US2715894A

US2715894A - Steam feed for internal combustion engines

Info

Publication number: US2715894A
Application number: US454254A
Authority: US
Inventors: Homer H Shirrell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-09-07
Filing date: 1954-09-07
Publication date: 1955-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 1972-08-23

Description

Aug. 23, 1955 H. H. SHIRRELL STEAM FEED FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Sept. 7, 1954 INVENTOR HOMER H. $H/RRELL 0 Bow ATTORNEYS United States Patent STEAll I FEED FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Homer H. Shirrell, Santa Rosa, Calif.

Application September 7, 1954, Serial No. 454,254

4 Claims. (Cl. 12325) This invention relates to a vapor feeding system for use in conjunction with an internal combustion engine wherein vapor is generated and introduced into the fuel system at a point between the carburetor and the combustion chambers so that a mixture of fuel and vapor is fed into said chambers.

It has long been known that the introduction of steam or other vapor in correct proportions into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine along with the proper amount of fuel makes it possible to use higher combustion chamber pressures and also to use low octane fuel without causing a detonation which generally appears in the form of a ping or similar knock. This obviously means greater economy of operation because use of higher combustion chamber pressures will result in greater power output and therefore more mileage per unit of fuel. It also makes it possible to burn a cheaper fuel which also means a saving.

There are many other advantages to be realized by the addition of vapor into the combustion chambers, for example, it aids in preventing the formation of carbon, produces a cleaner burning mixture and increases the life of the working parts.

It is contemplated that the vapor used in this system may be generated from water, alcohol, peroxide of hydrogen and other suitable liquids which will produce the desired effect.

Innumerable arrangements have been made for c0ntrolling the flow of vapor into the fuel stream so that the optimum amount of vapor is continuously fed into the system. It is Well known that at low engine speed the intake manifold vacuum is relatively high and as the speed increases the vacuum decreases. Therefore any system that depends on intake vacuum as the sole means of feeding the vapor to the fuel system will not operate well over a wide range of speeds and consequently numerous methods have been devised for overcoming this. However, most of these systems are relatively complicated and entail the use of expensive and difiicult to install components.

It is therefore one object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive system for feeding vapor to the fuel system of an internal combustion engine wherein compensation is made for varying intake vacuum brought about by varying engine speeds.

It is another object to provide a vapor feeding system wherein vapor is fed through a vacuum booster pump which is associated with the ordinary fuel pump to compensate for reduced intake vacuum at high speeds.

Yet another object is to provide a vapor feeding system including a liquid reservoir connected to a vapor generating unit mounted on the exhaust manifold of an internal combustion engine, with conduit means connecting the vapor unit to the intake side of a vacuum booster pump and having conduit means for carrying the vapor from the exhaust side of the booster pump to the intake manifold where the vapor and the fuel from the carbure- 2,715,894 Patented Aug. 23, 1955 tor are commingled and then introduced into the combustion chambers.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a vehicle fitted with the present invention and showing the vehicle components essential for an understanding thereof;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 1 showing the details of the vapor generating unit; and

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section through the vacuum booster pump.

As shown in Fig. 1, this invention is adapted to be used on an ordinary motor vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine. The motor assembly 10 comprises a cylinder block and head assembly 12 with an intake manifold 14 secured to the upper side thereof and the exhaust manifold 16 located on the lower side. A downdraft carburetor 18 is connected to the intake manifold by means of a pipe 20 and the usual air cleaner 22 is secured to the upper side of the carburetor.

A fuel tank 24 is fixed on the rear portion of the vehicle and gasoline is drawn from the tank through tubing 26 by fuel pump 28 and then is fed into the carburetor 18. The fuel is mixed with air in the carburetor and fed through pipe 20 into the intake manifold 14 then into the combustion chambers and the burned gases pass out the exhaust manifold 16.

The fuel pump 28 has a vacuum booster pump 30 associated therewith for maintaining the necessary vacuum in the windshield wiper motor regardless of the speed of the internal combustion engine. It is well known that the intake vacuum decreases as the motor speed increases and it is the function of the booster pump to compensate for this. As the motor speed increases the action of the fuel pump and the vacuum booster pump associated with it increases. In other words, the vacuum booster pump becomes more effective at high speeds and hence is an excellent means of accurately compensating for reduced intake vacuum at these speeds.

As shown in Fig. 3, the vacuum booster pump 30 which is secured to the fuel pump 28, comprises a housing 60 on the bottom of which is secured a cap 62. A spring 64 is seated upon a suitable abutment within the housing and engages diaphragm protecting lower washer 66, said washer having a depressed portion 68 to position the spring 64. Upper washer is secured to diaphragm 72 and lower washer 66 by rivets. A stem 74 is suitably secured to the upper washer 70. This stem is adapted to be connected to the operating means which along with spring 64 reciprocates the diaphragm 72 to produce the pumping action. The pump has an inlet 76, an outlet 78 and an outlet valve 80. Flexing back and forth of diaphragm 72 acts to draw fluid in through inlet 76 and to discharge it through outlet 78.

With this in mind, the vapor feeding system of this invention is controlled by the vacuum booster pump to effect an optimum feeding of vapor into the fuel system somewhere beyond the carburetor. A liquid reservoir 32 generally containing water, is connected by tubing 34 to a vapor generating unit 36 which is fitted onto the exhaust manifold in heat exchange relationship therewith. This vapor generating unit is more clearly shown in Fig. 2 and comprises a plurality of coils 38 of tubing having good heat transfer characteristics in close contact with the exhaust manifold 16 and a cover of insulating material 40 extending over the coils 38.

