US2839038A - Supercharger for internal combustion engine - Google Patents

Description

June 17, 1958 c. E. MIDDLEBROOKS, JR 2,839,038

SUPERCHARGER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed July 22, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 E ZNVENTOR 6. E. MIDDLE BROOKS ATTORNEYS June 17, 1958 c. E. MIDDLEBROOKS, JR 2,839,038

SUPERCHARGER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 22, 1957 F/ G. 7 INVENTOR/ 6'. E. M/DDL [BROOKS BY M em/2mm] ATTORNEYS June 17, 1958 c. E. MIDDLEBROOKS, JR 2,839,038

SUPERCHARGER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed July 22, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR 6'. E. MIDDLEBROOKS ATTORNEYS June 17, 1958 c. E- MIDDLEBROOKS, JR

SUPERCHARGER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed July 22, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 6. E. MIDDLE BROOKS ATTORNEYS June 17, 1958 c. E. MIDDLEBROOKS, JR 2,339,033

SUPERCHARGER FQR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed July 22, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ryvENToR 6. E MIDDLE BROOKS ATTORNEYS United States atent G SUPERCHARGER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Clarence Eugene Middlehrooks, Jr., Atlanta, Ga.

Application July 22, 1957, Serial No. 673,287

19 Claims. (Cl. 123-119) This invention relates to a supercharger for an internal combustion engine. More specifically, this invention relates to a supercharger adapted to be attached to any type of internal combustion engine, adapted to be used with any type of carburetor system, and driven by one of a plurality of drive means.

Still more specifically this invention relates to a supercharger for use on internal combustion engines which is provided with an inlet compartment cover plate and an outlet compartment cover plate. The inlet compartment cover plate may be apertured as desired to accommodate any type of single or multiple carburetor system. The desired carburetor system may be mounted on the inlet cover plate and made to communicate therethrough with the supercharger inlet compartment. The supercharger outlet compartment cover plate may be apertured as desired to accommodate the inlet manifold fitting of the internal combustion engine with which the invention is to be used. The drive means constituting a part of the supercharger of this invention may employ either the power of the internal combustion engine with which the invention is used, or may employ the electrical system of the engine to drive a small electric motor, or may employ both of them.

It has long been recognized that if the gas fed into an internal combustion engine is pressurized by a supercharger after its mixture in the carburetor with the combustion liquid, greater efficiency of the engine results. This pressurization effects-an increase in the percent combustion of the gas. Great fuel savings and increased power and speed result. In pressurizing the gas by supercharge means the gas is also thoroughly mixed with the fuel liquid so that only a vapor is supplied the engine, thereby eliminating dilution of the oil in the crank case of the engine, preventing carbonization of the oil and minimizing the production of carbon monoxide gas.

The development of the modern automobile with low lines, as for instance, the modern sports car, with concomitant increased interest in power and speed has created a great demand for a supercharger adapted to be installed in such a car to increase the efficiency thereof. Such a device must be compact in order to fit the low contour of the car. It is desirable that such a supercharger be installed on any one of a variety of different carburetor-engine systems by a mechanic with the use of ordinary tools and without special knowledge of any kind. It is desirable that the drive means for such a supercharger be derived from the internal combustion engine with which it is adapted for use. It is also desirable that means he provided by which the fuel mixture may freely by-pass such supercharger when the supercharger is not in operation whereby there will be no restriction of the inlet flow to the engine.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a supercharger unit adapted to be powered by one of a plurality of drive means derived from the internal combustion engine with which the supercharger is adapted for use.

2,839,038 Patented June 17, 1958 Another object of this invention is to provide a super-. charger which is adapted to fit onto any of the conven tional internal combustion engines used on automobiles, trucks, boats, etc., and which is adapted to be used in combination with any desired carburetor system.

A further object of this invention is to provide a supercharger for internal combustion engines adapted tobe installed on such engine by a mechanic possessing no special knowledge of any kind with only the use of ordinary tools.

