US1443102A - Fuel-delivery apparatus - Google Patents

Description

H. C. SUEKERT. FUEL. DELIVERY APPARATUS. Fl 1.50. Nov. ,4. 1 919.

4 swears-SHEET 3 31mm lwho/c mm2 .0 @uw Jan. 23, 1923.

H. C, SUEKERT FUEL DEL VERY APPARATUS Fl LED Nov. 4 191 9.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4 @MMM www 6MM Patented Jan. 23, 1923.

UNITED lerares PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD C. SUEKEBT, OF NEVIl YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO AUTOMOTIVE SUFPLY CO., INC., OF NEW YOFLK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FUEL-'DELIVERY APPARATUS.

.Application led November 4, 1919.` Serial No. 335,648.

To @ZZ whom-it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HAROLD CL SUEKERT, a Citizen oi the United States, and a resident of the city5 county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful .lInprovements in Fuel-Delivery Apparatus, of which the following is a specilication.

dy invention relates to devices for automatically delivering uel'frorn a supply tank to an internal combustion engine, and inaking use of a pressure pump operated from an engine cylinder.

One object of-.the invention is to provide an apparatus of this sort, which is entirely out of operation except when fuel is required to be pumped, whereby simplicity and long life of. working .parts issecured. -Thisresult 'is obtained' inf accordance with' vthe present invention' b'y-.the `provision` oi means yfor automatically shutting oii" v connnunication Awith A the engine. v cylinder-y .when -the supply otfuel Vdelivered is sufficient-forthetinie being, and fiorl opening up. such .communication when additional -f-ueivi`s "rerpiired,` -Thus the apparatus' is I entirely I lout ici-use when fuelrisnotvv required to-`be"}minped. A v Ainother robject'oftheinvention is the pro.- vision yot'a closedY auxiliary -fuelreservoi-r, from which yfuel *isy Vdelivered fto the A 'engine under' pressure,1 so' `that 'loss fby evaporation iSavOided: I

vision of al `fuel delivery conduit, .leading from the' auxil-ia-i.u f incl reservoir, foi such thatsubstantiaily all the inet may be ldrawn"ori therefrom. whenI needed,v and tl e provision of" means whereby -anysurplus is .ichfget'scinto 'thereservoir.maybe delivered 'through the fuel., delivery.. conduit without preventingcthe delivery `ol: fuel..

'.Uther. objects of' myy invention will appear.

in. connection with.. Athe `Itolloiving descrip.; tion ,-oi'the. construction .and operation, 'ot cer tain.einbodinientsot the invention. In the...drawingseforining ai part. (if-.this speci-icati'on, Fig. .1. .ist a vertical .sectional view ou. onefrorni'of.device,.embodying my invention, taken substantially onthe broken linel l-A, .ci Fig. .2. IFi-g.. .Zisa sidef;view, partly-.in central vertiCal'seCtOn.. .Fig. Bis

