US2578380A - Means foe preparing ignitible - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 11, 1951 v. H. TEEGEN MEANS FOR PREPARING IGNITIBLE MIXTURES Filed June 21, 1949 A/A F/G.2. A T

FUEL

-. IIIA lGN/TABLE' MIXTURE 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR. HERMANN TEE GEN BY lfm m 'ATTORNEK H. TEEGEN Dec. 11, 1951 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed June 21, 1949 N w m n m M gm a mm mm mW W I m v FM I A M mN I l "I /ZZ// 4 T A R 1 w @w F fif flh N J g? k ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 11, 1951 MEANS FOR PREPARING IGNITIBLE MIXTURES Hermann Teegen, Bunde, Westphalia, Germany, assignor to Lohmann-Werke A. G., Bielefeld, Germany, a corporation of Germany Application June 21, 1949, Serial No. 100,479

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a method of and means for preparing an ignitible mixture for internal combustion engines. The conventional manner to prepare and feed an ignitible mixture to an internal combustion engine requires either a carburetor atomizing the fuel by means of nozzles in co-operation with an air current when the engine operates according to the Otto principle,

or an injection pump charging fuel under high pressure into the combustion chamber is needed when the diesel principle is applied. Both carburetors and injection pumps are highly complicated mechanisms which are frequently subject to disturbances.

The invention aims therefore to provide a new method and means whereby an ignitible mixture of air and fuel can be obtained in an extremely simple manner and without requiring the application of high pressure in the preparation of such mixture which, depending on the type of engine, charged with it, may be ignited either by means of a conventional spark plug, or by selfignition due to compression, or by other suitable and conventional means.

The invention essentially consists in that air admitted into a casing is vehemently agitated therein by a movable member which also breaks up simultaneously admitted liquid fuel into particles and thoroughly mixes such particles with the agitated air, wherein the quantity of the fuel in proper relation to the air may be'adjusted by any suitable and conventional valving means in the path of the fuel and/or air to the casing.

The invention also contemplates heating of the so obtained mixture on its way from the casing to its place of use in order to promote the evaporation of the liquid particles, and, if it is intended to use the mixture e. g. in an engine operating according to the diesel principle, to attain self-ignition at a lower pressure than would be required with a cold mixture.

Another object of the invention is to make use of the crank rotating in the crank case of an englne of the reciprocating typeas a means for prepar ng an ignitible air and fuel mixture.

Further objects and details of the invention will be apparent from the description given hereinafter and the accompanying drawings showing several embodiments thereof by way of example.v In the drawing Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-section of an embodiment of the invention applied to an internal combustion engine of the reciprocating type,

Fig. 2 is a cross-section along line 2-2 of Fig. l,

.iE'ig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-section of another embodiment,

'Fig. 4 is a cross-section along line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Figs. 3 and i respectively of a modification, and

Fig. 7 is a cross-section of still another embodiment.

As stated hereinbefore the method according to the invention comprises admitting air and a liquid fuel into a casing, vehemently agitating the air and simultaneously breaking up the liquid fuel into particles and'mixing the'latter with the' agitated air with the aid of a member rapidly moving within the casing. The breaking up of the liquid fuel will be facilitated, if care is taken that the liquid fuel reaches the casing in form of drops rather than in a continuous stream; However, this is not necessarily so, as it is more or less merely a question of the form and speedof the movable member which is decisive of the time required to break up the coherence of the liquid. In order to obtain an ignitible mixture it is of course necessary that the quantity of fuel in relation to the quantity of airis withinthe limits between which the mixture will be infiammable. The method is not restricted to any par-' ticular kind or composition of liquid fuel. Gasoline, light and heavy fuel oils, and liquid fuel mixtures of various chemical composition, fluidity and viscosity can be used. In fact, I have found that all the various fuels I have testedand which are conventionally used in the operation of internal combustion engines can be successfully treated by my method. It iseven possible, as I have found in tests, to prepare ignitible.

mixtures, one after the other, of very difieren liquid fuels with the same apparatus. 1

Embodiments of apparatus for the indicate purpose will now be described with reference to the drawing. The apparatus is shown in connec-, tion with two-stroke engines; however, it is to be understood that this is not done by way of limitation but that the method and means according to my invention may be advantageously used with other kinds of internal combustion engines too,