Another object of this invention is to provide a super charger of compact size and adapted to be installed on an internal combustion engine in any position in order to meet the demands of a confined space common in low contoured cars of today.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a supercharger provided with a by-pass means through which a high capacity of engine intake fluid is allowed to freely by-pass the supercharger chamber when the supercharger is not in use.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a supercharger for internal combustion engines which may be easily and inexpensively manufactured and which is of great strength and durability.

A further object of this invention is' to provide a supercharger of functional yet pleasing design which may be finished in a variety of colors to provide a pleasing appearance desirable in the event the engine system of a vehicle is exposed for show.

This invention embodies other novel features, details of construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter set forth in the specification and claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a front perspective view taken slightiy from above showing the supercharger housing of the invention;

Pig. 2 is a perspective view taken from below showing the supercharger housing of the invention with the supercharger by-pass valve exposed in the closed position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view taken from below showing the supercharger housing of the invention with the bypass valve in the open position;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view from the rear and to one side showing the supercharger of the invention powered by electric motor means and installed on a V-eight type internal combustion engine;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the supercharger housing of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view in elevation of the supercharger housing of the invention taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view in elevation of the supercharger housing of the invention taken on line 77 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of a modification of the invention showing the supercharger powered by engine takeoff means;

Pig. 9 is a plan view of the modification of the invention showing the supercharger powered by engine takeofi means; i

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevational view taken on line 1tl10 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a front elevational view of a modification of the invention partly in section taken on the line 11-41 g of Fig. 12;

of the invention in which the supercharger is powered by an electric motor and engine takeoff means;

Fig. 15 is a rear elevational view of a modification of the invention in which the supercharger is powered by an electric motor and enginetakeotfmeans;

Fig; 16 is a partial rear elevational view-in section exposing the gear means used in this modification to drive the supercharger.

Briefly, the invention is a supercharger" for an internal combustion engine comprising a flat housing including a rectangular inlet compartment to which a carburetor is adapted to be attached, duct means leading from said inlet compartment to an inverted-bell-shaped impeller housing, said impeller housing, and outlet compartment in cornunication with said impellerhousing and adapted to be attached to the inlet manifold of'an internal combustion engine, an'impeller operably positioned in said impeller housing, and driven by one of a plurality of drive means described below. The invention also includes a 'by-pass valve means between said inlet compartment and said outlet'compartment allowing for high capacity fluid passage when the supercharger is not use.

More specifically, referring to the drawings, Figfl shows the supercharger housing of tlie invention, generally designated 10. lt is a flat compartmented housing and comprises a shallow inlet compartment 12 defined by a bottom wall '14 and side walls 16 extending upwardly from the sides of said bottom wall 14. At the topof the sidewalls 16 is disposed flange 18 extending inwardly of the compartment'for a short distance. The flange 18 is preferably drilled and tapped at regular intervals so that an inlet compartment cover plate 29 (see Fig. 4) can be secured thereto by means of suitable bolts extending down into the tapped drill holes. The rear sidewall 16 of the inlet compartment as shown 'in Fig. 1 is formed with an aperture 22 therein. Secured to the outside surface of the sidewall 16 about the aperture 22 is 'a duct 24 which extends perpendicularly therefrom and is closed except for an aperture 26 in the top near the end thereof. Disposed concentrically above the aperture 26 and supported by the duct 24 is the slightly involute but substantially circular impeller housing 28. Housing 28, as shown in Fig. 6, is provided with a floor 3t sloping down toward the hole 26. To permit such sloping the duct 24 is slightly deformed in its upper sidewall. Thus, the impeller housing 28 has a substantially inverted bellshaped configuration. From the side of the sloping floor 30 sidewalls 32 extend upwardly a short distance and then extend inwardly to form an inwardly directed peripheral flange The flange is drilled and tapped at regularly spaced intervals therearound to provide attachment means for an impeller-supporting and drive means. As shown in phantom in Fig. 6, the impeller is operably positioned substantially concentric with respect to the aperture 26 in the floor 30 of the housing.

