US2236669A - Speed regulating mechanism - Google Patents

Description

April 1, 1941, c, E ETAL 2,236,669

SPEED REG LATING MECHANISM Filed May 12, 1957 INVEINTOR CARL. BREER AND BY oacnR M. Raw.

,0 ATTO R N EY Patented Apr. 1, 1941 SPEED REGULATING MECHANISM Carl Breer, Grosse Pointe Park, and Oscar M.

Raes, Detroit, Mich., assignors to Chrysler Cor.- poration, Highland Park, Mich a. corporation of Delaware Application May 12, 1937, Serial No. 142,144

12 Claims.

This invention relates to internal combustion engine driven conveyances and it has particular relation to means for regulating the maximum speed thereof.

One object of this invention resides in providing an automatic speed regulating device for use on a conveyance or vehicle which will prevent any increase in speed beyond a predetermined limit and in which, by means of the normal controls, the driver may, under emergency conditions, resume complete control of the speed of the vehicle at will.

Another object of this invention consists in providing means whereby the top limit of speed of the conveyances may be regulated from the driver's seat and may be locked in any predetermined setting.

A further object of this invention comprises providing a speed regulatory device which may be adjusted from the drivers seat, which may be locked in any adjusted position, and in which control of the speed of the vehicles may be restored to the operator by a predetermined operation of the accelerator lever thereof.

A still further object of this invention consists in providing a speed controlling and regulatory mechanism in which a conveyance may be operated up to and includin a predetermined speed by operation of the accelerator against a normal accelerator lever restoring pressure and which may be operated at higher speed by operating the accelerator against a noticeablyhigher accelerator restoring pressure.

For a better understanding of the invention,

reference may now be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a motor vehicle showing an internal combustion engine, an accelerator lever, and an instrument panel, all provided with mechanism constructed in accordance with and embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the instrument panel illustrating a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 4, the section being taken along the line VV thereof.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the structure shown in Fig. 4 with the end plate or cover removed therefrom, thus providing a view which is quite similar to Fig. 3 but more complete and in less detail than Fig. 3.

In the drawing is shown an internal combustion engine l0 provided with a carburetor II, and a manually operable throttle valve l2 actuated by a throttle operating lever l3 which, in turn, is operated by a V-type lever l4 through a link [5. The lever I4 is in turn actuated by a link or lever I6 which is adapted to be engaged or to constitute the usual accelerator pedal. The

carburetor II is connected to an intake manifold I! through a speed regulating mechanism IS. The speed regulating mechanism consists of a member which is adapted to be clamped between the carburetor II and intake manifold ll, with intermediate sealing gaskets, as best illustrated in Fig. 5.

The speed regulating member I8 is provided with a throat, l9 within which is disposed a stationary vane 20 andva two-part movable vane 2|. The vane 2| is so disposed and arranged at such angle that an increase in the velocity of the mixture of fuel and air passing through the throat l9 and passing over the vane 21 causes it to tend to move toward a partially closed position, and, unless restrained, would move to that partially closed position and permit only an extremely low fuel velocity and a resultant low speed of the automobile. mounted upon a pivot rod 22, the outer end of which extends through its bearing and into a housing 23. On theouter end of the pivot rod 22 is mounted a weight member 24 which serves the purpose of preventing rapid fluctuations in the vane 2| for minor variations in the fuel flow thereover, the weight 24 and the vane 2| being both "rigidly secured to the pivot rod 22 so that movement of one member is imparted thereby to the other.

As best illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the weight. member 24 is provided with a pin 25, to which is. pivotally secured a link 26 and a tension springv 21, which serves to oppose the force exerted on the vane 2| by the fuel flow thereover which tends to move it toward its closed position. It

will be apparent that, as the tension on the spring 21 is varied, the velocity of the moving fuel necessary to actuate the vane 21 likewise varies therewith, so that, as the tension on the spring 2! is increased, a greater velocity flow The vane 2| is fixedly of fuel past the vane 2| is required before it will move toward its partially closed position. In general, this type of velocity flow regulator is old and the portion thus far described constitutes no part of the present invention.

