Background of the Invention and Prior Art Statement

This invention relates to a device for supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine. More particularly, this in¬ vention relates to an improved device for injecting fuel into the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine.

The prior art discloses in a number of instances the injection of fuel into the intake manifold or similar air intake conduit of an internal combustion engine. The prior art also discloses fuel injectors of numerous different constructions. Exemplary of such prior art, from all of which the present in¬ vention is patentably distinguishable _/ are the following U.S. patents.

U.S. Patents 1,869,821, 1,931,541, 1,995,601, 2,089,989, 2,910,057 and 4,026,259 all disclose fuel supply devices for internal combustion engines in which the fuel is in¬ jected into an intake manifold or similar air supply conduit. Moreover, in some instances, a valve for controlling the air supply and means for controlling the flow rate through the fuel injection means are controlled by a common linkage from the throttle of the motor vehicle in which the internal combustion engine is installed. However, the fuel injection means in each instance are notably different from the device of the present invention which will hereinafter be described.

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U.S. Patents 3,702,175 and 3,982,694 are representa¬ tive of the great diversity of constructions of fuel injection nozzles disclosed in the prior art. However, prior art fuel injection nozzles, such as those of these two patents, are notably different from the device of the present invention as will hereafter be described.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device for supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine which can serve as a replacement for a conventional carburetor without otherwise substantially altering the engine.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine whi is substantially simpler and less expensive than conventional

a device for supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine which results in higher gas mileage and a lower level of pol¬ lutants in the exhaust gases than a conventional carburetor o fuel injection system.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will b apparent from the following description thereof.

Brief Description of the Invention

According to the invention, there is provided a devi for supplying fuel to an internal combustion engine comprisin shell, a tube received in the shell and a rod received in the tube with a sliding fit. A plurality of orifices are provide in the tube at intervals along at least a portion of the leng of the tube. The rod is insertable in the tube to an extent sufficient to block the orifices and retractable to an extent sufficient to leave the orifices unobstructed. The number of orifices left unobstructed increases in proportion to the ext to which the rod is retracted. The rod includes means for co

nection to a linkage from a motor vehicle throttle for effecting axial movement of the rod. An annular space is defined between the exterior wall of the portion of the length of the tube having orifices and the portion of the length of the interior wall of the shell facing the orifices. Means are providing defining passages for admitting liquid fuel into the annular space. The fuel is ejected from the device solely through the annular space when the rod is inserted in the tube to an extent sufficient to block the orifices. Some of the fuel also passes from the an¬ nular space through the orifices to the interior of the tube from whence the fuel is ejected from the device when the rod is retracted to an extent sufficient to leave orifices unobstructed. The volumetric flow of the fuel into and through the tube in¬ creases as the number of orifices left unobstructed is increased by increasing the retraction of the rod.

The device as hereinabove defined is to be used in com¬ bination with means for admitting air to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, the air admitting means including means defining a passage for the air and a valve for controlling passage of the air through the air passage. There is also pro¬ vided a common linkage to the valve and the rod for simultan¬ eously opening the valve and retracting the rod and simultan¬ eously closing the valve and inserting the rod, the linkage including means for connection to a motor vehicle throttle.

In practice, the device is intended to be used on the intake manifold of the engine, in the same position as a con¬ ventional carburetor, for supplying fuel and air to the intake manifold.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a device according to the invention for taking the place of a conventional carburetor;

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on section line 2-2 of Fig. 1, but with the device installed on an intake manifold shown in phantom; and

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on section line 3-3 o Fig. 1, but with the device installed on an intake manifold shown in phantom,

Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment

The combination apparatus shown in Figs. 1-3 is funda¬ mentally a combination of a fuel supply device 10 and air supp means 11 simultaneously controlled by a common linkage 12. Th linkage 12 is "common" in the sense that it is shared by the f supply device 10 and air supply means 11.

