US2898901A - Fuel injecting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

FUEL INJECTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 13, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. lbw/42202. QE/Y/Y Aug. 11, 1959 E. R. GLENN FUEL INJECTING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Shee t 2 Filed Jan. 13, 1958 INVENTOR. [pk/A201. 62M

BY M W Aug. 11, 1959 E. R. GLENN FUEL INJECTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15. 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 a1 7.2 71 4c I25 luv:- 62 @9 H.

I INVENTOR. [ml/42p 1. 625m United States Patent Patented Aug. 11,1959

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2,898,901 FUEL INIECTING APPARATUS Edward R. Glenn, Pasadena, Calif.

Application January 13, 1958, Serial No. 708,492

14 Claims. (Cl. 123-139) This invention relates to a fuel injecting apparatus and is more particularly concerned with a novel apparatus adapted to be applied to and to inject fuel into a gasoline operated internal combustion engine having an overhead valving mechanism.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the character referred to that can be easily and conveniently applied and related to the overhead valve mechanism of an internal combustion engine to be operated thereby and to inject fuel into the engine adjacent the inlet valves thereof when and as the valves are opened.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the character referred to including a unitary fluid pumping and metering device related to each cylinder of the engine and operated by the intake valve rocker arm related thereto.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide unitary pumping and metering units of the character referred to that can be advantageously mounted and carried by the engine valve cover.

A further object of the present invention is to provide pumping units of the character referred to having a metering valve incorporated thereto to control the quantity of fluid delivered thereby and to provide an apparatus having means responsive to the manifold pressures of the engine and controlling the metering valves of the several units.

Another object of the present invention is. to provide a system of the character referred to including nozzle means connected with each pumping and metering unit and adapted to conduct fuel from the unit and dispense it in the intake port of the engine related thereto. I

It is an object of my invention to provide an apparatus of the character referred to including a plurality of like pumping and metering units each of which is easy and economical of manufacture, highly effective and dependable in operation and such that it can be repaired and/ or replaced with a minimum of time and effort and without disturbing the other units of the apparatus.

An object of this invention is to provide a fuel injecting system of the character referred to which is neat and compact, an apparatus that can be economically produced and marketed and an apparatus that can be advantgeously applied to any standard overhead valve engine with little or no modification thereof.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical preferred form and application of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an elevational plan view of an overhead valve engine and showing the apparatus of present invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed transverse sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 and taken as indicated by line 2--2 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of one of the pumping and metering units that I provide.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the unit illustrated in Fig. 3 and taken as indicated by line 4-4 on Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the unit that I provide and taken as indicated by line 55 on Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of a portion of the vacuum responsive control means of the apparatus provided by the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a fuel nozzle as provided by the present invention.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, I have illustrated the apparatus A provided by the present invention related to a conventional internal combustion engine E, which engine is shown as involving generally, a cylinder block B having a plurality of cylinder bores 10 therein, a piston 11 operatively engaged in each cylinder bore, a head C secured to the top of the block and closing the upper ends of the cylinder bores 10 therein, an inlet duct 12 and an inlet port 13 in the head and establishing open com munication between the exterior of the head, at one side thereof, and the upper end of each cylinder bore 10, above the piston 11 therein, and similar outlet ducts and ports (not shown), establishing open communication between the exterior of the head and cylinder bores.

The engine is shown as further including a suitable air inlet manifold D secured to the said one side of the head C and establishing open communication with the inlet ducts 12, and exhaust manifold L secured to the head and establishing open communication with the outlet ducts, and an overhead valve mechanism F carried by the 'head and controlling the flow of air, fuel and gas into and out of the cylinder bores 10 and through the said inlet and outlet ducts and ports.

The valve mechanism F is shown as including like means related to the inlet and outlet ports in the head. Due to the fact that the apparatus provided by the present invention is related to the inlet valving means only, I will restrict the following description thereto and will dispense with further discussion of the outlet valve valving mechanism.

The inlet valving means illustrated in the drawings is a typical valving means such as is employed in present day automotive type internal combustion engines and is shown as including generally, an elongate, substantially vertically disposed valve, stem 15 slidably engaged through a suitable valve guide or bushing 16 in the head C, a disc-shaped valve element 17 at the lower end of the valve stem and adapted, when shifted upwardly, to seat in and close the inlet port 13 related thereto, spring means 18 related to the valve stem, above the head and normally yieldingly urging the valve stem and the valve elements 15 and 17 upwardly and into said closed position, a vertically shiftable push rod 19 spaced laterally of the valve stem 15 and extending upwardly from the block B, where it is shifted by a suitable cam means (not shown), through the head and terminating at a point spaced above the top of the head, and a rocker arm 20 pivotally carried by the head C at a point intermediate its ends and with its opposite ends 21 and 22 overlying the upper ends of the valve stem 15 and the push rod 19, respectively.

The means provided to pivotally support the rocker arm and the particular construction of the rocker arm can vary widely in form and construction and since these particulars have little or no effect on the present inven- 3. substantially flat, horizontially disposed top 25 and vertically disposed depending side and end walls 26 and 27 is releasably secured to the top of the head C in fixed position and to overlieand house the mechanism F.

The apparatus provided byfthe present invention is adapted to be applied or related to a conventional overhead valve type gasoline operated internal combustion engine such as described above, to inject fuel into the inlet ducts 12 and through the inlet ports 13 thereof, each time the inlet valves 17 are ,opened to pass a charge of air and gasoline into the cylinder bores 16.