The opposite end of the spring 21 is attached to a spring securing member 35, as best shown in Fig. 4, which is slidably mounted within a supporting member 3|, which, in turn, is slidably mounted within the housing 23. The supporting member 3| is provided with an adjusting screw 32 whereby the position of the spring securing member may be Varied with respect to the supporting member 3 I, a small compression spring 33 being disposed therebetween so as to keep the spring securing member 3i! as far from the end of the supporting member 3| as is permitted by the adjusting screw 32. The housing is provided with an open end 34 through which a screwdriver or other tool may be inserted in order to rotate the screw 32.

The supporting member 3| is provided on one side with a relatively short leg 35 and on the other side with a relatively longer leg 36. The longer leg 33 is adapted to abut against a cam member 31 mounted upon a rotatable shaft 38, which shaft projects outwardly through a. bushing in the housing 23 and is connected at its outer end to a flexible shaft 4| which extends within a casing 42 to a housing 43 mounted on the instrument board or panel 44 of the automobile. The flexible shaft 4| is provided, at its instrument board end, with a knob or dial 45 by means of which the shaft 4| and therefore the cam 31 may be rotated. The instrument board is provided with a calibrated dial 46, which may be numbered in either revolutions per minute of the engine or in miles per hour of the automobile, the latter being generally preferable, and is shown in Fig. 2. t will be apparent that, by rotating the knob 45, the cam 31 may be rotated so as to move the supporting member 3|, and with it the spring securing member 39, and thus adjust the tension on the tension spring 21, which in turn controls the speed at which the automatically operated vane 2|- will move toward its closed position a distance sufficient to prevent any further increase in the speed of the car. The housing 43 mounted on the instrument panel 44 is likewise provided with a locking mechanism 41 so that the adjusting mechanism may be locked in any desired predetermined speed regulating position, the advantage being that the owner of the car may thus predetermine the speed at which the car may be driven.

The shorter leg 35 of the supporting member 3| is adapted to engage an arm or stop member 50, which constitutes a portion of a supporting member 5 I which is slidably mounted within the housing 23 and is secured, by means of two bolts or other securing members 52, totwo externally disposed slidably mounted members 53 and 54 which have upstanding portions and 56, respectively. The bolts 52 extend through openings in the wall housing 23 so as to permit the members 53 and 54, disposed outside of the housing, to move the member 5| with its stop 5!) inside of the housing. A compression spring 51 is disposed within the housing 23 and in engagement with the member 5|, tending to move the member 5| away from the supporting member 3|. The spring 51 is materially stronger than is the tension spring 21, so that movement of the member 5| toward the end of the housing against the action of the spring 51 will require a considerably greater force than that necessary to move against only the spring 21.

The upstanding portion 55 of the member 54 is normally held in engagement with an abutment 60 by the spring 51, thus holding the member 5|, and therefore the stop member 50, in a predetermined position, thus limiting the range of movement of the supporting member 3| toward the weighted member 24. The second upstanding member 55, which is rigidly secured to the member 56, is normally disposed in spaced relationship with the abutment 6B but is adapted to be engaged by a lug or shoulder 6|, mounted on the throttle actuating lever l3, so that when the lever I3 is moved to its extreme position, it engages the upstanding member 55 and moves it toward the abutment 60. This moves the stop member 58 toward the end of the housing 23 against the action of the compression spring 51 and likewise moves the supporting member 3| to increase the tension on the tension spring 21.

As best illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6, a link 65 is pivotally connected to the cam member 31 by means of a pin 66, the opposite end of the link 65 being provided with a slotted portion 61 which is adapted to encompass a pin 68 mounted on the weight member 24. The purpose of the pin and slot connection between the link 65 and the weight member 24 is to move the weight member 24, and with it, the automatically operated vane 2|, a very slight amount in the direction of the closed position of the vane 2| when the cam 31 is disposed in its lowest speed adjustment, and at the same time permit independent movement of the cam and weight members under all other conditions.

Obviously, in the lowest speed adjustment, the velocity of the gasoline over the vane 2| is comparatively small and there is always some tendency for the vane to remain in its fully open position owing to the relatively light forces exerted thereon unless it is moved from its wideopen position when the cam is in its lowest speed position of adjustment.

