US909899A - Electrical vaporizer for internal-combustion engines. - Google Patents

Description

H. HERTZBERG & A. A. LOW. ELECTRICAL VAPOBIZBB FOEINTBBNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED APB. 16,1907. 1

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

SWKY/ y y mzw m z 8. Fm I A.

I TTOIHIEIS WITNESSES Q flaw HARRY HERTZBERG, or NEW YORK, AND ABBo'r A.

LOW, or HORSESHOE, NEW YORK; SA'ID HERTZBERG ASSIGNOB. TO SAID LOW.

ELECTRICAL vnomzm ron mmnmarrcormusrron ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Jan. 19, 1909.

Original application filed February 11, 1907, Serial No. 866,792. This appticationfiled April 16, 1907.

' Serial No. 888,564. I

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY H-na'rzennc and Armor A. Low, citizens of the United States, residing at thecity of New York, borough of Brooklyn, State of New York, and Horseshoe, State of New York, respectively, have invented a certain new and useful Electrical Vaporizer for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specificatio This invention is a vaporizer particularly adapted for use in internal combustion engines.

The subject matter of this application is a division of a prior application filed by us on February 11, 1907, Serial No. 356,792.

The object of our invention is to quickly heat a surface against which petroleum or other liquid combustible is sprayed in starting the engine, whereby a sutficient temperature is produced in the vaporizer within a very short time for the purpose of convert- ,orizer located internally of the combustion ing the liquid fuel into avapor, the latter being mixed with air so as to produce an explosive charge.

Our invention is an electrically heated vapchambcr (or piston cylinder) of the engine.

The vaporizer of our invention is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and install, efiicient in operation, and also particularly compact, for the reason that it occupies yery little space in the combustion cylinder of the engine. I

In the accompanying drawings, we have illustrated one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction shown therein is to be understood as illustrative only, and not as defining the limits of the invention. I

Figure 1 is a vertical section, partly in elevation, illustrating one embodiment ofthe invention in connection'with the piston cylinder, and one style of mixing chamber and intake valve. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of another form of our vaporizer which is constructed for the circulation of a cooling medium therethrough when the engine is in operation, said vaporizer being shown removed from the engine cylinder. Fig. 3 is a detail view, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating another form of the electrically heated vaporizer adapted for use internally of the engine cylinder. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4--& of Fig. 3 showing the outer tube of said vaporizer partly broken away for the purpose of illustrating the electrical resistance therein. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a rheostat of the electrical resistance contemplated by this invention.

InFig. lgof the drawings we have shown one type of internal combustion engine wherein we may employ our new form of vaporizer which is adapted to be heated initially by an electriccurrent for the purpose of converting a combustible liquid into a vapor when starting the engine into operation, after which the parts of the engine become heated to such, an extent as to vaporize the subsequent charges of the combustible liquid, thereby insuring the continued operation of the engine. In sald Fig. l the combustion chamber or piston cylinder is indicated at A, and apart of the piston is indicated at a. One end of the cylinder is closed by a head, B, in which is provided an intake passage, 6, the latter being closed by an intake valve, C. Any suitable means may be employed for mechanically operating said intake valve from a moving part of the engine, or the said intake valve may be oper-' ated by the suction created in the engine cylinder by the reciprocation of the piston therein. As shown, however, the valve, 0, is provided with a stem, 0, on which acts a spring, C, for holding the valve, C, normally on its seat in the. cylinder head.

D is a casing secured to the cylinder, A, or the head, B, in any usual or preferred way. Said casing forms a mixing chamber, (Z, and a circulating chamber, (2', the latter being next to the head, B, and permitting the circulation of a cooling 1nedium,-such as water. The casing is shown as having an air inlet, e, the area of which is controlled by any suitable form of valve or regulator, E, adapted to regulate the volume of atmospheric air which is to be supplied to the mixing chamber, d.

Any suitable means may be employed for supplyin 7 a combustible liquid to the chamber, (l. uch liquid may be of any suitable or preferred character, but in the engine shown by the drawings we contemplate supplying kerosene to the mixing chamber.