The apparatus A of the present invention is shown as involving generally, a pumping and metering unit H related to each cylinder of the engine and to the intake valve rocker arm 20 related thereto, nozzle means I related to each unit H and adapted to receive fuel under pressure from the unit H and-to discharge it into the inlet duct 12 of the engine ahead of the inlet valve 17 related thereto, and vacuum control means] related to the intake manifold D and the several units H and controlling the rate and quantity of air and fuel delivered into the engine.

In addition to the foregoing, suitable fuel supply means K is provided to deliver fuel to the several units H.

Each pumping and metering unit H provided in the apparatus of the present invention is shown as including generally, a body 30, a cylinder 31 engaged in and carried by the body, a piston 32 slidably engaged in the cylinder and having an operating stem 33 projecting therefrom and from the cylinder, spring means 34 normally yieldingly urging the piston longitudinally in the cylinder to an unactuated position, an inlet flow passage 35 adapted to connect with and deliver fuel from the fuel supply means K to the cylinder 31, an inlet check valve 36 interposed in the inlet flow passage 35 and checking the flow of fuel back through the inlet flow passage, an outlet flow passage 37 connected with and establishing open communication between the nozzle means I and the cylinder 31, an outlet check valve 38 interposed in the outlet flow passage 37 and adapted to check the flow of fuel back through the outlet flow passage and the means I and into the cylinder, and a metering valve 39 interposed in the outlet flow passage 37 downstream of the outlet check valve and controlling the flow of fuel into the means I.

In addition to the foregoing, the unit H is further provided with a suitable by-pass means 40 between the cylinder 31 and the inlet flow passage 35, upstream of the inlet check valve 36.

The body 30 of each unit H is a simple metal blocklike element having flat, horizontally disposed top and bottom surfaces 41 and 42 and fiat, vertically disposed sides 43. The body 30 is provided with a substantially central, vertically disposed, downwardly opening cylinder receiving bore 44 entering it from the bottom surface 42 thereof and terminating at a flat bottom 45, a first, vertically disposed, upwardly opening inlet check valve receiving socket 46 entering the top surface 41. of the body at a point laterally offset from the bore 44 and terminating at a flat bottom 47, a second, vertically disposed, upwardly opening outlet check valve receiving socket 43 entering the top surface. 41 of the body, at a point laterally offset from the bore 44 and the-socket 46 and termmating at a flat bottom 49, and a third, upwardly openmg metering valve receiving socket 50 having a fiat bottom 50' entering the top surface 41 of the body at a point laterally oifset from the bore 44 and the said first and second sockets 46 and 48.

The cylinder 31 is a simple, straight, tubular sleevea like member and is press-fitted into the bore 44 in the body to seat on the bottom thereof. Inthe case illustrated, the cylinder 31 is slightly greater in longitudinal extent than the bore 44 with the result that its lower end portion projects from the bore and terminates at a point 4 l spaced below the bottom surface 42 of the body 30,. as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The piston 32 is a simple, cylindrical body slidably en-- gaged in the cylinder 31 from the lower open end thereof and has flat top and bottom ends 51 and 52. The piston 32 is shown as being further provided with a radially outwardly opening, annular channel or groove 53 in its:

side and in which a suitable cylinder engaging seal is en gaged. In the case under consideration, the seal is shown as including an O-ring 54 and a pair of annular wiper' and back up rings 55 engaged in the groove. The wiper and back up rings 55 are arranged to occur at the opposite sides of the O-ring and are adapted to wipe and clean the cylinder as the piston is shifted longitudinally therein and to prevent the extrusion of the O-ring 54 between the-- piston and the wall of the cylinder.

The operating stem 33 is an elongate, rigid member fixed to and depending from the lower or bottom end 52' of the piston 32 and is adapted to be engaged by the inlet valve rocker arm of the valve mechanism F of the engine to which the apapratus is related and in a manner that will hereinafter be described.

I In the preferred carrying out of the invention, and as illustrated in the drawings, the operating stem 33 is in the nature of a boltand is screw threaded into a suitable socket 56 provided in the lower endof the piston 32. With this relationship of parts, it will be apparent that the efiective lengthof the operating stem 33 can be advantageously varied or adjusted as circumstances require. It will also be apparent that the head 57 at the lower end of the bolt-like stem 33 provides a suitable head or enlargement to be engaged by the engine rocker arm 20 to which it is related. In practice, a suitable jam nut is provided on the shank of the stem to engage the bottom end of the piston and lock the stem in fixed position therein.

The spring means 34 adapted to urge the Piston 32 into an unactuated position in the cylinderis shown as including a radially outwardly projecting flange 58 at the lower terminal end of the piston 32, below the lower terminal end of the cylinder 31, and establishing an upwardly facing, annular spring seat; and a compression spring 59 surrounding the lower terminal ends of the cylinder and engaged between the flange 58 on the piston 32 and the bottom surface 42 of the body 30. With the above rela tionship of parts, it willbe apparent that the spring 59 normally yieldingly urges the piston 32 downwardly in the cylinder 31.

The inlet flow passage 35 adapted to connect with and conduct fluid from thefuel supply means K to the cylinder 31 is shown as including,'a counterbore 60 continuing downwardly from the bottom 47 of the first, inlet check valve receiving socket 46 in the body, a primary port 61 extending between one side of the body and the counterbore 60, and a secondary port 62 extending between and establishing open communication between the upper end of the cylinder and the said socket 46, at a point spaced above the bottom 47 thereof.