The fuel supply device 10 includes a shell 13, a tube received in the shell 13 and a rod 15 received in the tube 14 with a sliding fit. A plurality of orifices 16 is provided in the tube 14 at intervals along at least a portion of the lengt of the tube 14. In particular, the orifices are in a helical array of 360° extending from level A to level B of the tube 14 The rod 15 includes means 15a for connection to a linkage from motor vehicle throttle. In particular, the connection means 1 is an upper portion of the rod 15 of enlarged diameter in whic is provided a slot 15b for receiving an end of a lever of the linkage. The lower part of the means 15a also provides a shoulder 15c for abutting against the upper end 14a of the tub

14 thereby to limit downward sliding of the rod 15 into the tu 14. With reference to Fig. 2, it is seen that when the should 15c of the rod 15 is abutting against the upper end 14a of the tube 14, the lower end 15d of the rod 15 and the lower end 14b of the tube 14 meet. It is also seen in Fig. 2 that with the

15 thus fully inserted in the tube 14, the rod 15 is blocking the orifices 16 in the tube 14. With reference to Fig. 3, it seen that as the rod 15 is progressively retracted from the t 14, and in particular as the lower end 15d of the rod ^' 15 rises above level B of the tube 14, first the lowermost of the

orifices 16 at level B and then, in addition, orifices at higher levels are, one by one, left unobstructed. Hence, the number of orifices 16 left unobstructed increases in proportion to the ex¬ tent to which the rod 15 is retracted.

An annular space 17, which is too small to actually clearly appear in Figs. 2 and 3, is defined be¬ tween the exterior wall of the portion A to B of the length of the tube having orifices 16 and the portion of the length of the interior wall of the shell 13 facing the orifices 16. The an¬ nular space 17 is merely the result of the external diameter of the tube 14 being slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the shell 13. Also provided are means 18 and 19 defining pas¬ sages for admitting liquid fuel into the annular space 17. In particular, the means 18 is a fuel supply line, and the means 19 is a flat milled onto the surface of the tube 14. The tube 14 is externally threaded and the shell 13 is internally threaded from level C to level D. Thus, the tube 14 is screwed into the shell 13. A radial bore 20 is provided through a wall of the shell 13. The radial bore 20 is internally threaded. An end portion 18a of the fuel supply line 18 is externally threaded. Consequently, the fuel supply line 18 is screwed into the bore 20. The flat 19 extends from level E, i.e., approximately at the top of the internal diameter of the fuel supply line 18 to level D, i.e., the lower end of the threads. Thus, the flat 19 communicates between the fuel supply line 18 and the annular space 17, which extends from level D to the level of the lower end 13a of the shell 13. In practice, a plurality, for example, four or five, identical flats 19 are provided around the circumference of the tube 14 to assure that one of these flats 19 is in align¬ ment with the bore 20 regardless of the angular displacement of the tube 14 relative to the shell 13.

From the foregoing, it can readily be seen that at all times that fuel is flowing through the fuel supply line 18, fuel will flow into the annular space 17 due to communication from

the fuel supply line 18 to the annular space 17 by means of a flat 19. The fuel which flows through this path exits from the device 10 at the juncture of the tube 14 and the shell 13 at th lower end 13a of the shell 13 as a spray which is in a frusto- conical configuration emanating from the aforesaid juncture. This takes care of the fuel requirements of the engine when idling.

As the driver depresses the throttle, through a mechan cal linkage which will hereinafter be described, axial movemen is imparted to the rod 15 which retracts the rod 15 from the t 14. Hence, a progressively increasing number of orifices 16 is left unobstructed. The orifices 16 communicate between the an¬ nular space 17 and the interior of the tube 14. Hence, some o the fuel also flows through the orifices 16 into the. interior of the tube 14. Fastened onto the lower end 14b of the tube 14 is a spray cap 21 having orifices 22. The fuel which flows to the lower 14b of the tube 14 enters the spray cap 21 and exits the cap through the orifices 22 in the form of a spray. All the while, fuel continues to be sprayed in the other mode, too. The furt the rod 15 is retracted, the greater the rate at which fuel is supplied to the engine and, consequently, the more the vehicle accelerates. The fuel is sprayed into the intake manifold 23 the engine. The rod is provided with a pair of O-rings 24 and seated in respective annular grooves in the rod 15. When the 15 is fully inserted in the tube 14, the O-ring 24 is slightly above the highest orifice 16 and the 0-ring 25 is slightly bel the lowest orifice 16. When the rod 15 is retracted to the maximum extent effected by the linkage from the throttle, the ring 25 is in about the same position as the 0-ring 24 was in when the rod 15 was fully inserted in the tube 14. The O-ring 24 and 25, hence, prevent fuel vapors from seeping upwardly ou of the fuel supply device 10. To this same end, an O-ring 26 provided in an annular recess 27 provided in the upper end 13 of the shell 13. The interior surfaces of the O-ring 26 are i