The sidewalls of the slightly involute but substantially circular impeller housing 28 are interrupted where they are most involuted as shown in Fig. by an outlet compartmentv 36 with which the housing 28 communicates.

The compartment 36 is substantially rectangular and comprises a top wall 38 having sidewalls 4%) extending perpendicularly down therefrom. As shown in Fig. 5 the forward sidewall 40' contacts and is in common with a portion of the rear sidewall 16 of the inlet compartment 12. The bottom of the sidewalls 4! except forward sidewall 40 curves in to form a flange 42. The flange. 42. is drilled and tapped at regular intervals to allow the'securing ofan outlet compartment cover plate 44' (see Fig. 8) by means of suitable bolts extending through the cover plate into said tapped .drill holes. Adjacent the sidewall 40' the bottom wall 14 of the inlet compartmentlZ is also drilled and tapped to assist in the securing of the cover plate 44.

As shown best in Fig. 7', common sidewall 16-40' of the, inlet compartment and the outlet compartment. is

apertured at 46 to allow for the free passage of fluid in high capacity from the inlet compartment 12 to the outlet compartment 36 by-passing the impeller housing 28. This is provided to avoid the restriction which a large capacity fluid would meet in passing through the impeller housing 28 when the impeller is not in use. The

apertures 46 are equipped as shown in Figs. 2, and 3 with V a one-way valve 48 which comprises a neoprene or other resilient flap Stldisposed along'the sidewall 40 in the outlet compartment; and held against the sidewall by a bar 52 passing over said flap member 50 and secured at either or aluminum. It is designed with functionalyet pleasing lines and with a minimum number of protruding projections and is strengthened by the use of fillets between the various compartments in the unit.

Fig. 4 shows my supercharger attached toan internal combustion engine E of the V-eight type. above my supercharger can be used with, among others, the V, in-line, X, or H types of engine. The inlet compartment cover plate 20 is secured to the peripheral flange 18 about the inlet compartment and the cover plate is apertured to receive in secure relation the fitting of a carburetor C. The carburetor C has an extension thereon which terminates in a suitable air filter F. Although not 7 shown in Fig. 4, the underside of the outlet compartment is covered by an outlet compartment cover plate which is apertured to receive secure relation with the inlet manifold of the engine see Fig. 8). Also as'shown in Fig. 4, drive means are secured to the peripheral flange about theimpeller housing.

The drive means 69 shown in Fig. 4 is one of a plurality of drive means by which the supercharger may be powered. It comprises an electric motor 62 which may be'of the type used as a starting motor in the conventional automobile; for instance, a Ford starter motor. As shown in Fig. 4, it is operably connected to and supported by the supercharger housing 10 by means of a gear box 64 secured to the impeller housing 28 by bolts associated with the flange 34 as described above.

The box comprises a circular plate 66 apertured near theperiphery thereof to receive bolts securing it to said impeller housing. The plate 66 is formed with a circular rib 68. near its margin for strengthening purposes. Unitary with the plate 66 is the box 70 comprising an upwardly and outwardly curving hollow substantially quarter-spherical case terminating in a vertical face 72. The curving surface of the box 70 is interrupted by a pair of horizontal steps 74 and 76 which are vertically bored and equipped with hearing members 78 and 80, respectively. The under side of the plate 66 is recessed about the margin of the box 76 and is drilled suitably to receive fasteners to secure a substantially semicircular bottom plate 32. The semi-circular plate 32is thickened for strength and apertured, said apertures being fitted with bearings 84 and 86. As shown in Fig. 10 the bearings 74 and 84, and 76 and 86 are in vertical alignment respectively. Afirst shaft 83 is journaled for rotation in the two vertically aligned bearings 74 and 84 and carries a pinion 90 intermediate said bearings. The shaft 8-8 extends down below the plate 82 and terminates in an impeller 92. A second shaft 3 is journaled in the bearings 76 and E36 and'carries a large drive gear 94 meshing with pinion 90 and a bevel gear 96. A second bevel gear 98 is disposed on a horizontal drive shaftlOilat As implied The internal structure of the gear box 70 is shown in Fig. 10;