The inlet check valve 36 engaged in the first socket 46 is adapted to allow for free fiow of fluid upwardly from the counterbore 60 of the flow passage 35 through the socket 46 and into the cylinder 31. through the secondary port 62 of the flow passage 35. In the. case illustrated, the inlet check valve 36 is shown as a conventional, springloaded, plate-type fuel pump valve and involves a horizontally disposed disc-shaped body or plate 65'having a central aperture 66 therein, an inverted, apertured cup 67 fixed to the top of the plate, a disc-shaped valve element or member 68 arranged within the cup 67, anda compression spring 69 between the bottom of the cup and the valve member 68 and normally yieldingly urging the valve member downwardly and into flat bearing and sealing engagement with the top of the plate and over the aperture 66 therein. The valve 36 is engaged in the socket 46 with the outer periphery of'the plate 65 seated on the bottom 47 of the socket 46 and is held in engagement therewith by a compression spring 70 which surrounds the cap 67 of the valve and occurs between the top side of the plate 65 and a suitable plug, such as a freeze plug '71 engaged in a suitable upwardly opening, annular recess 72 at the upper terminal end of the socket, which plug serves to close and to seal the upper end of the socket.

In practice, a suitable annular sealing washer 73 is engaged between the bottom 47 of the socket 46 and the plate 65 of the inlet check valve 36 to prevent the flow or leakage of fuel about the exterior of the check valve 36.

The outlet passage 37 adapted to conduct fuel from the cylinder 32 to the means I is shown as involving, a primary port 76 extending between the top of the cylinder 32 and the second outlet check valve receiving socket 48 in the body 30, above the bottom 49 thereof, a counterbore 77 continuing downwardly from the bottom 49 of the said second socket, a counterbore 78 continuing downwardly from the bottom 59 of the third metering valve receiving socket 50, an intermediate port 79 between the counterbores 76 and 77, and an outlet port 80 entering the side 43 of the body and communicating with the metering valve socket 50 above the bottom 50 thereof.

The outlet check valve 38 is identical with the inlet check valve 36, except that it is inverted or turned over and so that the cup 67' thereof depends into the counterbore 77. The outlet check valve, like the inlet check valve, is maintained in working position in the socket 48 by a compression spring 70' engaged in the socket between the plate 65 of the valve and a suitable freeze plug 71 engaged in an upwardly opening annular recess 72' about the upper terminal end of the socket 48.

With this relationship of parts, it will be apparent that the outlet check valve allows for substantially free flow of fuel outwardly through the outlet flow passage, but positively prevents a reverse flow of fuel therethrough.

The metering valve 39 is a needle type valve and is shown as including generally, an elongate vertically disposed body 81 threadedly engaged in the socket 50 in the body 30, an operating stem 82 projecting upwardly from the body and adapted to be connected with the vacuum responsive control means I, and an elongate vertically disposed valve element 83 having a downwardly convergent tapered lower end 84 depending from the body and with its lower tapered end entering the counterbore 78 and adapted to be shifted vertically into and out of seated engagement in the upper terminal end of the said counterbore.

With the above relationship of parts, it will be apparent that upon rotation of the body 81 of the metering valve 39, the valve element 83 is shifted vertically relative to the upper terminal end of the counterbore 78, with the result that the annular gap therebetween is varied and in such a manner as to control and meter the volume of fluid that can flow upwardly from the counterbore 78 into the socket 50 and thence outwardly through the outlet port 80 and into the nozzle means I.

In the preferred carrying out of the invention and as illustrated in the drawings, the body 81 of the metering valve 39 is adapted to slidably engage in a straight, unobstructed upper portion 86 in the socket 50, and a lower threaded portion 87 is adapted to cooperatively engage in complementary threads 88 provided in the central or intermediate portion of the said socket. The upper cylindrical portion 85 of the body 81 is provided with an annular groove 89 in which an O-ring 90 is engaged. The O-ring 90 serves to seal between the body 81 and the wall of the socket and to thereby prevent the escape of fuel in the socket upwardly past the body of the valve.

In the form of the invention illustrated, the operating stem 82 of the metering valve 39 is a simple, straight, cylindrical part formed integrally with the body 81 to project upwardly therefrom, while the valve element 83 is a separate part engaged in a bore 91 extending longitudinally through the body and the operating stem. The valve element 83 is shown as having an upper kntuled portion 92 press-fitted into a reduced portion 93 in the upper end of the bore 91, a reduced neck-like portion 94- of limited longitudinal extent depending from the knurled portion 92 and a main portion 95 of considerable longitudinal extend depending from the neck portion and freely through and out of the lower end of the bore 91.

With the above relationship of parts, it will be apparent that the reduced portion 93 between the freely supported main portion and the anchored or fixed upper portion 92 provides the valve element 83 of the metering valve 39 with sufficient flexibility so that when the element is urged into engagement in the upper end of the ccunterbore 78 to which it is related, it will or can yield slightly to compensate for any misalignment between the counterbore and the element and thereby establish uniform fluid tight sealing engagement therebetween.

The by-pass means 40 is adapted to relieve pressure and to conduct excess fuel from the cylinder 31 back into the inlet flow passage 35, upstream of the inlet check valve 36, upon the upstroke of the piston 32, as when the metering valve 39 is set to prevent the full charge of fuel within the cylinder from being discharged into the nozzle means I.

In the case illustrated, the by-pass means 40 is shown as including a socket opening entering one side of the body 38, a primary port 101 extending between the bottom of the socket opening 180 and the upper end of the cylinder 31, a secondary port 102 extending between the socket opening 100 and the primary port 61 of the inlet flow passage 35, a ball check 103 in the socket opening, a plug 104 threadedly engaged in and closing the socket opening and a compression spring 105 between the check 103 and the plug 104- and normally yieldingly urging the ball check into sealing engagement in the primary port 101.

