US2063130A

US2063130A - Air humidifier for carburetors

Info

Publication number: US2063130A
Application number: US724337A
Authority: US
Inventors: William F Shreve
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1934-05-07
Filing date: 1934-05-07
Publication date: 1936-12-08
Anticipated expiration: 1953-12-08

Description

Dec. 8, 1936. w. F. SHREVE AIR HUMIDIFIER FOR CARBURETORS Filed May 7, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 8, 1936. SHREVE 2,063,130

AIR HUMIDIFIER FOR CARBURETORS Filed May '7, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (WWW f) F 5111?: y:

Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR HUMIDIFIER FOR CARBURETORS William F. Shreve, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application May '7, 1934, Serial No. 724,337

4 Claims.

This invention appertains to humidifying apparatus and more particularly to novel means for controlling the humidity of air.

Another salient object of my invention is the provision of the use of a device sensitive to moisture for controlling, through suitable electrical mechanism, the flow of conditioned air to its point of use.

Another important object of my invention is the provision of ,a device which is particularly susceptible for delivering moisture saturated air to the carburetor of an internal combustion engine, whereby to facilitate the smooth functioning of the engine with a minimum amount of fuel con- 5 sumption.

A further object of my invention is the provision of means for delivering conditioned air to the carburetor of an internal combustion engine in accordance with atmospheric conditions, the device functioning for delivering a maximum amount of moistened air to the carburetor on dry days and for delivering a minimum amount of moistened air to the carburetor on damp days.

A further important object of my invention is the provision of means for taking the hot moist vapors from the top ofthe engine radiator and for delivering these vapors to the carburetor of the engine in direct accordance with atmospheric conditions, a novel type of hydrostat or hygrometer being employed for controlling the flow of said vapors to the carburetor.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an improved humidifying attachment for the carburetors of internal combustion engines of the above character, which will be durable and emcient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture and one which can be placed upon the market at a low cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:' v

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation of an automobile showing my improved device incorporated with the engine thereof.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through a part of the air conditioning apparatus illustrating the means for carrying condensation therefrom.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the part of the air conditioning apparatus shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the hydrostat or hygrometer employed for varying the amount of treated moist air delivered to the carburetor in accordance with atmos'pheric'conditions, the cover plate of the casing of the hygrometer being shown removed.

Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view illustrating the means of coupling the solenoid with the butterfly valve for controlling the flow of air to the carburetor.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate the corre- 10 sponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates an internal combustion engine which can be of any preferred type or make. The engine A includes the usual intake manifold I0 and exhaust manifold II. A car- 15 buretor I2 is employed for delivering the fuel mixture to the intake manifold. The carburetor I2 is provided with the usual air intake I3 which can communicate with a conventional air cleaner I4.

The cooling system for the engine A includes an ordinary type of radiator I5, the opposite ends of which communicate with the water jacket of the engine (not shown).

The parts of the engine above described are of the conventional type and have merely been illustrated to show the use of my improved humidifying apparatus B.

While I have shown my improved humidifying device B incorporated with an internal combustion engine, it is to be understood that the use 0 thereof is not limited solely for engines, as obviously, the principles thereof can be used for other purposes.

As brought out in the objects of the specification, one of the main features of the invention is 35 the delivering of heated moist vapors from the radiator I5 of the internal combustion engine to the carburetor in accordance with the humidity of theatmosphere. To accomplish this purpose,

I provide a vapor conducting pipe I6 which leads 40 from the upper end of the radiator I5. Thus, this pipe is adapted to collect and suck the hot moist vapors from the top of the radiator. Prior to the delivery of the moist vapors to the engine, the same is preferably mixed with the outside 45 air. Hence, the vapor conducting pipe I6 leads into one end of a mixing casing IT. This mixing casing I1 is provided With a tapered bottom wall I8, the lowest end of which has formed thereon a drain nipple I9. A drain pipe 20 can 50 communicate with this drain nipple. A relatively large outlet pipe 2| communicates with the mixing casing I! at a point remote from the vapor conducting pipe I6. Both of the pipes I6 nd 2| termina e short of the bottom wall of the 55 casing. The top wall 22 of the casing has struck up therefrom a lip 23 forming an air entrance opening 24 at a point intermediate the pipes |6 and 2|.

intake l3 and the air cleaner l4.

of the fitting 25 is provided with an-l 'elbbw 2.6

between the air intake l3 and the air cleaner.|-4

a coupling or fitting 25 forming a part of my apparatus. This coupling or fitting- 25 has its:

opposite ends communicating directly withthe air The lower wall to which is coupled in any preferred manner. the.

