US3006511A - Fuel injector apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 31, 1961 w. E. MEYER FUEL INJECTOR APPARATUS 2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Jan. 29, 1958 Oct. 31, 1961 W. E. MEYER FUEL INJECTOR APPARATUS Filed Jan. 29, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fnvefliorx 20099617 Z qyer' g?" United States Patent Ofilice 3,006,511 Patented Oct. 31, 1961 3,096,511 FUEL INJECTOR APPARATUS Wolfgang E. Meyer, State College, Pa., assignor to Borg- Warner Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Jan. 29, 1958, Ser. No. 711,863 3 Claims. (Cl. 222250) My invention relates to fuel injection apparatus for internal combustion engines and particularly to fuel injection pumps of the type comprising reciprocatory pistons movable in opposite directions by fuel under pressure being supplied thereto and pumping such fuel through fuel injection nozzles during reciprocations.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved pump of this type having a reciprocatory piston disposed within a rotor at right angles to the axis of rotation of the rotor with stationary fuel distributing plates or face pieces located at opposite ends of the rotor for the purpose of providing fuel to and receiving fuel from the piston within the rotor.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved form of pump of this type in which half of the injector nozzles are connected to each of the plates on opposite ends of the rotors, with a plurality of ports being provided also in both plates supplying fuel under pressure to the rotor.

It is also an object of the invention to provide another improved form of injection pump in which all of the fuel is supplied from one of the plates at one end of the rotor and in which all of the fuel injector nozzles are connected to the plate at the other end of the rotor.

The invention consists of the novel constructions, arrangements and devices to be hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above stated objects and such other objects as will be apparent from the following description of preferred forms of the invention illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a fuel injection pump embodying the principles of the invention and taken on line 11 of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are sectional views taken respectively on lines 2-2 and 33 in FIG. 1 in the directions indicated;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a fuel supply and delivery system for the fuel injection pump and including fuel injection nozzles;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an internal combustion engine showing one of the injection nozzles positioned therein;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified fuel injection pump embodying the principles of the invention; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are sectional views taken on lines 77 and 88, respectively, in FIG. 6 in the directions indicated.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several views.

The fuel injection pump illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 comprises a casing 10 formed of two casing portions 11 and 12 having flanges 13 and 14 of increased diameter. A rim 15 is clamped over the flanges for holding the portions 11 and 12 together. A pump rotor 16 is rotatably disposed in the casing 10 and has a peripheral flange 17 by means of which the rotor 16 is maintained centralized within the casing 10. The rotor 16 is positioned between two distributing plates or face pieces 18 and 19 at opposite ends of the rotor. The face piece 19 is formed with an annular sleeve portion 20 which fits within a cylindrical opening 21 formed in the casing portion 12.

A shaft 22 for driving the rotor 16 extends through the sleeve portion 20 and is held centrally positioned within the opening 21 by means of the face piece 19. A universal joint 23 is provided between the shaft 22 and the rotor 16 and comprises a spherical boss 24 formed on the end of the shaft 22 and fitting within a cylindrical cavity 25 formed in the rotor 16. A pin 26 extends through the boss 24 and into slots 27 and 28 formed in the rotor 16.

The rotor 16 is provided with a cylindrical cavity 29 extending transversely with respect to the shaft 22. The cavity 29 is closed on opposite ends thereof by plugs 30. A shuttle plunger 31 is slidably disposed in the cavity 29 and is formed with a peripheral groove 32 therein. A rotatable control plug 33 is provided in the face piece 18 and extends into the rotor 16. The plug '33 is provided on its end with a rib 34 which fits in the groove 32 of the plunger 31.

The face piece 18 and the rotor 16 respectively have flat faces 35 and 36 which are in face to face contact, and the rotor 16 and the face piece 19 respectively have flat faces 37 and 38 which are in face to face contact. A spring 39 is disposed between the face piece 19 and the adjacent end of the casing 10 for holding the rotor 16 in fluid sealing contact with the pieces 18 and 19.

