US2471533A - Temperature regulator for internal-combustion engines - Google Patents

Description

y 1949. D. L. MORGAN 2,471,533

TEMPERATURE REGULATOR FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed March 10, 1947 SEA ENGINE COOLING JACKET SEA Davp'd L. Molgalo,

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Patented May 31, 1949 TEMPERATURE REGULATOR FOR INTER- NAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES David L. Morgan, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to Robertshaw-Fulton Controls Company, a cor"- poration of Delaware Application March 10, 1947, Serial No. 733,642

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a temperature regulator for the cooling system of an internal combustion engine of the marine type, the term marine engine being used herein to embrace any suitable internal combustion engine used for propelling boats or comparable vehicles on water whether fresh or salt.

Temperature regulators have long been used for maintaining a predetermined range of temperature in the cooling medium circulating through the cooling systems of internal combustion engines employed for propelling land vehicles, but in such systems the same c001ing medium is circulated through the cooling system over and over again, so that the function of the temperature regulator is merely to establish and maintain within a predetermined range the temperature desired in the water circulating back and forth into and out of the engine jacket and a radiator associated with the circuit. In the case of marine engines, on the other hand, the cooling water is taken from the body of water in which the boat is disposed, and after circulartion through the engine jacket, it is returned to that body of water, usually after being passed into heat interchanging relationship with the exhaust pipe of the engine so as to prevent overheating of the latter. As the cooling system must function satisfactorily when the engine is operating at full load when the source of water may be of summer temperature, it follows that when the engine is operating at less than full load or when the water is at cooler temperatures, the

engine is overcooled because of the passage of excessive quantities of cooling medium through the engine jacket.

If the temperature of the engine can be kept within closely predetermined limits, many advantages are obtained in smoother and less noisy It is an object of this invention to provide the cooling system of a marine engine of the internal combustion type with an improved tem- Liv perature regulator which will control the flow closely predetermined limits under varying tem-'- peratures of the cooling water, varying loads on the engine, etc.

Another object of this invention is to provide a temperature regulator of the type characterizedwhich assures that cooling water is at all times flowing in heat interchanging relationship with the exhaust pipe so as to prevent overheating of the same.

Another object of this invention is to provide a temperature regulator of the type characterized which is of relatively simple construction, easily fabricated and installed, and certain in operation.

Other objects will appear as the description of the invention proceeds.

The invention is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions only one of which is shown on the accompanying drawing, but it is to be expressly understood that the drawing is for purposes of illustration only, and is not to be construed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for that purpose.

Referringin detail to the accompanying drawing, a temperature regulator embodying the present invention is shownin association with a cooling system for a marine engine of the internal combustion type, the engine and cooling system being represented only schematically.

Referring to th drawing, l0 designates the jacket of an internal combustion engine of any suitable size, character and construction, the exhaust pipe of said engine being designated ll. As usual with marine engines of the internal combustion type, water is withdrawn from the body of water in which the boat is disposed through an intake pipe 12 leading to a pump l3 of any suitable size and characterbut conventionally of such capacity as to provide an adequate circulation of water when the engine is operating at full load under'summer conditions. The outlet of the pump is in communication through conduits l4 and I5 with the inlet to the engine jacket Ill. Interposed between the conduits l4 and I5 is a temperature regulator embodying the present invention as now to be described.

As illustrated, the regulator comprises a housing composed of two sections it and 11 secured together in any suitable way as by a plurality of screws or bolts l 8 passed into or through suitable flanges of said sections. Section l6 of the housing has an inlet opening [9 in association with which is secured inany suitable way the outlet end of a conduit 20 that, at its opposite end, is in communication with the outlet of the engine jacket I0. Section'll of said housing is provided with a pair of openings 2| and 22, preferably in alignment, in associationwith which is secured in any suitable way the outlet of the conduit [4 partition separates the interior into a passage 26, which connects the openings 2! and 22, and

a chamber 21. Said partition25 is provided with a suitable aperture 28 betweenthe passageZfi, and

the chamber 2?, and cooperating with the valve port thus formed is a pressure operated valve member shown as composed of a flexible disk 29 of any suitable material stationarily retained in,

position at its central portion between a pair of washers 36 on a stem 32, having a threaded-extremity 3! on which a lock nut 33 is secured to lock said valve disk in position. Valve disk 29; is preferably made of an elastic or resilient material-to operate as hereinafter explained, but if preferred a coil spring ofany suitable construction may cooperate with said valve disk to provide the requisiteresiliency, foroperation as described. Stem 32 has its opposite end 34 provided with threads for reception in-a threaded aperture 35 extendingthrough the outer wall of the housing where said stem is adjustably locked in position by a jam nut 35 cooperating with said threaded end34. The. exterior wall of the housing may be provided with athreaded boss 3? surrounding the aperture 36 and an acorn nut 38, may be threadedly mounted orysaid-boss 37 to enclose the jam nut 36, a gasket 39 being preterably interposed between the acorn nut 38 and the wall of the housing; so as to minimize atedvalve is secured in ,positionbetween the flanges on-the two sections lii andv I! of the;

housing, and to thisiend said valveis shown as including a disk-like member which is received in U-shaped grommet 40': secured; between the flanges of thehousing sections I6 and I1, said: grommet being of any suitable material so asto.

