US2315879A - Charge former - Google Patents

Description

April 6, 1943. T. A. sT. CLAIR CHARGE FORMER Filed Aug. 4, 1941.

Mln 4 /N//// /////,////////UN/ f f//f /f l /1/ f/ f f /H INVENToR T A. st CLAIR liquid fuel through Patented Apr. 6, 1943 UNITED STATES PATEN T oFEIcE 2,315,879 CHARGE FORMER Theodore A. St.

Clair, Pontiac, Mich., assigner to Phillips Petroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware ApplicationAugust 4,1941, serial No. 405,437

(o1. zei-1o) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a motor fuel system utilizing hydrocarbon compounds having wide boiling-ranges. More particularly it relates to a method and apparatus for metering a volatile fuel.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for carbureting h'igh vapor pressure fuels.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a system, operating without the use of pressure reducing regulator means, whereby the eratingwith leed of highly bustion engine.

Another object of the invention is to obtain a reduction of the vapor pressure by cooling the means of a partial vaporization of the fuel.

Still another object is to provide means for keeping the fuel in liquid form andto prevent vaporization thereof, before the fuel enters the vaporization chamber,k

remains in a liquid state. Other objects andadvantages will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the r accompanying drawing, forming a part of thisspeciflcation and in which: Figure l is a vertical section, partly in elevation, through a preferred embodiment of this invention, and

Figure 2 is a similar oi' this invention.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1, the numeral I indicates generally the upper of two main castings makingup the metering apparatus. This upper casting which may be made of any preferred material, contains a float cham..

view of a modied form ber 23 formed by the circular wall Il and bottom end wall I2. 'I'he upper part of casting I0 forms an adapter and air intake pipe I3 for'an air cleaner, not shown.

Flanged to casting I0 is the lower casting I4 containing a vaporization chamber I5 formed by an annular wall I 8 and a bottom end wall I1.

This casting also forms the main and lower part I8 of intake pip-e 'I3 which is connected in the usual manner to the engine intake manifold. Mounted within this part I8 oi' the intake pipe is a Venturi tube or section I9 having a main liquid discharge jet 20 formed in conduit 2| which extends through the venturi and communicates -31 in the upper part of casting `other suitable material :tending up into at one end with the vaporization chamber I5. A

at its upper vend with conduit to be slidably mounted upon stem 28 and engage spring 29. External threads on screw 3l engage threads cut into the interior ofpassase I0. A removable closure member 32 is provided to seal the upper end of passage 3| and allows access to the adjustment screw. In this way suiilcient loading may be placed on the oat to secure proper functioning 'of the apparatus during operation of the engine.

Conduit 33 bored within the upper part of casting I0 communicates at its lower end with the interior of float chamber 26 and at its other end with Ythe interior of the air intake pipe I3. Vapor outlet adjustment screw 34 is mounted so as to project into this passage and provides a means for manually controlling the iiow of vapor through this passage.

Mounted within an aperture formed in wall l2 is a tubular collar 35 which extends'down through a similar aperture in wall I1. A fluid tight kengagement between theA collar and the walls prevents leakage from the float chamber intothe vaporization chamber. Gaskets of rubberl or may be used if preferred for this purpose as shown at 36. VWelded to the under side of wall I1 is a valve body member 31 having a central passage 38 of varying diameters bored therein. The lower end of collar 35 seats within this passage as at 38. A valve 39 pre1.'- erably of the tire core type is mounted within this passage having a depressable head 40 exa central passage 4I bored through collar 35 and aligning with passage 33. Projecting from the bottom of oat 21, extends through passage Il in collar 35 ing head 40 of valve 39. In movement of the oat will depress head 40 opening valve 39 and upward movement of the float will cause the valve to close. Normally valve 33 is closed and is open only when head 40 is held contactbored within wall 23 of casting stem 42 this way downward Lure l is .vaporization down, permitting fluid to iiow through the interior of the valve from inlet passage Il.

A second aperture in wall i2 has a removable plug I3 mounted therein which is centrally bored to form the -main metering orifice: of the present device. It lwill be seen by reference to the drawing that fluid communication between the float chamber and the vaporization chamber occurs through this orifice.

