speed of the engine is maintained at this point until increased cross-sectional area.

aosae 19' or decreased. This provides tin` delicate speed control necessary for use in traic. In this connection, it is observed that the pedal itself handles in a fashion not unlikethat in which the ordinary accelerator pedal is operated.

For operation of the engine at a predetermined speed, the accelerator pedal is advanced to the required position and is abruptly released to close the ported or valved piston I8 and thus secure the piston in its newly set position where it remains until changed.

Also, depression of the brake pedal 60 results in release of the piston I8 so that such piston and the pedal may return to retracted position. In explaining Ithis, attention is directed to Figure 4 in which it is illustrated that there is a by-pass `I0 of U-shaped form in which the ends or branches thereof are in constant communication with the chamber 24 at opposite sides of th-` piston I8. A valve 'I2 of any preferred design is located in the by-pass and is provided with an of the chamber 24 into what might be said to be the forward end of this chamber.

By referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that the rod 34 is provided with a piston head 80 operating within the chamber 26 within which there is a body of liquid, such as oil, or some other relatively non-compressible uid. More specifically, a body of liquid is confined between the piston 80 and a second piston 34 of a substantially smaller The piston 84 operates in a part of the chamber 26 of a reduced cross-sectional area.

By reason of the difference in the areas of the

pistons

80 and 84 and the bores within which these parts operate, advancement of the piston 80 will result in greater advancement of the piston 84.

By this arrangement, a slight depression of the foot pedal will result in a somewhat greater movement on the part of the carburetor controlling means. This provides great responsiveness to slight changes in the position of the accelerator pedal. f

It is illustrated in Figure 2 that the piston 84 has connection with a governing u nit generally designated by the numeral 90, such governing unit embodying a cylinder 32 enclosing a hollow piston 96 and a spring 94 of a predetermined power. More specically, the spring 94 is conned between the piston 96 and an adjusting head 98. The head 98 is carried by a shank I00 threaded through one end of the cylinder E2 and having pivotal connection with the piston 84.

'Ihe piston 96 is shown to have a connecting rod |03 pivotally connected with the arm |04 of the fuel inlet butterfly valve through the intervention of a pivot element |06. A wing nut I0'I or the like is associated with the pivot element |06 to maintain a predetermined relation or adjustment between the rod |03 and the arm |04.

Incidentally, the threaded connection between the rod |00 and the cylinder 92 provides a simple means by which the spring 94 may be moved endwise and. bodily in the cylinder 82 for the purpose of locating the arm |04 in its idling position when the accelerator pedal is fully retracted. In other words, the threaded connec- -tion between the parts l! and provides a means by which the over-all length of the governing unit may be varied so that when the accelerator pedal is in fully retracted position, thearm |04 will be in the motor idling position.

Now, by way of more specific reference to the structure and operation of the governing unit, it is pointed out that when the engine is at an idling speed, the spring 94 is not loaded and that depression of the accelerator pedal will result in the advancement of the cylinder 02 to load the spring 94 and thus bring about opening of the butterfly valve 'in the intake manifold. However, concurrently with the openingl of the butteriiy valve, there will be created a partial vacuum in the air intake port of the carburetor -and such partial vacuum is caused to act within the cylinder 02 to retard the advancement of the piston 00,. The vacuum thus created vwithin the cylinder 92 will be found to act in opposition to the expansive force of the spring 94.v It will. therefore, prevent the piston from having a forward movement co-extensive with that of the cylinder 02.

Thus, when the foot pedal I0 is advanced, the vacuum within the cylinder 02 will be increased to a point where it approximately balances the power of the spring 94 so as to secure the piston 90 in a predetermined position so long as the load on the motor remains constant. However, should the load on the motor increase, there will be a reduction in the partial vacuum operating within the cylinder 92. Hence, the power of the spring 04 will then be superior to the vacuum prevailing within the cylinder 02 with the result that the piston 90 is advanced to bring -about a further opening of the butterfly valve. By reason of this, an increased load will result in an increased fuel supply so as to maintain the desired uniform speed.