y secured. to

a horizontal sectional view `tekenen line Pif-3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4c is a diagrammatical view showing the apparatus connected with the engine, carburetor, and-fuel tank of an automobile. Fig. 5 is a front view7 partly in section, of a modified form of apparatus, in which a flexible diaphragm is substituted for the gland or` stuiling box of the form shown in Figs. l to 4. Fig. 6 is a similar view of a further modification in which the separate punip piston isdispensed with and the packing devicey is of large area and is arranged within the skirt ofthe pressure piston. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective View or' a spreading spring for use with the packing shown in Fig. f '.'llhetapparatus is-indicatedvas. a whole-by referencenumeral 1.0i, and may-.be constructed -n' yvarious ways.y It Amay. be conveniently formed, for exaniplahy casting..frompreferably light material,- such Yas aluminum. `The casting Amay.l conveniently .bein three. .sep a7 rate'pieces,A as shownycon'sisting of the main casting "A, theHlowerhcastingtB, and a, third or backv castingC'.l "-.Thecasting (1f-may .be y etheM principal .casting--A. -by Screws f... .5 The device has a hollow interior to1 Vpro-` videa.reservoir..11.for. liquid vfuel, asv gasoline. orwthe.` like.. ...Said hollow., interior 11, also preferably! .receives theworkingpar'ts, though. same may bepotherwiselocated, if desired... rlfhelreservoir neednot'ibe large, as. the auxiliary A,storage 1 is. required.` onlyv -for short intervals .andthe device. may, .thereiore befniade quitesniall andl compact.y .The hack` l2. of .the device is preferably. inade, yilat.A so thatmit .canconveniently, be Y.attached toy a support, such .as theA automobiledash D. (The. connection to the .sourceyof .operating presf. sure. is obtained. .through .pipe ,13, shown. COIL;v nected. to. .a .cylinder ofan,auto1nobi le en-` gine, The gasoline Ior 5other. liquid.. 'fuel isadmitted. through/piped@ and the fuel outlet. to .carburetor v16 is. throughy 'pipe 17. The liquidfuelisinaintained. under pressure-in the' `reservoir 11 .which is, not. vented to the..atmosphere,.whereby:floss of .fuel-,hy evaporation. `'is prevented., The pressure ramp.,f-Lhereiraterfi referred te serves te maintain the supply of fuel in the reservoir under predetermined pressure. lVhen the pressure exceeds a predetermined amount, communication with the engine cylinder is shut oil automatically, and the pump does not operate again until the pressure in the reservoir falls, upon consumption of fuel, whereupon the communication is automatically restored and thek pui-np goes into .operation again. The pipe 13leading from a .source of pulsating pressure, such as found in the engine cylinder, communicates with passage 18 leading to the annular recess 19, which ma be formed by cutting-agroove in the adiustable member 20, screwed into the' castingA an-d locked by screw plug 20', the opening being closed with a plug20. The passage 21 in said member20 is in communication with the annular recess or passage 19 through one or more holes 21. See Fin. 2. The inner end of passage 2l provi( es an `adjustable valve seat 22` for a needle valve 23, which controls the communication With the source of variable pressure.

Means actuated by the pressure of the fuel. pumped into the reservoir are used to operate valve 23. In the Jr'orm shown, a diaphragm 24, is made use of, and is exposed on one side (the left hand side, as the parts are shown in Fig. 2) to the pressure main tained in reservoir 11, and on the other side thercoic is vented to the atmosphere at 25. Between the vented chamber 26, behind diar phragm 24, and the passage 21, the stem of valve 23 is passed through suitable packing means for preventing leakage about the valve stem. Good results are secured by making use of a bored cylinder 27 of graphite to form a packing about the stem of valve 23. This provides a self-lubricating packing, in which the valve stem moves readily.

It will be seen* that when the reservoir 11. and therefore diaphragm 24, is under sufficient pressure, the pressure duct 2lv is closed by valve 23. The valve seat 22 may be adjusted with respect to valve 23 so that the valve will be closed when the pressure vwithin the reservoir reaches a desired point. It-Will be observed that diaphragrnV 24, as illustrated, isv of comparatively large diameter, so that vno great amount of pressure is necessary in order to close o' 'the valve 23. Usually a few'ounces pressure in the fuel reservoir is suicient for the requirements of ordinary use, as in delivering fuel to theloat valve charnber of the usual form` of carburetors. Beyond the needle valve 23, passage 28 leads to the pressure cylinder 29,' vvhichcontans piston 30, provided" with'k suitable packing 31. Piston rings may benused if desired.` Tov the piston30. is secured the piston rod32. Spring 33exe'rts'a.' resilient upward thrust on piston 30. Piston 30 and the )iston rod 32 are reciprocated or oscillate by the combined effect of varying presslu'e upon the head of piston 30and the actionot spring 33. As the average pressure exerted upon thehead offpiston 30 increases, the spring 33 is compressed to a greater or less extent, and the `region of movement of piston 30 under such increased average pressure is somewhat lower in cylinder 29 than when a less average'pressure is available.v iWhen the average pressure acting on piston 30 is reduced, the spring 33 raises the piston andit reciprocates higher up in the cylinder, The reciprocation of piston 30, obtained in the manner described, is utilized for pumping liquid fuel, such as gasoline from a storage tank to the reservoir 11 Where it is immediately available for the carburetor supply. In the form shown in Figs. 14, the bottom casting B is provided with a cylinder bore 34 in alignment with cylinder 29, and shown as being of about the same diameter, and the piston rod 32 projects into said cylinder 34 and serves to actuatey the fuel pump piston 35. Such piston may be of variousk forms adapted to move the liquid fuel therewith in one direction of its movement, and when moved in the opposite direc tion to permit the passage of liquid fuel past the piston to be advanced on the next stroke. In the 'form shown, a. leather cup piston 3G is illustrated, held between plates 37 and As the piston is moved upward the liquid fuel is forcibly moved therewith and When it is movedv down the tuel may flow past the sides of the flexible cup, as will be readily understood. A check valve 39 is provided for preventing backward flow of liquid fuel into supply pipe 14. A vent 40 to the atmosphere is provided below pressure piston 30 in order that piston 30 may be pressure actuated in an effective manner, and there can be no building up of pressure behind the piston, due to such slight leakage as may take place past the piston. l

