Control systems especially for diesel engine installations

Claim 2

A control system of a compression-ignition or diesel engine installation which includes a fuel injection pump having a shutoff control mechanism, said control system comprising: a. biasing means operatively connected to the shut-off control mechanism of the fuel injection pump to bias said pump to an inoperative off position, b. an electro-mechanical actuator responsive to a supply of electrical current for automatically setting the fuel injection pump to an operative on or engine-running position, c. said electro-mechanical actuator including drive means, a solenoid device, means to cause said solenoid device to be energized intermittently and to operate repetitively and continuously through successive operating cycles, and means adapted to advance the drive means stepwise and unidirectionally from an initial position to a terminal position when the solenoid device is energized, d. said drive means being operatively connected to the fuel injection pump, e. an electrical supply circuit means for providing a supply of electrical current to the solenoid device, f. switch means for opening the supply circuit to stop the supply of electric current, and g. means for causing the drive means to return the pump automatically from said on position to the inoperative off position by the biasing means when the electric current is stopped.

Claim 3

A control system as defined in claim 1 wherein the solenoid device has an armature which moves through an operating stroke and a return stroke in each operating cycle of the solenoid device, and said advancing means for said drive means includes a drive member and ratchet means operatively connecting said armature to said drive member to move the drive member unidirectionally in each said operating cycle.

Claim 4

A control system for a fuel injection pump of a compression-ignition or diesel engine installation, said control system comprising: a. an electro-mechanical actuator including a drive member adapted to control the fuel injection pump, ratchet means, and an electromagnetic drive device adapted to be energized intermittently in response to an electrical signal and to operate repetitively and continuously through successive operating cycles, b. said drive member being operatively connected to advance between an initial position and a terminal position to control the setting of the fuel injection pump, c. said electromagnetic drive device sets and holds the drive member in an operative on position when energized, d. said actuator including means to return the drive member from said on position to the off position by associated biasing means when the electromagnetic device is de-energized, e. said biasing means being incorporated in the actuator, f. said electromagnetic device having an armature which moves through an operating stroke and a return stroke in each operating cycle of the electromagnetic device, g. said ratchet means operatively connecting said armature to said drive member to move the drive member unidirectionally in each said operating cycle.

Claim 5

A control system for a fuel injection pump of a compression-ignition or diesel engine installation, said control system comprising: a. an electro-mechanical actuator including a drive member adapted to control the fuel injection pump, ratchet means, and an electromagnetic drive device adapted to be energized intermittently in response to an electrical signal and to operate repetitively and continuously through successive operating cycles, b. said drive member being operatively connected to advance between an initial position and a terminal position to control the setting of the fuel injection pump, c. said electromagnetic drive device sets and holds the drive member in an operative on position when energized, d. said actuator including means to return the drive member from said on position to the off position by associated biasing means when the electromagnetic device is de-energized, e. said biasing means being incorporated in the actuator, f. said electromagnetic device having an armature which moves through an operating stroke and a return stroke in each operating cycle of the electromagnetic device, g. said ratchet means operatively connecting said armature to said drive member to move the drive member unidirectionally in each said operating cycle.

Claim 6

A control system as defined in claim 3 wherein the armature is a reciprocal plunger connected to a movably mounted intermediate member carrying a pawl adapted to engage ratchet teeth carried by the drive member.

Claim 7

A control system as defined in claim 4 wherein the drive member is mounted for angular movement and comprises a sector plate, a drive shaft carries said sector plate and forms a pivotal axis for the aforesaid intermediate member, a holding pawl remains in engagement with the ratchet teeth throughout the advance of the drive member, and catch means maintain the holding pawl out of engagement with the ratchet teeth when the drive member is in the terminal position.

Claim 8

A control system as defined in claim 5 wherein the repetitive cycling operation of the electromagnetic device of the actuator is controlled by a circuit interrupter comprising switch means arranged to be opened and closed in response to movement of the armature until the drive member reaches its terminal position, whereupon the electromegnetic device is then maintained in an energized condition.

Claim 9

A control system of a compression-ignition or diesel engine installation which includes a fuel injection pump having a shut-off control mechanism, said control system comprising: a. an electro-mechanical actuator energizable in response to an electric current for automatically setting the fuel injection pump to an ''''on'''' position, b. said electro-mechanical actuator including drive means, a solenoid device connected to the drive means, means to cause said solenoid device to be energized intermittently and to operate repetitively and continuously through successive operating cycles, and means adapted to advance the drive means stepwise and unidirectionally from an initial position to a terminal position when the solenoid device is energized, c. said drive means being operatively connected to the fuel injection pump.

Claim 10

A control system of a compression-ignition or diesel engine installation which includes a fuel injection pump having a shut-off control mechanism, said control system comprising: a. an electro-mechanical actuator energizable in response to an electric current for automatically setting the fuel injection pump to an ''''on'''' position, b. said electro-mechanical actuator including drive means, a solenoid device connected to the drive means, means to cause said solenoid device to be energized intermittently and to operate repetitively and continuously through successive operating cycles, and means adapted to advance the drive means stepwise and unidirectionally from an initial position to a terminal position when the solenoid device is energized, c. said drive means being operatively connected to the fuel injection pump.