right angles with respect to the shaft 93 and meshes w th the bevel gear 96., The second bevel gear 98 is carried by the drive shaft 100 which in the species of the invention shown in Fig. 4 extends through an aperture 101 into the box from the motor 62 which is secured to the box. The electric motor 62 powering the impeller may derive its electricity from the battery of the car. There is no need, therefore, to have the engine running when the supercharger is. Thus, it is possible to deliver a bolt of pressurized air to the internal combustion engine during the engine starting process. Also there is thus provided added flexibility as the supercharger can be actrvated when it is desired to get extra power from the engine as in the case of a truck ascending a hill, etc.

A second species of the invention is shown in Fig. 10 wherein the horizontally disposed drive shaft 194) is powered through a pulley 162 by the internal combust on engine with which the supercharger is used. Supporting the horizontal shaft is a substantially conical shaped tubular extension 104 comprising a cylindrical tubular member 106 having a plurality of radially extending fins 108 disposed at equal intervals of distance therealong. The widest of the fins 108' is disposed at the end adjacent the gear box 64 and provides means by which the extension 104 can be bolted or otherwise attached to the fiat face 72 of said housing. The radially extending fins 108 are of decreasing diameter as the end away from the gear box is approached. At the outward end of the extension there is an enlarged area 110 having therein a bearing 112 adapted to form a supporting journal for the shaft 100. Similarly, a bearing 114 is provided for the shaft 100 at the upward end of the extension 104. Bearing 114 extends into aperture 101. Also extending from the cylindrical tubular member 106 are four planar longitudinal fins 116. The fins 116 give strength to the cylindrical tubular member 106 and taper inwardly as the outward end of the extension is approached and are equal in dimension to the radial fins 108 at the point of intersection with each of said radial fins respectively. The

shaft 100 is somewhat longer than the extension 104 to accommodate the pulley 102.

An extremely useful feature of the extension 104 is that it may be made any desired length. If, for instance, it is desired to make the extension only half as long to support a shorter shaft than that shown in Fig. 10, the extension may be out just outside fin 108' shown in Fig. 10 and the outward portion discarded. The new outward end of the extension may then be fitted with the bearing 112 after minor machining.

A third species of the invention is shown in Figs. 11 through l3, wherein the impeller is powered by dual electric motors 6262'. The gear housing 117 used in this species is substantially the same as that shown in the first two species just described above, except that two horizontal input shafts 113118one for each motor are provided to power the single vertical shaft. For this reason, the gear box, rising out of the circular plate 119, is'enlarged and formed with two vertical faces 120-120 on opposite sides thereof respectively. Motors 6262' are secured to the faces 120120' respectively. The impeller shaft 122 is disposed centrally within this unit and is journaled as before in a bearing 124 in an aperture disposed in the under plate 126 of the housing and in a bushing 128 formed in a bore centrally located in a depression 136 in the upper surface of the housing. Intermediate shafts 132-134 are provided as with the modification previously described, each shaft carrying a bevel gear 136 and 138 meshing respectively with one of the drive bevels 149 and 142 on the drive shafts 118 and 118' and large drive gear 144 and 146 meshing with an impeller shaft pinion 147. These intermediate shafts are journaled in vertically aligned bearings 14815tl and 152-454 disposed in the housing 117. The housing 117 is provided with a plurality of ridges 118 for strengthem ing purposes. A better idea of the configuration of the 5 dual drive housing 117 is shown in Fig. 13 wherein in dotted line is shown a U-shaped depression extending down in the housing to journal the impeller shaft.

A fourth species of the invention is shown in Fig. 14 wherein in the housing 1117 described above an electric motor is secured to one face 162 thereof with its drive shaft operably connected to the drive bevel within the housing and engine takeofi power means are secured the opposite face 162. As in the second species, the engine drive means includes a substantially conical extension having a bearing 104' constructed as shown in Fig. 10. As described above, the substantially conical shaped extension may be severed and reduced to the desired length.

in using the fourth species of the invention, the electric motor 16% may furnish a starting bolt of pressurized gas to the engine. Once the engine is started. it may power the supercharger through pulley 102'. To reduce the drag on the motor 164? operating when the engine is at a standstill, a means may be provided to reduce the tension on the drive belt 103. Alternatively, ratchet means may be provided in the pulley 102 so the pulley free wheels when the motor 160 drives the supercharger.

