US3285588A

US3285588A - Carburetor temperature control

Info

Publication number: US3285588A
Application number: US491315A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carl F Huddle
Original assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Current assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date: 1965-09-29
Filing date: 1965-09-29
Publication date: 1966-11-15
Anticipated expiration: 1983-11-15

Description

Nov. 15, 1966 c. F. HUDDLE 3,285,588

CARBURETOR TEMPERATURE CONTROL Filed Sept. 29, 1965 w I INVENTOR.

@rZ/zfzad/e 319 14/ By 312 gym 4 7'TORNEY United States Patent Ofitice 3,285,588 Patented Nov. 15, 1966 3,285,588 CARBURETOR TEMPERATURE CONTROL Carl F. Huddle, Pleasant Ridge, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 491,315 4 Claims. (Cl. 261-130) This invention relates to means for regulating the temperature of an internal combustion engine carburetor and is directed more particularly to means which reduce heat flow from the engine to the carburetor after the carburetor has been heated to a predetermined temperature.

Automotive engines are subjected to such extremes of operating temperatures that it is diflicult to design a carburetor which will furnish the required air-fuel mixture to the engine under all conditions. For example, when the temperature is extremely low, it is usually necessary to heat the carburetor to prevent the formation of ice in the low pressure regions of the mixture conduit and to promote vaporization of the fuel in the air-fuel mixture. On the other hand, complex arrangement-s of vents and valves are occasionally necessary to prevent the large volume of fuel vapor, formed in the fuel bowl and fuel passages at high temperatures, from over-enriching the mixture.

This invention provides easily regulated means for controlling the operating temperature of a carburetor so that the complex vapor handling and heating arrangements may be simplified. -In the disclosed embodiment of this invention, an insert, secured between the carburetor and the engine, has a series of heat-radiating fins which reduce heat transfer from the engine to the carburetor. The temperature of the carburetor is thus maintained well below the normal engine operating temperature. A thermostatically operated cover is provided to enclose the fins, thereby preventing heat radiation until the carburetor is heated to a predetermined point. This invention thus permits the temperature of the carburetor to be maintained in a range in which carburetor icing is prevented and in which fuel vaporization is promoted to the desired extent.

The details as well as other objects and advantages of this invention are disclosed in the specification and in the drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, partially in sec tion, of one embodiment of this carburetor temperature control; and

FIGURE 2 is a view taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1 illustrating the operation of the cover.

FIGURE 1 of the drawing illustrates a conventional internal combustion engine carburetor having a mixture conduit 12 and a fuel supply system including a fuel bowl 14 and a fuel passage 16 through which fuel is conducted from the fuel bowl 14 to a venturi 18 formed in mixture conduit 12. A throttle 20 controls the flow of air-fuel mixture through the mixture conduit 12.

Carburetor 10 is secured to the upper flange 21 of an insert 22 which is in turn mounted by a lower flange 23 upon the intake manifold 24 of an internal combustion engine. Insert 22 has a conduit 26 through which the air-fuel mixture is conducted from mixture conduit 12 to the intake manifold 24. A plurality of heat-radiating fins 28 are secured about conduit 26 of insert 22 to form a series of annular surfaces about which air may circulate to reduce heat transfer through the insert.

A'pair of

semi-circular cover sections

30 and 32 surround fins 28 and are hinged together by a pin 34 supported in a lateral extension 36 of the lower flange 23. A spring 38

biases cover sections

30 and 32 to enclose fins 28, preventing air circulation about fins 28 and permitting the carburetor to be rapidly heated to a desired operating temperature.

A pair of coiled bi-metallic thermostats 40 are secured to the top fin 28 beneath dome-shaped portions 42 and 44 of

cover sections

30 and 32. As shown in FIGURE 2, links 46 extend from thermostats 40 to cover

sections

30 and 32 to open

cover sections

30 and 32 and expose fins 28 when a desired operating temperature is reached. Air circulation about the fins then removes heat from insert 22 to reduce heat transfer from engine intake manifold 24 to carburetor 10. Thus, excess evaporation of fuel in fuel bowl 14 and fuel passage 16 is avoided.