Claim 11

A control system of a compression-ignition or diesel engine installation which includes a fuel injection pump having a fuel shut-off mechanism movable between an inoperative off position and an operative on position which permits engine running, said control system comprising: a. an electro-mechanical actuator for setting the fuel shut-off mechanism in an on position when the actuator is supplied with electric current, b. said electro-mechanical actuator including drive means having a drive member and ratchet means, solenoid device having a movable armature and being responsive to an electric current, said circuit interrupter means, c. said drive member being operatively connected to the fuel shut-off mechanism of the injection pump and movable between first and second positions correlated respectively with the off and on positions of said mechanism, d. said ratchet means operatively connecting said armature to the drive member, e. said circuit interrupter means being connected in series with the solenoid device for interrupting the electric current to cause the solenoid to be energized intermittently and to operate repetitively and continuously through successive operating cycles when electric current is supplied, and f. means including said ratchet means adapted to advance the drive member stepwise and inidirectionally between said first and second positions when the solenoid device is energized.

Claim 12

A control system of a compression-ignition or diesel engine installation which includes a fuel injection pump having a fuel shut-off mechanism movable between an inoperative off position and an operative on position which permits engine running, said control system comprising: a. an electro-mechanical actuator for setting the fuel shut-off mechanism in an on position when the actuator is supplied with electric current, b. said electro-mechanical actuator including drive means having a drive member and ratchet means, solenoid device having a movable armature and being responsive to an electric current, said circuit interrupter means, c. said drive member being operatively connected to the fuel shut-off mechanism of the injection pump and movable between first and second positions correlated respectively with the off and on positions of said mechanism, d. said ratchet means operatively connecting said armature to the drive member, e. said circuit interrupter means being connected in series with the solenoid device for interrupting the electric current to cause the solenoid to be energized intermittently and to operate repetitively and continuously through successive operating cycles when electric current is supplied, and f. means including said ratchet means adapted to advance the drive member stepwise and inidirectionally between said first and second positions when the solenoid device is energized.

Claim 13

A control system as defined in claim 8 wherein the armature of the solenoid device moves through an operating stroke and a return stroke in each operating cycle of the solenoid device and operates the circuit interrupter means.

Claim 14

A control system as defined in claim 8 wherein means including biasing means operably connected to the drive member and adapted to return the drive member from said second position to said first position thereby automatically returning the injection pump fuel shut-off mechanism to the off position when the supply of electric current to this solenoid is disconnected.

Claim 15

A control system of a compression-injection or diesel engine installation which includes a fuel injection pump having a fuel shut-off mechanism movable between an inoperative off position and an operative on position which permits engine running, said control system comprising: a. an electro-mechanical actuator responsive to an electric current for setting the fuel shut-off mechanism in the on position, b. said electromechanical actuator including drive means having a drive member and ratchet means, solenoid device having a movable reciprocal plunger, and current interrupter means, c. said drive member being operatively connected to the fuel shut-off mechanism of the injection pump and movable between first and second positions correlated respectively with the on and off positions of said mechanism, d. said ratchet means operatively connecting said plunger to the drive member, e. said current interrupter means being connected in series with the solenoid device to cause the solenoid to be energized intermiTtently and to operate repetitively and continuously through successive operating cycles when electric current is supplied thereby to advance the drive member stepwise and unidirectionally between the first and second positions, f. said reciprocal plunger being movable though an operating stroke and a return stroke in each operating cycle of the solenoid device and being connected to operate the current interrupter means, g. the ratchet means comprising ratchet teeth carried by the drive member and a pawl being operatively connected to said plunger for engaging the ratchet teeth, and h. holding means for preventing retrograde movement of the drive member during the stepwise advance movement effected by the operation of the solenoid device.

Claim 16

A control system of a compression-injection or diesel engine installation which includes a fuel injection pump having a fuel shut-off mechanism movable between an inoperative off position and an operative on position which permits engine running, said control system comprising: a. an electro-mechanical actuator responsive to an electric current for setting the fuel shut-off mechanism in the on position, b. said electromechanical actuator including drive means having a drive member and ratchet means, solenoid device having a movable reciprocal plunger, and current interrupter means, c. said drive member being operatively connected to the fuel shut-off mechanism of the injection pump and movable between first and second positions correlated respectively with the on and off positions of said mechanism, d. said ratchet means operatively connecting said plunger to the drive member, e. said current interrupter means being connected in series with the solenoid device to cause the solenoid to be energized intermiTtently and to operate repetitively and continuously through successive operating cycles when electric current is supplied thereby to advance the drive member stepwise and unidirectionally between the first and second positions, f. said reciprocal plunger being movable though an operating stroke and a return stroke in each operating cycle of the solenoid device and being connected to operate the current interrupter means, g. the ratchet means comprising ratchet teeth carried by the drive member and a pawl being operatively connected to said plunger for engaging the ratchet teeth, and h. holding means for preventing retrograde movement of the drive member during the stepwise advance movement effected by the operation of the solenoid device.

Claim 17

A control system as defined in claim 11 wherein the drive means includes a drive shaft and the drive member moves angularly about the axis of said shaft, the holding means comprises a holding pawl which remains in engagement with the ratchet teeth throughout the advance of the drive member.

Claim 18

A control system as defined in claim 12 wherein catch means maintain the holding pawl out of engagement with the ratchet teeth during resetting of the actuator when the drive member moves from said second position to said first position.