Fuel weighing system

Claim 3

A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fuel supply means includes means for automatically supplying another fuel sample as soon as the last sample is consumed, and the system further includes means to reset the timing device as soon as another fuel sample has been supplied, whereby the system will provide continuous tests of brake specific fuel consumption.

Claim 4

A system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the fuel supply means includes means for providing fuel samples of varying sizes and is responsive to the output signal of the timing device to provide the next larger or smaller fuel sample if the time required for the engine to consume the last fuel sample was less than or greater than predetermined minimum and maximum time limits.

Claim 5

A system as set forth in claim 3 further including means responsive to the output signal of the timing device to clear the third computator means if the time required for the engine to consume the last fuel sample was less than or greater than the predetermined minimum or maximum time limits whereby erroneous displays of brake specific horsepower will be prevented.

Claim 6

An automatic fuel weighing system for performing continuous tests of the fuel consumption of an engine under test, comprising: fuel sample supply means responsive to an input signal to provide a fuel sample of known size and having a sample size output signal; a timing device having an elapsed time output signal indicating the time required for the engine to consume the sample and responsive to an input signal to reset; computator means sensitive to the output signals of the fuel sample supply means and the timing device and responsive to an input signal to compute the fuel consumption in weight/time and provide a visual display thereof; and sensor means responsive to the consumption of one fuel sample by the engine to provide the input signal to the fuel sample supply means and the computator means and to a new fuel sample being provided by the fuel supply means to provide the input signal to the timing device.

Claim 7

An automatic fuel weighing system for performing continuous tests of the fuel consumption of an engine under test, comprising: fuel sample supply means responsive to an input signal to provide a fuel sample of known size and having a sample size output signal; a timing device having an elapsed time output signal indicating the time required for the engine to consume the sample and responsive to an input signal to reset; computator means sensitive to the output signals of the fuel sample supply means and the timing device and responsive to an input signal to compute the fuel consumption in weight/time and provide a visual display thereof; and sensor means responsive to the consumption of one fuel sample by the engine to provide the input signal to the fuel sample supply means and the computator means and to a new fuel sample being provided by the fuel supply means to provide the input signal to the timing device.

Claim 8

A fuel weighing system as set forth in claim 5 wherein the fuel supply means includes means for varying the size of the fuel sample and is responsive to the output signal of the timing device to provide a larger or smaller fuel sample if the time required for the engine to consume the last fuel sample is less than or greater than prdetermined minimum and maximum time limits.

Claim 9

A fuel weighing system as set forth in claim 6 further including means responsive to the output signal of the timing device to block the input signal to the computator means if the time required for the engine to consume the fuel sample was less than or greater than the predetermined minimum or maximum time limits whereby erroneous displays of fuel consumption are prevented.

Claim 10

A fuel weighing system as set forth in claim 7 further including means responsive to the output signal of the time device for providing the input signal to the fuel supply means prior to the complete consumption of the last fuel sample when the output signal of the timing device reaches the predetermined maximum time limit.

Claim 11

Apparatus for weighing the fuel consumption of an engine comprising: A. a balance having a fuel container on one side and weight-receiving means on the other side and including means for providing a signal indicative of the balance and imbalance conditions of the balance; B. fuel line means connecting the container to a fuel reservoir and an engine; C. valve means in the fuel line means between the container and reservoir responsive to the presence of a first signal to open; D. weight means on the weight-receiving means of the balance; E. lifter means associated with the weight means responsive to the presence of a second signal to remove the weight means from the balance; F. stop watch means responsive to third and fourth signals to start and stop, respectively; G. computator means sensitive to elapsed time as indicated by the watch means and the amount of weight removed from the balance to compute fuel consumption in weight/time in response to a fifth signal; and, H. master control means interconnected with the balance, valve means, lifter means, watch means and computator means responsive to the signal from the balance to sequentially i provide the first signal until the fuel in the container is sufficient to create an imbalance to the container side of the balance, ii provide the second and third signals as soon as the engine has consumed sufficient fuel to establish a balance between the weight means and the fuel in the container to thereby start the watch means and create an imbalance by the removal of the weight means, and iii provide the fourth and fifth signals as soon as the engine has consumed sufficient fuel to again establish a balance.

Claim 12

Apparatus for weighing the fuel consumption of an engine comprising: A. a balance having a fuel container on one side and weight-receiving means on the other side and including means for providing a signal indicative of the balance and imbalance conditions of the balance; B. fuel line means connecting the container to a fuel reservoir and an engine; C. valve means in the fuel line means between the container and reservoir responsive to the presence of a first signal to open; D. weight means on the weight-receiving means of the balance; E. lifter means associated with the weight means responsive to the presence of a second signal to remove the weight means from the balance; F. stop watch means responsive to third and fourth signals to start and stop, respectively; G. computator means sensitive to elapsed time as indicated by the watch means and the amount of weight removed from the balance to compute fuel consumption in weight/time in response to a fifth signal; and, H. master control means interconnected with the balance, valve means, lifter means, watch means and computator means responsive to the signal from the balance to sequentially i provide the first signal until the fuel in the container is sufficient to create an imbalance to the container side of the balance, ii provide the second and third signals as soon as the engine has consumed sufficient fuel to establish a balance between the weight means and the fuel in the container to thereby start the watch means and create an imbalance by the removal of the weight means, and iii provide the fourth and fifth signals as soon as the engine has consumed sufficient fuel to again establish a balance.