The face piece 18 has eight ports 40, 41, '42, 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47 in its face 35. The ports 41, 43, 45 and 47 are connected to corresponding ports 48 in the casing 10, each of which is connected to a fuel injection nozzle 49. The ports 40, 42, 44, and 46 are all connected to a passage '50 formed in the casing 10 which is connected to a passage 51 extending longitudinally in the casing 10 to a single fuel inlet opening 52.

Each of the nozzles 49 comprises a nozzle body 53 connected 'by means of a conduit 54 with one of the ports 48. The nozzle body 53 is provided with an internal passage 55 therein having an outwardly flared seat 56 at its outer end. A valve plunger 57 is disposed in the nozzle body 53 and is provided with an outwardly flared seat 58 adapted to rest and seal on the surface 56. A spring 59 is disposed between a shoulder in the nozzle body 53 and a sleeve 60 fixed on the plunger 57 for yieldably holding the valve plunger 57 on the seat 56.

Each of the nozzles 49 is disposed in the head 61 of the engine, which the pump 10 services, and is adapted to spray fuel into the air stream to an intake valve 62. It will, of course, be understood that the nozzle 49 can instead be directed to spray fuel directly into the explosion cavity of the cylinder or else into the engine intake manifold as is well known.

The face piece 19 is provided with eight ports 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69 and 70. Each of the ports 63, 65, 67 and 69 is connected to a port 71 in the casing 10 which is connected through a conduit 54 with one of the injection nozzles 49. Thus it will be apparent that there are four injection nozzlles for four cylinders of the engine connected to the face piece 18 and four nozzles for the other four cylinders of the engine connected to the face piece 19. The ports 64, 66, 68 and 70 are all connected to passage 72 in the casing 10, which is in communication with the passage 51 and the fuel inlet port 52.

The rotor 16 is provided with a passage 73 therethrough which is in communication with one end of the cavity 29 and with another passage 74 therethrough which is in communication with the other end of the cavity 29. The passages 73 and 74 are so located that the outer end of the passage 73 passes over and is consecutively aligned with the ports 40 to 47 and the outer end of the passage 74 passes over and is consecutively aligned with the ports 63 to 70 when the rotor 16 is rotated.

The fuel supply system connected to the port 52 comprises a pump 75 driven by any suitable prime mover, such as an electric motor 76, and connected to a fuel tank 77 by means of a conduit 78. The pump 75 is connected to a discharge conduit 79 which is connected through a filter 8 with the port 52.

A relief valve 81 is provided for maintaining the pressure in the conduit 79 at a predetermined maximum value and comprises a plunger 82 acted on by a spring 83 and opening a port 84 connected by means of a conduit 85 with the conduit 78, bypassing the pump 75.

The shaft 22 is driven by a shaft 86. The shaft 86 is in turn driven from the cam shaft of the engine through gears 87 and 88.

The rotative position of the plug 33 is controlled by means of a shaft 89 acting through a hollow shell member '90. The shaft 89 is reciprocably disposed within the casing portion 11, and the shell member 90 is reciprocably disposed within the face piece 18.

The plug 33 is formed with left handed helical external splines 91, and the shell member 90 is formed with internal splines 92 that are in mesh with the splines 91. A spring 93 is disposed between the shell member 90 and an internal shoulder of the rotor 16. A pin 94 is provided in the rotor 16 and extends into a peni-pheral slot 95 formed in the plug 33, allowing the plug to rotate but preventing it from reciprocating movement within the rotor 16. A pin 96 is fixed within the rotor 16 and extends into an opening 97 provided through the shell member 90 for causing the shell member 90 to rotate along with the rotor 16.