When the increased load has been taken care of by a temporarily augmented fuel supply, the vacuum within the cylinder 02 is increased to a point where the spring `94 is overpowered for a period sufficient to return the piston 98 to the position required for the maintenance of a constant speed.

It is important 'to observe that the vacuum conducting tube ||0 connected to the cylinder 90 is not attached directly to the intake manifold at a point between the butterfly valve and the combustion chambers as in the case of other governors, but, on the contrary, such tube is connected to the air intake nipple or end |20 of the carburetor.

More specifically, the air intakenipple of the carburetor is provided with a cone-shaped element I 40 having a central conical air passage of a minimum area substantially less than that of the nipple |20, with the result that the velocity of air at this point is greatly accelerated. It will be seen that the tube ||0 is connected to the nipple |20 immediately adjacent to the diametrically restricted end portion of the element |40, and

In operation, the pedal I0 is advanced to the required position and is temporarily locked by the duid within the cylinder I8 and the governing unit will provide for the automatic maintenance of a required engine speed without alteration in the position of the accelerator pedal.

As shown in Figure 3, the contractile coil springs B0 are secured at their forward ends to the cylinder 02 and the rear ends thereof to the fixed cylinder I0 and provide a means by which the governing unit 90 is urged rearward to retract the piston 84 and theiparts actuated thereby.

From an inspection of Figure 2, it will be seen that the arm |04 is longitudinally slotted for the adjustable accommodation of the pivot element |00. This provides a simple means by which the parts may be adjusted to give a greater or less swing or movement to the arm |04 in response to a predetermined movement of the piston l0. In this way, the vacuum prevailing within the cylinder 02 is allowed to cooperate with the spring 94 to the best advantage in exercising delicate control over engine speed.

'I'he invention may be applied to aeroplane engines to maintain a constantv speed under varyingloads and may also be applied to tractors and stationary engines.

Having thus described theinvention, what is claimed is:

1. In a speed control mechanism for internal combustion engines, a cylinder for the reception of a relatively non-compressible fluid, a piston in the cylinder andfhaving a port, a combination motion transmitting and valve rod extending through said port and having a head for engaging the forward end `of the port so that advancement of the combination motion transmitting and valve rod unseats the head and uncovers the port for the passage of fluid, and spring means urging the head into port closing position.

2. In a speed control mechanism for internal combustion engines, a cylinder for the reception of a relatively non-compressible fluid, a piston in the cylinder and having a port, a combination motion transmitting and valve rod extending through said port and having a head for engaging theforward end of the port so that advancement of the combination motion transmitting and valve rod unseats the head and uncovers the port for the passage of iiuid, spring means urging the head into port closing position, and a pedal having operative connection with said rod.

3. In a speed control mechanism for internal combustion engines, a cylinder for the reception of a relatively non-compressible fluid, a piston in the cylinder and having a port, a combination motion transmitting and valve rod extending through said port and having a head for closing the port, spring means urging the head into port closing position, a pedal having operative connection with said rod, and a by-pass connecty ed to said cylinder at opposite ends of said piston.

4. In a speed control mechanism for internal combustion engines, a cylinder for the reception of a relatively non-compressible fluid, a piston in the cylinder and having a port. a combination motion transmitting and valve rod extending through said port and having a head for closing the port, spring means urging the head into port closing position, a by-pass connected to said cylinder ai; opposite ends of said piston, a valve controlling said by-pass, and a pedal controlling said valve:

5. In a speed control mechanism for internal combustion engines, a cylinder for the reception' of a relatively non-compressible fluid. a piston in the cylinder and having a port, afcombination motion transmitting and valve rod extending through said port and having a head for closing the port, spring means urging the head into port closing position, a pedal having operative connection with said rod, and a pair of cooperating motion transmitting spaced pistons in responsive relation to said flrstenamed piston.

6. In a speed control mechanism for internal combustion engines, a cylinder for the reception of a relatively non-compressible uid, a piston in the cylinder and having a port, a combination motion transmitting and valve rod extending through said port and having a head for closing the port, spring means urging the head into port closing position, a pedal having operative connection with said rod, and a motion transmitting'