As this exposes the space around the piston rod 32 to the atmosphere, it becomes necessary to provide' suitable stalling means for said piston rod 32, which will prevent inward passage of air or outward passage of the gasoline or`other liquid fuel being pumped. p stuflingv for this purpose may be obtained An el'ecti've'form of packing or in the manner illustrated in the drawings.

4:1 is the outer stulling` box member, having la bottom flange l2 adapted to be seated in the recess 43 in the bottom of the main casting A, and 44 is'the inner stuing box member which is provided with a flange 45 simi lar to flange 42, and lalso received in recess 43', so that when the parts are assembled, theV packing in the intermediate packing chan'lber 46 is compressed somewhat.v rlhe packing in the chamber 46 preferably consists of cotton, yarn or the like 47, located between a pair ot' preferably conical washers 48, ot` cork or similar material, and adapted to hug' closely about the piston rod 32, and with the interposed wicking, yarn or the like 47, to provide effectively against leakage past the reciprocating piston rod 32.

lith the extreme pressure variations encountered in the cylinder of an internal combustion engine, the piston 30, exposed thereto, is subjected at times to severe shocks. Means are provided for damping or cushioning the shocks to which piston 30 and parts connected 'thereto are subjected, and in the form shown in Figs. 1-4, a ring 49 of cork is provided and is seated upon the flange 42 of the packing shell 41. A metallic ring or thimble 50 is provided to support the inner wall of said cushion member 49, and between said members 50 and 41 an annular space 51 is left which serves conveniently for thereception of the lower portion of the'piston spring 33. The cushion member 50 serves as a cushioning` device against downward shocks, and a second cushioning member 52 is provided to cushion upward shocks or recoil of piston 30. In the form shown this cushion member 52 is also of cork, and encircles piston rod l32 between the plate '45v and' piston '35 and reciprocates with the 'piston 'rod .32" Felt f also makesv a good Acu'shioniiig material 'and when equipped with' cushions of this materialA the operation of the apparatus is practically noiseless.' i The' liquid fuel," such las gasoline and the like,' delivered by Jpistonf`35, lisd pumped into reservoir 11.'-vln'fthetor'm sh'own'ir'i Fig.` 1', it'is'delivere'dA 'through' the side passage 523 'to'an annular chamber' 54 in the casting' B, ufhence it' passes ythrough"openings and provided 'int'he 'screw threaded' plug` 57 past the' 'check valve 58, and out through "openings '59"*into`t'h`e reservoir 1-'1 The l'screw tlneaded'plug lwitlra similar plug on'the opposite side ol" the device', mavbe used ttor connecting casting' el and E li together ifdesiredl 1"Thepressure"control'of the p'uinpi x "apparatus bfywvalfvet 23' has already 'been 'de'-A scribe'd, and it will be'fapp 'rentfth'an lie pump fis' operated, 1 'fuel is "sucked through pipe 14,".delivere'd"under:pressure 'to 're er# voi r '11, and 'is available to supply the 'car-l btvl'r'etorthrough pipe' 7" and th t'when the pressure in`tliereser oir ,'1:y gets 'suilicient'ly high,I 4the valve shut ed by diaifuhragni 24,"an'd the' pumping `stop ped 'untilf some.' ot thegasoline has beenfllsedf'up and th'e pres# sure reduced.I It ,shouldbe observed here that more "or" lessai'r' is 'always contained in thereservoir, and of coursefcollects' at the upper part thereof, "so that by puttingsiidi nir' 'imderpressura 'more 'or less compression of the total contents of the reservoir is possible.