With this relationship of parts, it will be apparent that any excess fuel urged out of the cylinder 31 by the piston 32 flows through the by-pass means 40 and back into the inlet passage 35 upstream of the inlet check valve 36.

The fuel supply means K that I provide is shown as including a simple, tubular manifold extending longitudinally of the engine E and having an inlet duct 111 connected with and receiving fuel from the gasoline pump 112 of the engine, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced branches 113 communicating with the primary ports 61 of the inlet flow passages 35 of the several units H. In practice, the branches 113 of the fuel supply manifold are provided with suitable fittings 114 at their free ends, which fittings are threadedly engaged in the outer ends of the said primary port 61 in the units related thereto.

In practice, and since the several units H are in themselves pumps, the ordinary or standard fuel pump 112 of the engine E to which the apparatus is related can be eliminated if desired without in any way adversely effecting the operation of the apparatus.

The nozzle means I related to each unit H and adapted to receive fuel under pressure from the unit H and to discharge it into the inlet duct 12 of engine E ahead of the inlet valve 17, is shown as including an elongate fuel handling tube 115 connected with the outlet port 88 of the unit H and extending through a suitable opening 116 provided in the air intake manifold D, adjacent the inlet duct 12 related thereto and a pressure release nozzle 117 at the inner end of the tube. The end of the tube 115 connected with the unit H is provided with a suitable fitting 118 which is threadedly engaged in the outlet port 80 of the unit, asclearly illustrated in the drawings.

A suitable fitting 119 is provided about the tube 115 where it extends through the opening 116 in the manifold, to suitably pack off and to secure the tube in fixed position in the manifold.

The pressure release nozzle 117 illustrated in Fig. 7

of the drawings, is shown as including an annular seat ring 120 engaged in the outer end of the tube 115 in fixed position therein, a conical valve member 121 engaging the outer side of the seat, an elongate valve stem 122 fixed to the valve member and projecting through the seat ring to the interior of the tube, a head 123 on the inner end of the stem and a compression spring 124 between the head and the seat ring and normally yield-. ingly urging the valve member into seated engagement on the ring.

With the above relationship of parts, it will be apparent that the nozzle 117 normally prevents the flow of fuel from the tube 115 into the engine. It will be further apparent that when sufficient pressure is generated by the unit H on the fuel being handled to overcome the resistance of the spring 124, the valve member 121 is unseated and a conical spray of fuel is passed by the nozzle.

In the preferred carrying out of the invention, the inner end portion of the tube 115 is bent or formed so that the nozzle 117 is directed towards the inlet duct 12 in the head of the engine E and occur in line with the central longitudinal axis of the said inlet duct 12.

Each unit H of the apparatus is secured to the top surface 25 of the engine valve cover G by means of a pair of screw fasteners 125 and so that the piston and operating stem 32 and 35 thereof is in vertical alignment with the end 22 of the valve rocker arm 20, that is, the end of the rocker arm that rises each time the inlet valve 17, which it operates, opens. The lower depending portion of the cylinder 31 of the unit H projects through a suitable opening 126 provided in the valve cover G and the operating stem 33 is adjusted so that when the said end 22 of the rocker arm is in its lowermost position, the head 57 at the lower end of the operating stem 33 engages and bears against the top of the said end 22 of the rocker arm.

With the above relationship of parts, it will be apparent that each time the inlet valve 17 of the engine E is opened, the rocker arm 20 thereof is pivoted in such a manner as to shift the operating stem 33 and piston 32 of the unit H related thereto upwardly in the cylinder 31, thereby urging a charge of fuel from the cylinder through the outlet check and metering valves 38 and 39 of the unit and through the fuel handling tube 115 and nozzle 117 of the nozzle means I related thereto and into the inlet duct 12 of the engine E, where it is free to flow into the cylinder 10 of the engine through the inlet port 13 related thereto.

The vacuum control means I controlling the quantity of fuel delivered into the engine E by the several units H is shown as including, generally, the air inlet manifold D of the engine, a throttle valve 130 controlling the flow of air into the manifold D, link means 131 operatively connecting the operating stems 82 of the metering valves 39 of the several units H and a pressure responsive means 132 connected with the manifold D and operatively coupled to the link means 131 and adapted to close the metering valves 39 of the several units as the pressure in the manifold D drops and to open the metering valves 39 as the manifold pressure increases.

The air inlet manifold D is, in practice, the standard or stock manifold provided for the engine E and in ac cordance with normal construction is provided with a longitudinally disposed main portion 135 and a plurality of branches 136, connected with the cylinder head C and communicating with the several inlet ducts 12 therein, and an inlet throat 137 adapted to conduct air into the main portion 135.

The throttle valve 130 is shown as including an open ended tubular body 138 secured to the inlet 137 of the manifold D, a butterfly type of valve member 139 within the body 138, and a mounting and openating shaft 140 carrying the valve member 139 and pivotally engaged in and projecting from the opposite sides of the body.

A suitable lever arm 141 is secured to one end of the shaft of the throttle valve, which arm is connected with a conventional throttle pedal (not shown), by means of suitable. linkage, which linkage may include a suitable rod 142 such as is illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The link means 131 operatively connecting the operating stems 82 of the metering valves 39 of the several units His shown as including a lever arm 145 secured to each operating stem 82' to project laterally therefrom and an elongate tie rod 146 pivotally secured to and extendbetween the ends of the several lever arms 145.

In view of the fact that the exact nature of the lever arms, tie. rods and coupling means therebetween can vary Widely in practice without effecting the novelty of the present invention, I will not burden this application with further detailed description of the particular means illustrated in the drawings.

