US2590445A - Starting of internal-combustion engines - Google Patents

Description

March 25, 1952 c, J, MOODY 2,590,445

STARTING OF' INTENAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed March 13, 1950 l lll/11111111 JNVENToR. CLARK JJMOODY ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 25, 1952 STARTING OF INTERNAL- COMBUSTION ENGINES Clark J. Moody, New York, N. Y., assignor to California Research Corporation, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application March 13, 1950, Serial No. 149,288

18 Claims. 1

This invention relates to the starting of internal combustion engines in cold weather, and is particularly concerned with the provision of new and advantageous means for discharging starting-fluid into the engine.

Fluid, containing ethyl ether as its major component, and suitable for quickly starting internal combustion engines in frigid weather, at temperatures as low as 40 F., has been available on the market for years. The invention disclosed in my application Serial No. 33,365, filed June 16, 1948, now Patent No. 2,516,787, June 25, 1950, obviates the hazards incident to the prior practice in the storage of the inflammable and explosive starting or priming fluid. In accordance with the disclosure in that application, a charge of starting fluid, sufficient for one starting of/the engine, is stored in a gelatin capsule which is discarded after a single use; such capsule being placed in a receptacle connected to the engine and ruptured by forcing a puncturing element into the capsule for discharging its contents to the interior of said engine.

The present invention provides novel and improved means for receiving a rupturable capsule containing engine-starting fluid, and for puncturing said capsule and discharging its contents intothe engine. A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a compact, easily manipulable, capsule-receiving and puncturing unit which may be conveniently kept in the glove com,-

partment of an automobile when not in use, and which ,may be expeditiously utilized to puncture a capsule and discharge the starting fluid into the engine when such is desired. In this way there need be no puncturing unit mounted on the automobile dash and taking up room in the passenger compartment; and instead there may be mounted on the dash a simple fitting, connected to the intake manifold of the engine, to which fitting the puncturing unit, after receiving a capsulef may be quickly applied to discharge the capsule contents and then speedily removed.

A more specific feature of the invention comprises a capsule-receiving and puncturing unit having provisions enabling the capsule to be punctured prior to applying said unit to the fitting on the dash, and for discharging the contents of the punctured capsule into said fitting When said unit is applied thereto.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a view in vertical longitudinal section, with parts in elevation, showing a capsule receiving and puncturing unit embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of a detail.

Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the unit of Fig. l, showing a plunger withdrawn to permit insertion of a capsule.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation showing a fitting on the dashboard of an automobile and connected to the intake-manifold of the engine; which fitting is adapted to 'receive starting-fluid from a capsule in the aforementioned puncturing unit and to transmit the same to said engine.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown at II (Fig. 5) a fitting on the dashboard I 2 of an automobile, and connected through piping I3 to the intake-manifold of the engine I4. The fitting II may be of any desired type for normally maintaining the corresponding end of the pipe I3 closed and for opening said end when a complemental fitting on the capsule-containing unit is applied thereto. For instance, the fitting II may be a conventional Alemite fitting commonly employed on bearings and other parts of automobiles, and having a check valve therein for normally preventing access to the interior of such bearing but operable to permit grease under pressure to be projected into said bearing when a grease-gun is applied to the fitting and operated. It will, of course, be understood that the fitting II may be located on the flooror other desired part of the automobile, instead of on the dash.

The capsule receiving and puncturing unit is designated generally at I5. It has at one end a fitting I8, complemental to the fitting II on the dash. Said fitting I6 may be a conventional grease-gun fitting, adapted, when applied to a fitting such as II, to permit the fluid contents of the unit I5 to be projected through said fitting `II into the pipe I3 and thence to the intakemanifold of the engine I4. The fitting I6 may, for instance, be oi the Well-known type having bayonet slots (one of which is shown at IG) for engagement With pins II on tting II, and enabling the fitting I6 to be secured to said fitting II when said fitting I6 is given a quarter turn. The stem I6" of fitting I6 may conveniently be threaded into the casting I1 of the unit I5, said stem having in its end ai port IB'" communicating with a bore or passage I8 in the interior of said casting I1. The lower end of said bore I8 may,as shown, be closed by a removable plug I 9.

Normally the passage of fluid from the bore lI3 through the fitting I6 is prevented by a check valve in said fitting, such as the valve shown at 29 which may be normally pressed by a spring 2| against an end of the port l", thus cutting off communication between the bore |3 and the interior of the tting I6.