While many difierent arrangements may be devised for securing fins 28 about conduit 26 in the insert 22, in the illustrated embodiment each fin 28 is formed as two semi-circular halves 28a and 28b secured by a cylindrical flange 48, as shown in FIGURE 1, to cylindrical mounting elements 50. Mounting elements 50 are received in a groove 52 formed in lower flange 23 and are supported at the upper end by a snap ring 54. 1

It will be appreciated that this invention thus provides a simply constructed insert which effectively controls the temperature of carburetor 10 within a predetermined range. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that this invention may be alternatively constructed by forming insert 22 as an integral portion of carburetor 10 without materially affecting the temperature control.

I claim:

1. Carburetion means adapted for mounting on an internal combustion engine comprising a mixture conduit, a fuel supply system including a fuel bowl and .fuel passage means connecting said fuel bowl and said mixture conduit, a plurality of fins extending outwardly from said mixture conduit below said fuel supply system, said fins being adapted to radiate heat into the surrounding air and reduce heat transfer from the engine to said fuel supply system, a cover surrounding said fins to: reduce heat radiation and promote fuel vaporization during low temperature conditions, and thermostatic means'connected to open said cover and expose said fins during high temperature conditions.

2. The carburetion means of claim 1 wherein said thermostatic means includes a thermostat mounted adjacent said mixture conduit and operating linkage connected to open said cover and expose said fins as the temperature adjacent said mixture conduit increases.

3. The carburetion means of claim 1 wherein said cover includes a pair of hinged portions biased to enclose said fins, and wherein said thermostatic means includes a pair of thermostats mounted adjacent said mixture conduit and operating linkage connecting said thermostats with said cover portions to open said cover and expose said fins as the temperature adjacent said mixture conduit increases.

4. A carburetor tempera-ture control insert adapted to mount a carburetor upon an internal combustion engine comprising first flange means for securing one end of said insert to the engine, second flange means for securing the carburetor to the opposite end of said insert, said insert including a cylindrical conduit through which an airfuel mixture may flow from the carburetor to the engine, a plurality of fins extending outwardly from the exterior of said conduit and forming a series of annular surfaces adapted to radiate heat into the surrounding air and reduce heat transfer from the engine to the carburetor, a pair of hinged semi-circular cover portions surrounding said fins, a pair of coiled bimetallic thermostats secured to one of said fins adjacent said conduit, links extending from said thermostats to said cover portions to open said 'cover portions and expose said fins as the temperature increases, and spring means biasing said cover portions to enclose said fins to reduce heat radiation and promote carburetor heating at'low temperatures.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,158,494 11/1915 H-arroun 261-156 X 1,814,402 7/ 1931 Mullen 261130 1,879,551 9/1932 Shoemaker 123122 ROBERT F. BURNETT, Primary Examiner.

RONALD R. WEAVER, Examiner.

Claims

1. CARBURETION MEANS ADAPTED FOR MOUNTING ON AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE COMPRISING A MIXTURE CONDUIT, A FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM INCLUDING A FUEL BOWL AND FUEL PASSAGE MEANS CONNECTING SAID FUEL BOWL AND SAID MIXTURE CONDUIT, A PLURALITY OF FINS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID MIXTURE CONDUIT BELOW SAID FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM, SAID FINS BEING ADAPTED TO RADIATE HEAT INTO THE SURROUNDING AIR AND REDUCE HEAT TRANSFER FROM THE ENGINE TO SAID FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM, A COVER SURROUNDING SAID FINS TO REDUCE HEAT RADIATION AND PROMOTE FUEL VAPORIZATION DURING LOW TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS, AND THERMOSTATIC MEANS CONNECTED TO OPEN SAID COVER AND EXPOSE SAID FINS DURING HIGH TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS.