Fuel mixing and vaporizing device for internal combustion engines

Claim 2

A mixing and vaporizing device adapted to be connected between a carburetor and an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for vaporizing fuel and mixing it with the air in a fuel-air mixture provided by said carburetor, and device comprising means defining a heating and mixing chamber having an inlet port adapted to be connected to the outlet of said carburetor and an outlet port adapted to be connected to the inlet of said manifold to provide a fluid flow passage for directing said mixture from said carburetor to said manifold, screen means disposed within said chamber having a sufficiently fine mesh to provide a mechanical obstruction for creating turbulence and to reduce the size of fuel particles in the fuelair mixture flowing through said chamber, baffle means disposed within said chamber for further developing turbulence in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber to said outlet port, and means for applying heat to said chamber to vaporize the fuel in said mixture, said screEn means and said baffle means being arranged in a row along the path of flow of said mixture through said chamber, said screen means being disposed between said inlet port and said baffle means, and said fluid flow passage being configured to direct all of the fuel-air mixture entering through said inlet port first through said screen means, then through the region of said chamber where the mixture impinges against said baffle means, and then to said outlet port.

Claim 3

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 1 wherein said screen means comprises a plurality of flat closely axially spaced-apart layers of screen extending along parallel planes that transversely intersect the longitudinal axis of said chamber.

Claim 4

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 1 wherein said baffle means comprises a plurality of annular baffles arranged in a row along the flow path of the mixture entering said chamber and being configured to divide the mixture entering said chamber into diversely flowing streams which interact to produce turbulence and consequent intermixing of the fuel and the air in said mixture.

Claim 5

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 3 wherein said chamber is of substantially cylindrical configuration with said inlet and outlet ports being disposed at opposite ends of said chamber, and wherein said baffles and said screen means are disposed in aligned, axially spaced apart relation with respect to each other.

Claim 6

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 4 wherein said screen means comprises a plurality of flat, axially spaced-apart layers of screen extending perpendicularly with respect to an axis about which said baffles coaxially extend.

Claim 7

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 5 wherein said means providing said chamber comprises an annular jacket having a hollow interior, and wherein said means for applying said heat comprises means for circulating a heated fluid medium through said hollow interior to effect a transfer of heat through a wall of said jacket to the mixture flowing through said chamber.

Claim 8

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 3 wherein said means defining said chamber comprises a jacket having a hollow interior to define a compartment having inlet and outlet openings adapted to be connected to the coolant system of said internal combustion engine to provide for the circulation of hot water from said cooling system through said compartment, said jacket being formed with an inner, annular wall which delimits the outer periphery of said chamber, said baffles and said screen means being (a) axially aligned in said chamber in coaxial relation with the longitudinal axis thereof and (b) in alignment with said inlet and outlet ports.

Claim 9

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 7 comprising inlet and outlet fittings respectively fixed to opposite ends of said jacket, said inlet fitting having a flange at its inlet end which is sized for mating connection to a flange on an existing carburetor, and said outlet fitting having a flange at its outlet end which is sized for mating attachment to a flange surface on an existing intake manifold whereby the assembly of said inlet and outlet fittings, said jacket, said baffle means, and said screen means are adapted for detachable assembly in an existing internal combustion engine.

Claim 10

The mixing and vaporizing device of claim 1 together with means to direct crankcase fumes into the mixture flowing through said device to aid in the further vaporization of said mixture.

Claim 11

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 1 wherein said baffle means is configured to enable the central core of the stream of fuel-air mixture to pass from said inlet port to said outlet port without impingement against a baffling surface.

Claim 12

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 10 wherein said baffle means consists of a plurality of annular baffles arranged in a row along the flow path of the mixture passing through said chamber from said iNlet port to said outlet port, said annular baffles being the only baffles between said screen means and said outlet port.

Claim 13

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 11 wherein said annular baffles define central openings that axially align with each other.

Claim 14

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 12 wherein the transverse cross section of said chamber is significiantly greater than that of said inlet port to enable a part of the fuel-air mixture entering said chamber from said inlet port to diverge for impingement against the first one of said annular baffles in said row.

Claim 15

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 1 wherein said baffle means comprises a plurality of baffles arranged in a single row between said inlet and outlet ports, said baffles providing the only baffling surfaces between said inlet and outlet ports for deflecting the fuel-air mixture flowing from said inlet port to said outlet port, at least the one of said baffles that is closest to said inlet port being of annular configuration.