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate, in a diagrammatical form,

a two-stroke motor in general denoted by- ID towhich the apparatus in general denoted byfor preparing an ignitible mixture is attached. The motor comprises the cylinder 12 mounted onthe two-partite crankcase i3. -The'piston l4 acts via the piston rod IE on crank IS with shaft l 1 journaled in bearings 18in the crankcase l3, andcontrols with its upper edge l9 an inlet port 20 and an outlet port 2| as it is conventional in certain types of two-stroke-engines.- The space22- between the piston I4 and the cylinder head 23- It-is immaterial from the viewpoint of the invention, Whether ignition is to be caused by high compression in this engine or by'means of spark; plugs;

constitutes the combustion chamber.

The inlet socket 21 comprises two b anches M and 3|. Branch 30 serves forsthe' admission ofl air to housing 24 whereas branch 3-! is adantedi for connection to a source of liquid fuelsupply. Velving means, e. g. such as shown-inthe e nbodiment of Fig. '7 may be app ied "to control'the l5 passage of air and fuel to the housing 24 in. order to ad ust the relative quantities. To the other: end :32 0f the -:crank shaft: l1 a. gear wheel 33 is secured from which" motor: power may be derived. andwhiclr'maybe rotated by; exterior means in order to start the motor.

The device operates in the: following manner: Whencrankshaft l1:rotates' in 1 the direction of. the-'rarrow inFi z. 2; the'toothed wheel 26 will be taken i along; Fuel :entering; through the socketbranch 3 I eit er by g vityfeed or supnliedfbv a conventionalpump will splash on the periphery ofrtheheel-25-where the sharp edged teeth, owinato the rotation;.willbreak up the liquid'into particles; Simultaneously, the airentering the housing. 24" through socket branch' 30 will be vehemently-agitated and-an ignitible mixture of limiid'iparticles"and-agitated :air'will be produced iirthe raticofduel to air is-kept within the limits. ofiinflammabi-lity. Whenever; then, during the reciprocation'of:piston :I tithe inlet port Zll'is omen,v quantities of :suchignitiblemixture' will pass from th ef-housing 24 through" the" socket' 28, pipe 29, inletfiport?2fl'iintothetcombustionchamber where? it'may be ienitedrtoadrive the motor.

7 ir-siinplificatiomof-ithe' structure and other adva'n'tagesof themeans for preparing an isnitibl'e' mixturecan he" atta ined if the mixture is for use inan internal combustioniengine' of the recioro'-- eating typewherera substantially closed crankcase is provided or the crankcase can be closed except for: such: portsor" ducts as" will be: de scribedinconnection:withthe embodiment illustrated in Fi'gsi 3 and". 4. such a? case,. the crankcase c nbe usedlas the casing ain'iwhichithe to mixture will be prenaredt andfthe' crank-as themovable member causing the :agitation' of'the air, the breaking up of the fuel and theiintermixing: The -motor ir'r-Firs. '3 and 4"comprises thecylinder' 40? divided crankcase 4-1; crank 'shait fli counter 5:; weighted 'cra nk 43E crank in14'4; piston 45.: and pistonrod 46 all ir r theconventional arranee= merit. The" crankcase space. 41 communicates? with the' cylin der space" 4 8 und'ern'eathi therpistonx whereas thespace 49 above! the' pistonloonien stitutes-athe comb'ustion chamber." No means iore igniting' a inermixture--are=shownforthewreasonsr st'at'ediitconnection with' Figs: l andi2: Noris the conventional exhaust port of the" cylinder: visible in the'illustrationsnor' Figs. 31andi4. The (25 cylinder is provided with an air 'in et port' 59'and' a fuel inlet' port' 'fil; both under? the control of the bottom edee5 2 of" thepiston' 45'. As stated: h'ere'inbeforei the ductsfor admitting airand fueL-or at least oneofther'n; may 'be pr0vided with 70 valvingor' other. means for -"adjusting'a thei. quan titi's adinitt'edl The-cylinderis" also provided:

with- 21 groove 53 which' constitutes a ductfrom the c'omb'ined' spaces 4l and" 48 to the combustion. chamber 19; and which is under the control of:' 75

the upper piston edge 54. It is to be noticed that in the cross-section Fig. 4, in order to avoid overcrowding of the illustration, only the cylinder 49 with fuel duct- 5|, ,groove s53-randa' bottom flange 55. has been shown, whichlatterrservesfor the attachment of the cylinder to the crankcase M.

