Protective shutoff device for internal combustion engines

Claim 1

IN AN ENGINE SYSTEM INCLUDING AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE HAVING COOLANT THEREIN, AND HAVING AN AIR INTAKE, (A) A VALVE MOUNTED IN SAID SYSTEM AND MOVABLE BETWEEN ONE POSITION EFFECTIVE TO OPEN SAID AIR INTAKE AND ANOTHER POSITION EFFECTIVE TO CLOSE SAID AIR INTAKE, (B) SAID VALVE BEING NORMALLY DISPOSED IN SAID ONE POSITION DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF SAID ENGINE, (C) A FLUID-CYLINDER INCLUDING (1) A CYLINDER HOUSING, AND (2) A PISTON INCLUDING AN EXTENSION ROD MEANS THEREON, (A) THE EXTENSION ROD BEING DIRECTLY MECHANICALLY CONNECTED TO SAID VALVE, AND (B) SAID PISTON AND EXTENSION BEING RECIPROCABLE AS A UNIT IN SAID CYLINDER HOUSING FOR MOVING SAID VALVE BETWEEN SAID POSITIONS, AND (D) MEANS FOR MOVING SAID PISTON AND THEREBY MOVING SAID VALVE TO SAID OTHER POSITION DURING OPERATION OF SAID ENGINE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID COOLANT EXCEEDS A PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE, (E) SAID MEANS COMPRISING (1) MEANS FOR FEEDING WORKING FLUID INTO SAID CYLINDER HOUSING, AND (2) HEAT-SENSITIVE VALVE MEANS (A'') DISPOSED IN POSITION TO BE CONTROLLED BY THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID COOLANT, AND (B) OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID FEEDING MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF WORKING FLUID THERETHROUGH.