Claim 16

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 14 wherein said one of said baffles defines a central opening that enables the central core of the stream of said mixture to flow through said one baffle without deflection.

Claim 17

A mixing and vaporizing device adapted to be connected between a carburetor and an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for vaporizing fuel and mixing it with the air in a fuel-air mixture provided by said carburetor, said device defining a heating and mixture provided by said carburetor, said device defining a heating and mixing chamber having an inlet port adapted to be connected to the outlet of said carburetor and an outlet port adapted to be connected to the inlet of said manifold to provide a fluid flow passage for directing said mixture from said carburetor to said manifold, baffle means disposed within said chamber for developing turbulence in the fluid-air mixture flowing through said chamber to said outlet port, and means for applying heat to said chamber to vaporize the fuel in said mixture, said baffle means comprising a plurality of annular baffles arranged in row between said inlet and outlet ports, said annular baffles providing the only baffling surfaces between said inlet and outlet ports, and at least two consecutive ones of the annular baffles in said row having different, first and second predetermined configurations for creating diversely flowing streams of said mixture to produce turbulence and consequent intermixing of the fuel and the air in said diversely flowing streams.

Claim 18

A mixing and vaporizing device adapted to be connected between a carburetor and an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for vaporizing fuel and mixing it with the air in a fuel-air mixture provided by said carburetor, said device defining a heating and mixture provided by said carburetor, said device defining a heating and mixing chamber having an inlet port adapted to be connected to the outlet of said carburetor and an outlet port adapted to be connected to the inlet of said manifold to provide a fluid flow passage for directing said mixture from said carburetor to said manifold, baffle means disposed within said chamber for developing turbulence in the fluid-air mixture flowing through said chamber to said outlet port, and means for applying heat to said chamber to vaporize the fuel in said mixture, said baffle means comprising a plurality of annular baffles arranged in row between said inlet and outlet ports, said annular baffles providing the only baffling surfaces between said inlet and outlet ports, and at least two consecutive ones of the annular baffles in said row having different, first and second predetermined configurations for creating diversely flowing streams of said mixture to produce turbulence and consequent intermixing of the fuel and the air in said diversely flowing streams.

Claim 19

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claims 16 wherein said first configuration is concave in the direction of flow towards said outlet port, and wherein said second configuration is frustoconical and converges in the direction of flow toward said outlet port.

Claim 20

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 17, there being at least one annular baffle of said first configuration disposed upstream from said at least one annular baffle of said second configuration.

Claim 21

A mixing and vaporizing device adapted to be connected between a carburetor and an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for vaporizing fuel and mixing it with the air in a fuel-air mixture provided by said carburetor, said device comprising means defining a heating and mixing chamber having an inlet port adapted to be connected to the outlet of said carburetor and an outlet port adapted to be connected to the inlet of said manifold to provide a fluid flow passage for directing said mixture from said carburetor to said manifold, screen means disposed within said chamber and having a sufficiently fine mesh to provide a mechanical obstruction for creating turbulence and to reduce the size of fuel particles in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber, baffle means disposed within said chamber for further developing turbulence in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber, and means for applyiNg heat to said chamber to vaporize the fuel in said mixture, said baffle means comprising a plurality of annular baffles arranged in a row along the flow path of the mixture entering said chamber and being configured to divide the mixture entering said chamber into diversely flowing streams which interact to produce turbulence and consequent intermixing of the fuel and the air in said mixture, said baffles being alternately of first and second configurations, with said first configuration being concave in the direction of flow toward said outlet port, and with said second configuration being frustoconical and converging in the direction of flow toward said outlet port, there being at least one annular baffle with said first configuration disposed upstream from at least one annular baffle with said second configuration, said at least one annular baffle with said first configuration having apertures spaced circumferentially around its outer periphery to provide for the flow of a part of the mixture into the space between it and said at least one baffle of said second configuration.