This embodiment operates in the following manner; While the crank shaft 42 rotates, air and'fuelcan enter the combined spaces 4'! and lt'through the inlet ports and 5|. respectively, asslong as. during thecreciprocation of the piston, the lower edge'52=is: above these ports. The air will fill the mentioned spaces and will be agitated by, the crank andv counterweight 43. Simultaneously'the admitted fuel will splash on the crankandxwill be broken upon into particles and thorou hly mixed with the air. In this process the variation of pressurecausedby the-.-reciprooatingpistonisof assistance. It-is aslo helpful, if .sharp edges such as the edges 55- areprovided, although I.have obtained satisfying results. even if .there arev no. such edges; Now, when the piston on .itsdownward .stroke frees, withit-s. upper. edge 541,- the upper end of the groove 53, quantities of. the mixture prepared will pass from .the 360111?" bined space 4-1, 48.to-the combustionchamber id-through the duct formed by the groove 53 and thei outer surfaceof the-piston. The arrangement. of this duct-between the cylinder and pistoniwalls is advantageous because thesewalls are heated by the combustion :in chamber asand therefore communicate. heat. to the mixture duringits passage throughltheduct. As stated hereinbefore, suchheatwill aid in the-evaporating0f theliquid particles.

Thezdevice shown in' Figs. 5 and-6 -is very simi'-- lar. to that just described.v It mainly differs fromthe latter in ther-arrangement-tof the inlet ports fortthe airand fuelwand ofthewduct-betweenlthe- 0 mixing spacesand then-combustion chamber; In

this case, an air oonduitjfltandar fuel conduit E l are prov-i'ded in :the upper part. of the-cylinder 62; which opens iIltOTthB cylinder space at fi i'whereas-its outerlen'd is closed-byaxcover 65; Theport- 6i is a controlled by the dowen edgeof piston 45:

With thisiarrangement, air and fuel will-be ad-- mittedrduring :the samelength" oftime or length of; portion of; the reciprocatingicycle; whereas in the: preceding-1y described. structure the time fOli' admitting; the: fuel is-shorter than. that for the. 8.11; The duct- 56 between :they lowercylinder space ie andthe combustion chamber 494s pro-- vided entirely within" the wa1l= of the cylinder E2; which; is heated: by the; combustion irrthat chamber; Its: portiilis. under the control of; the

upper BdgiEi-Of the piston. It is to be noticed.

that there is a sharp edge fis at-the 'lowerend of the duct 66: This edge :is-provided' also for the purpose of creating eddies; i.- e'.. of: more thoroughly intermix-ing; thee. fuel: particles v with the agitated-air; In'oride-rto'showthat-the'devicet is-i applicable-to enginesi'with; an. ignitionzsystem asz well as to engines-operating swith zselfeignitiom.

a spark plug is: indicatedsat 69.1.,

The": preparation 1 of thorough mixture of air" and fuel particles can alsobeximprove'd'by'ad ditional means. For: this purpose; the inner suriaceof the-casing {may bechromium or'nickel' plated; sandblasted; bonderized 'orqtreatedlin ran.- 0111161'11113111181'. torinfluence; tl'ies 01 'matiomof'.v films of: velyssmall liquidtparticlespintotwhich the. fuel isibroken up as hereinbefore describedtf'andiwhich'- are taken: along: by and; intermixed with, the

agitated, air. Another effective measure iszthe;

