US2178355A

US2178355A - Internal combustion engine-electric power unit

Info

Publication number: US2178355A
Application number: US124342A
Authority: US
Inventors: Brunner Adolf
Original assignee: Sulzer AG
Current assignee: Sulzer AG
Priority date: 1936-02-12
Filing date: 1937-02-05
Publication date: 1939-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 1956-10-31

Description

A. BRUNNER 2,178,355

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE-ELECTRIC POWER UNIT Oct. 31, 1939.

Filed Feb. 5, 1937 II "I 45 IN VENTOR AJUZF- Bid/V1767? nm inn WW M TC 4,

' ATTORNEYS v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE-ELECTRIC POWER UNIT Adolf Erunner, Winterthur, Switzerland, assignor to Sulzer lFrres, ocit Anonyme, Winterthur, Switzerland Application ll eloruarw 5, 1937, Serial No. 124,342 lln Switzerland February 112, 1936 7 @llairns. (Cl. 299-40) This invention relates to internal combustion to a rod l2 through which movement is imparted engine-electric power units and has for its object to a rack it for controlling the several fuel the provision of certain improvements in appumps M as hereinafter described. The lever paratus of this type. The invention relates parii is also connected through a link :5 to a lever ticularly to apparatus for controlling the engine it having one end pivotally connected at ll to 55 speed, for maintaining the engine torque constant a lever hereinafter described, and the other end for a given engine speed and for controlling the connected to a piston valve E8. The valve 58 conquantity of fuel supplied to the engine in actrois the supply of pressure medium to a servocordance witl the engine speed. It is an object motor cylinder 59 containing a piston 20 whose of this invention to provide means in combination rod is connected to a contact arm 2i of a rheoin with such apparatus for controlling the quantity stat 22 whereby the excitation current for the of fuel injected into the engine which also conmain generator is regulated. The pressure metrols the timing of the commencement of the fuel dium for actuating the servo piston 29 is supplied injection. through an inlet conduit 23.

In accordance with the invention the comhi- The sleeve in of the governor 9 is opposed by 15 nation or arrangement of apparatus may be such a spring 26 acted upon from above by a hollow that when the quantity of fuel injected during piston 25 movable within a cylinder 26. The inieach injection period is reduced, the commencetial tension of the spring 24 can be set as desired, ment of the injection period is retarded. It is a for example, by means of a hand wheel El havgg further object of the invention to provide a corn ing a bevel wheel 28 which drives a bevel wheel bination or arrangement of apparatus which onrotatable in a fixed bearing plate W and neiates in such way that when the quantity of ternally threaded to cooperate with a threaded fuel injected during each injection period is reshaft 33. The shaft 3! acts at its lower end duced, the commencement of the said period is on the piston and has at its upper end a part 5 advanced. 32 of square-cross-section which cooperates with 25 These and other features of the invention will a corresponding guide at the upper end of the be better understood, if reference is made to the cylinder 26. The upper end of the rod 3% is conaccompanying drawing, taken in conjunction nected, as shown at 33, to one end of a lever 3 with the following description, in which: carried on a fixed pivot 35 and carrying at its Figure 1 shows diagrammatically one arrangeother end the pivot ll. 39 ment according to the invention; Instead of a single spring 24, the governor may Figure 2 is a vertical section on an enlarged be opposed by several springs which can be sucscale of one of the fuel pump cylinders included cessively rendered operative or inoperative as 11- in Figure 1; lustrated in the patent to O. Simmen No.

Figure 3 illustrates, on yet a larger scale, the 1,941,500. 35 relative positions of the control edges on the Each of the fuel pumps is driven by a cam 36 pump plunger andthe associated suction port; secured to the shaft l, as shown in Figure 2, the and cam 36 acting, during the delivery stroke of the Figure 4 is a diagrammatic representation of pump, on a roller 3'! carried at the lower end of a modified arrangement, also according to the a cylindrical guide member 38 so that the pump 49 invention. plunger 39 is moved upwards against the action In the arrangement of apparatus shown in Figof a spring 49. During the suction stroke of the ure 1, the internal combustion engine I drives a pump, the spring 40 moves the guide member 38 main current generator 2 which supplies current and plunger 39 downwardly so as to draw fuel to the traction motors 3 of a Diesel-electric vethrough a suction port 4| into the pump chamber, 5

hicle (not shown), the engine l driving also an this fuel being delivered to a corresponding enauxiliary current generator 4 which supplies the gine cylinder through a non-return valve 42 by excitation current for the main generator 2. the next upward or delivery stroke of the The crankshaft 5 of the engine I drives, plunger 39.