Claim 22

A mixing and vaporizing device adapted to be connected between a carburetor and an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for vaporizing fuel and mixing it with the air in a fuel-air mixture provided by said carburetor, said device comprising means defining a heating and mixing chamber having an inlet port adapted to be connected to the outlet of said carburetor and an outlet port adapted to be connected to the inlet of said manifold to provide a fluid flow passage for directing said mixture from said carburetor to said manifold, screen means disposed within said chamber and having a sufficiently fine mesh to provide a mechanical obstruction for creating turbulence and to reduce the size of fuel particles in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber, baffle means disposed within said chamber for further developing turbulence in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber, and means for applyiNg heat to said chamber to vaporize the fuel in said mixture, said baffle means comprising a plurality of annular baffles arranged in a row along the flow path of the mixture entering said chamber and being configured to divide the mixture entering said chamber into diversely flowing streams which interact to produce turbulence and consequent intermixing of the fuel and the air in said mixture, said baffles being alternately of first and second configurations, with said first configuration being concave in the direction of flow toward said outlet port, and with said second configuration being frustoconical and converging in the direction of flow toward said outlet port, there being at least one annular baffle with said first configuration disposed upstream from at least one annular baffle with said second configuration, said at least one annular baffle with said first configuration having apertures spaced circumferentially around its outer periphery to provide for the flow of a part of the mixture into the space between it and said at least one baffle of said second configuration.

Claim 23

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 19 wherein said baffles of said first and second configurations are axially aligned and are spaced axially apart from each other.

Claim 24

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 20 wherein said baffles of said first and second configurations are axially aligned with said inlet port.

Claim 25

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 21 wherein said inlet port is larger than the central opening through said at least one baffle of said first configuration.

Claim 26

A mixing and vaporizing device adapted to be connected between a carburetor and an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for vaporizing fuel and mixing it with the air in a fuel-air mixture provided by said carburetor, said device comprising means defining a heating and mixing chamber having an inlet port adapted to be connected to the outlet of said carburetor and an outlet port adapted to be connected to the inlet of said manifold to provide a fluid flow passage for directing said mixture from said carburetor to said manifold, screen means disposed within said chamber having a sufficiently fine mesh to provide a mechanical obstruction for creating turbulence and to reduce the size of fuel particles in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber, baffle means disposed within said chamber for further developing turbulence in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber, and means for applying heat to said chamber to vaporize the fuel in said mixture, said baffle means comprising a plurality of annular baffles arranged in a row along the flow path of the mixture entering said chamber and being configured to divide the mixture entering said chamber into diversely flowing streams which interact to produce turbulence and consequent intermixing of the fuel and the air in said mixture, said means defining said chamber comprising a wall means defining an internal compartment and having a cylindrical internal surface delimiting said chamber, said means applying said heat comprising means for circulating a heated fluid medium through said compartment to transfer heat to the mixture in said chamber, said baffles being in the form of orifice plates and being alternately of first and second configurations with at least one baffle of said first configuration being disposed upstream and in axial alignment with at least one baffle of said second configuration, said at least one baffle of said first configuration being concave in the direction of flow toward said outlet port to deflect a portion of the mixture entering said chamber radially outwardly into intimate wiping contact with said wall and to reversely loop said portion to cause it to flow inwardly toward the stream of the mixture flowing toward said at least one baffle of said first configuration for diverse and turbulent interaction therewith, said at least one baffle of said first configuration being forMed with circumferentially spaced apertures around its outer periphery to provide a flow path for guiding a part of said deflected portion axially into the space between said at least one baffle of said first configuration and said at least one baffle of said second configuration in close wiping contact with said wall, said second configuration being frustoconical and converging in the direction of flow through the central openings of said baffles to direct said part of said deflected portion inwardly toward the stream of the mixture flowing through the central opening of said at least one baffle of said second configuration to diversely and turbulently intersect said stream in the region where it flows through the central opening of said at least one baffle of said second configuration.