In operation, the pump 75 draws fuel through the con- .duit 78 from the tank 77 and discharges it into the conduit 79, and the port 52 is supplied with this fuel as pressurized by the pump 75 through the filter 80. The fuel is maintained at a predetermined maximum pressure in the conduit 79 by means of the relief valve '81. The fuel under pressure in the conduit 79 acts on the plunger 82 and moves it against the action of the spring 83 so as to open the port 84 and afllow excess fuel pumped by the pump 75 to flow through the conduit 85 back into the conduit 78.

The shaft 22 and thereby the rotor 16 are driven from the engine at one-half the speed of the engine crankshaft in the case of the conventional four stroke cycle engine. When the rotor 16 is rotated into its illustrated position in which the passageway 74 is aligned With the port 63 and the passageway 73 is aligned with the port 44, the fuel under pressure flows from the port 52 through the passages 51 and 50, the port 44 and passageway 73 to the lower end of the plunger 31, so that the plunger 31 is moved upwardly as seen in FIG. 1 to the limit of its movement. Fuel is present in the cavity 29 above the plunger 31, and this movement of the plunger pumps fuel through the passageway 74 and port 63 to the port 71 and the injector .49 connected therewith. Fuel is thus sprayed from this injector 49 into the engine cylinder served by this injector.

As the shaft 22 continues its rotation, the passageway 74 moves out of alignment with the port 63. At the same time, the passageway 73 moves out of alignment with the port 44, and the source of fuel under pressure is thus disconnected with respect to the passageway 73, but fuel remains within the cavity 29 below the shuttle plunger 31. When the rotor 16 rotates 45 degrees from its illustrated position, the passageway 74 becomes aligned with the port 70, and at the same time the passageway 73 becomes aligned with the port 45. The port 70 is supplied with fuel under pressure from the inlet port 52, and fuel flows through the port 70 and passageway 74 to the upper end of the shuttle plunger 31. The passageway 73 is aligned with the port 45 which is connected to a nozzle 49; and the fuel under pressure applied to the upper end of the shuttle plunger 31 moves the l nger 31 downwardly so that the plunger pumps fuel through the passageway 73 and port 45 to the connected nozzle 49, and fuel is sprayed from this nozzle.

As the shaft 22 continues its rotation, the passageway 74 successively becomes aligned with the outlet port 69, the inlet port 68, the outlet port 67, the inlet port 66, outlet port 65, and the inlet port 64; and, at the same time, the port 73 becomes successively and respectively aligned with the inlet port 46, the outlet port 47, the inlet port 40, the outlet port 41, the inlet port 42, and the outlet port 43. The shuttle plunger 31 reciprocates downwardly as seen in FIG. 1 whenever the passageway 74 is connected with an inlet port and pumps fuel through the passageway 73 which at this time is connected to an outlet port; and whenever passageway 73 is connected with a fuel inlet port, the shuttle plunger reciprocates upwardly as seen in FIG. 1 to pump fuel through the passageway 74 to an outlet port.

The stroke of the shuttle plunger 31 and thus the amount of fuel that is ejected from the nozzles 49 on each reciprocation of the plunger 31 is determined by adjustment of the control plug 33 which is rotatably adjusted by reciprocating the shaft 89. When the shaft 89 is moved inwardly of the casing portion 11, the shell member 90 is given a corresponding inward movement against the action of the spring 93, and the splines 92 co-acting with the splines 91 rotate the plug 33 in a clockwise direction as viewed from the left in FIG. 1. Likewise, a movement of the shaft 89 in the opposite direction, that is, toward the left, as seen in FIG. 1, allows the shell member 90 to move in the same direction due to the action of the spring 93, so that the plug 33 is rotated in the opposite direction. The plug 33 thus is adjusted through 90 degrees with respect to the shaft 22 for the purpose of variably limiting reciprocation of the plunger 31.

