US3273798A

US3273798A - Exhaust manifold heat valve

Info

Publication number: US3273798A
Application number: US364678A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dan B Kuiper
Original assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Current assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date: 1964-05-04
Filing date: 1964-05-04
Publication date: 1966-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 1983-09-20
Also published as: GB1031850A

Description

Sept. 20, 1966 o. B. KUlPER EXHAUST MANIFOLD HEAT VALVE Filed May 4:, 1964 IN VENTOR. 99cm 5. Afu 'ver ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,273,798 EXHAUST MANIFOLD HEAT VALVE Dan B. Kuiper, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 4, 1964, Ser. No. 364,678 1 Claim. (Cl. 236-93) This invention relates to valves such as are used, for example, in controlling flow in an internal combustion engine exhaust passage. It has particular application to exhaust heat control valves which close automatically when the engine is cold to direct the exhaust gases through a carburetor heat box, and open automatically when the engine warms up and such carburetor heat is no longer desired.

One of the long standing problems with such manifold heat control valves has been that they tend to stick open or shut due to corrosion interfering with free operation of their mounting in the exhaust passage. This problem has been eliminated with my invention by arranging the valve to be mounted for opening and closing movement solely under the control of the thermostatic bimetallic valve operating member. Thus my valve has no direct pivotal connection in the exhaust passage but moves with the free end of the bimetallic element and is entirely sup ported through the latter whose other end is suitably fixed in the exhaust passage. Also, by arranging my valve and bimetallic element in a short casing having a flange at one end, a device is obtained which can be installed and removed as a unit from between the abutting pipe ends at a joint in the engine exhaust piping.

These and other advantages and objects of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of one specific embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration, having reference to the drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an end elevational view of a V-type internal combustion engine, showing my valve device located in one of the exhaust manifolding and piping connections.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through the connection incorporating my valve device and showing details of its mounting therein.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the valve device in said connection.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, there is shown an engine 1 of conventional V-type having left and right cylinder banks 2 and 3 between which is a connecting intake manifold 4 mounting a carburetor 5. The exhaust manifolds 6 and 7 are on the outboard sides of each bank, the right manifold 7 being connected to one leg 8 of an exhaust pipe Y 9, and the left exhaust manifold 6 being connected to the other leg 10 of the Y by means of a crossover pipe 11. Interiorly of the intake manifold 4 are a suitable heat box and exhaust gas passages (not shown) which connect the respective exhaust manifolds for directing warming exhaust gas in heat conducting relation with the intake manifold fuel passages during engine warm-up For this purpose, it is necessary to provide means to restrict normal exhaust flow from the left bank exhaust manifold 6 through the crossover pipe 11 during such times as the engine is operating at relatively low temperatures.

3,273,798 Patented Sept. 20, 1966 ice My improved valve device 14 is shown located for this purpose at the connection between the left bank exhaust manifold 6 and the crossover pipe 11. As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, this device comprises a relatively short section of casing 15 which is inserted into the upper end 16 of the crossover pipe 11, and which has a flange 17 which extends between the abutting end of the pipe 16 and the adjacent end of the exhaust manifold 6. A conventional clamp 18 is shown securing these abutting ends of the manifold 6 and the crossover pipe 11 together with the flange 17 of my casing interposed therebetween.

Extending transversely within the casing 15 is a post in the form of a square cross section metal rod 19, the ends of which are suitably fixed to the opposite side walls of the casing 15. Secured to this post 19, intermediate its ends, is the fixed inner end 20 of a thermostatic spiral spring element 21 of bimetallic material, whose movable outer end 22 is suitably fixed to one side of a plate-like valve 23. In FIGURE 2, this valve and its associated end of bimetallic element are shown by solid lines in their valve closed positions, and are shown by phantom lines in their valve open positions. Lanced out sections of the casing 15 form stops 24 and 25 against which the valve abuts in its open position. During engine operation while cold the bimetallic element tends to wind up around the post 19 and bias the valve to its closed position shown (solid lines). As the engine continues to operate and the manifold 6 and crossover pipe increase in temperature, the thermostatic spring element 21 unwinds and its free end bodily carries the valve 23 with it to their broken line positions shown in FIGURE 2.

Since the valve is completely suspended and supported for opening and closing movement by the bimetallic element, and has no direct pivotal connection with the metal parts of the exhaust passage, the problems encountered with conventional constructions of such valves sticking due to corrosion are entirely avoided. Also, by reason of the valve 23 and bimetallic spring element 21 forming a separate subassembly with the casing 15, a self-contained unit is provided which can be inserted and replaced as necessary in the exhaust passage without requiring replacement of either the manifold or its connecting pipe. If the location of the control valve at the joint between the crossover pipe 11 and the exhaust manifold 6 is too close to the engine for proper operating temperature, the valve may be located instead at the connection between the crossover pipe and the Y 9.

Although my invention has been described and shown with particular reference to one specific embodiment, it is appreciated that minor changes in the parts and their arrangment can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claim.

I claim:

A valve device adapted to be located in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine for controlling the flow of engine exhaust gases through said passage in response to engine operating temperature, said exhaust passage comprising two axially adjacent conduits separably joined in abutting relation, said valve device comprising a casing adapted to be inserted into one of said conduits, said casing having a flange adapted to extend between said conduit ends, a generally plate-shaped valve, a thermostatically responsive spirally wound element, and a post fixed to the inner spiral terminus of said element and at one end to a side of the casing, said valve being fixed to the outer spiral terminus of said element for movement therewith about said inner terminus between first and second positions respectively generally normal to and parallel with the axis of said casing in response to spiral Winding and unwinding of said element with change in temperature, said casing having first and second stops formed therein, said first stop preventing movement of said valve beyond said position generally normal to the ,aXis of said casing and said second stop preventing movement of aid valve beyond said position generally parallel with the axis of said casing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Hall 23634 Boydston 23612 Root 236-34 Mulcey et al 23693 McCollum 23634 X Reid 236-93 Weber 236-93 X ALDEN D. STEWART, Primary Examiner.