Referring now to the structure as a whole, it will be apparent that with the adjustment on the instrument panel, when in its lowest speed, in this instance, 20 M. P. H., but which may be designed for lower speeds, the cam permits the supporting member 3| to be drawn to the extreme end of its range toward the weight member by the tension spring 21. At the same time, the stop 5| engaging the opposite leg 35 of the supporting member is likewise in its position closest to the weight member 24. Under this condition, the link 65, by means of the pin and slot construction 61, 68, holds the weight 24, and with it, the vane member 2|, in a position slightly removed from its inactive position. The fuel flow over the vane 2| will increase as the manually operated throttle I2 is opened, until such time as the fiow of the fuel exerts a force on the vane 2| sufficient to overcome the tension of the spring 21, at which time the vane member 2| will start to move toward its partially closed position and will so move until the amount of fuel permitted to pass thereby with the car operating at 20 M. P. H. is suflicient to create a force to balance the spring 21 and hold the vane 2| in a partially closed position regardless of how far open thethrottle I2 is maintained.

If the adjustment knob 45 is now rotated to a higher speed position, for example, 40 M. P. H., it will rotate the cam 31 so as to move the supporting member 3| to a position farther from 51. An internal'combustion engine speed gov-f the weighted member 34, thus increasing .the tension on the'spring 21. The increased tension on the spring21 serves to return the vane 2| to-its original inactive position because the velocity of the fuel flow at 20 M- P. H. is no longer sufiicient to move the vane 2| against themcreased tension of the spring 21. As a result, if the throttle I2 is sufficiently opened, an increased flow of fuel will flow through the throat l9 until the velocity is suflicientlygreat to move thevane 2| against the action of the spring 21, at which point only a suflicient amount of fuel will be permitted to pass the vane 2| to maintain the car at aspeed of 40 M. P. H. In like manner, the adjusting knob 45 may be moved to any other speed position with a corresponding result. By means of the lock 41, the knob 45 may be locked in any desired position.

Assuming now that the adjusting mechanism 45 has been set at any desired figure, for example, 40 M. P. H., and due to some emergency condition it becomes imperative that the speed of the car be increased-the foot throttle is moved to its extreme position. This causes the shoulder 6| to engage the upstanding member 55 and moves the stop member 50 away from the weight member 24 against the action of the relatively strong spring 51, thus moving the supporting member 3| in the housing 23 away from the weight member 24, regardless of the position of the cam 31. This increases the tension on the spring 21 beyond any tension that can be exerted thereon by the cam 31 and moves the automatically operated vane 2| back to its fully open position and holds it in that position while the car increases in speed to any desired degree beyond the speed for which the adjusting mechanism has previ-, ously been set. The force of the spring 51, however, continuously opposes holding the throttle in its extreme position and should be sufliciently greater than the tension of the spring 21 to cause a noticeable increase in the force opposing holding'the throttle in its wide-openposition. If desired, this spring may be sufiiciently strong that an uncomfortably large amount of pressure is required to move the stop member 50 so that the driver will have a natural tendency to de crease the'force on the throttle as soon as the emergency is passed.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that this device permits of adjusting the speed to any desired figure and permits of looking it at that position. In addition, when desired, by use of the ordinary means of controlling the speed, that is, the accelerator, the automatic adjusting device may be temporarily rendered inactive so as to provide a higher speed than that permitted by the adjusting mechanism located on the instrument panel. As soon as the pressure on the accelerator pedal is released, control of the maximum speed of the vehicle is immediately restored to the automatic speed regulator in accordance with the adjustment thereof. In addition, the usual method of regulating the speed of the device, which is 'mounted on the regulating mechanism itself, is likewise provided.

Although but one form of this invention is illustrated and but one application thereof is described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is not. so limited but that various minor modifications and changes may be effected therein without departing from the spirit of this invention or from the scope of the appended claims. 1

we claim:

erning device comprising a throttle valve adapted to be moved'towards a partially closed position by the flow of fluid thereby and mounted on a movable pivot pin, a lever arm rigidly mounted on said pin, a spring connected to said lever arm and adapted to yieldingly resist movement of said throttle valve towards the partially closed position, a slidable member adapted to constitute a support for the opposite end of said spring, a rotatable cam member disposed in engagement with slidable member and adapted to move it slidably to vary the force exerted by said spring onsaid lever arm, a link pivotally mounted on said cam, a lost motion connection between said link and said lever arm, and means for rotating said'cam.