When the plug 33 is rotated clock-wise, as seen from the left in FIG. 1, so that the rib 34 is at right angles to the plunger 31, the sides of the groove 32 make contact with the sides of the rib 34 as the plunger 31 reciprocates to limit the reciprocating movement of the plunger; and the plunger reciprocates through its maximum travel so that the discharge through the nozzles 49 is at a maximum. On the other hand, when the plug 83 is turned 90 degrees with respect to the shaft 22 so that the rib 34 is positioned parallel to the axis of the shuttle plunger 31, the ends of the rib very nearly abut both ends of the groove 32 so that the plunger 31 may have little movement, and the discharge through the nozzles 49 is at a As the plug 33 is rotated between these two positions, the rib 34 comprehends a variable axial distance between the ends of the groove 32, and the reciprocation of the plunger 31 in the cavity 29 is correspondingly varied, the reciprocation in all cases being limited by the ends of the groove 32 abutting outer surfaces of the rib 34.

The fuel injector pump shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 comprises a casing formed of easing portions 101 and 102. A rotor 103 is rotatably disposed in the casing 100, and a shaft 104 is splined within the rotor 103 for driving the rotor. The shaft 104 may be driven from the cam shaft 86 through gears 87 and 88 at one-half the speed of the engine crank shaft in the case of a fourstroke cycle engine, in the same manner as the shaft 22 in the previously described embodiment.

A cylindrical cavity 29 is provided in the rotor 103 which has a reciprocable shuttle plunger 31 disposed therein. The cavity 29 is closed on its ends by plugs 30, similarly as in the first embodiment.

Reciprocation of the plunger 31 is controlled by means of a shaft 105 extending through the casing portion 102 in alignment with the shaft 104. The rotor 103 is provided with a slot 106, and a pair of toggles 107 and 108 are pivoted at 109 and 110, respectively, within the slot 106. One end of each of the toggles 107 and 108 is in contact with the shaft 105, and the other ends of the toggles are disposed in the slot 32 of the shuttle plunger 31.

The rotor 103 is provided with passageways 111 and 112 extending therethrough in communication with the upper end of the cavity 29 as illustrated in FIG. 6. The passageways 111 and 112 respectively terminate in ports 113 and 114 on the ends of the rotor 103 which are disposed at a radius a with respect to the center line of the shafts 105 and 104. The rotor 103 is also provided with passageways 115 and 116 in communication with the lower end of the cavity 29 as illustrated in FIG. 6. ".[he passageways 115 and 116 respectively terminate in ports 117 and 118 on the ends of the rotor 103 which are disposed at a larger radius b from the center lines of the shafts 103 and 104.

The casing portion 102 is provided with ports 119, 120, 121 and 122, each of which is in communication with a port 48 connected to a fuel injection nozzle 49, and which are disposed at the short radius a from the center line of the shafts 105 and 104. The casing portion 102 is also provided with ports 123, 124, 125 and 126, each of which is connected to a port 48 and a nozzle 49 and which are disposed at the large radius 17 from the center lines of the shafts 105 and 104.

A sealing plate 127 is disposed over the right end of the rotor 103 and is non-rotatably fixed with respect to the casing 100 by means of a pin 128 extending from the casing 100 into an opening formed in the plate 127. The casing 100 forms a fuel supply cavity 129 between the plate 127 and the adjacent inner face of the casing 100, and this cavity is connected with a port 52 supplied with fuel under pressure from the supply system previously described. A sealing diaphragm 130 is disposed about the shaft 104 and is fixed about the openings in the casing 100 and plate 127 through which the shaft 104 extends for sealing the fuel supply cavity 129.

The plate 127 is provided with openings 131, 132, 133 and 134 therethrough which are on the small radius a, and the plate 127 is provided with openings 135, 136, 137 and 138 therethrough which are on the large radius b.