An insulating jacket M of cork, or any other similar material suitable for insulating purposes, it attached to the exterior sides of casting il so as to surround both the vaporization chamber and the lower part of the air intake pipe.

Liquid fuel flows through line 45 which is connected in the customary manner to the lower end of passage 38. An oil pressure operated shut-off valve Ii is also connected to line l5 havingran oil pressure line at 41 and the customary manual starting lever Il adapted to be operated from the driver's compartment.

In operation the shut-off valve shown in Figopened manually or by oil pressure and liquid fuel enters the float chamber through inlet valve 38 to a predetermined level as indicated by the reference line A-A. At first, vaporization will take place in the float chamber as well as in the vaporization chamber. Vapor for-med in float chamber is then carried into the air intake pipe il through the vapor balance conduit 3l. After the system has become cool, the temperature of the fuel being reduced to the at atmospheric pressure so that it will remain in a liquid state, vaporization within the float chamber will cease or be reduced to a small amount. Vaporlzation will then be practically confined to the vaporization chamber surrounding the float chamber. The partial vaporization of the liquid fuel itself effects a cooling which tends to remove heat from the inner float chamber andthereby reduces the vapor When a stream 'of air passes through the Venturi tube Il, the lower end i8 of the air intake pipe Il being connected to the intake manifold of the engine, a reduced pressure exists in the discharge jet 2U and in the vaporization chamber Il. As the pressure is lowered, the liquid in chamber li will rise sufficiently above the level A-A to register with the conduit 2 Fuel flows orifice I3 from the float chamber into the vaporization chamber and out through the main discharge jet into the air stream which carries it into the combustion chamber ofthe engine. jet being designed sufliciently large to operate with fuel ineither vapor or liquid form, will un-l der normal conditions discharge the fuel in liquid form. the vapor formed chamber will cause depress sufficiently to permit simultaneous withdrawal of liquid and vapor initially through conduit 2 I boiling point through extending from said outlet to herewith shown and which will be the equilibrium condition of normal operation. The flow through themain metering jet 43, however, will always be entirely liquid, thus providing accurate proportioning.

Figure 2 shows a modified forrn'of the present i invention in which the air intake pipe ifcontaining a Venturi tube i9' and throttle valve 2l' is a separate, not an integral unit of the vaporization chamber. line or conduit 33' is provided and connects the upper part of the float chamber 28 with the air intake pipe. The main discharge iet 20 is connected by a sultable conduit 49 to the lower part of the vaporization' chamber i5'. In other respects the device shown in Figure 2 operation to that shown and described for Figure l, except that thefuel in the chamber l5 will vary from the level B--B upon starting after a short running period.

It will beK noted that this device is somewhat similar to a standard gasoline carburetor and therefore may incorporate features such as accelerating pumps and main load jets, or other refinements as commonly used on such equipment to improve the operation, if desired. Applicant contemplates using such refinements with his present device but for the sake of brevity has not included a description or drawing thereof since they do not form an essential part of the present invention.

While the applicant has described a specific embodiment. it is to be understood that the form,

described, is a preferred ex- 'ample only and that various modifications may be made therein without materially departing from the spirit of this invention as defined-by the appended claims. v Having thus described my invention,

l. Charge-forming apparatus for utilizing hydrocarbon fuels, certain components of which ssess a superatrnospheric vapor pressure comprising in combination, a fuel reservoir having a float controlled inlet, a separate chamber substantially surrounding the side and bottom walls of the fuel reservoir in heat exchange relationship therewith. said chamber having an outlet at an intermediate point to form a closed compartment in the upper portion thereof, a metering orifice in the bottom wall of the reservoir, an air passage including a Venturi tube, a fuel discharge conduit the Venturi tube to subject the chamber to low pressure and cause vaporization of the high pressure components therein, the cooling eect thereby produced being imparted to the fuel reservoir to cool and prevent vaporization of fuel therein.

` 2. The apparatus of claim l wherein a layer of heat insulating material surrounds the chamber and air passage.

THEODORE A. ST. CLAIR.

to a level C-C

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