Claim 27

A mixing and vaporizing device adapted to be connected between a carburetor and an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for vaporizing fuel and mixing it with the air in a fuel-air mixture provided by said carburetor, said device comprising means defining a heating and mixing chamber having an inlet port adapted to be connected to the outlet of said carburetor and an outlet port adapted to be connected to the inlet of said manifold to provide a fluid flow passage for directing said mixture from said carburetor to said manifold, screen means disposed within said chamber having a sufficiently fine mesh to provide a mechanical obstruction for creating turbulence and to reduce the size of fuel particles in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber, baffle means disposed within said chamber for further developing turbulence in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber, and means for applying heat to said chamber to vaporize the fuel in said mixture, said baffle means comprising a plurality of annular baffles arranged in a row along the flow path of the mixture entering said chamber and being configured to divide the mixture entering said chamber into diversely flowing streams which interact to produce turbulence and consequent intermixing of the fuel and the air in said mixture, said means defining said chamber comprising a wall means defining an internal compartment and having a cylindrical internal surface delimiting said chamber, said means applying said heat comprising means for circulating a heated fluid medium through said compartment to transfer heat to the mixture in said chamber, said baffles being in the form of orifice plates and being alternately of first and second configurations with at least one baffle of said first configuration being disposed upstream and in axial alignment with at least one baffle of said second configuration, said at least one baffle of said first configuration being concave in the direction of flow toward said outlet port to deflect a portion of the mixture entering said chamber radially outwardly into intimate wiping contact with said wall and to reversely loop said portion to cause it to flow inwardly toward the stream of the mixture flowing toward said at least one baffle of said first configuration for diverse and turbulent interaction therewith, said at least one baffle of said first configuration being forMed with circumferentially spaced apertures around its outer periphery to provide a flow path for guiding a part of said deflected portion axially into the space between said at least one baffle of said first configuration and said at least one baffle of said second configuration in close wiping contact with said wall, said second configuration being frustoconical and converging in the direction of flow through the central openings of said baffles to direct said part of said deflected portion inwardly toward the stream of the mixture flowing through the central opening of said at least one baffle of said second configuration to diversely and turbulently intersect said stream in the region where it flows through the central opening of said at least one baffle of said second configuration.

Claim 28

A mixing and vaporizing device adapted to be connected between a carburetor and an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for vaporizing fuel and mixing it with the air in a fuel-air mixture provided by said carburetor, and device comprising means defining a heating and mixing chamber having an inlet port adapted to be connected to the outlet of said carburetor and an outlet port adapted to be connected to the inlet of said manifold to provide a fluid flow passage for directing said mixture from said carburetor to said manifold, screen means disposed within said chamber having a sufficiently fine mesh to provide a mechanical obstruction for creating turbulence and to reduce the size of fuel particles in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber, baffle means disposed within said chamber for further developing turbulence in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber, baffle means disposed within said chamber for further developing turbulence in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber to said outlet port, and means for applying heat to said chamber to vaporize the fuel in said mixture, said baffle means comprising a plurality of annular baffles arranged in a row along the flow path of the mixture entering said chamber and being configured to divide the mixture entering said chamber into diversely flowing streams which interact to produce turbulence and consequent intermixing of the fuel and the air in said mixture, said baffles being alternately of first and second configurations, with said first configuration being concave in the direction of flow toward said outlet port, and with said second configuration being frustoconical and converging in the direction of flow toward said outlet port.

Claim 29

A mixing and vaporizing device adapted to be connected between a carburetor and an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for vaporizing fuel and mixing it with the air in a fuel-air mixture provided by said carburetor, and device comprising means defining a heating and mixing chamber having an inlet port adapted to be connected to the outlet of said carburetor and an outlet port adapted to be connected to the inlet of said manifold to provide a fluid flow passage for directing said mixture from said carburetor to said manifold, screen means disposed within said chamber having a sufficiently fine mesh to provide a mechanical obstruction for creating turbulence and to reduce the size of fuel particles in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber, baffle means disposed within said chamber for further developing turbulence in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber, baffle means disposed within said chamber for further developing turbulence in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber to said outlet port, and means for applying heat to said chamber to vaporize the fuel in said mixture, said baffle means comprising a plurality of annular baffles arranged in a row along the flow path of the mixture entering said chamber and being configured to divide the mixture entering said chamber into diversely flowing streams which interact to produce turbulence and consequent intermixing of the fuel and the air in said mixture, said baffles being alternately of first and second configurations, with said first configuration being concave in the direction of flow toward said outlet port, and with said second configuration being frustoconical and converging in the direction of flow toward said outlet port.

Claim 30

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 24, there being at least one annular baffle with said first configuration disposed upstream from one annular baffle of said second configuration.