The fifth species of the invention is shown in Figs. 15 and 16. Here again, the supercharger may be driven by either electric motor 160' or engine takeoff means 164. As shown in Fig. 16, the peripheral flange 34 of the impeller chamber 28 may have secured thereto a reinforced cover plate 166 having a substantially semicircular housing 163 arising vertically therefrom. The plate 166 carries a boss 169 which is drilled vertically and provided with a bearing as at 179 within the semicircular housing 163. The top of the semi-circular hous ing 168 has a vertical bearing 172 provided therein in line with the bearing 170. In these bearings is a shaft 174 journaled for rotation. The shaft extends down through bearing 171 to carry the impeller 92'. A nut 175 is disposed on top of shaft 174 to maintain it in position. The shaft 174 carries a pair of spaced transversely disposed holes 176 and 173. The shaft intermediate the two bearings receives a bevel gear 189 with a hole 182 disposed perpendicular to the gear axis. Thus, the bevel gear may be secured by a pin 1S4 to the shaft in one of two positions A or B. The semi-circular housing 168 is formed with a pair of opposite vertically disposed faces 186 and 188, each face having a relatively large aperture 199 or 192 therein. The faces have bolted over the apertures mounting plates 194 and 196 which respectively support the drive means. As shown in Fig. 16, plate 194 supports the electric motor 160 having a drive shaft 198 with a large bevel gear 208' thereon meshing with the bevel 1369. Plate 196 is the base flange of an extension 202 somewhat similar to the extension 164 in the previously described modification. it comprises a tubular member 264 having radial flanges 296 and planar fins 2G8. Because of the relatively large size of the aperture 192, however, the taper of the planar flanges 208 in the area adjacent the plate 196 is somewhat greater than that in extension 1G4. The extension 262 carries a pair of horizontal aligned bearings which rotatably support a drive shaft The drive shaft extends inside the housing 163 and carries an enlarged bevel gear 211 also meshing with the bevel gear 180. The opposite end of the shaft 21% extends out of the extension and is provided with a pulley 212 and belt 214. Pulley 212 may have a ratchet therein as described above, or the belt 214 may have means to release the tension thereon, as an idler pulley, for example.

The reason for having alternate positions A and B for the bevel gear 181 is to provide for alternate rotations of the electric motor 16%. Obviously, the impeller 92' in the supercharger should rotate in the direction in which compressed air is forced into the engine. This desired direction of rotation can be achieved no matter what the direction of rotation of the motor 160' by placing the bevel gear 180 in the proper position.- Obviously for one direction of rotation of the drive shaft 198, the rotation of the vertical impeller shaft 174 will be ,different when the bevel gear 130 is inpositio'n A, see Fig. 16, than it would be in position B. This'simple adjustmerit means is especially desirable since the rotation of the motor 169' will depend on the polarity of the car battery lead which is grounded to the car frame. As

is well known, this polarity varies from one vehicle manu tion alsoboasts simplicity, ease of installation, and compactness which will make it especially attractive to those interested in increasing the speed, power and etficiency of any internal combustion engine.

While this invention has been shown in but a limited number of forms, itis obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.