Member fill-isminimize electrolytic corrosion. shown as having a right angularly extending cir: cular flange 4| surroundinga valve port 42. Se,-

cured to said member 4min anytsuitable way, or

formed integrally therewith,-is a U-shaped strap 43, and mounted on said strap is a thermostat 44 having its lateral wall in the form of an expansible and collapsible corrugated tubular wall or.

bellows, said thermostat havinga stationary end.

wall 45 secured to the base of the strap 43 in any suitable way and having amovable end wall 46 to which is secured a valve stem'fl; Mounted.

on said valve stem in any suitable way is acupshaped valve member positioned for cooperation with th seat provided bythe extremity of the flange 4! around. port 42 The thermostat 44 is charged with any suitable volatile fluid so that it will expand, and contract under variations of.

temperature in a manner wellzunderstood inthe art and move the valve member 48 away fromioiv toward the seat 4|; at predetermined temperatures selected for the particular --engine whose cooling system is to be controlled Valve member:

iii

48 is shown as provided with one or more apertures 49 for a purpose to be explained, although if preferred the aperture or apertures could be formed in the member 40 or the flange 4!.

By appropriately selecting the size, material and construction of the pressure operated valve 29 saidvalve may be so formed as to provide predetermined flows of cooling fluid from the passage 26 into the chamber 21 for predetermined variations of fluid pressure in the passage 26. This range of pressures can be adjusted by moving the stem 32 in the aperture 35, after which the stem can be locked in position by the jam nut 36.

Whenthe engine is in operation and driving the pump l3, water from the body of water in which theboat is disposed is drawn through pipe l2 and delivered through conduit l4, passage 26 and conduit Hi to the cooling jacket iii, from which it may flow through the conduit 23 into the chamber 5B in which is disposed the thermostat 44.) When the engine is first started the Water so passedthrough the cooling jacket will be relatively cool so that the thermostat 44 will be contracted, holding the valve, member 48 on its. seat 4|. I the thermostat 44 willbe maintained owing to the one or more apertures, 49 in the valve member 48, said apertures as to size and number being so selected as to obtain the desired circulation overv the thermostat 44. As the valve member 48 is now closed, however, a back pressure will be,

builtvup in passage 26. This back pressure act ing, on the valve member 29 willopen the latter proportionately tothe magnitude of the back pressure, so that the water being delivered through conduit l4yby pump l3e-will largely flow through thenport 28; into th chamber 21, and thencethrough the conduit 24 to the exhaustp pe.

As the temperature; of the cooling medium risesdue to continued operation of the engine the temperature of the water flowing through sham-a ber 50: will be, correspondingly raised until that temperature is reached atwhich, the thermostat 44: is designedsto, initiate-its expansion, whereupon any further rise inthe temperature of the water flowing through, thechamber 50 will; causethe thermostat 44 to expand, opening the valve-- 48,so as-to permit the waterflowing; through the;

engine jacket and chamber- 50 to flow through the port 42 into the chamber 21, and thence throughzthe conduit 24 to the exhaust pipe.

When thereafter the temperature of the water flowingthrough thechamber 50 starts to decrease the thermostat 44 will correspondinglycontract' and move the valve-member 48 toward its seat,

proportionately decreasing the flow of waterthrough the engine jacket.

Thereby the temperature of'the water flowing through theengine jacket can be nicely controlled within predetermined limits selected as desirable for the particular engine under regula tion. At the same time the volume of water flowing through the port- 42 predeterminesthe back" pressure existing inthe passage 26 so-that the amount of water flowing through the port 28 pastthepressure operated valve 29 is generally in inverse proportionto the quantity of water flowing through the engine jacket. Thereby, irrespective of the loaclonthe engine and the temperature of thewater being pumped, the-temperature of the water in the engine jacket may be nicely controlled ,so as :to: be kept .within predetermined 'flim-itsyiwhile at ralltimes an adequate.:volume of However, a small circulation over water is flowing through the conduit 24 to prevent overheating of the exhaust pipe. The pump may accordingly be given adequate capacity to afiord proper cooling of the engine under the most adverse conditions, and even though the pump is thereby delivering a quantity of water in excess of the requirements of the engine cooling system, the portion of the water flowing through the engine jacket is so predetermined as to maintain the desired range of temperature while all excess water flows through the pressure operated valve 29 to the outlet conduit 24 where it is effective in cooling the exhaust pipe.

Thus a temperature regulator having the desired characteristics has been provided to maintain the engine temperature with certainty and efficiency within the desired limits notwithstanding wide variations of load or the temperature of the water available for cooling. At the same time the device is of relatively simple construction so that it is inexpensive to fabricate and install.