2, An internal combustion engine speed governing device comprisinga throttle valve directly responsive to and adapted .to be moved towards a partially closed position by the flow of fluid thereby and mounted on a movable pivot member, a rotatable member comprising a lever arm rigidly mounted on said pivot member, a housing enclosing said rotatable member, a supporting member slidably mounted in said housing member, a spring securing member slidably mounted in said supporting member, means for adjusting said spring securing member with respect to said supporting member, a spring secured at one end of said spring'securing member and at the other end to said rotatable member and adapted to yieldingly resist movement of said throttle valve towards the partiallyclosed position, and stop means adapted to limit the movement of said supporting member in said housing. 3. An"internal combustion engine speed governing device comprising a throttle valve adapted to.-be moved towards a partially closed position by the flow of fluid thereby and mountedon a. movable pivot member, a rotatable member comprisinga lever arm rigidly mounted on said pivot member, a housing enclosing said rotatable member, a supporting member slidably mounted in said housing member, a spring securing member slidably mounted in said supporting member, means for adjusting said'spring securing member with-respect to'said supporting member, a spring secured at one end to said spring securing member and at the other end to said rotatable mem-' ber and adapted to yieldingly resist movement of said throttle valve towards the partially closed position, stop means adapted to limit the move: ment of said supporting means in said housing toward-s said spring, and means for moving said stop means.

4. In a fuel system for an internal combustion engine having a fuel mixture passage, speed governing means comprising a manually operated throttle valve'in said passage and mechanism for operating the same, a second throttle valve in said passage adapted :to be moved towards a partially closed position by the flow of fluid thereover and mounted on a movable pivot member, a weighted member mounted on said pivot member and movable with said second throttle valve, a housing adapted to enclose said weighted member, a supporting member slidably mounted in said housing, a spring securing member slidably mounted in said supporting member, means for adjusting said spring securing member with respect to said supporting member, a spring secured at one end to said spring securing member and at the other end to said weighted member --''toyieldingly oppose movement .of saidflsecondi throttle valve towards its partially closed position, a stop member adapted to limit the movement of the supporting member towards said spring, and means for moving said stop member comprising a member disposed in the path of the mechanism for operating the manually operated throttle valve.

5. In a fuel system for an internal combustion engine having a fuel mixture passage, speed governing means comprising a manually operated throttle valve in said passage and mechanism for operating the same, a second throttle valve in said passage adapted to be moved towards a partially closed position by the flow of fluid thereover and mounted on a movable pivot-member, a weighted member mounted on said pivot member and movable with said second throttle valve, a housing adapted to enclose said weighted member, a supporting member slidably mounted in said housing, a spring securing member slidably mounted in said supporting member, means for adjusting said spring securing member with respect to said supporting member, a spring secured at one end to said spring securing member and at the other end to said weigh-ted member to yieldingly oppose movement of said second throttle valve towards its partially closed position, a stop member adapted to limit the movement of the supporting member towards said spring, and means for moving said stop member comprising a member disposed in the path of the mechanism for operating the manually operated throttle valve at the end of its normal range of movement.

6. In a fuel system for an internal combustion engine having a fuel mixture passage, speed governing means comprising a manually operated throttle valve in said passage and mechanismfor operating the same, a second throttle valve in said passage adapted to be moved towards a partially closed position by the flow of fluid thereover and mounted on a movable pivot memher, a weighted member mounted on said pivot member and movable with said second throttle valve, a housing adapted to enclose said weighted member, a supporting member slidably mounted in said housing, a spring securing member slidably mounted in said supporting member, means for adjusting said spring securing member with respect to said supporting member, a spring secured at one end to said spring securing member and at the other end to said weighted member to yieldingly oppose movement of said second throttle valve towards its partially closed position, a

stop member adapted to limit the movement of I the supporting member towards said spring, a relatively strong spring adapted to oppose movement of said stop member away from said first mentioned spring, and means for moving said stop member away from said first mentioned spring comprising a member disposed in the path of the mechanism for operating the manually operated throttle valve adjacent the end of its range of movement.

