Self regulating reciprocating pumps and in particular fuel injection pumps

Claim 1

FOR USE WITH AN INTERNAL COMBUSTON ENGINE, A RECIPROCATING ACTION FUEL PUMP WHICH COMPRISES, IN COMBINATION, A PUMP CYLINDER, A PISTON ADAPTED TO COOPERATE WITH SAID CYLINDER MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT THEREIN, SO AS TO LIMIT THEREWITH A VARIABLE VOLUME WORKING SPACE, THE MOVEMENTS OF SAID PISTON IN SAID CYLINDER IN THE DIRECTION FOR WHICH THE VOLUME OF SAID WORKING SPACE IS REDUCED BEING CALLED DELIVERY STROKES, AND THOSE IN THE OPPOSED DIRECTION RETURN STORKES, A CASING RIGID WITH SAID CYLINDER PROVIDED WITH A DISCHARGE PORT OPENING TO THE OUTSIDE, A SHUTTLE MEMBER ADAPTED TO CONTROL SAID DISCHARGE PORT, SAID SHUTTLE MEMBER FITTING MOVABLY IN SAID CASING SO AS TO LIMIT WITH THE INNER WALL THEREOF A VARIABLE VOLUME CHAMBER, THE MOVEMENTS OF SAID SHUTTLE MEMBER IN SAID CASING IN THE DIRECTION FOR WHICH THE VOLUME OF SAID CHAMBER IS INCREASED BEING CALLED OUTWARD STROKES AND THE MOVEMENTS OF SAID SHUTTLE MEMBER IN THE OPPOSED DIRECTION BEING CALLED RETURN STROKES, A FUEL DELIVERY MEANS, CONDUIT MEANS IN SAID CASING INCLUDING A CONNECTION FROM SAID WORKING SPACE TO SAID FUEL DELIVERY MEANS AND A CONNECTION TO SAID VARIABLE VOLUME CHAMBER AND CONDUIT MEANS PROVIDING AN OUTFLOW FOR LIQUID FROM THE VARIABLE VOLUME CHAMBER, MEANS OPERATIVE BY SAID PISTON FOR FORCING LIQUID THROUGH SAID CONNECTION TO SAID VARIABLE VOLUME CHAMBER DURING THE DELIVERY STROKES OF SAID PISTON TO PRODUCE OUTWARD STROKES OF SAID SHUTTLE MEMBER, VALVE MEANS IN SAID CONNECTION TO THE VARIABLE VOLUME CHAMBER RESPONSIVE TO MOVEMENTS OF SAID PISTON TO CLOSE SAID CONNECTION DURING THE RETURN STROKES OF SAID PISTON, AND SAID OUTFLOW HAVING ITS SMALLEST CROSS-SECTION VERY SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE CROSS-SECTION OF THE SHUTTLE MEMBER SO AS TO SLOW DOWN SAID LIQUID OUTFLOW AND THUS TO EXERT ON SAID SHUTTLE MEMBER, DURING ITS RETURN STORKES, A BRAKING ACTION SUCH THAT, FOR SPEEDS OF OPERATION OF THE PUMP ABOVE A GIVEN VALUE, SAID SHUTTLE MEMBER RETURN STROKES ARE SHORTER AS THE SPEED OF OPERATION OF THE PUMP IS HIGHER, MEANS, OPERATIVE AT LEAST DURING THE RETURN STROKES OF SAID PISTON, FOR EXERTING A LIMITED THRUST ON SAID SHUTTLE MEMBER TO URGE IT IN THE DIRECTION TO PRODUCE THE RETURN STROKES THEREOF, FUEL BEING FED TO SAID DELIVERY MEANS DURING THE DELIVERY STROKES OF SAID PISTON, THE FEED OF FUEL TO SAID DELIVERY MEANS BEING STOPPED DURING EVERY DELIVER STROKE OF SAID PISTON AT LEAST AFTER THE SHUTTLE MEMBER HAS CLEARED SAID DISCHARGE PORT, SAID VALVE MEANS IN SAID CONNECTION TO THE VARIABLE VOLUME CHAMBER COMPRISING A CHECK VALVE AND A MECHANICALLY DRIVEN VALVE MOUNTED IN SERIES IN SAID LAST MENTIONED CONNECTION, SAID MECHANICALLY DRIVEN VALVE BEING OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID PISTON TO BE OPENED JUST BEFORE SAID CHECK VALVE OPENS NORMALLY AND TO BE CLOSED JUST AFTER SAID CHECK VALVE CLOSES NORMALLY.