I claim:

1. A housing for a supercharger for an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold and a carburetor, said housing comprising a flat compartmented casting including a rectangular inlet compartment having a bottom wall with side walls extending upwardly therefrom, an opening in the top thereof, said opening having an inwardly directed flange about the margin thereof, said flange being adapted to have an apertured cover plate secured thereto, such cover plate having'such carburetor mounted over such aperture with the carburetor outlet in communication therewith, one side wall of said rectangular intake compartment being apertured, a duct extending perpendicularly out from said apertured side over said aperture, said duct having a circular opening on its top near its outward end, said circular opening communicating with a flat substantially inverted bellshaped impeller housing disposed concentrically over said opening, said impeller housing being supported by said duct, said impeller housing having an open top with an inwardly directed peripheral flange therearound, said flange adapted to receive impeller supporting and driving means so that such impeller may be disposed concentrically in said impeller housing, said impeller housing having an outlet in the periphery thereof, said lastnamed outletcommunicating with a rectangular outlet compartment, said outlet compartment having a top Wall with side walls extending downward therefrom and an open bottom having an inwardly directed flange thereabout, said last-named flange adapted to have secured thereto an apertured closure plate having the inlet fitting of such engine inlet manifold secured about said last named opening, said inlet compartment and said outlet compartment having a common side wall.

2. A housing for a supercharger for an internal combustion engine as described in claim 1 wherein said common side wall is apertured and fitted with a one-way valve allowing passage of fluid from said inlet compart ment to said outlet compartment but not from said outlet compartment to said inlet compartment.

3. A housing for a supercharger for an internal combustion engine as described in claim 2 wherein said oneway valve comprises a plastic flap valve.

4. Asupercharger for an internal combustion engine having an inlet manifold and a carburetor, comprising in combination a closed supercharger housing and supercharger driving means, said closed supercharger housing comprising a flat compartmented housing including a rectangular inlet compartment adapted to communicate with such carburetor, a side wall of said inlet; compartment having an aperture, a duct extending outwardly fromsaid side wall about said aperture, said duct having' an ope'niirg on the top thereof near the end thereof and supporting concentrically about said last-named opening asubst n tially inverted bell-shaped impeller housinghaving ac n5 tral bottom inlet in communication with the opening in said duct, said, impeller housing having an inwardly 'd irected flang'e'about the top thereof, said flange supporting supercherger-driving meanscomprising an impeller driven by impeller-driving meansand operative within said impeller housing, said impeller housing having a peripheral outlet communicating with a rectangular outlet chamber,

one wall of said outlet chamberadapted to communicate with the inlet fitting of such inlet manifold of such engine. 7

5. A supercharger as described in claim 4 wherein said impeller-driving means comprises a circular platesecured to said peripheral flange over said impeller'housing, said plate being apertured and having over said aperture a gear box, said gear box including a horizontally disposed 6. A supercharger as described in claim 5 wherein said horizontal shaft is driven by an electric motor. 7

7. A supercharger as described in claim 5 wherein said horizontal shaft is driven-by such internal combustion engine. I I i v i 8. A supercharger as described in claim 7 wherein said horizontal shaft driven by such internal combustion engine is elongated and extendsfrom the housing through a hollow substantially conical extensionthe larger end of which is secured to said gear box about said last-named shaft, said tubular cone-shaped extension comprising a cylindrical tubular member having radial flanges extending outwardly therefrom at substantially regularintervals of distance measured along the length thereof, said flanges being of decreasing diameter atincreasing distances from said gear box, planar ribs extending outward from said cylindrical tubular member and extending the length of the extension and tapering inwardly as the .outer end of the extension is approached, said planar ribs intersecting said radial-flanges and being coextensive at each intersection wtih the radial flange with which it. intersects at said intersection.

I 9. A supercharger as described in claim 4 wherein said impeller driving means includes a circular plate secured to said peripheral flange over said impeller housing, said plate having a gear box associated therewith, said housing including a pair ofcoa'xial horizontal shafts extending into said box from opposite sides thereof, each of said shafts carrying gear means operably associated with a vertically disposed impeller shaft to the lower end of which is secured said impeller, said impeller shaft being journaled in said gear box.

If). A supercharger as described in claim 9 wherein said box includes a pair of vertically disposed intermediate shafts, each of said intermediate shafts carrying gear means meshing with one of said horizontally disposed shafts respectively and also meshing with a gear carried by said vertically disposedimpeller shaft.

ll. A supercharger as described in claim 10 wherein said gear box has an electric motor mounted in one end thereof, said motor driving one of said horizontally disposed shafts.