However, it is possible at times, as, for example, when the gasoline is low and splashing about in the supply tank, to pump an unduly large proportion ot' air into the apparatus, and unless provision made to take care o't' this situation, air, instead ot gasoline, may be delivered to the carburetor, resulting in stoppage of the engine. This situation is taken care oil by the discharge conduit arrangement shown in Fig. 1. The outlet pipe 17 is connected to the screw threaded bored plug v61 which has an extension 62 project-ing upwardly into the interior of reservoir 11 to a point preferably near the top thereof. Such pipe is surrounded by the larger pipe or conduit 63, `which is closed at its upper end and extends downwardly to its open end at a point near the bottom of the reservoir 11,` as shown at 64, Fig. 1. rlThis provides a simple form of siphon outlet Jr'or delivering` `fuel from the lower part of reservoir 11. Fuel rises in the annular space 65 around the pipe 62 passes into the upper end of pipe 62, and is delivered thereby te the outlet pipe 17. Once the siphon column is iliorined in the siphon consisting o1 pipes 62 and 63, said pipes will remain filled with 'luel until the reserve supply in reservoir 11 gets to be lower than the siphon inlet 64 and the reservo'r is substantially "difain'ed. "Provisioi'i is made `for"'conducting'air a'cl ci un ulating in the upperv portion' 'olf the reserl :Voir to theoutlct pipe"ancl"tlelive`iing seme to the 'outlet-"conduit to a'v point'be'low lthe vtrom" the interior o', te reservoir Il "lu ltire/*torni shown, airela'tively fenallpipe 66 is' provided forV this pu1pose,"an'd^ extends downwardly `withinp'ipe 62,' to a'point near the bottom 'of plug 61, and'is in `comnuinicaL tion with the 'interiorv of reservoir 11 near the4 top' thereof',` as by vmeans o't'fdu'cts 67.' llhis pipetfas well as thc' larger or 'out inost'pipe, is' shown i screwed intothe which, with plug veul 'ites'sembly ci ther c1 Y e 'o' ippai 'it willjbe an' arent'tlist ufhe'n the liqu n the` reservo l r ets above'.

by the substitution of a flexible diaphragm for the stufiing box or gland. Such diaphragm may be conveniently constructed of leather impregnated with material insoluble in the liquid fuel, as gasoline, and adapted to close the pores of the leather or other flexible material. Leather impregnated with Other suitable materials may be used, however. With the use of diaphragm 70, the piston rod and spring construction are also bakelite may be made use of to advantage. preferably modified somewhat. In the form shown in Fig. 5, the pump piston 35 is attached to a hollow sleeve 71 secured by screw 72 to the pressure piston 30', and the spring 33 for actuating piston 30 to move upwardly is received within the hollow sleeve 71, and extends downwardly over a guide stem 73 attached to the cage of the check valve 39. Also the cushioning ring 49 is placed at the bottom of the pump cylinder 34 instead of being placed directl)7 below the pressure cylinder. The center of diaphragm 7 0 is clamped between the pressure piston 30 and sleeve 71, and its outer margin 74 is received under the inturned flange 7 5 of plate 76, received in recess 43, and adapted to be clamped tightly upon the margins of the diaphragm 7 0 when the casting parts A and B are secured together.