A tube 42 covered by insulating material 44 leads from the vapor generating unit 36 to a Y connection 46 in the insulated intake vacuum line 48 leading to inlet 76 of the booster pump 30. The outlet 78 of the booster pump is connected by insulated tube 50 to pipe 20 located between the carburetor and the intake manifold.

A valve 52 is located in tubing 34 which connects the reservoir 32 with the vapor generating unit 36 so as to make it possible to control the flow of the liquid to the generating unit and thereby preliminarily control the amount of vapor introduced in the fuel system. This valve is operatedby a rod .54 which is slidably carried on the steering column 56. l v

In operation, with the valve 52 in the closed position,

the motor is started and the valve 52 is opened to allow liquid to flow intothe vapor generating unit 36. Vapor is produced in the unit andfed through insulated tubing 42, Y connection 46 and insulated tubing 48 into vacuum booster pump 30, then through the pump and insulated tube 50 into the pipe 20 where the vapor is introduced into the air-fuel mixture coming from the carburetor. 'This mixture of air-fuel and vapor is introduced into the intake manifold and thence into the various combustion chambers. As the speed is increased it is desirable to generate more vapor'and-the valve 52 is accordingly adjusted to allow the needed liquid to flow into the vapor generating unit. When the motor is stopped it is generally desirable to close valve 52 so that liquid is not drawn into the vapor generating unit when the motor is being started and the exhaust is not. hot enough to supply sufiicient heat to the vapor generating unit to vaporize the liquid. As previously mentioned the novelty of this invention resides in using the vacuum booster pump as the means for compensating for decreasing intake vacuum with increased motor speed. It is contemplated that any type of vapor generating unit may be used and there are many types which will prove entirely satisfactory.

There are some automobiles on the road today which have electric windshield Wiper motors and hence are not equipped with vacuum booster pumps. In such cases there are several possible ways in which the inventive concept of this invention may be applied to achieve the advantages of this system. Of course, a fuel pump could be installed which has a vacuum booster pump thereon, and secondly, an independent pump may be supplied for this purpose. The only requirement for the use of the independent pump is that its speed be tied in with that of the motor so that the vacuum will increase as motor speed increases.

' Obviously the liquid reservoir may be mounted wherever it is convenient and may be of any reasonable size depending upon the amount of driving done.

. One of the most desirable features of this feeding arrangement is that there are very few components which must be bought to install it on a motor vehicle. A reservoir, various lengths of tubing, some of which should be insulated, a Y connection, a valve assembly and a vapor generating unit are all the components needed. This coupled with .the fact that the installing of these components is so simple that almost anyone can do it,

also adds greatly to its attractiveness.

This invention has developed a means for obtaining the optimum regulated flow of steam into the fuel system so as to obtain the maximum in efiiciency and economy. In actual tests an increase in mileage per unit of fuel has been obtained of as much as twenty-five per cent. The apparatus is fully adjustable, hence it can be set for any type of driving operation. This greatly increases the universal appeal of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as novel and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A vapor feeding system for use in conjunction with an internal combustion engine which includes a carburetor and intake manifold for conducting the fuel from the carburetor to the cylinders comprising, in combination: a liquid reservoir, a vapor generating unit, conduit means for conducting the liquid from the reservoir to the vapor generator, a pump having its inlet connected to the vapor generator, and conduit means for conducting the vapor from the exhaust side of the pump to the intake manifold.

2. The invention described in claim 1 wherein the pump derives its power from the internal combustion engine and the pump speed fluctuates directly with the engine speed.

3. A vapor feeding system for use in conjunction with an internal combustion engine having a gasoline reservoir, a conduit connecting the reservoir with an engine driven fuel pump, saidpump feeding gasoline to the carburetor, an intake manifold for carrying the fuel from the carburetor to the cylinders, and an exhaust manifold for discharging the burned gases from the cylinders, said feeding system comprising: a liquid reservoir, a vapor generating unit, conduit means for carrying the liquid from the reservoir to the vapor generating unit, a vacuum booster pump operatively connected to the aforementioned fuel pump so that the effectiveness of the vacuum pump increases as the engine speed increases, an insulated conduit adapted to carry vapor from the vapor generating unit to the inlet side of the booster pump,

and a second insulated conduit adapted to carry vaporfrom the exhaust side of the booster pump to the intake manifold where the vapor is intermingled with the fuel from. the carburetor so that a mixture of fuel and vapor is fed into the'cylinders.

4. A vapor feeding system for use in conjunction with an internal combustion engine having a gasoline tank, a conduit connecting the tank with an engine driven fuel pump, said pump feeding gasoline to the carburetor, an intake manifold for carrying the fuel from the carburetor to the combustion chambers, and an exhaust manifold for discharging the burned gases from the combustion chambers, said feeding system comprising: a liquid reservoir, a vapor generating unit secured to the exhaust manifold in heat exchange relationship thereto, conduit means for carrying the liquid from the reservoir to the vapor generating unit, a valve in the conduit means for controlling the flow of liquid to the vapor generator, a vac-,

uum booster pump operatively connected to the fuel pump so that theeifectiveness of the vacuum-pump increases as the engine speed increases, an insulated conduit for carrying vapor from the vapor generator to the inlet side of the booster pump, and a second insulated conduit for carrying the vapor from the exhaust side of the booster pump to the intake manifold where the vapor is commingled with thefuel from the carburetor so that a mixture of fuel and vapor is fed into the combustion chambers.

No references cited.