The pressure responsive means 132 connected with the manifold D and operatively coupled with the link means 131 is shown as including a simple, spring-loaded pneumatic diaphragm 159 secured to the valve cover G in fixed position thereof and at one end thereof.

The diaphragm unit 149 is a conventional automotivetype pneumatic diaphragm such as is employed in the distributor advance systems of automotive type engines and is shown as including, generally, a closed shell-like body 150, a flexible membrane 151 fixed within the shell and dividing it into two like chambers, an operating stem 153 fixed to the membrane and projecting from one side thereof and out of the body, an air conducting fitting 154 in the body and communicating with the chamber occurring at the opposite side of the membrane and from which the stem 153 projects, and a compression spring 155 within the last-mentioned chamber to occur within the membrane and the body and normally yieldingly urging the membrane to an unactuated position,

The diaphragm unit 149 is mounted to the valve cover G of the engine E as by means of a suitable bracket 156 and has its operating stem 153 arranged in axial alignment with and suitably coupled to one end of the tie rod 146 of the link means 131. A suitable air handling duct 157 having one end engaged in the air conducting fitting 154 of the diaphragm and its other end suitably engaged in and communicating with the interior of the air inlet manifold D, connects the diaphragm unit 149 with the manifold.

With the above relationship of parts, it will be apparent that when thepressure in the manifold D drops, the diaphragm membrane 151 is urged towards and against the resistance of the spring 155, with resulting axial shifting of the diaphragm operating stem 153 and the tie rod 146 of the link means which is coupled thereto. Upon axial shifting of the tie rod 146 of the link means, the lever arms 145 of the said means and carried by the operating stems 82 of the metering valves 39 of the several units H are shifted, thereby rotating the said operating stems 82 of the metering valves and opening the metering valves. When the pressure in the manifold D rises, the compression spring 155 returns the membrane 151 and each of the other elements of the means I related thereto back to their unactuated position and where the metering valves 39 of the several units H are closed.

It is to be understood that when the metering valves 39 are in their closed or unactuated position, described above, the valve elements 83 do not actually seat and shut off fiow through the outlet passages 37 in the units H, but simply occur in a position where the flow of fuel passed thereby is restricted to an amount which will allow for the engine E to idle or continue to operate at a very slow speed.

Having described only a typical preferred form and application of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any modifications or variations 9 that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall Within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A fuel injecting apparatus applicable to an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, an intake port for each cylinder, an inlet valve re lated to each port and controlling the flow of air and fuel into the cylinder and an overhead rocker arm related to each inlet valve and adapted to operate the inlet valve including, a pumping and metering unit related to each intake valve rocker arm and including a body carrying a cylinder and piston, inlet and outlet flow passages in the body and communicating with the cylinder, check valves in the flow passages and controlling the flow of fuel into and out of the cylinder, a metering valve in the body and controlling the fiow of fuel out through the outlet flow passage, an operating stem carried by the piston and engaging the valve rocker arm to be shifted thereby, and a duct engaged in the outlet flow passage and conducting fuel to the engine inlet port related thereto.

2. A fuel injecting apparatus applicable to an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, an intake port for each cylinder, an inlet valve related to each port and controlling the flow of air and fuel into the cylinder, an overhead rocker arm related to each inlet valve and adapted to operate the inlet valve and a valve cover fixed to the engine and overlying the rocker arms including, a pumping and metering unit secured to the valve cover above each intake valve rocker arm and including a body, a cylinder in the body and a piston in the'cylinder, inlet and outlet flow passages in the body and communicating with the cylinder, check valves in the flow passages, a metering valve in the body and controlling the rate of flow out through the outlet flow passage, an operating stem carried by the piston to project through the valve cover and engaging the valve rocker arm to be shifted thereby, and a duct engaged in the outlet flow passage and conducting the fuel to the engine inlet port related thereto.

3. A fuel injecting apparatus applicable to an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, an intake port for each cylinder, an inlet valve related to each port and controlling the flow of air and fuel into the cylinder, an overhead rocker arm related to each inlet valve and adapted to operate the inlet valve, a valve cover fixed to the engine and overlying the rocker arm, and an air intake manifold having an intake throat and a branch communicating with each inlet port including, a pumping and metering unit secured to the valve cover above each intake valve rocker arm and including a body, a cylinder in the body and a piston in the cylinder, inlet and outlet flow passages in the body and communicating with the cylinder, check valves in the flow passages, a metering valve in the body and controlling the rate of flow out through the outlet flow passage, an operating stem carried by the piston to project through the valve cover and engaging the valve rocker arm to be shifted thereby, a duct engaged in the outlet flow passage and extending into the manifold branch related thereto and a pressure release nozzle at the free end of the duct and adapted to direct a stream of fuel into the inlet port related thereto each time the piston is shifted and the inlet valve is opened.

4. A fuel injecting apparatus applicable to an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, an intake port for each cylinder, an inlet valve related to each port and controlling the flow of air and fuel into the cylinder and an overhead rocker arm adapted to operate the inlet valve and said fuel injecting apparatus, a plurality of like units having fuel metering and pumping means, means securing each unit in relationship to one of the intake valve rocker arms to be operated thereby, a fuel supply manifold conducting fuel to the plurality of units, an air intake manifold conducting air 10 to the several intake ports of the engine, nozzle means related to each unit and adapted to conduct and to deliver the fuel pumped and metered thereby into the cylinder related thereto and control means related to the several units and to the air intake manifold and operable to control the volume of fuel and air delivered into the cylinders, each unit including a block-like body, said pumping means including a cylinder in the body, a piston in the cylinder and having an operating stem engaging the rocker arm related thereto, inlet and outlet flow passages in the body communicating with the cylinder and the fuel supply manifold and the nozzle means, and check valves in said inlet and outlet flow passages and controlling the flow of fuel into and out of the cylinder, said metering means including a shiftable valve element engaged in the outlet flow passage and having an operating stem projecting from the body.