through gear wheels 6, a shaft 1 which 1h turn e plunger 39 as two control edges 43 and 44v transmits the drive through bevel wheels 8 to a so that when, during the delivery Stroke of the governor 9. The sleeve In of the governor 9 is plunger 39, the'c edge 43 passes Over e connected to-a lever ll pivoted at a'nintermedisuction port 4|, delivery of fuel past the nonate point to a fixed pivot and has secured thereto return valve 42 and injection into the correan arm H pivotally connected at its lower end Spending engine cylinder commences. When, 55

towards the end of the delivery stroke, the control edge 44 passes over the suction port 4|, fuel can flow through a groove 45 in the plunger 39 from the pump chamber or cylinder 46 and back through the'suction port 4|, the injection period being thus terminated.

The relative positions of the

control edges

43, 44 and the suction port 4| are indicated in Figure 3. When the rotational position of the plunger 39 is such that the port 4| lies on the line a1, the control edge 43 will close the suction port 4| late in the delivery stroke of the plunger and the control edge 44 will uncover the port 4| early in the delivery stroke of the plunger. This position of the plunger 39 enables the minimum fuel to be discharged; Points on the

control edges

43 and 44 are marked by a series of vertical lines 111, (la-a3, and (14. These points (Fig. 3) represent positions of the plunger 39 when the

edges

43 and 44 intersect the opening 4|. In Fig. 2, the cam 36 is 'marked with the characters a1, (12, I13 and (14, to indicate the relative positions of the cam corresponding to the positions of the

edges

43 and 44 as indicated by the vertical lines a1, a2, a3 and cu in Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the plunger 39 is set for maximum fuel delivery and as it is rotated so that the lines a2, a3 and (:4 are successively coincident with the port 4| the quantity of fuel delivered is successively increased. The difference between the distance I) as measured along one of the vertical lines from the control edge 43 to a line at right angle thereto which intersects the top of the port 4|, say line a4, and the corresponding distance on the next line, for example the line as, represents the alteration in the timing of the commencement of injection by a rotation of the plunger 39. The distance 0 between the points of intersection of any one of the lines a1, 112, as or a4 and the being slotted at its lower end to cooperate with lugs 48 formed on the cooperating plunger 39. Thus, though each plunger can be rotated about its longitudinal axis by longitudinal movement of the rack l3, the plunger is free to reciprocate within'the member 41. When the rack is moved so as to turn the pump plunger 39 in the direction of the arrow 49 say from the position 11.1 to the position (12 the control edge 43 on each plunger passes over and closes the suction port 4| earlier in the delivery stroke and the control edge 44 uncovers the said suction port later in the delivery stroke so that the effective distance 0, i. e., the quantity of fuel injected, is increased. Conversely, when the rack is moved so as to turn the pump plungers in the direction opposite to the arrow 49, say from the position corresponding to the line (14, to that corresponding to the line as, the quantity of fuel injected into each engine cylinder will be reduced.

In Figure 1 the parts are shown in the position which they occupy when equilibrium has been established between the load on the internal combustion engine and the corresponding quantity of fuel injected for a given engine speed as set by the hand wheel 21. If now the current conditions of the main generator 2 are changed, for example, if the current absorbed by the motors 3 changes so that the load is increased, the corresponding reduction in engine speed will cause the sleeve I!) to turn the lever II in the counterclockwise direction towards the position X. The lever IE will thus be turned in the counter-clockwise direction about the pivot I! so that the valve l8 will be raised and pressure medium will be delivered from the conduit 23 into the cylinder l9 above the piston 20, pressure medium being discharged from beneath the piston 29 through the lower end of the cylinder containing the valve Id. The piston 20 will thus move downwards so that the contact arm 2| is moved to increase the effective value of the resistance 22,

'in Figure 1. When the valve I8 is in the central position shown, the piston 29 comes to rest in a new position so that the new setting of the rheostat 22 is maintained. Since, therefore, the desired engine speed is restored and the engine can now carry the load at the torque imposed, a state of equilibrium is again reached. If this is not the case, the valve l8 will again automatically be adjusted and further adjustment of the rheostat 22 efiected until the valve I8 is restored to the position shown.

