US1421627A - Primer for internal-combustion engines - Google Patents

Description

H. D. WATERHOUSE.' PRIMER lFOR IN'I'ERNI. COMBUSTION ENGINES. APPLlcAlN f lLED ozc.l7, 1911.

Patented July 4,1922. l

Figi 8, la l l I 2o Inventor. Harold D. V\/ 1'fe1`honge-1 fA ,23 bww-Mmm HAROLD D. WATERHOUSE, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO WALTER S. CRANE, JOSHUA CRANE, AND FRANK V. STONE TRSTEES.

PRIMER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July it,

Application led December 17, 1917. Serial No. 207,592.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, HAROLD D. WATER- HoUsn, a citizen of the United States, residino` at lVollaston, city of vQuincy, county of orfolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Primers for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in primers for internal combustion engines, and more particularly, though not exclusively, to a primer adapted to supply to the intakeV manifold of an engine Va very line mist or vapor of cai'bureted hydrocarbon to facilitate stai'ting the engine.

ln the drawings in which I have shown an illustrative embodiment of a preferred form of my invention Fig. l is a side elevation of an internal combustion engine having a preferred form of rimer applied thereto;

igs. i2 and 3 are longitudinal central secA tions through the preferred forni of primer, showing parts of different relative positions more fully described hereafter; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the y ine 1%*4 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, l have shown an internal combustion engine l having any usual or known construction, said engine being equipped withV a carburetor 2 to which gasoline is supplied through a gasoline supply pipe 3, and also having an intakefpipe 4 leading from the carburetor and through which the combustible charge from the carburetor is delivered to the engine. rFliese elements may `have any suitable or known construction. The limproved primer is adapted to be applied to the intake pipe 4L oi' to any portion of the intake passage between the throttle of the carburetor 2 and the inlet ports of the engine, and is constructed to de liver into the intake passage a readily ig nitable, completely vaporized priming charge v whenever it is desired to prime the engine,

rlhe primer is adapted for use in connection with any internal combustion engine whether it burns gasoline or any other fuel or combination of fuels which can be used in internal combustion engines. I will, however, for

convenience refer to the fuel as gasoline, al

device to an engine which burns gasoline.

The preferred form of primer preferably comprises a valve device having an air passage therein adapted to communicate with the intake pipe, said passage preferablyA being contracted in cross-section at some poition of its length, and preferably being provided with a duct or port communicating with a source of gasoline supply preferably leading into the passage at its contracted portion. l preferably provide means whereby both the passage and the duct may be opened and closed. If the engine is cranked while the passage and duct are opened a current of air will be drawn through the passage into the intake pipe by the suction produced in the engine.

The gasoline supply line to the primer is preferablv connected to the main gasoline supply of the engine, and I prefei to locate the primer in such position that gasoline will enter the primer if the valve is opened whether or not the engine is being cranked, thus providing a` gasoline supply to the primer independent of engine suction. Thus, if used in connection with a. gravity gasoline feed system, l preferably locate the primer at such heiOht that gasoline will flow to the primer. I co thisbecause it is much easier and quicker for the engine suction to raise a mixture of air and liquid fuel than for the engine to raise by suction a column of liquid fuel unmixed with air. The shape of the passage is preferably such that the movement of the air through the contracted portion will be a very rapid or violent one which will operate to completely atomize and vaporize the gasoline, thus producing a readily ignitable fuel charge.

rlhe valve device may be constructed in various ways and yet embo dy the above principle of operation. The preferred form of valve device shown in the drawings coin prisesa valve casing 5 which may be secured directly to the intake pipe d of the internal combustion engine, and which is provided with a delivery port 6 leading into the intake pipe 4, and with an air inlet port 7. The preferred form of valve also provides a nozzle 8 having a duct 9 therethrough which communicates with a gasoline supply pipe 10 that leads to any suitable source of gasoline supply, but which is preferably connected to the gasoline pipe 3 which supplies gasoline `to the carburetor 2, as shown in F 1. rThe valve casing 5 is provided With a chamber 11 in which is received a plug or valve member 12, said plug preferably being adapted to be moved longitudinally of 'the chamber from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shoivn in Fig. 3. This valve member is provided withl a transverse passage 13 Which is adapted to connect the inlet port 7 and discharge port 6 When the valve device'is moved into the position shown in Fig. 3. The plug or valve 12 is provided in one end With a recess 111 in which the `nozzle 8 is received, and said nozzle is of such length that when the valve or plug 12 is moved into the position shown in Fig. 3 lthereby to bring the transverse port 13 into communieation with the ports 6 and 7, the end or tip of the nozzle 8 Will be situated approximately in line with the vvall of the port 13, so that the duct 9 communicates With the port.