upper end of the air conducting pipe 21';

In order to provide means for supplying a uniform amount of moistened air to the carburetor under: all atmospheric: conditions,;I provide novel means for controlling the flow of air to the carburetor in direct accordance with the natural humidity of the atmosphere. This means includes a hydrostat or hygrometer 21 which may 7 be disposed at any preferred point; This hydrostat or hygrometer comprises a. housing 28 havingits opposite ends perforated or provided with openings 29 to permit'theflow of'outside. air

. therethrough. Disposed within the casing 28 -is a resistance element. 30 which may consistof ,a resistance coil or plate attached at its opposite ends to a bracket 3| formed of insulating material. This bracket can be bolted. or otherwise secured tofone wall of the casing Disposediwithirr the casingrisa device32'which is highly sensitive to moisture and may consist of. one: or more strands of any suitable: material treated in any preferred. manner. II propose to use one 'or more strands of human. hair, the opposite ends of which are. anchored to blocks; 3.3 adjustably carried'by the terminals of aninverted U-shapedbracket 34., Thisbracket 34 is bolted. or otherwise secured, as. at 35 to the top wall of thehousing 28. I have found thathuman hair is particularly adapted for my purpose; and as: the humanhair becomes. dry, the. same. tends to decrease, in length and: thus become taut between the blocks 33. As the hair becomes-moist, the same lengthens and sags. The amount of its sag is in proportion to the amount of moisture in. the; atmosphere. 1

Arranged within the casing or housing 28. is a supporting. bracket; 35- supporting an easily "movable rock shaft 36 to which is'secured an operating; and indicating lever or pointer 31;- The fulcrum of the lever or. pointer 31 is adjacent to its rear end. and, the forward, end of the pointer is adapted to travel, over the resistance 30. The short, end; of the lever or pointer, has pivotally connectedthereto a connecting link; the upper endof. which is in. turn pivotally connected, to a relatively short double-armed lever 39.. This lever 39; is also rockably mountedon the bracket. 35 andthe end' thereof opposite to the connecting link. 38 has. pivotally connected thereto an op crating rod 40. The upper end, of the operating rod 40 is; clamped as at 4,1. to the central part of: the hair strands.

From. the description so far, it can be seen that as the'hair dries out, the same will become taut andthe operating rod 40. is raised. This will push. down on. the short end of: the. lever or pointer 31 and raise the long end of the pointer and move the same over the resistance 30. As the hair becomes moist, the weight of the long end of the lever will cause the same to move over the resistance 30 and pull down on the rod 40.

In conjunction with the resistance 30 I utilize a solenoid 4|. This solenoid 4| can be disposed in a suitable housing 42 riveted or otherwise secured to the coupling or fitting 25 interposed between the air intake. l3. and. the air cleaner l4. Rockably mounted, within thecoupling or fitting 25 between the air cleaner l4 and elbow 25 is a butterfly valve 43. Connected to the butterfly valve 43 is an operating crank arm 44 and by moving the crank arm 44, the butterfly valve .can be-moved, to an open or closed position. A

contractile coil spring 45 has its opposite ends connected respectfully to the crank arm 44 and k to one vend wall of the housing or casing 42 and normally tends to swing the crank arm to the left (see Figure 5) to move the valve to an open position. p

The solenoid includes a. movable core 46 having pivotally connected'therewi'th an operating rod 4.1. The outer'end of the operating'rod 41 is in turn connected'to the outer end of the crank arm 44. The resistance 30 and the solenoid 4| can be connected to? any suitable source of electrical energy such as the usual storage battery of the automobile and the battery has been indicated diagrammatically in Figure 1 of the drawings.

Leading from the battery 48 is-a feed wire 49 and this-wire can lead toone end of the resistance 30. A switch 50 can be incorporated in the length of a wire 49 and this switch may be formed of the ignition switch of the engine. so that when the ignition is turned on, my humidifying device will also be turned on. Electrically connected with the lever or pointer 31 is awire 5| and this wire may'lead to one terminal of the coil of the solenoid 4|. The opposite terminal of this coil can be grounded as at 52. The other terminal of the battery 48 can. also be grounded as at 53.