A jet nozzle, F, is attached to the hood,

. ,D, and as shown, said nozzle is arranged to gine is started.

gine when starting the same,

whereby the engine,

throw a jet of combustible liquid across the chamber, d, and against or through the diaphra m, G. Said diaphragm may be of any suita 1e nature but as shown it consists of a iece of metallic gauze arranged vertically wlthin the mixing chamber and in the path of the jet of liquid from the nozzle, F, whereby the diaphragm is adapted to break up the jet of liquid into a spray, such liquid spray being brought into contactwith the diaphragm when the en- It is to be understood that a jet of combustible liquid is'forced under pressure, and at intervals, into the mixing chamber by a suitable mechanlcal'apphance, such as a pump, the latter being operated by the engine.

and convert the same is in mechanical contact, practically, :with

developed in the resistance when the electric current is admitted thereto is absorbed by the metallic masses practically as fast as the heat is generated. This construction is admetal will become heated very quickly by an eIectrI cburrent in or-ler to furnish a hot vaporizing surface to the combustible liquid cylinder.

Any suitable means may be employed for According to the present invention we emsupporting the vaporizer within the comploy an electrically heated vaporizer which is located within a combustlon chamber or piston cylinder of the engine, said vaporizer also within the aforesaid chamber or cylin der. The vaporizer of this invention is heated electrically for a short period of time when starting the engine, and it is employed merely for the purpose of vaporizing the first number of charges admitted to the enafter which the current of electric energy is cut ofi from said vaporizer for the reason that the parts of the engine become heated to such a temperature as will convert the liquid intovapor, after starting the same, will operate automatically and independently of the vaporizer of this invention.

Various constructions of the internally 10- cated vaporizer are shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, but we will describe the construction represented in Fig. 1, and thereafter set forth in detail the constructions of the other Vaporizers shown in Fig. 2 and in Figs. 3,

and 4.

The vaporizer. H, of Fig. 1 is arranged in the path of a mixture of air and combustible liquid, in order that said liquid may be brought in contact with the heated surface of the vaporizer when the intake valve is opened in the operation of the engine. As shown, said vaporizer is composed .of metallic plates or masses, h, h, arranged to clamp between themselves an electrical resistance, 11. the latter being insulated from metallic contact with said plates or masses by layers of insulating material, h preferably composed of thin layers of mica. It is preferred to employ a thin metallic: wire or bustion chamber or piston cylinder of the engine, but as shown in Fig. 1, it is adapted by hangers, i. The electrical current for heating thevaporizer is supplied to, and conveyed from, the electrical resistance, 71?, by conductors, j, the latter being led through suitable bushings, is, k, which are shown as being fastened to the head,.'B,and a flanged part, 01 of the casing, the engine shown in Fig. 1 will be readily understood from the foregoing description, when the valve, C, is opened, a mixture of air and liquid combustible, such as kerosene, is admitted bythe intake passage, 1), into the combustion chamber. Owing to the arrangement of the vaporizer, H, in the path of the inflowing mixture, the liquid combustible is brought into contact with the hot surfaces of said vaporizer, whereby said liquid combustible is converted into a vapor, and the air is heated, thus producing anexplosive charge which is adapted to be ignit/ed by the operation of a spark plug, I, or any equivalent form of igniter. It will be understood that before starting the engine is in-a cold condition, and should an explosive charge 'be admitted to the en 'ne while tible or kerosene of such explosive charge would condense when brought into contact with such cold surfaces.

objection and enable the engine to be started promptly, we provide the electrically heated vaporizer. Before starting the engine an electrical current is admitted to the resistance of said vaporizer for the purpose of initially and quickly heating the latter. Now 'when the engine is cranked and the valve. C, is opened, the mixture of air and 'der conyertedinto vapor and the explosive D. The operation of in such condition, the liquid com us liquid combustible is admitted to the cyli'n at which time the liquid combustible is charge is produced and adapted to besubribbon as the electrical resistance, and to the metallic masses, h, h, whereby the heat vantageous for the reason that the masses of as it is admitted with the air to the engine to be suspended below the intake val've, C,