Apparatus as so far described operates as follows The pressure piston is reciprocated by the combined effect of varying pressure on the top thereof and the spring beneath it. This operates the pump piston and delivers gasoline under pressure to the reservoir 11. The pressure piston and the pump piston may work at various heights in their respective cylinders, according to the average pressure acting on the pressure piston head, the spring under the pressure piston being compressed more or less, as such average pressure varies from time to time, but the cylinders are sufliciently elongated to permit pumping action to take place with the varying average pressures available when connected to a source of variable pressure, such as the cylinder of an internal combustion motor. When the pressure in reservoir 11 becomes suiiiciently high, according to the position in which the adjustable valve seat 22 has been set, the communica tion between the source of pressure and the pressure cylinder is shut off by the pressure on. diaphragm 24 closing valve When the gasoline runs out to the carburetor and reduces the pressure, valve 23 is automatically opened and the pumping is recommenced. lf an unduly large amount of air should get into the reservoir 11 in any way, it is discharged through the openings 67 and pipe 6G with the gasoline, which passes upwardlythrough pipe 63 and downwardly through pipe 62; but sufficientair is always left in the apparatus to enable the desired pressure to be obtained by compression thereof, since when the gasoline rises to the level of the duct 67, only gasoline is discharged and the remaining air is retained.

With. the construction shown in Fig. 6 the separate pump piston is dispensed with, and the apparatus is constructed to operate as a simple form of pulsation pump. The pressure piston 30 is provided with a skirt or flange 80 which encircles a relatively fixed gland member, having large wearing surface and consequently long life. As shown said-gland comprises a pair of faced cups 81, 81 of flexible material such as leather, separated on their interiors by a ring 82 and having their marginal portions 83 pressed outwardly into engagement with skirt 80 by the expansion ring 84 (Fig. 7 inserted therein. The flanges v85 and 85 of a pair of apertured metallic cups 86, 87 are held in recess 43, and the collar or sleeve 88 having a flange 89 is screwed into a threaded opening in cup 86 and holds the composite gland structure in place, the flanged washer 90 being inserted between the upper leather cup 8l and said flange 89. A bumper 91 of felt, cork or the like, serves to cushion the piston shocks on the down stroke, and a similar bumper 92 serves to cushion shocks in the opposite direction, being received within the flanged washer 93, on the piston rod 32". Spring 33 interposed between piston rod 32 and the bottom of cup member 87 serves to thrust the 'piston 30 upwardly.

With this arrangement a Vconsiderable amount of open space is provided below the piston 30 and above the fuel entering through valve 39, the upper portion whereof is normally filled with air above the liquid fuel, and the pulsations of piston 30 are communicated to the fuel through the intermediation' of such air. The pumping operation differs from that of the remaining figures, in that the delivery of fuel to reservoir 11 takes place on the down stroke of piston 30". It is to be understood, of course, that the space 94 under piston 30 is vented to the atmosphere, substantially as shown in Fig. 2, so that ba'ckpressure cannot build up therein. It will be seen that the gland in this construction has large surface so that wear thereon is well distributed, andfurther, that it isy self-adjusting for wear, the expansion` of the spring ring 84 serving to take'up whatever slight wear there is. 4lith the exceptions noted above, the operation is the same as already explained with reference to the other forms illustrated Kand described.

It is to be understood that the forms illustrated are intended only for the purpose of affording a clear understanding of the in` vention, and thaty modifications and changes may beresorted to Within the scope of my claims without departing from the invention or sacrificing the advantages thereof.

I claim:

l. A pulsation pump comprising a piston spring actuated in one direction and adapted to be operated by rpulsating pressure in the opposite direction, means for connecting the pump with the pressure side of the piston in communication with the cylinder' of an internal combust-ion engine for supplying a source of pulsating pressure, a reservoir to which liquid fuel is supplied by the pump under pressure, and means whereby the communication between the source of pulsating pressure and the pump is controlled by the pressure in the reservoir.