Seated in the inner end ot the recess 14 is a plug or valve seat 15 or" some relatively soft material such as liber, brass, copper, etc., which is adapted to seat against the end of the nozzleS and thereby close the duct 9 when the valve member 12 is in the position shown in Fig. 2. 1n this positionV of the valve member, the port 13 is out of line with the ports 6 and 7.

rlhe ports 6, 13 and 7 constitute an air passage through which air may bedraivn into the intake passage leading from the carburetor A'to the inlet ports ot the engine when the valve member is in the position shown in Fig. 3, and the portion 13 of said passage is preferably ot less cross-sectional area than the portionsG and 7. The plugor valve member 12 preferably constitutes means by which this airY passagemay be opened and closed, the air passage being closed when the valve member is in the position shown in Fig. 2 and being opened when the valve member is in theposition shown in Fig. 3, The nozzle 8 is so arranged that when the valve member 12 is in position to close the air passage,y the gasoline supply duct will also be closed by the plug 15 which seats against the end of the nozzle, WhileV .when the valve member 12 is moved to ope the air passage, the gasoline4 supply duct is also open and communicates with the air passage at-its 'contracted portion 13.

VThe valve member`12 is acted upon by a suitable spring 16 which tends normally to maintain it inposition to close the'air passage and gasoline duct. Said valve member is provided with a stem 17 which projectsv through the casing 5 and to which is connected a cord or other flexible connection 1S leading to a knob or handle 19 which may be situated in any convenient position. In

the case of an internal combustion engine for an automobile., the cord 18 Will be preferably carried to the dash-board or instrument-board 2O of the automobile, so that the pull 19 can be readily actuated by the operator.

When itis desired-to prime the engine, the valvey member 12 is pulled into the position shownin Fig. 3 against the action of the spring 16, thereby opening both the air passage and the gasoline duct 9. 'Vhen the engine is cranked, the suction produced therebyl will draw air through the air passage into the intake pipe and, because the air passage is contracted at the portion 13, the movement of the air current through this contracted portion ivill be a rapid or violent one. This movement oi' the air creates considerable suction at Athe end of the duct 9 which causes gasoline to be drawn into the air passage, and because of the violent and rapid movement of the air through the contracted portion 13, the liquid gasoline thus delivered to the intake passage is completely broken up into a' line mist or vapor which becomes thoroughly commingled with the air and thus produces a readily ignitable mixture. The gasoline duct is much smaller in cross-section than the contracted portion of the air passage, and the size of the duet and air passages are so proportioned as to produce a mixture having the Vproper proportions of air and gasoline vapor to produce anV easily ignitable charge.

After the engine has started, the. valve member or plug 12V is allowed to return to the position shown in Fig. 2, thereby closing both the air passage and the gasoline supply duet. The engine will then receive its explosive charges from the carburetor in usual manner. Y

e The valve member 12 is held from turning .movement in the chamber 11 by some suitable means. In the construction shown the stem 17 of the plug is non-circular and eX- tends through aV non-circular Vopening in the end ot' the easing 5. V

The inlet port 7 of the air passage as herein shown is Vpreferably provided With an inwardly-opening check valve .21 which is acted upon by a spring 22 that normally holds it to its seat. This check valve allows the air to be freely drawn into the air pas'- sage, but prevents the rair or charge from being forced out through the air passage it the engine Vhas a slight backward movement during the cranking operation.

inthe preferred form of my invention, the 'port 6 is. preferably closed after the engine has started., and so lone as it is running in Vorder to prevent air from being drawn in through said port, and I may render the closure particularly tight by inioviding` the plug 12 with Ya split resilient band 23 preterably otrcork, which tits closely the WallsV llO of the chamber 11. The band 23 is of such size and is so situated that When the plug 12 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, said band completely covers and thereby closes the port 6. This band is confined between an annular shoulder 24C formed on the plug 12 and a Washer 25 against which the spring 16 acts.