To .overcome this I sequently ignited bythe operation of the igniter,

In Fig. 2 of the drawings we have shown another embodiment of our invention consisting of a vaporizer adapted to be electrically heated when starting the engine, said vaporizer of Fig. 2 being constructed for the circulation therethrough of a cooling medium when the engine is heated up and in operation, whereby the vaporizer is prevented from becoming too hi hly heated in the operation of the engine. gaid vaporizer is represented as a ring or annulus adapted to be attached to, or suspended from, the cylinder head,'B, in any suitable or preferred way, the annular vaporizer being in the path of the liquid combustible or the explosive charge admitted by theintake valve, C, to the engine cylinder. The ring, H, of said annular vaporizer is provided in its lower portion with a recess, m, which receives the electric appliance or rheostat heretofore described as consisting of a resistance wire or ribbon adapted to be in sulated electrically from metallic contact with the body or mass of metal by interposed layers of mica. The resistance wire or ribbon, if, indicated by dotted lines in said Fig. 2, is coiled on a mica core; h, and said core and the resistance are between insulating mica layers, it, the latter being in contact with the mass of metal formed by the ring or annulus, H, said mica layers, I1 and the core, it, being in the form of rings. The

electrical current is supplied to and returned from the resistance, 71?, by the conductors, j, which lead through the insulating bushing, 761. The annulus or ring, H, ofsaid vaporizer is provided, furthermore, with a chamber, it, above the recess, m, and this chamber of the annular vaporizer is in communication with passages, n, which establish communication between the chamber, n, of the vaporizer with the circulating chamber, d, of the cylinder head, whereby the water, or other cooling medium, may be caused to circulate through the vaporizer, H, when the engine is in service.

When the intake valve is opened the mixture of air and liquid combustible flows into the open space of the vaporizer, H, the inclined surface of said valve, C, operating to direct the aforesaid mixture into contact with the inner surface of said annular vaporizer. The vaporizer being heated by an electrical current before the engine is started, the admission of the first charge of explosive mixture of the engine cylinder brings the liquid combustible of such charge into contact with the hot surface of said annular vaporizer, so that the liquid combustible is converted into vapor, the latter being exploded by the operation of the igniter. After the engine shall have been started into operation, the electric current'is switched 011' from the vaporizer,

and the water circulating through the cylinder head, B, is free to flow through the chamber, m, of said vaporizer, thus preventin the latter from becoming unduly heated and obviating deterioration of the metal and the electrical resistance constituting said vaporizer.

In Figs. 3 and at of the drawings we have shown another form of electrically heated and water cooled vaporizer, the same being indicated generally by the reference character b In this form of our invention we employ concentric tubes, 0, 0, and an interposed elec trical resistance or rheostat between said concentric tubes. Preferably the tubes are bent into the annular form shown in Fi 4, and the inner tube is provi'ded with vertical legs, p, p, said legs being adapted to be extended through the cylinder head, B, whereby one of said legs may be connected with a circulating pipe, P, while the other leg may connect with another circulating pipe (not shown). The pipe, P, is shown as having a controlling valve, 19 adapted to be closed for shutting off the circulation of water through the vaporizer when it is to be heated electrically prior to starting the engine." A layer, q, of insulating material, preferably of mica, is wound or wrapped around the inner tube, 0, and on this insulating layer is coiled or wrapped an electrical resistance, q, the latter being composed, preferably, of a thin metallic wire or ribbon of the character indicated in Figs. 2 and 5. Around this wire or ribbon forming the resistance is placed another layer, 9 of insulating material, preferably of mica, whereby the electrical resistance is inclosed between layers of mica, g, the effect of which is to electrically insulate the resistance wire or ribbon from metallic contact with the mass of metal composing the tubes, 0, 0, of the vaporizer, although the resistance is practically in mechanical contact with said tubes.

In practice we prefer to employ two copper tubes, one of which is smaller in diameter than the other, and while the tubes are in straight condition we apply the insulating layer, 9, to the smaller tube, 0. The resistance wire or ribbon is now coiled on said layer and then the other insulating layer is wrapped around the resistance, after which the prepared inner tube, the resistance, and the insulating layers, are incased within the outer tube, 0. Finally the assembled parts are bent to the annular or ring like form shown in thedrawings, and the ends of the inner tube are then bent upwardly to produce the legs, p, 79, thus completing the vaporizer and making it ready for installation into the combustion chamber. Said vaporizer is adapted to be suspended from the cylinder head, B, by hangers, '1, or their equivalents, whereby the vaporizer is disposed below the intake valve, C, to bein the path of the:

inflowingcharge of liquid .combustibler 4 It is evident that prior to starting the en-' gine, the electr ccurrent is admitted to the resistance, q, for the purpose of heating the tubes, 9, b, so that on'theadmissionof the mixture to the engine cylinder-the liquid combustible contained in said mixture'will' be converted into vapor bycontact-with the hot surface of the vaporizer, H After the engine is started, the electricalfl current is swltched from the resistance, g,--but to prevent the vaporizer frombecomin toohighly heated, the valve, 12", is opened, or the purpose of admitting water or other cooling medium to the inner tube, 0', of the vapo rizer, whereby the latter is cooled when the engine is in operation.

