Means for introducing a pressurized fluid into an internal combustion engine combustion chamber through the spark plug opening

Claim 1

AN AIR INJECTION SPARK PLUG ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE AIR INJECTION SYSTEM COMPRISING A SPARK PLUG METALLIC SHELL HAVING A THREADED LOWER END FOR SECURING SAID SPARK PLUG IN A COMBUSTION CHAMBER SPARK PLUG OPENING, AN INSULATION SHELL SEALINGLY MOUNTED IN SAID METALLIC SHELL AND HAVING THE LOWER END THEREOF SPACED RADIALLY INWARD FROM THE INNER SURFACES OF SAID METALLIC SHELL TO PROVIDE AN ANNULAR CHAMBER ADAPTED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE ENGINE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, AN INNER ELECTRODE EXTENDING THROUGH SAID INSULATION SHELL AND AN OUTER ELECTRODE SECURED TO SID METALLIC SHELL ADJACENT SAID INNER ELECTRODE TO PROVIDE A SPARK GAP, A PASSAGE FORMED THROUGH SAID METALLIC SHELL AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID ANNULAR CHAMBER, TUBULAR MEANS SECURED TO SAID METALLIC SHELL EXTERNALLY THEREOF AND CONMUNICATING WITH SAID PASSAGE, A CHECK VALVE ASSEMBLY SECURED TO SAID TUBULAR MEANS AND HAVING A NORMALLY CLOSED CHECK VALVE MOUNTED THEREIN, SAID CHECK VALVE ASSEMBLY COMPRISES, A HOUSING HAVING A COMPRESSED AIR CHAMBER FORMED THEREIN AND A CHECK VALVE SEAT FORMED EXTERNALLY OF SAID AIR CHAMBER, A CHECK VALVE HAVING A VALVE STEM EXTENDING THROUGH SAID CHAMBER AND A VALVE HEAD POSITIONED EXTERNALLY OF SAID CHAMBER AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID SEAT AND TO OPEN OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, SAID VALVE STEM BEING HOLLOW AND HAVING A VALVE ACTUATING PISTON MOUNTED ON THE END THEREOF OPPOSITE SAID VALVE HEAD, SAID HOUSING HAVING A VALVE PISTON CHAMBER FORMED THEREIN ADJACENT SAID AIR CHAMBER AND RECIPROCABLY RECEIVING SAID VALVE PISTON THEREIN, A SPRING RECEIVED WITHIN SAID VALVE PISTON CHAMBER AND ACTING AGAINST SAID PISTON AND SAID HOUSING TO URGE SAID CHECK VALVE INTO THE CLOSED POSITION, SAID HOLLOW VALVE STEM HAVING AN AXIAL PASSAGE FORMED THEREIN AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID PISTON CHAMBER AND PASSAGE FORMED IN THE WALL OF SAID VALVE STEM AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID AIR CHAMBER WHEREBY AIR UNDER PRESSURE MAY ACT ON SAID PISTON AGAINST THE FORCE OF SAID SPRING TO URGE SAID CHECK VALVE INTO THE OPEN POSITION AND PERMIT AIR TO FLOW BY SAID CHECK VALVE HEAD AND SEAT FROM SAID AIR CHAMBER.