An extension |1 of the casting I1 is hollow and threaded at opposite ends. One end receives a cylindrical barrel 22, and the other a plug 23. Slidable with a close t within the barrel 22 is a piston or plunger 24 having a rod 25 secured to a disk or handle 26 external to said barrel 22 and secured to cylindrical sleeve 21 which fits over said barrel. The inner end of said sleeve 21 may be provided with a bayonet slot 28 (Fig. 2) for receivingr a pin 29 on the barrel 22. It will be apparent that, when the parts are in the positions shown in Figs. l and 2, the sleeve 21 is locked against movement and the piston 24 is locked in the position shown. However, by pushing inwardly slightly on the disk 26, and then rotating the latter to bring the open longitudinal portion 28' of the bayonet slot opposite pin 29, the sleeve 21 and piston 24 may be retracted into the position shown in Fig. 3. When in this position, said piston and sleeve expose an opening 30 in the wall of the barrel 22, through which opening a capsule containing starting fluid may be inserted into the interior of the barrel, between the piston 24 and a puncturing blade 3|. The latter is attached to or formed integrally with a washer 3|' inserted in the casting extension l1 ahead of the plug 23. As shown in Fig. 4, said Washer 3| is provided with a flattened portion 3| engaging a correspondingly attened inner Wall portion of the casting extension l1', so that the plug 23 may be unscrewed when desired without rotating the blade 3| among any accumulated capsule portions.

If desired, the outward movement of the sleeve 21 and piston 24 may be limited by a pin 32 in the barrel 22, which pin extends into a slot 33 (Fig.3) in the sleeve 21.

It will, of course, be ,e

understood thatlthe upper or outer end of said u slot 33 has a horizontal portion terminating in a slightvertical dip corresponding to the formation of the bayonet slot 28, so that the pin 32 will not prevent operation of the sleeve 21 into the position shown in Fig. 2, wherein pin 29 is engaged in a slight vertical dip extending from f the horizontal portion of slot 28.

Following the retraction of the plunger 24 into the position shown in Fig. 3, and the insertion of a capsule through the opening 39, the' plunger 1s moved inwardly, and the capsule is punctured by the blade 3|. Conveniently, the plunger 24 may have a recess 34 for receiving the blade 3| so that the plunger may be moved fully inwardly into overlapping relation with the blade and thus permit shortening of the sleeve 21 and a more compact arrangement of the parts.

When the plunger 24 is moved inwardly from its :position shown in Fig. 3 to that of Fig. 1 following the insertion of a capsule, throughI opening'3l, the capsule is punctured by the blade 3| and 1s also crushed by the piston. The Huid contents of the capsule ll the interior of the castmg extension I1' but will not enter the bore |8 until a check valve 35 is retracted. Said valve 35 may, as shown, be nilunted in a hollow fitting F 36 threaded into the upper portion of the bore I8, and may be normally pressed by a spring 31 to close a port 38 in the upper end of' said tting. Said port communicates with the interior of the casting extension l1', which, as. above.

noted, contains the fluid contents of the punctured capsule.

For controlling the operation of the check valves 20 and 35 I provide another piston 39, movable with a close fit in a barrel 49 which is threaded at one end into the casting |1. A passage 49 provides communication between the bore |8 and the interior of said barrel 4U. The rod 42 of piston 4G has at its. opposite end an extension 40' threaded into a handle 43. The latter, as shown, is in the form of a pistol grip. A cylindrical sleeve 44 ts over the barrel 4!) and has an end 44 provided with an opening through which projects the reduced extension 49 of piston rod 42, said sleeve end being interposed between the handle and an annular shoulder 42 on the piston rod.

A latch 45, in the form of a bell-crank lever, is pivoted at 46 on the handle 43. A projection 41 on one of the arms 41 of said latch is adapted to pass through openings in the sleeve 44 and barrel 40 when said sleeve is moved to its innermost position on said barrel. Thereby the sleeve is locked to the barrel. Said projection is maintained in locking position by a spring 48 interposed .between the handle 43 and arm 49 of the latch 45.

It will readily be seen that, by grasping the handle 43 and pressing the latch arm 49 toward the handlei the operator may withdraw projection 41' from engagement with the sleeve 44 and barrel 40. The operator may then retract the handle 43, sleeve 44, and piston 39 to their outermost position; during which movement the reduction in pressure in the space between the receding piston and the valve 35 causes said valve to open and permit fiuid from the punctured capsule to flow through the fitting 36 into the bore |8, and thence into the interior of the han rel 49. To limit outward movement of the pis ton 39 and associated parts, a stop 5U may be mounted on the barrel 49 for engagement with a longitudinal slot 5| in the sleeve 44.

Upon thereafter returning the handle 43, sleeve 44, and piston 39 to their innermost positions. shown in Fig. 1, the fluid in advance of the piston 39 is compressed, overcoming the action'of the spring 2| on the checli valve 29, and escapes through the fitting |61 When the sleeve 44 arrives in its innermost position, the latch 45 may be released and will again lock the sleeve and associated parts to the barrel.

