US1419239A - Air heater and moisture supply for carburetors - Google Patents

Description

S. R DU BRIE. AIR HEATER AND MOISTURE SUPPLY FO R CARBURETORS.

.APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24. 1921.

1,41 ,289. Patented J 11110 13, 1922.

PAT

OFFICE.

STANLEY It. DU BRIE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN;

AIR HEATER AND MOISTURE SUPPLY FOR CARBURETORS.

Specification of Letters Iatent. Patented Ju 13 1922 Application filed February 24, 1921. Serial No. 447,538.

To all whom it ma concern: I

Be it known that STANLEY R. DU BRIE,

I a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Detroit in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air Heaters and Moisture Supplies for Carburetors, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

It is yvell known that the introduction of small quantities of water or steam into an internal combustion engine along with the ingoing explosive charges, aids in preventing the accumulation of carbon in the engine cylinders, but difficulty has been experienced in introducing the roper amount under varying conditions. eating of the ingoing air for admixture with the fuel has also been practiced to aid in vaporization of the fuel, and the introduction of small portions of the hot products. of combustion along with the charges has also been tried to effect vaporization of the fuel and give a better explosive mixture.

An object of this invention is to secure the several advantages of all of these methods of supplying combustible charges to internal combustion engines and further to provide means for automatically introducing into theengine the amount ofmoisture necessary to secure best results under the variations in running conditions. It isalso an object to further object is to provide simple and efficient means for the purpose, which may be cheaply manufactured and readily installed, and which has certain other new and useful features, all as hereinafter more fully described.

With the above and other ends in view the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference bemg had to the accompanying drawing, in which- F 1gure l-is a partial side elevation of an englne showing intake and exhaust manifolds and a carburetor, with a device illustrative of the invention in operative position relative thereto;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section substantially upon the line II-II of Fig. 3 of a device adapted to carry out the invention, and

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same substantially upon the line III- III of Fig. 2.

In Fig. 1, the engine cylinders are indicated at A with an exhaust manifold B and an inlet manifold C. The carburetor which is indicated as a whole at D is connected to the lower end of the manifold C and applied to the airinlet pipe E of the carburetor, is a device embodying the invention. This device may be connected to the air inlet of a carburetor in a horizontal position as shown or it may be set. in a vertical position where the carburetor construction is such that it may be more easily applied in that manner.

The device comprises a cylindrical casing 1 having headers 2 between which extend a series of tubes 3, the tubes being welded or otherwise secured'at their ends within openings in the headers 2. Caps 13 secured to the ends of the body 1 form chambers at the ends of the body into which chambers the tubes 3 open and the space 4 within the body between the headers forms a heating chamber, the body being provided at one side with an inlet 5 and at the opposite side and preferably near the opposite end with an outlet. 6. The caps 13 for the body are provided with flanged axial openings for the attachment of the body to the air inlet pipe E of the carburetor so that the air passing to the carburetor is first drawn in through the air inlet opening 7 at one end of the body into the air chamber 8 then passes through the tubes 3 into the air chamber at the opposite end of the body and then out through the outlet 9 into the carburetor. The inlet 5 of the bodyis connected preferably by a pipe 10 with the exhaust manifold, B so that a part of the hot products of combustion will be diverted through the pipe into the body 1 and pass across the body around the several tubes 3 and finally find its way through the outlet 6 to the atmosphere, said outlet being provided with a pi e 11 to conduct the gases away from the bod if found desirable. The hot exhaust gases are thus caused to pass around the tubes 3 through which the cold .through the inlet 5 which is located adjacent the opposite end of the body will come into contact with these tubes and in flowing across the body will heat the tubes so that one end of the tubes will at all times be comparatively cool while the other ends of the tubes willbe heated to quite a high degree. The hot exhaust gas coming into contact with the comparatively cool portion of the tubes as it passes toward the outlet 6, will be cooled and the moisture contained therein will be condensed. This moisture is usually a residue of the fuel or partially burned fuel and when brought into proper admixture with air is combustible.

In the header 2 at the outer end of the body is a small opening 12, this opening being provided to permit the condensation from the exhaust'gases to pass out of the chamber 4 into the chamber 8,at the end of the body and thus into the current of heated air passing to the carburetor. It has been found that this condensation from the exhaust gaseswill be just sufficient to provide the proper amount of moisture to theingoing charges, at all speeds of the engine and this moisture, taken in with the charges into. the engine cylinders will prevent the accumulationof carbon, thus keeping the-cylinders and spark plugs clean at all times. This moisture which is condensed from the exhaust also has fuel qualitiesand adds to the fuel, which is dr am in and mixed with air toform the explozlive charges, this condensation being drawn in along with the heated air and mixed with the fuel in the mixing chamber of the carburetor.

By properly proportioning the amount" 'of moisture will be sup lied tothe ingoing charges and that this moisture, being in the form of a combustible fluid, will add to the fuel supplied by the carburetor and thus increase the power and speed of the engine, at the same time preventing the accumulation of carbon in the cylinders. The amount of this moisture will vary accordin to the varying conditions of operation 0 the engine so that there will never be too great an amount of moisture supplied for proper admixture with the fuel charges.

- The tubular form of heater shown in the drawings is merely illustrative of one form of device for-heating the air going to the carburetor, and at the same time supplying to the ingoing charges moisture condensed from the gases which are used to heat this air, but it will'be understood that any suitable form of device may be employed for this purpose, the one shown bein simple and chea to manufacture and readily applicable to t e usual form of carburetors, making the device very simple to install. Obviously other forms may be employed to provide air passages for the lngoing air and means for conducting the hot gases into contact with these passages thereby'condensing from the gases certain moisture which moisture falls to the bottom and is then conducted directly into the in going air while the uncondensed portions of the exhaust pass out to the atmosphere. I do not therefore, desire to limit myself to the particular construction of device shown and wish to include such changes or modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims;

What I claim is 1 1. A device of the character described in cluding a conduit through which air is drawn by on he inspiration, means for conducting ex aust gases from an engine into external contact with said conduit to condense moisture contained in said gases and means for delivering said condensatiorli to the ingoing air for admixture therewit 2.1 device of the characted described, means for conducting air to an engine intake, means for conducting exhaust gases from an engine and coolin the gases by said ingoing airto condense f rom said gases any moisture contained therein, said second mentioned means being in communication with said first mentioned means to deliver said condensation to the air passing to the engine intake.

'3. A device of the character described, the combination of a tubular passage for conductlng air to an engine intake, a cham ber surrounding said conduit, meaiis for conducting engine exhaust gases to said chamber to heat the air passing through said conduit and to be cooled thereby to condense moisture contained therein, said chamber having an opening in a well there of to permit the escape of said condensation into the ingoing air for admixture therewith. v

4; A device of the character described comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet, tubular. passages in the casing having restricted communication with the interior of the casing and communicatingat one end with the atmosphere and at their opposite end with an engine intake, and

means for conducting engine exhaust gases. to the inlet of the casing for circulation through said casing around said tubular passages, whereby the condensation from the exhaust gases accumulating in said casing .is delivered to the ingoing air for admixture therewith;

5. A device of the character described comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet and a header at each end of said casing forming end chambers, tubular members 1n the casing secured at their ends to an opening to end chamber and permit the condensation.

to pass into the air flowing to the engine for admixture therewith.

In testimon whereof I aflix my signature in presence vo two witnesses.

STANLEY R. DU BRIE.

Witnesses:

LEWIS FLANDERs, ANNA M. Donn.

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