Under the generic aspect of our invention, which contemplates the location of a vaporizer within the combustion chamber or piston cylinder of a combustion engine, and

v, means for electrically heating the said vaporizer when start-inn the engine, we may cmploy an electrica heater or rheostat in connection ,with the intakevalve employed for admitting a liquid combustible to said cylinderl or combustion chamber. Said in take valve is so constructed as to embody a mass of heat'absorbing metal containing an inclosed electrical resistance adapted to be supplied with a current of electrical energy, whereby the resistance develops heat adapted to be transmitted to the body or mass of metal formed by .said intake valve. The electrical resistance constituting the electrical heater is constructed and arranged for operation in substantially the manner here- .tofore described. a p Having thus fully described the invention,

what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Ina starting vaporizer for internal combustion engines, a. combustion chamber,

a vaporizing" member substantially inclosed withinv saidcombustion chamber, electrical I i means for initially heating said vaporizing member, said vaporizing member being provided with a chamber or passage for the circulation of a cooling medlum in contact.

with thewalls thereof, and means whereby a cooling medium may circulate in the chamher or passage of said vaporizing member. A 2. In an apparatus of the class described,

a chamber, a vaporizer having electric means incased therein. for. initially heating the same,said vaporizer being positioned within said chamber, and means for securing. the circulation of a cooling .me'dium through said vaporizer. V a,

3. In an apparatus of the class described,

a chamber, a hollow vaporizer positioned therein, electric means for initially heating said vaporizer, and means for cooling said vaporizer.

4. In anhpparatns of the class described, a combustion chamber, a vaporizer positioned within said chamber and having a substantially annular chamber for the circulation of a cooling medium, and means for electrically heatingsaid vaporizer.

'5; In an apparatus'of theclass described, a-combxistion chamber, avchambered vapor zer; ositioned therein, electric means for initial y heating said va orizer, and means for establishin the circ ation of a cooling medium in sai vaporizer.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a chamber, a tubular vaporizer ositioned therein, sa1d tubular vaporizer ormmg a chamber for the circulation of a cooling va cooling medium may circulate through the chamber of said vaporlzer, and means for electrically heating said vaporizer.

'9. In an apparatus of the class described, a vaporizer composed-of a mass of heat absorbing metal, an electrically operated heater in said mass of metal, and means whereby a cooling medium is adapted to circulate in contactwith said metallic mass.

10. In a starting vaporizer for internal member positioned in said chamber for contact with the li uid combustible, said vapo-.

rizin member eing composed of a chambere mass of heat-absorbing metal, means for means for esta cooling mediumin contact with the walls of said vaporizing member.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, a combustion chamber having a fuel inlet, a vaporizer positioned within said chamber and in the path of fuel admitted by said fuel inlet, said vaporizer comprising a chambered mass of heat absorbing metal through which a cooling medium is adapted to circulate, and an electrically operated heater incased by said metallic mass for initially heating the same.

l2. In an internal combustion engine, a

initially heating the vaporizing member, and lishing the circulation of a.

105 combustion engines, a chamber havingan .inlet for a liquld combustible, a vaporizing season 5 combustion chamber, a starting Vaporizer I In testimony whereof we have signed our 10 Vaporizer being composed of concentric ositioned within sald combustion chamber names to this specification in the presence of or contact with a liquid combustible adapted l two subscribing Witnesses.

to be supplied to said chamber, said starting HARRY HERTZBERG tubes, and an electrical resistance incased by ABBOT one of said tubes, whereby the heat develi Witnesses: oped by the resistance is absorbed quickly l AUGUST WAssMAN, by said tubes. 1 H. T. BERNHARD.

Images