5. A fuel injecting apparatus applicable to an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, an intake port for each cylinder, an inlet valve related to each port and controlling the flow of air and fuel into the cylinder and an overhead rocker arm adapted to operate the inlet valve and said feed injecting apparatus, a plurality of like units having fuel metering and pumping means, means securing each unit in relationship to one of the intake valve rocker arms to be operated thereby, a fuel supply manifold conducting fuel to the plurality of units, an air intake manifold conducting air to the several intake ports of the engine, nozzle means related to each unit and adapted to conduct and to deliver the fuel pumped and metered thereby into a cylinder related thereto and a control means related to the several units and to the air intake manifold and operable to control the volume of fuel and air delivered into the cylinders, each unit including a block-like body, said pumping means in each block including a shiftable element engaged in an opening in the body, an operating member coupled to said element and engaging the rocker arm related thereto, and inlet and outlet flow passages in the body communicating with .said opening therein and with the fuel supply manifold and the nozzle means, said metering means including a shiftable valve element engaged in the outlet flow passage and having an operating stem projecting from the body.

6. A fuel injecting apparatus applicable to an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, an intake port for each cylinder, an inlet valve related to each port and controlling the flow of air and fuel into the cylinder and an overhead rocker arm adapted to operate the inlet valve and said fuel injecting apparatus, a plurality of like-units having fuel metering and pump ing means, means securing each unit in relationship to one of the intake valve rocker arms to be operated thereby, a fuel supply manifold conducting fuel to the plurality of units, an air intake manifold conducting air to the several intake ports of the engine, nozzle means related to each unit and adapted to conduct and to deliver the fuel pumped and metered thereby into the cylinder related thereto and control means related to the several units and to the air intake manifold and operable to control the volume of fuel and air delivered into the cylinders, each unit including a block-like body, said pumping means including a cylinder inthe body, a piston in the cylinder and having an operating stem engaging the rocker arm related thereto, inlet and outlet flow passages in the body communicating with the cylinder and the fuel supply manifold and the nozzle means, and check valves in said inlet and outlet flow passages and controlling the fiow of fuel into and out of the cylinder, said metering means including a shiftable valve element engaged in the outlet flow passage and having an operating stemprojecting from the body, said nozzle means including an elongate duct connected with the outlet flow passage and entering the air intake manifold adjacent 11 the inlet port related thereto and a pressure release nozzle at the end of the duct within the manifold.

7. A fuel injecting apparatus applicable to an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, an intake port for each cylinder, an inlet valve related to each port and controlling the flow of air and fuel into the cylinder and an overhead rocker arm adapted to operate the inlet valve and said fuel injecting apparatus, a plurality of like units having fuel metering and pumpingmeans, means securing each-unit in relationship to one of the intake valve rocker arms to be operated thereby, a fuel supply manifold conducting fuel to the plurality of units, an air intake manifold conducting air to the several intake ports of the engine, nozzle means related to each unit and adapted to conduct and to deliver the fuel pumped and metered thereby into the cylinder related thereto and control means related to the several units and to the air intake manifold and operable to control the volume of fuel and air delivered into the cylinders, each unit including a block-like body, said pumping means including a cylinder in the body, a piston in the cylinder and having an operating stem engaging the rocker arm related thereto, inlet and outlet flow passages in the body communicating with the cylinder and the fuel supply manifold and the nozzle means, and check valves in said inlet and outlet flow passages and controlling the flow of fuel into and out of the cylinder, said metering means including a shiftable valve element engaged in the outlet flow passage and having an operating stem projecting from the body, said control means including a lever arm carried by the operating stem of the metering valve element, a rod extending between and connecting the lever arms of the several elements and a pressure responsive diaphragm connected with the air intake manifold and operatively coupled to said rod and adapted to shift the rod and to thereby close and open the metering valve in response to changes of pressure in said air intake manifold.

8. A fuel injecting apparatus applicable to an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, an intake port for each cylinder, an inlet valve related to each port and controlling the flow of air and'fuel into the cylinder and an overhead rocker arm adapted to operate the inlet valve, and said fuelinjecting apparatus, a plurality of like units having fuel metering and pumping means, means securing each unit in relationship to one of the intake valve rocker arms to be operated thereby, a fuel supply manifold conducting fuel to the plurality of units, an air intake manifold conducting air to the several intake ports of the engine, nozzle means related to each unit and adapted to conduct and to deliver the fuel pumped and metered thereby into the cylinder related thereto, and control means related to the several units and to the air intake manifold and operable to control the volume of fuel and air delivered into the cylinders, each unit including a block-like body, said pumping means including, a cylinder in the body, a piston in the cylinder and having an operating stem engaging the rocker arm related thereto, inlet and outlet flow passages in the body communicating with the cylinder and the fuel supply manifold and the nozzle means,

andcheck valves in said inlet and outlet flow passages and controlling the flow of fuel into and out of the cylinder, said metering means including a shiftable valve element engaged in theoutlet-flow passage and having an operating stem projecting from the body, said control means including, a lever arm carried by the operating stem of the metering valve element, a rod extending between and connecting the lever arms of the several elements, a manually operable throttle valve cone trolling the flow of air'into the air intake manifold, and a pressure responsive diaphragm connected with the air intake manifold and operatively coupled to said rod and 12 adapted to shift the rod and to thereby open and close the metering valve in response to changes of pressure in said air intake manifold.