When the load on the internal combustion engine I is reduced, the engine speed rises and the valve 8 is moved downwardly so that the effective value of the rheostat 22 is reduced and the excitation current of the main generator is increased. In the event of a rapid and considerable increase or decrease in the load on the engine, the governor 9 may tend to hunt but the sleeve l0 will eventually reach the position of equilibrium in accordance with the engine speed setting.

With a view to enabling different torque re quirements and fuel charges to be set when the engine speed is to be changed, the effective length of the link system between the sleeve I0 and the valve I8 is adjusted by bodily altering the position of the pivot l'l, though this may, if desired, be effected by altering the effective length of the link l5. Thus, with a view to increasing the speed at which the engine is to operate, the hand wheel 21 is turned so as to lower the rod 3|, towards the high speed setting indicated at m and thus increase the initial tension of the spring 24. The lever 34 thus will be turned in the counter-clockwise direction about the pivot 35 so that the pivot I! will be raised. In this way the valve I8 will be lowered so as to reduce the eifective value of the resistance 22 and increase the excitation current 'of the main generator 2. Increase in the initial tension of the spring 24 will result in temporary inward movement of the mass of the governor 9 since the engine speed will not have changed. The resulting counter-clockwise movement of the lever M will cause the rack 3 to be moved to the right as shown in Figure 1, so as to increase the quantity of fuel injected into each internal combustion engine cylinder. At the same time, the downward movement of the valve l8 due to raising of the pivot U will be, in part, counteracted by the resulting upward movement of the link l5 unless, at the same time, the current conditions in the armature circuit of the main generator 2 are'changed so that such conditions' already correspond to the new excitation :urrent required for the higher engine speed. The alternation in the excitation current of the pain generator 2 relieves the internal combustion engine i so that its speed can increase to the new higher value which will then be maintained substantially constant,

When the desired engine speed has been obtained, the valve l8 will have been restored to the normal or central position shown in Figure 1. Since, however, the pivot I1 is now in a new position, the position of equilibrium of the governor sleeve ID will be altered in accordance with the new speed. As a result, the position of equilibrium of the arm I I will be moved, towards the position 714, within its range of adjustment 0, X, the adjustment of the arm Ii turning the plungers 39 of the fuel pumps in the direction of the arrow 49. In this way not only will the commencement of fuel injection into each engine cylinder be advanced but the termination of each injection period will be retarded, that is to say the quantity of fuel injected during each injection period will be increased, say, from the value c on the line 12 to the value c on the line as. Each injection period is thus increased and the quantity of fuel injected is also increased;

Though in the construction described with reference to Figure 1 the ratio of the quantityof fuel to be injected to the engine speed is governed by the position of the pivot H, i. e., the effective length of the link IS, in the modified arrangement shown in Figure 4 this ratio is adjusted, in accordance with a predetermined requirement. with alteration in the setting for the commencement of each fuel injection. To this end a cam track 50 is provided which can be moved along a fixed support or base 5| by means of a bell-crank lever 52 connected to the rod 3i. A roller 53 at one end of the lever i6 is maintained in contact with the cam track 50 by means of a spring 5 3.

If, for each engine speed which is to be set by the hand wheel 27, a given engine torque is to be obtained, the end of each injection period for any given speed being determined by the control edge M, on the pump plunger, the shape of the control edge 43 for determining the commencement of each fuel injection and also the ratio of the torque to the speed must be influenced in such a manner that for each engine speed set by the hand wheel 2'? the torque set shall correspond to the setting of the quantity of fuel injected by the pump. The cam track 50, which is adjusted by the hand wheel 27 in accordance with the engine speed set thereby, is advantageous in that the above rat o will be automatically maintained but can be readily altered.

The lever i6 is connected to a piston 55 which can reciprocate within a servocylinder 56, the su ply of pressure medium to which is controlled by l a piston valve 51 connected to the lever H. The piston 55 is also connected through a rod 59 to the end 60 of the lever H, the rod 59 being connected to one arm of a bell-crank lever 65, the other arm of which is connected to the rod l2 i and rack l3; The pressure medium is supplied to the servomotor 56 through an inlet conduit 62.