12. A supercharger as described in claim 11 wherein the other of said horizontally disposed shafts is driven by a second electric motor secured to the opposite end ofsaid gear box from said first electric motor.

13. A supercharger as described in claim 11 wherein the other of said horizontally disposed shafts is driven by such internal combustion engine.

14. A supercharger as described in claim 13 wherein said horizontal shaft driven by such internal combustion engine is elongated and extends from the housing through a hollow substantially cone-shaped extension, the larger end of which is secured to said gear box about said lastnamed shaft, said tubular cone-shaped extension comprising a cylindrical tubular member having radial flanges extending outwardly therefrom at substantially regular intervals of distance measured along the length thereof, said flanges being of decreasing diameter at increasing distances from said gear box, outwardly extending planar ribs extending the length of the extension and tapering inwardly as the outer end of the extension is approached, said planar ribs intersecting said radial flanges and being coextensive at each intersection with the radial flange with which it intersects at said intersection.

15. A supercharger as described in claim 4 wherein said impeller drive means comprises a circular plate secured to said peripheral flange over said impeller housing, said plate having a central aperture including a bearing, a substantially semi-circular gear box extending upward from said plate about said bearing, the top of said housing having an aperture therein with a bearing in vertical alignment with said first bearing, said impeller shaft being received by said bearings in operative relation, means to support said shaft, said shaft having a bevel gear thereon, said gear adapted to assume one of two positions, the ends of said substantially semi-circular housing having apertures therein through each of which extends a horizontal shaft each adapted to be driven by separate power means, said horizontal shafts each carrying bevel gears meshing with said first-mentioned bevel gear, whereby the relative rotation of the power means with respect to the impeller shaft may be reversed by changing said first bevel gear from said first position to said second position.

16. A supercharger as described in claim 15 wherein said first mentioned bevel gear may be secured in one of its two positions by means of a pin extending through said gear and through one of two spaced apertures in said impeller shaft.

17. A supercharger as described in claim 16 wherein said two horizontal shafts are driven by electric motor means and such internal combustion engine, respectively.

18. A supercharger as described in claim 17 wherein said horizontal shaft driven by such internal combustion engine is elongated and extends from the housing through a hollow substantially cone-shaped extension, the larger end of which is secured to said gear box about said last-named shaft, said tubular cone-shaped extension comprises a cylindrical tubular member having radial flanges extending outwardly therefrom at substantially regular intervals of distance measured along the length thereof, said flanges being of decreasing diameter at increasing distances from said gear box, outwardly extending planar ribs extending the length of the extension and tapering inwardly as the outer end of the extension is approa (2, said planar ribs intersecting said radial flanges and being coextensive at each intersection with the radial flange with which it intersects at said intersection.

19. A supercharger for an internal combustion engine having an inlet manifold and a carburetor, comprising in combination a closed supercharger housing and supercharger driving means, said closed supercharger housing comprising a fiat compartmented housing including a rectangular inlet compartment adapted to communicate with such carburetor, a side wall of said inlet compartment having an aperture, a duct extending outwardly from said side wall about said aperture, said duct having an opening on the top thereof near the end thereof and supporting concentrically about said last-named opening a substantially inverted hell-shaped impeller housing having a central bottom inlet in communication with said duct opening, said impeller housing having an inwardly directed flange about the top thereof, said flange supporting superchargerdriving means comprising an impeller driven by impeller-driving means and operative within said impeller housing, said impeller housing having a peripheral outlet communicating with a rectangular outlet chamber, said rectangular outlet chamber having one side wall in common with a side wall of said inlet housing, said common side wall being apertured and fitted about said last-named aperture with a one-way valve allowing flow from said inlet to said outlet compartments but not vice versa, said one-way valve comprising a neoprene flap secured to the outlet compartment of said common side wall and extending over said last-named aperture, one wall of said outlet housing adapted to communicate with the outlet fitting of such inlet manifold of such engine.

No references cited.

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