While the embodiment of the invention illustrated on the drawing has been described with considerable particularity, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not restricted thereto, as other embodiments will now be apparent to those skilled in the art, while changes may be made in the details of construction, arrangement, proportion, material, etc., without departing from the spirit of this invention. Reference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for a definition of said invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A temperature regulator for the cooling system of an internal combustion engine of the marine type including an engine jacket and a pump for delivering water from an external source to the engine jacket in excess of the requirements of the cooling system under at least some conditions, a housing providing a passage in communication with said pump and with the inlet of the engine jacket, said housing also providing a chamber in communication with the outlet of the engine jacket and an outlet chamber, an outlet conduit in communication with said outlet chamber, a valve port between said passage and said outlet chamber, a pressure responsive valve cooperating with said port and operable under variations in pressure in said passage for delivering variable quantities of water to said outlet chamber, a valve port between said first named chamber and said outlet chamber, and a thermostatically operated valve cooperating with said last named port and responsive to the temperature in said first named chamber.

2. A temperature regulator for the cooling system of an internal combustion engine of the marine type including an engine jacket and a pump for delivering water from an external source to the engine jacket in excess of the requirements of the cooling system under at least some conditions, a housing providing a passage in communication with said pump and with the inlet of the engine jacket, said housing also providing a chamber in communication with the outlet of the engine jacket and an outlet chamber, an outlet conduit in communication with said outlet chamber, a valve port between said passage and said outlet chamber, a pressure responsive valve cooperating with said port and operable under variations in pressure in said passage for delivering variable quantities of water to said outlet chamher, a valve port between said first named chamber and said outlet chamber, a thermostatically operated valve cooperating with said last named 6 port and responsive to the temperature in said first named chamber, and means in association with said last named valve for maintaining a predetermined fiow of water over said thermostat When said thermostatically operated valve is closed.

3. A temperature regulator for the cooling system of an internal combustion engine of the marine type including an engine jacket and a pump for delivering water from an external source to the engine jacket in excess of the requirements of the cooling system under at least some conditions, a housing providing a passage in communication with said pump and with the inlet of the engine jacket, said housing also providing a chamber in communication with the outlet of the engine jacket and an outlet chamber, an outlet conduit in communication with said outlet chamber, a valve port between said passage and said outlet chamber, a pressure responsive valve cooperating with said port and operable under variations in pressure in said passage for delivering variable quantities of water to said outlet chamber, a valve port between said first named chamher and said outlet chamber, a thermostatically operated valve cooperating with said last named port and responsive to the temperature in said first named chamber, and means for adjusting said pressure responsive valve to predetermine the extent of its opening under variations of pressure in said passage.

4. A temperature regulator for the cooling system of an internal combustion engine of the marine type including an engine jacket and a pump for delivering water from an external source to the engine jacket in excess of the requirements of the cooling system under at least some conditions, a housing providing a passage in communication with said pump and with the inlet of the engine jacket, said housing also providing a chamber in communication with the outlet of the engine jacket and an outlet chamber, an outlet conduit in communication with said outlet chamber, a valve port between said passage and said outlet chamber, a pressure responsive valve cooperating with said port and operable under variations in pressure in said passage for delivering variable quantities of water to said outlet chamber, a valve port between said first named chamber and said outlet chamber, and a thermostatically operated valve cooperating with said last named port and responsive to the temperature in said first named chamber, said pressure responsive valve including a flexible valve disk cooperating with said first named port and variably flexing under variations of pressure in said passage to predetermine the flow of cooling medium through said port.

5. A temperature regulator for the cooling system of an internal combustion engine of the marine type including an engine jacket and a pump for delivering water from an external source to the engine jacket in excess of the requirements of the cooling system under at least some conditions, a housing providing a passage in communication with said pump and with the inlet of the engine jacket, said housing also providing a chamber in communication with the outlet of the engine jacket and an outlet chamber, an outlet conduit in communication with said outlet chamber for delivering water into heat interchanging relationship with the exhaust pipe of the engine, a valve port between said passage. and said outlet chamber, a pressure responsive flexible valve disk cooperating with said port and operable under variations in pressure in said passage for deliveringvariable quantities of water to said outlet chamber, a valve port between said first named chamber and said outlet chamber, and a thermostatically operated valve cooperating with said last named port and responsive to the temperature in said first named chamber, said thermostatically operated valve predetermining the pressure in said passage effective to operate said pressure responsive valve disk and maintain substantially the same water flow into heat interchanging relation with said exhaust pipe whether said thermostatically operated valve is open or closed.

6. A temperature regulator for the cooling system of an internal combustion engine of the marine type including a housing provided with a passage having an inlet adapted to be connected to a pump and an outlet adapted to be connected to the inlet of an engine jacket, said housing also providing a chamber having an inlet adapted to be connected to the outlet of the engine jacket and an outlet chamber having an outlet adapted to be connected to an outlet conduit, a valve port between said passage and said outlet chamber, a,

chamber and operatively connected to said lastnamed valve member.

DAVID L. MORGAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile oi this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,765,637 Thompson June 24, 1930 2,377,028 Nicholas May 29, 1945

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