Both conduitst end-.in a: transverse bore t3- provision of a plurality of sharp edged teeth on the outer periphery of the counterweight of the crank and/or on the inner periphery of the crankcase of a motor in which that case is used as the casing in which the mixture is to be prepared. Such a motor is shown in Fig. 7. The

illustrated engine is of the type disclosed in-my copending application Serial No. 90,619, filed April 30, 1049, and in which the fuel-air-mixture is self-ignited by high compression. This motor comprises an outer cylinder secured to the divided crankcase 1|. Within the cylinder a barrel '!2 being closed at 13 near its top end is slidably arranged. The piston 14 reciprocates within the barrel and is operated by crank shaft I5, via crank iii and piston rod TI. The size of the combustion chamber 18 can be varied by the adjustment of the distance of the barrel from the crank shaft axis, and such adjustmentcan be had by means of a screw bolt 19 in the fixed cylinder head 80 as it has been fully described in the mentioned application. The barrel space 8| underneath the piston is in communication with the crankcase space 82, similarly to the spaces 48 and M in Fig. 3. The barrel has an inlet port 83 and an outlet port 84 of which the port 83 is controlled by the lower piston edge 85 and port 85 by the upper piston edge 86. Port 83 is in permanent communication with a transverse bore 81 of the cylinder 1!) regardless of the position of barrel 12 therein, and, for that reason is somewhat larger than bore 81. Similarly the outlet port 84 is in permanent communication with another transverse bore 88 for the escape of the exhaust gases. A member 89 is secured to the cylinder by means not shown, which member contains a conduit 90 in connection with the bore 81 and open at its other end SI for the entrance of air. Intermediate the ends a cock valve 92 with operating lever 93is provided whereby the passage through the conduit is adjustable. A tubular piece 94 of a narrower inner cross-section for connection to a source of a liquid fuel supply is slidable in a socket 95 which opens into the conduit 90. Piece 94 is provided with an outwardly projecting pin 96 engaged by a forked arm 91 of the lever 93. The arrangement is such that piece 94 is in its topmost position when valve 92 is fully open, and will be lowered the more valve 92 closes. Opposite socket 95, another interiorly threaded socket 98 is provided in which a screw member 99 is adjustable. This member ends in a needle point I09 which projects into the opening l8! of the piece 94, thus constituting a valve for the passage of fuel into the conduit 90. A stop nut I (22 may be used to secure the needle in its adjusted position. It will be clear that with this device a very accurate adjustment of the fuel-air ratio can be attained, and that by operating lever 83 the quantities of flow of air and fuel can be simultaneously increased or reduced as may be required during the operation of the engine. However, other suitable and conventional means may be applied to adjust the supply of fuel and air to the engine.

Within the crankcase H, the crank 16 has a sector-shaped counterweight H0 which, for the reason hereinbefore explained, is provided with sharp edged teeth I on its periphery. The inner periphery of the crankcase is also provided with sharp edged teeth H2 which, however, are arranged only on the sides whereas the bottom portion of the crankcase is smooth in order to prevent liquid fuel from accumulating between the teeth. A passage from the crankcase space 82 to the combustion chamber 18 is open through the slot or recess H3 in the barrel 12 when the upper piston edge 86 is below the upper end of the recess. The curved shape of the recess H3 is preferred to a straight one in order to create a certain current of the entering mixture in the combustion chamber as more fully explained in the mentioned application, and also to increase the length of the passage of the mixture along heated surfaces.

The device operates in a manner similar to that explained hereinbefore in connection with the embodiments shown in Figs. 3 to 6. When the motor is running air enters the combined spaces 8| and 82 through conduit 90, bore 81 and port 83 when piston edge opens the latter. Simultaneously, liquid fuel drops or flows past the needle valve 96 into the conduit from where it, assisted by the air current, flows on to the same spaces where it is splashed about and is broken up in particles by the rotating crank and counterweight which vehemently agitate the air and mix it thoroughly with such particles. The teeth I I l and I l 2 serve to increase that efiect. As soon as the piston edge 86 opens the passage through the recess H3 quantities of the mixture will enter the combustion chamber in a preheated condition owing to their contact with the hot walls of the piston and the barrel. In the combustion chamber the mixture will be compressed by the piston upon its upward stroke to that pressure and, consequently, temperature at which selfignition occurs. The effect of the preheating on the evaporation of the liquid particles on the one hand and on the lowering of the ignition pressure has been stated hereinbefore.