Claim 13

Fuel weighing apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the stop watch means includes means responsive to a further signal to reset, and the master control means includes means which automatically recycles the master control means after providing the fourth and fifth signals and provides the further signal prior to providing the third signal.

Claim 14

Fuel weighing apparatus as set forth in claim 9 further including additional computator means sensitive to engine speed, the load on the engine and the fuel consumption as determined by the first-mentioned computator means responsive to the fifth signal to compute brake specific fuel consumption.

Claim 15

Fuel weighing apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the stop watch means includes means responsive to a further signal to reset, and the master control means includes means which, upon the master control means providing the fourth and fifth signals, removes the second signal to replace the weight means on the balance, automatically recycles the master control unit a predetermined interval of time after removing the second signal, and provides the further signal prior to again providing the third signal.

Claim 16

Fuel weighing apparatus as set forth in claim 10 further including additional computator means sensitive to engine speed, the load on the engine and the fuel consumption as determined by the first-mentioned computator means responsive to the fifth signal to compute brake specific fuel consumption.

Claim 17

Apparatus for weighing the fuel consumption of an engine comprising: A. a balance having a fuel container on one side and weight-receiving means on the other side and including means for providing a signal indicative of the balance and imbalance conditions of the balance; B. fuel line means connecting the container to a fuel reservoir and an engine; C. valve means in the fuel line means between the container and reservoir responsive to the presence of a first signal to open; D. a plurality of weight members on the weight-receiving means of the balance; E. lifter means associated with each of the weight members and each being responsive to the presence of a second signal to remove its associated weight member from the balance; F. an up-down counter selector means for blocking the second signal from selected lifter means depending upon its cOunt and responsive to third and fourth signals to count up and down, respectively, one number per signal; G. sample size encoder means responsive to the blocking action of the selector means to provide a signal indicative of the sum of the weight members removed from the balance by the lifter means; H. stop watch means responsive to fifth, sixth and seventh signals, to start, stop, and reset, respectively; I. computator means sensitive to elapsed time as indicated by the watch means and amount of fuel used as indicated by the signal from the sample size encoder to compute fuel consumption in weight/time in response to an eighth signal; and, J. master control means interconnected with the balance, valve means, lifter means, selector means, watch means, and computator means responsive to the signal from the balance to, in repeated cycles, i provide the first signal until the fuel in the container is sufficient to create an imbalance, ii provide the seventh signal no later than providing the second and fifth signals, iii provide the second and fifth signals as soon as the engine has consumed sufficient fuel to establish a balance, iv provide the sixth signal as soon as the engine has consumed sufficient fuel to again establish a balance, v remove the second signal prior to providing the first signal, vi provide the eighth signal if the elapsed time as indicated by the watch means is within predetermined maximum and minimum limits, vii provide the third signal if the elapsed time is less than the predetermined minimum time limit, and viii provide the fourth signal if the elapsed time reaches the predetermined maximum time limit.

Claim 18

Apparatus for weighing the fuel consumption of an engine comprising: A. a balance having a fuel container on one side and weight-receiving means on the other side and including means for providing a signal indicative of the balance and imbalance conditions of the balance; B. fuel line means connecting the container to a fuel reservoir and an engine; C. valve means in the fuel line means between the container and reservoir responsive to the presence of a first signal to open; D. a plurality of weight members on the weight-receiving means of the balance; E. lifter means associated with each of the weight members and each being responsive to the presence of a second signal to remove its associated weight member from the balance; F. an up-down counter selector means for blocking the second signal from selected lifter means depending upon its cOunt and responsive to third and fourth signals to count up and down, respectively, one number per signal; G. sample size encoder means responsive to the blocking action of the selector means to provide a signal indicative of the sum of the weight members removed from the balance by the lifter means; H. stop watch means responsive to fifth, sixth and seventh signals, to start, stop, and reset, respectively; I. computator means sensitive to elapsed time as indicated by the watch means and amount of fuel used as indicated by the signal from the sample size encoder to compute fuel consumption in weight/time in response to an eighth signal; and, J. master control means interconnected with the balance, valve means, lifter means, selector means, watch means, and computator means responsive to the signal from the balance to, in repeated cycles, i provide the first signal until the fuel in the container is sufficient to create an imbalance, ii provide the seventh signal no later than providing the second and fifth signals, iii provide the second and fifth signals as soon as the engine has consumed sufficient fuel to establish a balance, iv provide the sixth signal as soon as the engine has consumed sufficient fuel to again establish a balance, v remove the second signal prior to providing the first signal, vi provide the eighth signal if the elapsed time as indicated by the watch means is within predetermined maximum and minimum limits, vii provide the third signal if the elapsed time is less than the predetermined minimum time limit, and viii provide the fourth signal if the elapsed time reaches the predetermined maximum time limit.

Claim 19

Fuel weighing apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein the master control means is responsive to the elapsed time as indicated by the watch means reaching the predetermined maximum time limit prior to the time the engine has consumed sufficient fuel to establish a balance to provide the sixth and fourth signals without regard to the amount of fuel consumed by the engine

Claim 20

Fuel weighing apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein the master control means includes means responsive to the attainment of a balance in less than the predetermined minimum time limit when all the weight members have been removed from the balance to provide the eighth signal rather than the third signal.

Claim 21

Fuel weighing apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein the master control unit includes means responsive to the conditions calling for the third and fourth signals to blank the computator means and thereby prevent erroneous readings.