The invention is advantageous in that since the torque is controlled in accordance with the engine speed while the commencement-of fuel injection and the quantity of fuel injected are simultaneously controlled to suit the speed, an internal combustion engine-electric power unit embodying the invention can be controlled in a manner analogous to that available by regulation of com- 5 bustion engines in ships, driving the propeller mechanically, the load of such engines being dependent on the speed of the engine.

The timing of ignition in accordance with the engine speed is thus ensured without the necessity for providing additional control means for transmitting adjustments from the speed setting apparatus to the fuel pumps. This is particularly advantageous in vehicles where, owing to limitation of space, the change-speed apparatus and the fuel pumps are arranged to opposite ends respectively of the internal combustion engine, since in view of the compact construction of internal combustion engines for driving vehicles, the number of rods or the like extending along the engine has necessarily to be limited for reasons of accessibility,

I claim:

1. Power apparatus which comprises in combination an internal combustion engine, fuel injectors for said engine, a main generator driven by the engine, governor means responsive to the engine speed for varying the commencement of fuel injection during each stroke of the injectors and for regulating the quantity of fuel injected into the engine during each period of injection, and means connected to the governor means for varying the load on said generator, whereby at each speed set for the engine the engine torque is maintained constant.

2. An internal combustion engine electric power unit which comprises in combination an internal combustion engine which is operable at various speeds, an electric generator driven by the engine, means for exciting the generator, a fuel injection pump for the engine, governor means responsive to engine speed, said governor means controlling the means for exciting the generator, whereby for each speed set for the engine the torque of the engine is automatically maintained constant in accordance with the engine speed, means for varying the timing of fuel injection in the engine, means for varying the quantity of fuel delivered by said injection pump and means operatively' coupling the means for varying the quantity of fuel delivered by the pump and the means for timing the fuel injection, said governor means controlling the means for varying the quantity of fuel delivered by the pump.

3. An internal combustion engine electric power unit which comprises in combination an internal combustion engine, an electric generator driven by the engine, means for the excitation of said generator, a fuel injection pump for the engine, a governor responsive to the engine speed, means for setting the governor at various engine speeds, means controlled by the governor for varying the excitation means, said last mentioned means being operatively connected to said setting means, whereby for each speed set for the engine the torque of the engine is automatically maintained constant in accordance with the engine speed, means for varying the timing of fuel injection in the engine, and means for varying the quantity of fuel delivered by the injection pump controlled by the governor and coupled to the means for varying the timing of fuel injection.

4. Power apparatus which comprises in combination an internal combustion. engine which is operable at various speeds, a fuel injector for the engine, a main electrical generator driven by the engine, an auxiliary current generator for supplying the excitation current for the main generator, governor means responsive to the engine speed for regulating the quantity of fuel injected into the engine and for adjusting the timing of commencement of injection of fuel during each injection stroke of the injector, and means operatively coupled to the governor means for varying the excitation current, whereby for each speed set for the engine the torque of the engine is automatically maintained constant in accordance with engine speed.

5. Power apparatus which comprises in combination an internal combustion engine which is operable at various speeds, a fuel injector for the engine the plungers of which are driven by the engine, a main electric generator driven by the engine, an auxiliary current generator for the excitation of said main generator, a governor driven by the engine, said plungers being adjusted by the governor and having control edges for regulating the quantity of the fuel injected and the timing of commencement of fuel injection by the injector, and means operatively connected with and responsive to the governor for varying said excitation, whereby for-each speed set for the engine the torque of the engine is automatically maintained constant in accordance with engine speed.

6. A power unit in accordance with claim 2 in which the fuel injector comprises a cylinder, a plunger reciprocable in the cylinder, an inlet port in said cylinder, means operatively associated with the plunger for adjusting the period during the plunger stroke when fuel is admitted through the inlet port, and means for by-passing fuel from the cylinder.

7. A power unit according to claim. 3 in which the fuel pump comprises a cylinder, a plunger reciprocable and rotatable in the cylinder, and the means for controlling the timing of commencement of fuel injection during each stroke of the pump is effected by rotation of the plunger.

ADOLF BRUNNER.