US2643648A - Liquid feeding system for internalcombustion engines - Google Patents

Description

W. C. PIERCE June 30, 1953 Filed June 2, 1950 INVETOR ATTORNEY Patented June 30, 1953 LIQUI'D' FEEDI 'G SYSTEM FOR an R N A ii COMBUSTION E1\TGIl\TE'S" William 0. Pierce, New can tcbnmassigm to Emerol Manufacturing Co.', Inc.',' New York,- N. Y., acorporation of Illinois Application-June 2; 1950, warm-resists This invention relates to liquid feeding or metering devices for internal combustion engines and more particularly to such a device which feeds liquid material such as a lubricating oil'to the engine in accordance with it's operating requirements.

The invention is an improvementin" lubricat in'gsystems-of the type shown and described in U. S. Patent No. 1,883,110, although theinstai'it' valve and to control accordingly the' quantity ofliqu'ids'uch' as lubricant; delivered to the com bustion' chambersof the engine through the valve opening. The device isarrang'ed to-therebyincrease the'efiective size of the valve opening when" the engine is'runningat a highspeed so as' to correspondingly increase the passage of liquid to theen'ginef Conversely, the effectivevalve; opening is decreased when the engine is idling; and-the passageofliquidbeing delivered is limited-accordingly. Thus, the device serves to sup ply an' amount of liquid governed by'th'e' operating conditions of the engine.

In prior mechanisms of this type, the diaphragm was integral with the valve seat, and a spring was employed for urging. the diaphragm down'wardly o'r away from theneedle valve; The vacuum or suction produced by the engine would then operate to draw the diaphragm upwardly against the action of the spring so as to close the valve accordingly. It will be understood therefore that the action of the spring was to flex the diaphragm convexly in respect to its norm-ally planar state whereas the vacuum operated to restore the diaphragm to its normal, planar shape and then flex it concavely as the vacuum increased. It will be understood of course that the terms convexly and concavely are used relatively since the diaphragm comprises a thin annular sheet of metal. I

I have determined that this action which required the diaphragm to pass from a convex to a concave state produced an erratic feeding action in that the diaphragms movement did not depend entirely upon the vacuum but was influrealms. (o1. mama enced by a jerking or snapping action as the 2 the engines operating requirements but its flow might bes'uddenly decreased-at certain operating conditions. I

In order to remedy the above defect, I have determined that the: action is far more precise and is rendered completely satisfactory by eliminating the spring-which initially forces the diaphragm intoconven'form and; onthe contrary, providinga' spring which flexes-the diaphragm 'co'ncavely'l Inasmuch as the" vacuum further operates to render the diaphragm concave, the actions-of both the spring 'and the" vacuum are in the same'direction; a'ndthe diaphragm always operates on one side-*o'fits normally planar state. The'refore,'-- it is not compelled to pass through such planar state under varying conditions'of operation; As a result; it has beech found that liquid feeding is uniform and various economies have been noted in the'consumption of "such liquid; This improvement further resulted in additional o'pe'ifatingadvantages in that the spring" was found to" absorbshocks of backfire which .were' refiected in thejvacuum produced and were exerted-upon the diaphragm. This is of importance in prolonging the'life of the appara tus a-n'd';maintaining-it 'in proper operating condition: Theinstant'appl'ication further includes means for adjusting the spring tension so that thefsame=dev-ices mayserve various types of en gmesi- 'Ihie invehtion -will'he further understood from the-followingdescription and drawings-in which:

Fig; 1 is a-fragmenta ry; cross' se'ctional view of a liquid feeding device' -constructed according to-the insta ntinvention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged view illustrating a modification thereof.

The device comprises a casing or housing It] having a substantially tubular wall I I defining a chamber l2. Essentially, the internal parts duplicate and function as the illustrated and described mechanism in application Serial No. 721,929 of Clayton B. Pierce, filed January 14, 1947, now U. S. Patent No. 2,539,924. Briefly, a circular diaphragm I3 of thin resilient metal is secured between base member I l and flange I 5 of the housing. Diaphragm I3 is connected as by nut I6 to post I! which supports the valve seat I8. A needle valve l9 pivotally mounted to screw 20 determines the size of the opening in valve seat I8. A predetermined relationship between the valve 19 and the valve seat I 8 may be effected by means of nuts 2| and 22. A coil spring 23 disposed within the hollow of nut 22 serves to maintain the parts in correct and firm relationship.