In the embodiments of my invention illustrated in Figs. 3 to 7, the preparation of the inflammable mixture takes place in the crankcase which communicates with the cylinder space underneath the piston. Owing to the reciprocation of the latter, the pressure in the combined spaces fluctuates. Such fluctuation or Variation of the pressure is also aiding towards the desired result, that means the breaking up the fuel into very fine particles and their mixture with the agitated air. Therefore, regardless whether or not a crankcase is used as what may be called the mixing chamber, it is advisable to provide means whereby the pressure in the chamber can be caused to vary during the operation. Such means may be of any suitable and conventional kind, as for instance, a cylinder in communication with the mixing chamber and in which a piston is reciprocated in an arrangement similar to that in an engine of the type described.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many alterations and modifications of the method and means herein described may be had without departure from the spirit and essence of my invention. For instance the admission of fuel and air to the casing where the mixing occurs, and/or the discharge of the mixture therefrom may be continuous rather than intermittent, or if the charging and discharging occurs intermittently the ports leading to and from the casing may be controlled by any suitable and conventional means other than the edges of a reciprocating piston. For that reason my inven-- tion shall not be limited but by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for preparing anignitible mixture for an internal combustion engine, comprising arcasing; a: .vent .ln:the:casing sto admitiair; there-.-

to; said-casinghaving'a rough inner: surface to;

increase thewformationnf eddies of :the air; passe ing along saidsurfacaqa duct connected :to' said casing-to: admit liquid fuel'thereto; a. movable member'in'said casing,ta driving means forssaid: member to move it rapidly in.saidicasinggsaid:

member, owing toits rapidmovement, beingsa means to vehemently agitate said air in said casing, to break up said liquid fuel,a.in particles, and? to mixrsaid i particles; thoroughly with said air, ,andfanotheri'duct connected to said casing'to conduct". quantities of said mixture to the. combustien chamber: of" said engine.

2;.Inian internal combustioniengine including: acrankcase, a crank rotatable thereimand a: combustion chamber, the combination of means;

for admitting; air togsaidcasameans foradmittingglieuid: fuel toasaid case, portionsaincluded in-isaidcrank andhaving sharp edgesprotrudinggin the space-of-said case, therebyvto-increase the agitation of the air, the breaking up of the liquid; fuel into particles, and the intermixing of. said particles with theagitatedair, caused in saidcase by the rotatingcrank, andla conduitriphery, and a conduit from said case-to saidv combustion chamber: for the mixture-of. said ,air and particles of said fuel producedinsaid casing by, the. rotating. crank. and counterweight.

4., In an internal .combustion engine including a crankcase, a crank, rotatable therein, anda combustion chamber, the combination of'meansv for admittingair to said case, means for admitting liquidfuel tosaid case, inner sharp edged projections of said case, and aconduit from said case to said combustionchamber for the mixture of' said. air and particles of said fuelproduced in said casing by said rotating crank.

5. A device'as claimed in claim 4, saidprojections being provided on the lateral portions of the inner surface of said crankcase, and the bottom portion thereof being smooth.

6. Inan: internal combustion engine includin a crankcase, a crank rotatable therein. and a:

combustion chamber, the combination of means for admittingair and liquid fuel to said crankcase at low pressure; said means including means for adjusting the quantity of fuel in relation to the quantity of air admitted, sharp edged portions included in said crank, said crank with said sharp edged portions constituting a means, owingto its rotation, to break up said liquid fuel into particles andto mix thelatter thoroughly with saidair, and aconduit for said mixture from said case to said combustion chamber, said conduit being-located between parts'of the engine walls which receiveheat from said combustion chamher.

7'. A device for preparing-an ignitible mixture:

for an internal combustion engine including a crank case, comprising interior roughened surfaces of. said crank case, a vent in the crank case to admit air thereto, a ductconnected to said crank case, to'admit liquid fuel thereto, a movable member in said crank case, a driving means for said member to move it rapidly in said crank case, said member, owing to its rapid movement,

beinga means to vehemently agitate said air in said crank case, to break upsaid liquid fuelin particles, and to mix said particles thoroughly with said air, a second heated; duct connected to said crank case to conductquantities of said mixture to the combustion chamber of said en gine, and means for varying thevolume of said combustion chamber to a point Where self-ignition of the mixture heated in said second duct occurs.

HERMANN TEEGEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the;

file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 963,366 Gathmann July 5, 1910 1,448,167 Sweet Mar. 13, 1923 1,792,201 Treiber, Feb. 10, 1931 2,091,496 Treen Aug. 31, 1937 2,185,254 Kliesrath Jan. 2, 1940. 2,434,343 Brown Jan. 13, 1948

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