As will be observed from FIGS. 7 and 8, the openings 119 to 126 are spaced at 45 degrees with respect to each other, and the same is true of the openings 131 to 138, the openings at the small radius a being alternated with the openings at the large radius 17. The openings at the large radius b in the casing portion 102 are 45 degrees out of phase with the openings at the large radius b in the plate 127, the openings 123 and 125 at the large radius in the casing portion 102 being on a vertical center line as seen in FIG. 7, and the openings 131 and 133 at the small radius a in the plate 127 also being on a vertical center line as seen in FIG. 8.

in operation, when the rotor is positioned as shown in F C 6, the port 114 is in alignment with the port 131, both being at the small radius a; and the port 117 is in alignment with the port 125, both being at the large radius b. Fluid under pressure passes through the ports 131 and 114 and the passageway 112 to the upper end of the shuttle piston 31 and moves the piston downwardly within the cavity 29. Fuel is present in the cavity 29 below the piston 31, and the piston on such downward movement pumps fuel through the passageway 115 and the ports 117 and 125 at the large radius b to a port 48 and a nozzle 49.

As the shaft 104 continues rotation, the ports 114 and 117 pass out of alignment with the ports 131 and 125; and when the shaft 104 is rotated for 45 degrees, the port 118 becomes aligned with the port 136, and the port 113 becomes aligned with the port 120. Such alignment is due to the fact that the ports 118 and 136 are on the large radius 1) and the ports 113 and 120 are on the small radius :1. Fuel under pressure flows through the ports 136 and 118 and the passageway 116 to the lower end of the cavity 29 and moves the plunger 31 upwardly. The plunger 31 on such movement pumps fuel through the passageway 6 111 and the ports 113 and to a port 48 and a nozzle 49.

As the shaft 104 continues its rotation, alternately the port 114 and the port 118 will be supplied with fuel under pressure from the ports 134, 137, 133, 136, 132 and to cause reciprocation of the piston 31 downwardly and upwardly respectively as viewed in FIG. 6. Fuel is pumped alternately through the passageways 115 and 111 from port 117 at the large radius and the port 113 at the small radius respectively, the ports 1 17 and 113 alternately becoming aligned with the delivery ports 124, 121, 125, 122, 126 and 119.

The function of the toggle links 107 and 108 is to limit and vary the reciprocatory movement of the plunger 31. The farther that the shaft 105 is moved forwardly toward the shaft 104, the greater the ends of the toggles 107 and 108 are separated toward the ends of the groove 32 in the plunger 31 and the shorter the reciprocatory stroke of the plunger 31 becomes. Conversely, as the control shaft 105 is drawn outwardly of the assembly away from the shaft 104, the closer the ends of the toggle links 107 and 108 may approach each other within the grbove 32, and the greater the stroke of the plunger 31 becomes. As is apparent, the greater the stroke of the plunger 31 is, the greater becomes the amount of fuel ejected from the nozzles 49.

In my improved fuel injection pumps, a central rotor with a plunger movable at right angles to the axis of rotation is centrally disposed to distribute and receive fuel from opposite ends of the rotor. The plunger is supplied with fuel in order to reciprocate it and it pumps fuel during reciprocations through nozzles connected to the plunger. In the FIG. 6 form of fuel injection pump, all of the fuel is supplied to the rotor from one end of it, and all of the fuel is pumped from the rotor at its other end. In the FIG. 1 form of the device, fuel is supplied from both ends and is pumped from both ends of the rotor.

I Wish it to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, except insofar as the claims may be so limited, as it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made without departing from the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fuel injection system for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of combustion cylinders; a source of fuel under pressure; and a fuel injection distributor adapted to receive fuel under pressure from said pressure source and deliver said fuel to the various combustion cylinders of the engine; said distributor comprising the combination of a rotatable rotor having a pair of opposite end faces; a casing for said rotor; a pair of face pieces in said casing in face-to-face contact with said end faces; a plunger reciprocably disposed in said rotor; said rotor being provided with a port in one of its end faces in communication with one end of said plunger and with another port in the other of its end faces in communication with the other end of said plunger; said end pieces each being provided with a plurality of ports therethrough in communication with internal cavities within said casing connected to said source of fuel under pressure and being provided with ports alternately disposed with respect to said first named ports which are connectible to different ones of said engine cylinders; one of said face pieces having fuel under pressure within said cavities applied to it to hold the face pieces in fluid tight contact with said rotor; a shaft extending through said casing connected to rotate said rotor; and a second shaft in alignment with said first named shaft extending through said casing and rotor and having a rib disposed within a groove in said plunger for limiting the stroke of the plunger; said rotor ports being disposed with respect to the ports in said face pieces so that as said rotor rotates, the port in one of the rotor end faces is alternately connected to fuel pressure ports and engine cylinder ports in the corresponding face piece and the port in the other rotor end face is at the same time alternately connected respectively with the engine cylinder ports and the fuel pressure ports and the fuel pressure reciprocates the plunger and the plunger pumps fuel to the engine cylinders.