9. A fuel pumping and metering unit of the character referred to including, a block-like body having flat, horizontally disposed top and bottom walls and vertically disposed side walls, a bore entering the bottom of the body and terminating at a flat bottom, a cylinder engaged in the bore, an inlet check valve receiving socket entering the top of the body at a point spaced from the cylinder and terminating at a flat bottom, an outlet check valve socket entering the top of the body at a point spaced from the cylinder and said inlet check valve socket and terminating at a flat bottom, a metering valve socket entering the top of the body at a point spaced from the cylinder and the other sockets, a piston slidably engaged in the cylinder, an operating stern fixed to and depending from the piston and out of the cylinder, an inlet flow passage adapted to conduct fuel into the cylinder and including, a counterbore at the bottom of the inlet valve socket, an inlet port entering one side of the body and communicating with the counterbore and a secondary port extending between and establishing open communication between the cylinder and the said inlet valve socket, an outlet flow passage adapted to conduct fluid from the cylinder and including a port establishing open communication between the cylinder and the outlet valve socket, a first counterbore at the bottom of said outlet valve socket, a second counterbore at the bottom of said metering valve socket, an inner port establishing open communication between the cylinder and the outlet valve socket, a middle port establishing open communication between the said first and second counterbores, and an outlet port entering one side of the body and communicating with said metering valve socket, a fuel pump check valve engaged in the inlet valve socket and checking the flow of fuel from the cylinder through the inlet flow passage, a fuel pump check valve engaged in the outlet flow passage into the cylinder and a needle valve threadedly engaged in the metering valve socket to project into the counterbore at the bottom of said socket and controlling the flow of fuel into said socket, and by-pass means including a by-pass flow passage in the body and extending between the cylinder and the inlet port of the inlet flow passage and a spring loaded pressure release valve in the bypass flow passage.

10. A fuel pumping and metering unit of the character referred to and adapted to be operated by the valve rocker arm of an internal combustion engine and controlled by the air intake manifold pressure of the engine including, a block-like body having flat, horizontally disposed top and bottom walls and vertically disposed side Walls, a bore entering the bottom of the body and terminating at a flat bottom, a cylinder engaged in the bore, an inlet check valve receiving socket entering the top of the body at a point spaced from the cylinder and terminating at a fiat bottom, an outlet check valve socket entering the top of the body at a point spaced from the cylinder and said inlet check valve socket and terminating at a flat bottom, a metering valve socket entering the top of the body at a point spaced from the cylinder and the other socket, a piston slidably engaged in the cylinder, an operating stem fixed to and depending from the piston and out of the cylinder to be engaged by an inlet valve rocker arm, an inlet flow passage adapted to conduct fuel into the cylinder and including a counterbore at the bottom of the inlet valve socket, an inlet port entering one side of the body and communicating with the counterbore and a secondary port extending between and establishing open communication between the cylinder and the said inlet valve socket, an outlet flow passage adapted to conduct fluid from the cylinder and including a port establishing open communication between the cylinder and the outlet valve socket, a first counterbore at the bottom of said outlet valve socket, a second counterbore at the bottom of said metering valve socket, an inner port establshing open communication betweenthe cylinder and the outlet valve socket, a middle port establishing open communication between the said first and second construction and an outlet port entering one side of the body and communicating with said metering valve socket, a fuel pump check valve engaged in the inlet valve socket and checking the flow of fuel from the cylinder through the inlet flow passage, a fuel pump check valve engaged in the outlet flow passage and checking the flow of fuel from the outlet flow passage into the cylinder and a needle valve threadedly engaged in the metering valve socket to project into the second counterbore at the bottom of said metering valve socket and controlling the flow of fuel into said metering valve socket and out through the outlet port.

11. A fuel pumping and metering unit of the character referred to and adapted to be operated by the valve rocker arm of an internal combustion engine and controlled by the air intake manifold pressure of the engine including, a block-like body having flat, horizontally disposed top and bottom walls and vertically disposed side walls, a bore entering the bottom of the body and terminating at a flat bottom, a cylinder engaged in the bore, an inlet check valve receiving socket entering the top of the body at a point spaced from the cylinder and terminating at a flat bottom, an outlet check valve socket entering the top of the body at a point spaced from the cylinder and said inlet check valve socket and terminating at a flat bottom, a metering valve socket entering the top of the body at a point spaced from the cylinder and the other sockets, a piston slidably engaged in the cylinder, an operating stem fixed to and depending from the piston and out of the cylinder to be engaged by an inlet valve rocker arm, an inlet flow passage adapted to conduct fuel into the cylinder and including a counterbore at the bottom of the inlet valve socket, an inlet port entering one side of the body and communicating with the counterbore and a secondary port extending between and establishing open communication between the cylinder and the said inlet valve socket, an outlet flow passage adapted to conduct fluid from the cylinder and including a port establishing open communication between the cylinder and the outlet valve socket, a middle port establishing open communication between the said first and second construction and an outlet port entering one side of the body and communicating with said metering valve socket, a fuel pump check valve engaged in the inlet valve socket and checking the flow from the cylinder through the inlet flow passage, a fuel pump check valve engaged in the outlet flow passage and checking the flow of fuel from the outlet flow passage into the cylinder and a needle valve threadedly engaged in the metering valve socket to project into the second counterbore at the bottom of said metering valve socket and controlling the flow of fuel into said metering valve socket and out through the outlet port, an operating stem projecting upwardly from the needle valve and adapted to carry a lever arm operatively coupled to a diaphragm connected with the engine air intake manifold, and a nozzle means coupled with the outlet port and adapted to deliver fuel flowing therethrough into the engine.