When not in use, the capsule-receiving unit i5 may be' conveniently kept in the automobile glove compartment. To use it, the operator first simply retracts the handle 26 and plunger 24 to the Fig. 3 position, inserts a capsule through opening 30, and returns the handle and plunger 24 to their positions shown in Fig. l, thus puncturing and collapsing the capsule. The operator then, grasping the handle 43, applies the fitting llover the tting on the dash-board and gives the handle' a quarter turn to lock the fittings together through the engagement of bayonet slots I6 and pins When this is done, the operator presses the latch arm 49, releasing the sleeve 44, and pulls out on the handle 43 to retract the piston 39 and draw starting fluid through the valve fitting 36 into the bore I8 and barrel 49. Following retraction of said piston 39, the Aoperator returns the handle 43 to its Fig. l position, compressing the starting fluid in advance of the 'piston, and forcing said fluid past check valve 20, "through tting i6, into fitting and thence page the check valve insaid sitting Il into pipe i3 and the engine manifold. Upon the return of handle 43 to its Fig. 1 position the latch arm 49 may be released so that said handle and sleeve 44 are again locked in that position. Following this discharge of said fiuid to said manifold, the.

unit I5 is turned reversely to disconnect fitting I6 from said fitting Il, and is then withdrawn and returned to the glove compartment. The plug 23 may be unscrewed whenever desired to afford access to the washer 3| and blade 3|, which may then be removed to clean said blade and to withdraw used-capsule fragments from the interior of the fitting I1'.

The removable plug I9 enables convenient access to the valve 35 Whenever desired.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

I claim:

1. A device for puncturing a starting-fiuid capsule and expelling said fiuid, said device comprising, in combination, a chamber for receiving a capsule, puncturingmeans therein, a second chamber, valve means normally preventing escape of fiuid from said first to said second chamber but operable to permit such escape, means movable in one direction to cause operation of said valve means tol permit such escape, a fitting connected to said second chamber, and valve means normally preventing escape of fiuid from said second chamber through said fitting but operable upon actuation of said movable means in the opposite direction to permit such escape.

2. A device for puncturing a starting fluid capsule puncturing means, a second chamber for receiving fluid from the punctured capsule, a fitting communicating with said second chamber and adapted for engagement with a complemental fitting on said automobile for passing said fluid thereto, and means in said second chamber for drawing fluid from the first men'- tioned chamber and discharging said fluid through said fittings.

3. In combination, means forl puncturing a starting-fluid capsule, a fitting adapted foi engagement with a complemental fitting in communication with -an automobile engine, and means for withdrawing fluid from the punctured capsule and expelling said fluid through said fittings. u

4. In combination, means for puncturing a starting-fiuid capsule, a fitting providing an outlet for said fluid, and means for conducting said fluid from the punctured capsule to said fitting, said fitting being adapted to telescopic engagement with and disengagement from a complemental fitting communicating with an automobile engine.

5. In combination, a chamber for receiving` a starting-fiuid capsule, means in said chamber for puncturing said capsule, a fitting providing an outlet for said fiuid, passage means leading from said chamber to said fitting, and valve means controlling fiow of fiuid in said passage means, said fitting being adapted for telescopic engagement with and disengagement from a complemental fitting communicating with an automobile engine.

6. A starting-fiuid capsule applicator comprising a chamber for receiving a capsule, means in said chamber for puncturing said capsule, passage means for conducting fiuid from the punctured capsule away from said chamber, an outlet fitting communicating with said passage, said fitting being adapted for telescopic engagement with and disengagement from a complemental fitting communicating with an automobile engine, and reciprocable plunger means for withdrawing fiuid from said chamber to said passage and forcing said fiuid into said outlet fitting.

7. A starting-fiuid capsule applicator comprising a chamber for receiving a capsule, means in said chamber for puncturing said capsule, passage means for conducting fluid from the punctured capsule away from said chamber, an outlet fitting communicating with said passage, said fitting being adapted for telescopic engagement with and disengagement from a complemental fitting communicating with an automobile engine, and a handle for transporting said applicator to said complemental fitting and applying said outlet fitting thereto.

8. A starting-fiuid capsule applicator comprising a chamber for receiving a capsule, means in said chamber for puncturing said capsule, passage means for conducting fluid from the punctured capsule away from said chamber, an outlet fitting communicating with said passage, said fitting being adapted for telescopic engagement with and disengagement from a complemental fitting communicating with an automobile engine, and reciprocable plunger means for lwithdrawing fiuid from said chamber to said passage and forcing said fiuid into said outlet fitting, a handle attached to said plunger for reciprocating the same, and retractible means normally latching said handle to a portion of said applicator.