2. A pulsation pump comprising a ypiston spring actuated in one direction and adapted to be operated by pulsating pressure in the opposite direction, means for connecting the pump with the pressure side of the piston in communication with the cylinder of an internal combustion engine to supply a source of pulsating pressure, a reservo-ir to which liquid fuel is supplied by the pump under pressure, and adjustable means vwhereby the communication between the source of' pulsating pressure and the pump is automatically 'controlled by the pressure in the reservoir.

3. A pressure actuated pump, means for connecting said pump to the cylinder of an internal combustion engine for supplying a source of varying pressure for operating the pump, a reservoir to which liquid fuel is supplied under pressure by said pump, a diaphragm exposed to the pressure in the reservoir, and means actuated by movement of the diaphragm for controlling the communication between the pump and the source of pressure.

4. A pulsation pump comprising al piston spring actuated in one direction and adapted to be operated by pulsating pressure in the opposite direction,means for connecting said pump with the pressure side of said piston in communication with the cylinder of an interna-l combustion engine for supplying a source of pulsating pressure, a reservoir wherein liquid fuel is pumped by the pump under pressure, and means operated by the pressure in said reservoir for controlling the operation of the pump by shutting off and opening up communication between the pump and the source of pulsating pressure.

5. A pressure pump, means for connecting said pump with the cylinder of an internal combustion engine for supplying a source of variable pressure for operating the pump, a closed reservoir for liquid fuel pumped by the pump and means operated by differences-in pressure between the interior of the reservoir and the outside atmosphere for controlling the communication between the source of pressure and the pump.

G. A pressure actuated fluid pump, means for connecting the pump with the cylinder of an internal combustion engine for supplying' a source of varying pressure therefor, a reservoir to which liquid fuel is supplied under pressure by the pump, a flexible member exposed to the reservoir pressure, and a valve operated from said flexible member to open and close communication between the source of pressure and the pump.

7. In fuel delivery apparatus, the. combination of reciproci-ble pump actuating means adapted to be exposed on one side to a source of varying pressure, and having its other side exposed to the atmosphere, a spring for moving said means in opposition to its movement under pressure, a fuel pump operated by said actuating means, and means actuated by the pressure of fuel pumped for controlling the connnunication between said pump actuating means and the source of pressure.

8. In fuel delivery apparatus, the combination of a reciprocable pump operating member, spring means applied to one side of; said member, varying pressure means applied to the opposite side of said member, a fuel pump operated from said member, a closed reservoir for fuel pumped thereby and from which the fuel is delivered under moderate pressure, and means exposed on one side to the pressure within said reservoir for controlling the application of pressure to said member.

9. A reservoir to which liquid fuel is supplied under pressure, and an outlet conduit therefor extending from near the bottom of the reservoir to near the top thereof and then downwardly.

l0. A reservoir to which liquid is supplied .under pressure, an outlet conduit for taking fluid from near the bottom of the reservoir, and an air conduit ext-ending within the outlet conduit and communicating with the reservoir at the upper part thereof.

11. A reservoir to which liquid is supplied under pressure, a fluid outlet conduit therefor comprising a sleeve open at the lower end and extending upwardly in the reservoir from near the bottom thereof, and an outlet pipe extending upwardly within said sleeve and open at the upper end thereof.

l2. A reservoir, means for supplying liquid thereto under pressure, an outlet conduit therefor extending to near the top of the reservoir, and an enclosure for said conduit having an opening near the bottom of the reservoir.

13.y A reservoir, means forv supplying liquid thereto under pressure, an outlet conduit therefor, and means for conducting air 'trapped in the reservoir into the conduit at a substantial distance below the opening thereto.

14. The combination of a, uel reservoir,

means for supplying liquid fuel thereto.

under pressure, a Siphon outlet conduit having its opening near the bottom of the reser- Avoir und extending upwardly therein and into the stream of outgoing fuelfvvherebyv trapped air is discharged Without interferinfr with the delivery of liquid fuel. 10 n testimony that I claim the foregoing, I hereto set my hand, this 3rd day of November, i919. i

HAROLD C. SUEKERT.

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