12. A fuel pumping and metering unit of the character referred to and adapted to be operated by the valve rocker arm of an internal combustion engine and controlled by the air intake manifold pressure of the engine including a block-like body having flat, horizontally disposed top and bottom walls and vertically disposed side walls, a bore entering the bottom of the body and terminating at a flat bottom, a cylinder engaged in the bore, an inlet check valve receiving socket entering the top of the body at a point spaced from the cylinder and terminating at a flat bottom, an outlet check valve socket entering the top of he body at a point spaced from the cylinder and said inlet check valve receiving socket and terminating at a flat bottom, a metering valve socket entering the top of the body at a point spaced from the cylinder and the other socket, a piston slidably engaged in the cylinder, spring means normally yieldingly urging the piston downwardly in the cylinder and including, a radially outwardly projecting flange on the lower end of the piston and a compression spring between said flange and thebottom of the body, an operating stem fixed to and depending from the piston to be engaged by an inlet valve rocker arm, an inlet flow passage adapted to conduct fuel into the cylinder and including, a counterbore at the bottom of the inlet valve socket, an inlet port entering one side of the body and communicating with the counterbore and a secondary port extending between and establishing open communication between the cylinder and the said inlet valve socket, an outlet flow passage adapted to conduct fluid from the cylinder and including a port establishing open communication between the cylinder and the outlet valve socket, a first counterbore at the bottom of said outlet valve socket, a second counterbore at the bottom of said metering valve socket, an inner port establishing open communication between said cylinder and the outlet valve socket, a middle port establishing open communication between the said first and second counterbore and an outlet port entering one side of the body and communicating with said metering valve socket, a fuel pump check valve engaged in the inlet valve socket and checking the flow of fuel from the cylinder through the inlet flow passage, a fuel pump check valve engaged in the outlet flow passage and checking the flow of fuel from the outlet flow passage into the cylinder and a needle valve threadedly engaged in the metering valve socket to project into the second counterbore at the bottom of said metering valve socket and controlling the flow of fuel into said metering valve socket, and nozzle means coupled with the outlet port and adapted to conduct fuel from the unit into the engine.

13. A fuel pumping and metering unit of the character referred to and adapted to be operated by the valve rocker arm of an internal combustion engine and controlled by the air intake manifold pressure of the engine including, a block-like body having flat, horizontally disposed top and bottom walls and vertically disposed side walls, a bore entering the bottom of the body and terminating at a flat bottom, a cylinder engaged in the bore, an inlet check valve receiving socket entering the top of the body at a point spaced from the cylinder and terminating at a flat bottom, an outlet check valve socket entering the top of the body at a point spaced from the cylinder and said inlet check valve receiving socket and terminating at a flat bot tom, a metering valve socket entering the top of the body at a point spaced from the cylinder and the other sockets, plugs engaged in and closing the upper open ends of the valve receiving sockets, a piston slidably engaged in the cylinder, spring means normally yieldingly urging the piston downwardly in the cylinder and including, a radially outwardly projecting flange on the lower end of the piston and a compression spring between said flange and the bottom of the body, an operating stem fixed to and depending from the piston to be engaged by an inlet valve rocker arm, an inlet flow passage adapted to conduct fuel into the cylinder and including, a counterbore at the bottom of the inlet valve socket, an inlet port entering one side of the body and communicating with the counterbore and a secondary port extending between and establishing open communication between the cylinder and the said inlet valve socket, an outlet flow passsage adapted to conduct fluid from the cylinder and including a port establishing open communication between the cylinder and the outlet valve socket, a first counterbore at the bottom of said outlet valve socket, a second counterbore at the bottom of said metering valve socket, an inner port establishing open communication between said cylinder and the outlet valve socket, a middle port establishing open communication between the said first and second counterbores, and an outlet port entering one side of the body and communicating with said metering valve socket, a. fuel pump check valve engaged in the inlet valve socket and checking the flow of fuel from the cylinder through the inlet flow passage, a fuel pump check valve engaged in the outlet flow passage and checking the flow of fuel from the outlet flow passage into the cylinder and a needle valve threadedly engaged in the metering Valve socket to'project into the second counterbore at the bottom of said metering valve socket and controlling the flow of fuel into saidmetering valve socket and nozzle means coupled with the outlet port and adapted to conduct fuel from the unit into the engine, said check valve including disc-shaped bodies adapted to seat on the bottoms of the socket to which they are related, and having central apertures, apertured cups fixed to the bodies, -disc-shaped valve elements in the cups and springs in the cups and normally yieldingly urging the valve elements into flat bearing and seating engagement on the bodies and over the apertures therein, said valves being held in seated engagement on the bottoms of the sockets by compression springs between the bodies thereof and the plugs closing the sockets.

14. A fuel injectingapparatus applicable to an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, an intake port for each cylinder, an inlet valve related to each port and controlling the flow of air and fuel into the cylinder and an overhead rocker arm related to each inlet valve and adapted to operate the inlet valveincluding, a pumping and metering unit related to each intake valve rocker arm and including a body carrying a cylinder and piston, inlet and outlet flow conduits communicating with the cylinder through said body, check valves in the flow conduits and controlling the flow of fuel into and out of the cylinder, a metering valve controlling the flow of fuel out through the outlet flow conduit, an operating stern carried by the piston and engaging the valve rocker arm to be shifted thereby, and a duct engaged in the outlet flow conduit and conducting fuel to the engine inlet port related thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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