Vehicle internal combustion engine air intake heating means

Claim 1

A motor vehicle internal combustion engine air intake heating system for directing heated air to the carburetor of the internal combustion engine comprising an internal combustion engine, said internal combustion engine having an air filter housing, a first conduit having a first end and a second end, said first conduit first end communicating with said air filter housing, said first conduit second end communicating with atmosphere, a carburetor, means communicating said air filter housing to said carburetor, means communicating said carburetor to said internal combustion engine, an exhaust manifold for said internal combustion engine, electrical heating means located in said first conduit intermediate said first and second ends thereof, a shroud in a heat transfer relation with said exhaust manifold, a second conduit communicating said shroud to said first conduit at a point between said air filter housing and said electrical heating means, a first valve positioned to control the flow from said second conduit to said first conduit, a thermal responsive means responsive to engine temperature, linkage means connecting said thermal responsive element to said first valve so that said first valve prevents communication between said first and second conduits when said thermal responsive means is at a first temperature and progressively allows communication between said second conduit and said first conduit as said thermal responsive means increases in temperature, a motor vehicle source of electrical energy, a relay means for connecting said motor vehicle source of electrical energy to said electrical heating means, said relay means including a relay having first and second terminals, means for controlling the operation of said relay, said relay control means incLuding a vacuum-operated fluid motor, said vacuum-operated fluid motor including a fluid movable work element, electrical connecting means movable with said movable work element, means connecting said electrical connecting means to one terminal of said relay for a given position of said fluid movable work element, a thermal switch responsive to the temperature of said internal combustion engine, means connecting said thermal switch to be remaining terminal of said relay, said thermal switch opening upon being above a predetermined temperature and being closed upon being below a predetermined temperature, an ignition switch, said ignition switch including a movable contact blade and an engine on contact, and means connecting said source of electrical energy to said electrical connecting means when said movable contact blade is in contact with said engine on terminal.