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contact with the outer face of the tube 14 and, hence, the 0- ring 26 prevents the seepage of fuel fumes upwardly out of the device 10 through the interface of the internal threads of the shell 13 and the external threads of the tube 14.

The fuel supply device 10 and air supply means 11 are mounted in a housing which constitutes part of the air supply means. The housing includes a base plate 27 having a hole 28 bored through each of its corners for mounting onto the top of an intake manifold 23 in the same manner as a conventional car¬ buretor, which the present invention replaces. The housing is further constituted of a cylindrical side wall member 29 and a disc-shaped cover 30. The cover 30 is releasably held onto the cylindrical side wall member 29 by means of four screws 31. The fuel supply line 18 passes through a bore 32 provided in the cy¬ lindrical side wall member 29. The tube 14 passes through a bore 33 provided through the center of the.cover 30. The 0-ring 26, which seals off the escape of fuel from the interface of the- internal threads of the shell 13 and the external threads of the tube 14, also prevents the escape of fuel vapors through the interface of the bore 33 and the upper portion of the tube 14. The lower portion of the shell 13 is provided with external threads 13b. The base plate 27 is provided with openings 34 communicating between the interior of the housing of the device according to the invention and the interior of the intake mani¬ fold 23. Through the remaining central area 27a of the base plate 27 is provided an internally threaded bore into which the externally threaded lower end of the shell 13 is screwed. An O- ring 35 is provided at the shoulder 13c of the shell 13 situated immediately above the threaded portion of the shell 13. The 0- ring 35 is also in contact with the base plate 27 and seals off the interface of the external threads 13b of the shell 13 and the internal threads provided in the bore through the central portion 27a of the base plate- 27. An air inlet conduit 36 com¬ municates with the interior of the housing through an opening 37 in the side wall member 29. Communicating with the air inlet

conduit 44, for controlling the flow of air therethrough, is a butterfly valve assembly 38. The butterfly valve assembly com¬ prises a section of conduit 39 in which a butterfly valve 40 is mounted on a pivot pin 41 which is received in journal bearings 42, 43 on the walls of the conduit section 39. Additional air inlet conduit.44 may be provided on the upstream side of the butterfly valve assembly 38. The conduit 44 may communicate wi a conventional automotive air filter at the location of which a first enters the air intake system of the motor vehicle.

The linkage 12 includes a shaft 45 which is journalled in a block 46 fastened to the cover 30 by means of screws 47. rod 48 extends from the throttle (not illustrated) to a crank assembly 49 connected to one end of the shaft 45. Fastened to the shaft 45 at an intermediate point is a lever 50. The lever 50 engages the rod 15 by being received in the slot 15b in the rod 15. To the other end of the shaft 45 is connected a lever which, in turn, is pivotally connected to a crank assembly 52 which it actuates. With reference to Fig. 1, it is seen that pushing the rod 48 toward the crank ssembly 49 by means of de¬ pressing the throttle causes the crank assembly to angularly di place in the clockwise direction, thereby angularly displacing the shaft 45 in the clockwise direction, which causes the lever 50 to lift the rod 15 and causes the lever 51 and crank assembl 52 to open the butterfly valve 40 thereby to effect the simul¬ taneous introduction of air and increased quantities of fuel into the intake manifold 23, resulting in acceleration of the engine. As usual, the throttle is provided with a spring, so .. that when one takes one's foot off the throttle, the rod 48 wil move away from the crank assembly 49, thereby causing the lever 50 to push the rod 15 down again and the lever 51 and crank as¬ sembly 52 thereby to close the butterfly valve 40 again, re¬ sulting in deceleration of the engine.

While the invention has been described by reference to specific, preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that modifications and variations thereof which would be obviou to one skilled in the art are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the hereto appended claims. - ^~

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