Claim 31

A mixing and vaporizing device adapted to be connected between a carburetor and an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for vaporizing fuel and mixing it with the air in a fuel-air mixture provided by said carburetor, said device comprising means defining a heating and mixing chamber having an inlet port adapted to be connected to the outlet of said carburetor and an outlet port adapted to be connected to the inlet of said manifold to provide a fluid flow passage for directing said mixture from said carburetor to said manifold, screen means disposed within said chamber having a sufficiently fine mesh to provide a mechanical obstruction for creating turbulence and to reduce the size of fuel particles in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber, baffle means disposed within said chamber for further developing turbulence in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber to said outlet port, and means for applying heat to said chamber to vaporize the fuel in said mixture, said baffle means providing the only baffling surfaces between said inlet and outlet ports, and said baffle means being configured to enable the central core of the stream of said fuel-air mixture to pass from said inlet port to said outlet port without impinging against said bafFling surfaces.

Claim 32

A mixing and vaporizing device adapted to be connected between a carburetor and an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for vaporizing fuel and mixing it with the air in a fuel-air mixture provided by said carburetor, said device comprising means defining a heating and mixing chamber having an inlet port adapted to be connected to the outlet of said carburetor and an outlet port adapted to be connected to the inlet of said manifold to provide a fluid flow passage for directing said mixture from said carburetor to said manifold, screen means disposed within said chamber having a sufficiently fine mesh to provide a mechanical obstruction for creating turbulence and to reduce the size of fuel particles in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber, baffle means disposed within said chamber for further developing turbulence in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber to said outlet port, and means for applying heat to said chamber to vaporize the fuel in said mixture, said baffle means providing the only baffling surfaces between said inlet and outlet ports, and said baffle means being configured to enable the central core of the stream of said fuel-air mixture to pass from said inlet port to said outlet port without impinging against said bafFling surfaces.

Claim 33

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 26 wherein said baffle means comprises a plurality of annular baffles arranged in a row along the flow path of the mixture flowing through said chamber from said inlet port to said outlet port, said annular baffles being the only baffles between said inlet port and said outlet port.

Claim 34

The mixing and vaporizing device defined in claim 27 wherein said annular baffles define central openings that axially align with each other.

Claim 35

A mixing and vaporizing device adapted to be connected between a carburetor and an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for vaporizing fuel and mixing it with the air in a fuel-air mixture provided by said carburetor, said device comprising means defining a heating and mixing chamber having an inlet port adapted to be connected to the outlet of said carburetor and an outlet port adapted to be connected to the inlet of said manifold to provide a fluid flow passage for directing said mixture from said carburetor to said manifold, screen means disposed within said chamber having a sufficiently fine mesh to provide a mechanical obstruction for creating turbulence and to reduce the size of fuel particles in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber, baffle means disposed within said chamber for further developing turbulence in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber to said outlet port, and means for applying heat to said chamber to vaporize the fuel in said mixture, said baffle means comprising a plurality of baffles arranged in a row along the flow path of the mixture flowing through said chamber to said outlet port and being configured to divide the mixture entering said chamber into diversely flowing streams which interact to produce turbulence and consequent intermixing of the fuel and the air in said mixture, at least two consecutive ones of said baffles in said row being of annular configuration to each define a central opening through which the core of the stream of said mixture flows without deflection.

Claim 36

A mixing and vaporizing device adapted to be connected between a carburetor and an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for vaporizing fuel and mixing it with the air in a fuel-air mixture provided by said carburetor, said device comprising means defining a heating and mixing chamber having an inlet port adapted to be connected to the outlet of said carburetor and an outlet port adapted to be connected to the inlet of said manifold to provide a fluid flow passage for directing said mixture from said carburetor to said manifold, screen means disposed within said chamber having a sufficiently fine mesh to provide a mechanical obstruction for creating turbulence and to reduce the size of fuel particles in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber, baffle means disposed within said chamber for further developing turbulence in the fuel-air mixture flowing through said chamber to said outlet port, and means for applying heat to said chamber to vaporize the fuel in said mixture, said baffle means comprising a plurality of baffles arranged in a row along the flow path of the mixture flowing through said chamber to said outlet port and being configured to divide the mixture entering said chamber into diversely flowing streams which interact to produce turbulence and consequent intermixing of the fuel and the air in said mixture, at least two consecutive ones of said baffles in said row being of annular configuration to each define a central opening through which the core of the stream of said mixture flows without deflection.