7. In an internal combustion engine speed governing mechanism, a manually operated throttle for said engine, means for actuating said throttle, a speed governing device comprising a, second throttle valve adapted to be moved towards a partially closed position by the flow of fluid thereover and mounted on a movable pivot member, a weight member mounted on said pivot member, a housing enclosing said weight member, a supporting member slidably mounted in said housing member, a spring securing member slidably mounted on said supporting "member, a "spring secured at one end to said spring. securing member and at the other end to said weightmember and adapted to yieldingly resist movement of said throttle valve towards the partially closed position, a member in threaded engagement with said supporting member and operatively connected to said spring securing member to adjust the spring securing member with respect to the supporting member, a cam mounted in said housing and adapted to engage said supporting member, remote control means for rotatively adjusting said cam, a stop member disposed within said housing and adapted to limit the movement of said supporting member towards said spring, and means disposed within the path of the first throttle actuating means and adapted to move said stop member.

8. In an internal combustion engine speed governing mechanism, a manually actuated throttle valve control mechanism, a speed governing device comprising a second throttle valve adapted to be moved towards a partially closed position by the flow of fluid thereover and mounted on a movable pivot member, a weight member mounted on said pivot member, a housing enclosing said weight member, a supporting member slidably mounted in said housing member, a spring securing member slidably mounted on said supporting member, a spring secured at one end to said spring securing member and at the other end to said weight member and adapted to yieldingly resist movement of said throttle valve towards the partially closed position, a member in threaded engagement with said supporting member and operatively connected to said spring securing member to adjust the spring securing member with respect to the supporting member, a cam mounted in said housing and adapted to engage said supporting member, remote control meansfor rotating said cam and for locking said cam in its rotated position, a stop member disposed within said housing and adapted to limit movement of said supporting member towards said spring, and means adapted to move said-stop member away from said spring, said last mentioned means being so arranged with respect to said manually actuated throttle valve control mechanism as to be actuated thereby only under predetermined conditions.

9. A fuel system for an internal combustion engine including a fuel mixture passage for supplying a fuel mixture to said engine, a normal throttle valve in said passage, manually operable control mechanism for actuating said valve, a second throttle valve in said fuel mixture passage between said normal throttle valve and said engine and adapted to be moved toward a partially closed position by the flow of fuel in said passage, means adapted to yieldably resist movement of said second mentioned valve by fuel flow, and means responsive to actuation of said manually operable control mechanism beyond a predetermined portion of its range of valve opening movement for increasing the resistance of said yielding means to operation of said second mentioned valve by the action of fluid flow.

-10, A fuel system for an internal combustion engine including a fuel mixture passage for supplying a fuel mixture to said engine, a normal throttle valve in said passage, manually operable control mechanismsfor actuating said valve, a second throttle valve in said fuel mixture passage between said normal throttle valve and said engine and adapted to be moved toward a partially closed position by the flow of fuel in said passage, a relatively light spring adapted to yieldably resist movement of said second mentioned valve by fuel flow, manually operable means operable to establish the predetermined resistance of said yieldable means to operation of said second throttle valve by fuel flow, means responsive to actuation of said manually operable control mechanism beyond a predetermined portion of its range of valve opening movement for increasing the predetermined resistance of said yieldable means to fluid flow operation of said second valve as established by said manually operable means, and a relatively heavy spring operable to oppose variation of said predetermined resistance.

11. In a throttle control mechanism for an internal combustion engine, a throttle valve for said engine, a manually operable throttle actuating member for said valve, an automatically operated throttle mechanism adapted to normally assume control of the maximum speed of the engine under predetermined conditions including a valve and a resilient element opposing closure thereof, and means responsive to actuation of said throttle actuating member during a portion of its normal range of throttle opening move- 1 ment and acting upon said resilient element for varying its opposition to closure of said second mention-ed valve and raising the speed of the engine at which said automatic mechanism assumes control of the maximum speed of the engine.

12. In a throttle control mechanism for an internal combustion engine, a throttle valve, a manually operated throttle control for said valve, an automatically operated throttle mechanism adapted to control the maximum speed of said engine and adapted to become operative under

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