In use of my improved device on dry days,

rent to. flow throughthe coil and. solenoid 4|. 7

Upon the energizing of the coil, the core 46- will pipe 2 I, casing l1 and vaporconducting pipe l6,

and the hot moist vapors from the radiator l5 are; drawn in from the carburetor. r On extremedamp days. the hair will sag ma.- terially moving the pointer 31 over the resistance away from the wire 49.. Thus, a maximum amount of the resistance will be in circuit with the coil of the solenoid allowing the tension. of the spring 45 to overcome the; magnetic force of the coil. Thus. the springwill: move the core 46 outwardly and swing the butterfly valve, 43. to an open position. The moist atmospheric; air can then, flow directly into the carburetor;

Obviously, the pointer. 31 will be moved over the resistance in. accordance.- with the. position of the hair 32 andconsequently; the. butterfly valve will be positioned in accordance with the different amounts of flexing of the hair.

In the drawings, I have shown the overflow pipe 55 of the radiator arranged within the vapor conducting pipe it, but obviously, the same can be disposed exteriorly of the pipe I6, if so desired.

While I have shown the opening 24 uncovered, it is contemplated of using an air cleaner therewith, so as to insure the delivery of clean air to the carburetor at all times.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided an exceptionally simple and efiicient device for accurately controlling the flow of humidified air to its point of use in direct accordance with the natural humidity conditions of the atmosphere.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is:-

1. A humidifying apparatus comprising an air mixing casing, means for supplying moistened air to one end of the casing, an air outlet pipe leading from the opposite end of the casing, said casing having an air inlet opening intermediate its ends, means for draining water of condensation from the casing, a fitting connected with the point of use of the conditioned air, one end of said fitting being open to the atmosphere, means connecting the air conducting pipe to the fitting intermediate its ends, a butterfly valve disposed in the fitting between the air opening and the air conducting pipe, spring means normally holding the valve in an open position, a solenoid including a sliding core, means operatively connecting the core to the butterfly valve, the core being adapted to move the butterfly valve to a closed position against the tension of the spring upon the energizing of the coil of the solenoid, a resistance. in circuit with the coil of the solenoid, and means including a device sensitive to the humidity in the atmosphere for regulating the amount of the resistance in the circuit.

2. A humidifying apparatus comprising an air mixing casing, means for supplying moistened air to one end of the casing, an air conducting pipe leading from the opposite end of the casing, the casing having an air opening therein intermediate its ends, a fitting adapted to be connected at one end to the point of use of the conditioned air, the air conducting pipe being connected to the fitting intermediate the ends of the fitting, one end of the fitting being open to the. atmosphere, a swinging valve disposed in the fitting between the air opening and the air conducting pipe, a solenoid including a coil and a movable core, spring means normally moving the valve to an open position, means operatively connecting the core with the valve, a resistance element in circuit with the coil of the solenoid, a swinging pointer movable over the resistance element to vary the amount of resistance in the circuit, a strand of material sensitive to moisture adapted to vary in length in accordance with the amount of moisture in the atmosphere, an operating rod connected to an intermediate part of said material, a double-ended lever pivotally connected at one end to the rod and operatively connected at its opposite end to the pointer.

3. A humidifying apparatus comprising an air mixing casing, means for supplying moistened air to one end of the casing, an air conducting pipe leading from the opposite end of the casing, the casing having an air opening therein intermediate its ends, a fitting adapted to be connected at one end to the point of use of the conditioned air, the said conducting pipe being connected to the fitting intermediate the ends of the fitting, one end of the fitting being open to the atmosphere, a swinging valve disposed in the fitting between the air opening and the air conducting pipe, a solenoid including a coil and a movable core, spring means normally moving the valve to an open position, means operatively connecting the core with the valve, a resistance element in circuit with the coil of the solenoid, a swinging pointer movable over the resistance element to vary the amount of resistance in the circuit, a strand of material sensitive to moisture adapted to vary in length in accordance with the amount of moisture in the atmosphere, an operating rod connected to an intermediate part of said material, a doubleended lever pivotally connected at one end to the to the pointer, and means for adjusting the tension of said material.

4. A humidifying apparatus comprising a casing, means for supplying moistened air to one end of the casing, an air outlet pipe leading from the opposite end of the casing, a fitting connected with the point of use of the conditioned air, one end of said fitting being open to the atmosphere, means connecting the air-conducting pipe to the fitting intermediate its ends, a valve disposed in the fitting between the air opening and the airconducting pipe, spring means normally holding the valve in an open position, a solenoid including a sliding core, means operatively connecting the core to the valve, the core being adapted to move the valve to a closed position against the tension of the spring upon the energizing of the coil of the solenoid, a resistance in circuit with the coil of the solenoid, and means including a device sensitive to the humidity in the atmosphere for regulating the amount of the resistance in the circuit.

WILLIAM F. SHREVE.