9. A starting-fiuid capsule applicator comprising a chamber for receiving a capsule, means in said chamber for puncturing said capsule. passage means for conducting fiuid from the punctured capsule away from said chamber, an outlet fitting communicating with said passage, said fitting being adapted for telescopicengagement with and disengagement from a complemental fitting communicating with an automobile engine, means comprising a reciprocable plunger for withdrawing fiuid from said chamber to said passage and forcing said fluid through said outlet fitting, a housing surrounding said plunger and defining a chamber therefor, a handle attached to said plunger for reciprocating the same and retractible means normally latching said handle to said housing whereby the applicator may be transported by said handle to said complemental fitting and said outlet fitting engaged therewith.

10. A starting-fluid capsule applicator comprising a chamber forreceiving a capsule, means in said chamber for puncturing said capsule, passage means for conducting fiuid from the punctured capsule away from said chamber, an outlet fitting communicating with said passage, said fitting being adapted for telescopic engagement with and disengagement from a complemental fitting communicating with an automobile engine, means comprising a reciprocable plunger for withdrawing fiuid from said chamber to said passage and forcing said fluid through said outlet fitting. a housing sui'rounding said plunger and dening a chamber therefor, a handle attached to said plunger for reciprocating the same, a sleeve attached to said plunger and surrounding said housing, and a retractible latch carried by said handle and engageable with openings in said sleeve and housing when said plunger is in a predetermined position.

1l. A starting-fluid capsule applicator comprising a chamber for receiving a capsule, means in said chamber for puncturing said capsule, passage means for conducting fluid from the punctured capsule away from said chamber, an outlet fitting communicating with said passage, said fitting being adapted for telescopic engagement with and disengagement from a complemental fitting communicating with an automobile engine, valve means normally preventing escape of fluid from said chamber to said passage but operable to permit such escape, other valve means normally preventing escape of fluid from said passage through said outlet tting but operable to permit such escape, a second chamber communicating with said passage, and a plunger in second chamberl movable in one direction for drawing iiud through the first valve means into said passage and in the other direction for forcing said iluid through the other valve means and said outlet tting.

12. A starting-fluid capsule applicator comprising a chamber for receiving a capsule, means in said chamber for puncturing said capsule, passage means for conducting fluid from the punctured capsule away from said chamber, an outlet fitting communicating with said passage, said fitting being adapted for telescopic engagement with and disengagement from a complemental itting communicating with an aut-omobile engine, valve means normally preventing escape of iiuid from said chamber to said passage but operable to permit such escape, other valve means normally preventing escape of uid from said passage through said outlet fitting but operable to permit such escape, a second chamber communicating with said passage, and a plunger in said second chamber movable in one direction for drawing iiuid through the first valve means into said passage and in the other direction for forcing said fluid through the other valve means and said outlet tting, and a pistol-grip handle attached to said plunger for reciprocating the same.

13. A starting-fluid capsule applicator comprising a chamber for receiving a capsule, a stationary puncturing tool removably mounted adjacent one end of said chamber, a removable plug mounted in said end of said chamber, and means in said chamber movable in one direction for permitting insertion of a capsule and in the opposite direction for forcing said capsule against said tool.

I 14. A starting-:duid capsule applicator comprising a chamber, a puncturing tool adjacent one end of said chamber, an opening in ia, Wall of said chamber, and means in said chamber movable in one direction to permit insertion of a capsule through said opening and in the opposite' direction for forcing said capsule against said tool.

15. A starting-fluid capsule applicator comprising a chamber, a puncturing tool adjacent one end of said chamber, an opening in a wail of said chamber, and means in said chamber movable in one direction to permit insertion of a capsule through said opening and in the opposite direction for forcing said capsule against said tool, and a sleeve surrounding said chamber and movable with said movable means.

16. A starting-huid capsule applicator, comprising means for receiving and puncturing a capsule, an outlet fitting adapted for rtelescopic engagement with and disengagement from a complemental tting communicating with an automobile engine, and pumping means for withdrawing fiuid from said chamber and expelling said fluid through said outlet tting.

17. A starting-fluid capsule applicator, comprising means for receiving and puncturing a capsule, an outlet tting adapted for telescopic engagement with and disengagement from a complemental fitting communicating with an automobile engine, pumping means for withdrawing uid from said chamber and expelling said fluid through said outlet fitting, and a pistol-grip handle -for applying said outlet fitting to said complemental fitting and operating said pumping means.

18. A starting-uid capsule applicator, comprising means for receiving and puncturing a capsule, an outlet tting adapted for telescopic engagement with and disengagement from a complemental tting communicating with an automobile engine, pumping means for withdrawing fluid from said chamber and expelling said fluid through said outlet tting, and a pistol-grip handie for applying said outlet fitting to said complemental itting and operating said pumping means, latching means for holding said handle locked to a portion of said applicator during application of said outlet tting to said complemental fitting, and means actuable by the operator for retracting said latching means prior to operation of said pumping means.

CLARK J. MOODY.

REFERENGES The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,364,356 Greathouse Dec. 5, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,252 Great Britain of 1913 538,065 Great Britain of 1941

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