If the plug 12 is made to lit the chamber 11 tightly enough, it may not be necessary to use the band 23. The latter, however, acts somewhat in the nature of a piston ring and provides for producing a tighter fit. This band 28 is preferably held in proper position by means of a pin 26 carried by the plug 12 and extending into an opening 27 formed in the band.

The device can be readily installed on any internal combustion engine, and is extremely effective in delivering to the engine a priming charge having the proper proportions of air and gasoline and also having the gasoline in completely vaporized form so that the charge is readily ignitable. An internal combustion engine equipped with this device can be readily started When cold Without the necessity of continual cranking.

Thile I have shown and described a preferred form of one embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that major changes involving omission, alteration, substitution, and reversal of parts, and even changes in mode of operation, may be made Without departing from the scope of my invention, which is best defined in the following claims.

Claims:

1. A primer for internal combustion engines comprising a valve device having an air passage which is contracted at some portion of its length and is adapted to be registered by operator controlled means With the intake pipe of the engine, a gasoline supply duct Which is arranged to communicate with said contracted portion, said valve device constituting means to open and close said passage and duct.

2. A primer for internal combustion engines comprising a valve casing having an air inlet port and a discharge port adapted to communicate With the intake passage of said engine, a valve member movably mounted in said casing and having therein a port which is adapted to be brought into and out of register simultaneously with both the ports of the casing, said casing being pro` vided with a gasoline supply duct arranged to have communication With the port in the valve member when the latter communicates With the ports in the casing, said valve member having provision for closing said duct only when the port therein is out of register With the ports in the casing, and means for limiting movement of the valve Within the casing so that it moves only between the position in which the ports and duct are closed and the position in which the ports and duct are open.

3. 1n a primer for internal combustion engines, the combination of a valve devicehaving an air passage which is contracted at some portion of its length to form substantially a Venturi passage and which communicates With the intake passage of the internal combustion engine, a relatively small fuel supply duct adapted to open adjacent the contracted portion of said passage and connected to a source of fuel supply, and a movable member adapted in one position to close both said air passage and said duct and in another position to open said air passage and said duct.

4. A primer for internal combustion engines comprising a valve casing having an air inlet port, a discharge port and a nozzle through which gasoline is delivered to the casing, a valve member mounted in said casing and provided With a port, said valve member being movable from closed position in Which the port therein is out of register With the inlet and discharge ports into open position in which the port therein is in register With said inlet and discharge ports, said valve member also having a recess to receive said nozzle and to close the nozzle when the valve member is in closed position, said recess communicating with the port in the valve member.

5. A primer for internal combustion engines comprising a valve casing 5, a valve member 12 mounted in the valve casing, said valve member being provided with a Venturi passage 13 and a recess 14, and a nozzle 8 received Within the recess When the valve member is in closed or cut-olf position and adapted to deliver liquid fuel to the air drawn through the Venturi passage 13 when the valve member is in open position.

6. A priming apparatus for internal combustion engines comprising, in combination, a carburetting device for delivering carburetted air to the intake passage of the engine independently of the main carburetor of the engine, said device including` a passage for the admission of air to the intake manifold of the engine, which passage has a restricted portion of invariable dimensions, a more restricted gasoline supply duct discharging fuel adjacent the restricted portion of the passage, and means for opening and closing said duct.

7. A priming apparatus for an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination, a carbureting device for delivering carbureted air to the intake passage of the engine, independently of the main carburetor of the engine, said device including a restricted passage for the admission of engine suction-actuated air to the intake passage of the engine, a more restricted gasoline supply duet entering at the side o'said restricted passage, and means for co-ordinately controlling the opening and Closing of said duet and said passage.

8. In a primer for internal combustion engines, in combination, a body including a valve ehalnber having a valve slidable therein, an air passage'provided in the body at right 'angles to the Valve chamber and opening into the chamber, a cheek Valve adapted to eloseautomatioally the inlet end of the,

air passage, a liquid fuel duct opening into the air passage in such' position that it is in the path of va current of air passing through said passage, said valve in one position Closing both the passage and the duet and in another position permitting free flow of air through the body.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.v

HAROLD WATERHOUSE.

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