2. In a fuel injection distributor for injecting fuel into an internal combustion engine having a plurality of explosion cylinders from a source of fuel under pressure, the combination of a rotatable rotor having a pair of opposite end faces, a pair of face pieces in face to face contact with said end faces, and a plunger reciprocably disposed in said rotor at right angles to the axis of rotation of the rotor, said rotor having a pair of ports in each of its end faces respectively connected to opposite ends of said plunger and located at different distances from the axis of rotation of the rotor, said face pieces each having a pair of ports therein adapted to respectively coincide with the ports in the rotor end face in contact with the face piece, the ports of one of said face pieces being connectible to said pressure source and the ports in the other of said face pieces being connectible to said engine, said ports being so disposed that a rotor port connected to one end of said plunger becomes aligned with a fuel supply port at the same time that the rotor port connected with the other end of said plunger becomes aligned with an engine supply port so that the fuel source reciprocates the plunger and causes it to pump fuel to the engine, and means for variably limiting the stroke of said plunger for limiting the amount of fuel pumped by the plunger, said means including a pair of pivotally mounted toggle arms interconnected at one end thereof, and a control arm acting on said toggle arms for adjusting the position of said toggle arms for limiting the stroke of said plunger.

3. In a fuel injection apparatus for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of explosion cylinders; the combination of a source of fuel under pressure, a rotatable rotor having a pair of opposite end faces, a casing for said rotor, a shaft extending through said casing and to said'rotor for driving the rotor, said casing being provided with a face piece portion in face to face contact with one of said end faces and a face piece within said casing in face to face contact with the other rotor end face, said casing having a cavity therein formed between said face piece and an end of the casing connected to said fuel source so that said faces are held in fluid tight contact due to the action of the fuel under pressure on said face piece, a plunger reciprocably disposed in said rotor at right angles to said shaft, said rotor having a pair of ports in each of its said faces respectively connected to opposite ends of said plunger and being disposed at different distances from the axis of the rotor, said face piece portion in contact with said rotor having a plurality of ports alternate ones of which are at said different distances from the shaft axis and which are adapted to be connected to the different cylinders of the engine, said face piece having a plurality of ports therethrough alternate ones of which are at said different distances from the shaft axis and which are in communication with said fluid pressure cavity, said ports being so disposed that a rotor port connected to one end of said plunger becomes aligned with a fuel supply port at the same time that a rotor port connected with the other end of said plunger becomes aligned with an engine supply port so that the fuel under pressure reciprocates the plunger and causes it to pump fuel to the engine, and means for variably limiting the reciprocatory stroke of said plunger to vary the amount of fuel pumped to the engine cylinders, said means including a pair of pivoted toggle arms interconnected at one end thereof and contacting said plunger at the other ends thereof, and a control shaft effective to said interconnected end to adjust the distance between said other ends for thereby limiting the stroke of said plunger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 700,644 Hartness May 20, 1902 2,137,384 Browne Nov. 22, 1938 2,254,274 Doe Sept. 2, 1941 2,406,239 Morgenroth Aug. 20, 1946 2,673,662 Bensinger Mar. 30, 1954 2,872,082 Neugebauer Feb. 3, 1959

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