The feed spoon 24 is adapted to receive the liquid from container 25 as the liquid travels up the tube 26 in response to vacuum actuation and thereafter through stem I1 and through the valve opening. The fluid drips from spoon 24 onto pan 2'! from whence it is drawn through the orifice 28 into the conduit 29 .which is maintained within the internally threaded nipple 30 by the coupling 3 l. A ring screw 32 provided with a window provides visual communication with the chamber 12 so that the amount of liquid dripping from spoon 24 onto pan 2! maybe observed. Nuts 2| and 22 serve as adjusting means and are generally actuated pursuant to the observed flow of lubricant during the operation of the-engine. The other end of conduit 29 extends through a suitable opening formed in the intake manifold of the engine between the intake valves and the throttle valve of the charge forming device in the engine. The action therefore is that which was hereinabove described.

The mechanism described is more or less conventional save for the fact that a spring is omitted between the spoon 24 and ceiling of the chamber I2. I have determined that this spring should be replaced by one which is so disposed as to eliminate the erratic feed abovementioned. Accordingly, base member-l4 is formed with a central depression 35 in which is disposed a coil spring 36. The upper end of such coil spring embraces the head of nut 18 which is connected to the diaphragm and to post or stem 11. The effect of spring 35 is to maintain the diaphragm in a slightly elevated or concave position relative to its normal planar state. It will be recognized that the action of spring 36 is in a large measure opposed by the inherent resiliency of diaphragm l3 so that the spring does not effect a complete closure of the valve. The diaphragm and the valve opening are, however, elevated toward closing position and the vacuum produced elevates these parts still further. Accordingly, the diaphram never is flexed to opposite positions of its normal planar state and the liquid flow is uniform and better controllable. V

The depression or chamber 35 of base member 14 further provides means for adjusting the tension of spring 36 as by the modified embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2. As shown therein, a plurality of washers 31 may be placed on the floor of depression 35 so as to produce an initially greater tension of spring 36. This expedient may be used to adapt the apparatus to the specific requirements of an engine.

The illustrated and described disposition of spring 36 is of particular benefit in that it absorbs shocks of back-fire which might otherwise damage or distort the diaphragm. Thus, the useful life of the apparatus is prolonged relative to prior devices which did not so dispose the spring.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for feeding liquid from a source of supply thereof to the cylinders of an internal combustion engine or the like, said device comprising a casing, valve means for regulating the flow of said liquid to said cylinders, a diaphragm of thin resilient metal transversely disposed in said casing and retained therein around its marginal edges, said diaphragm being connected to said valve means and moved by the suction created by the displacement of the pistons of said engine for automatically adjusting the opening of said valve means so as to draw said liquid through said opening into said cylinders in an amount depending upon said suction, said casing being formed with an outlet for admitting said suction into said casing and on one side of said diaphragm so as to urge it in one direction and a spring disposed on the other side of and acting against said diaphragm so as to maintain it normally flexed in the same direction as urged by said suction, said diaphragm being free of any external opposing spring force urging it in the opposite direction.

2. A device according to claim 1 and including a base member for said casing, said base member being formed with a central depression therein adapted to communicate with the source of liquid supply, said spring being disposed within said central depression.

3. A device according to claim 2 and including a nut connecting said diaphragm to said valve means and having a head disposed on the underside of said diaphragm, said spring being helical and embracing said headat the top end thereof.

4. A device according to claim 3 and including at least one washer having a central opening disposed in said depression below said helical spring and serving as a rest for the lower end of the spring.

WILLIAM C. PIERCE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,264,764 Block Apr. 30, 1918 2,112,538 Loughlin Mar. 29, 1938 2,539,924 Pierce Jan. 30, 1951

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