Internal combustion engine

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1, wherein said first mixture, said second quantity of fuel and said second quantity of air are mixed prior to ignition in said combustion chamber.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 1, wherein said second quantity of fuel and said second quantity of air from a lean mixture in said combustion chamber, and wherein said first mixture is introduced essentially separately from said lean mixture.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 3, wherein said first mixture is introduced adjacent an ignition means in said combustion chamber.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 3, wherein at least a portion of said first mixture is introduced into a trap chamber enclosing an ignition plug in said combustion chamber.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 1, wherein said decomposition and oxidation products include carbon monoxide and hydrogen

Claim 8

A method according to claim 1, wherein said decomposition and oxidation products include aldehydes and ketones.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 1, wherein said decomposition and oxidation products include lower aliphatic hydrocarbons having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms.

Claim 10

A method according to claim 1, wherein said first mixture also includes a vaporized non-reformed fuel.

Claim 11

A method according to claim 1, wherein said reforming is carried out in the presence of a catalyst.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 1, wherein the air-fuel ratio of said first quantity of fuel and said first quantity of air is between 1 and 5, and wherein said reforming is carried out at temperatures between 150* and 500*C.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 1, wherein said first quantity of fuel is 12 to 38 percent by weight of the sum of quantities oF said first and second quantities of fuel.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 4, wherein said first mixture is fed mainly to the top of said combustion chamber and wherein said ignition means is located in said top of said combustion chamber.

Claim 15

A method according to claim 3, wherein said lean mixture is fed into said combustion chamber through an intake port and said first mixture is fed into said combustion chamber through an auxiliary suction conduit which opens upstream of and in the vicinity of an intake valve disposed in said intake port.

Claim 16

A method according to claim 5, wherein said trap chamber has at least one aperture, whereby a portion of said first mixture is introduced into said trap chamber through said aperture to be ignited in said trap chamber such that a flame spurts into said lean mixture through said aperture.

Claim 17

A method according to claim 1, wherein: said first quantity of fuel and said first quantity of air are mixed to form a rich air-fuel mixture in an auxiliary carburetor prior to introduction into said reformer; said second quantity of fuel and said quantity of air are mixed in a main carburetor to form a lean air-fuel mixture prior to being fed to said combustion chamber through a main intake manifold and an intake port, said manifold being connected to said main carburetor at one end thereof and to said intake port at the other end thereof; and said first mixture is fed through an auxiliary intake conduit which is connected to said reformer at one end thereof and being open at the other end thereof upstream of and in the vicinity of intake valve disposed in said intake port.

Claim 20

The method of claim 17, wherein said fuel introduced into said reforming chamber is reformed at temperatures of 150 to 500*C.

Claim 21

The method of claim 17, wherein said non-reformed fuel is mixed with said reformed fuel prior to ignition in said combustion chamber.

Claim 22

The method of claim 19, wherein said second mentioned air is mixed with said non-reformed fuel prior to being mixed with said reformed fuel.

Claim 23

The method of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of said reformed fuel is introduced essentially separately from said non-reformed fuel into said combustion chamber.

Claim 24

The method of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of said reformed fuel is introduced adjacent an ignition means in said combustion chamber.

Claim 25

The method of claim 17, wherein the quantity of fuel introduced to said reformer is 12 to 38 percent of the total quantity of fuel introduced into said combustion chamber.

Claim 26

The method of claim 17, wherein said decomposition and oxidation products include carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

Claim 27

The method of claim 17, wherein said decomposition and oxidation products include aldehydes and ketones.

Claim 28

The method of claim 17, wherein said decomposition and oxidation products include lower aliphatic hydrocarbons having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms.

Claim 29

The method of claim 17, wherein a portion of said hydrocarbon fuel introduced into said reforming chamber is vaporized without being reformed and wherein said vaporized non-reformed fuel is introduced into said combustion chamber with said reformed fuel.

Claim 30

The method of claim 17, wherein said reforming is conducted in the presence of a catalyst.

Claim 31

The method of claim 17, wherein the air-fuel ratio in said reforming chamber is between 1 and 5 and wherein said reforming is conducted at temperatures between 150* and 500*C.

Claim 32

The method of claim 17, wherein at least a portion of said reformed fuel is fed into a trap chamber in said combustion chamber and wherein said reformed fuel in said trap chamber is ignited so as to produce a flame which spurts into the remaining portion of fuel in said combustion chamber.

Claim 33

An internal combustion engine, comprising: a combustion chamber; a piston disposed in said combustion chamber; a power take-off mechanism operatively connected to said piston and cooperating therewith for producing and transmitting power produced in said combustion chamber; an exhaust system connected to said combustion chamber; a first supply system connected to said combustion chamber for supplying a lean air-fuel mixture thereto; means for reforming fuel and air into a first mixture comprising decomposition and oxidation products of said fuel; a second supply system connected to said means for reforming for supplying said fuel and air to said means for reforming at a rich air-fuel ratio; and an intake system connected at one end thereof to said means for reforming and operatively connected at the other end thereof to said combustion chamber for supplying said first mixture to said combustion chamber.

Claim 34

An internal combustion engine, comprising: a combustion chamber; a piston disposed in said combustion chamber; a power take-off mechanism operatively connected to said piston and cooperating therewith for producing and transmitting power produced in said combustion chamber; an exhaust system connected to said combustion chamber; a first supply system connected to said combustion chamber for supplying a lean air-fuel mixture thereto; means for reforming fuel and air into a first mixture comprising decomposition and oxidation products of said fuel; a second supply system connected to said means for reforming for supplying said fuel and air to said means for reforming at a rich air-fuel ratio; and an intake system connected at one end thereof to said means for reforming and operatively connected at the other end thereof to said combustion chamber for supplying said first mixture to said combustion chamber.

Claim 35

An engine according to claim 31, further comprising ignition means disposed in said combustion chamber, and wherein said other end of said intake system is disposed such that a considerable portion of said first mixture is fed to the vicinity of said ignition means.

Claim 36

An engine according to claim 31, wherein said second supply system is adjusted to keep said rich air-fuel ratio between 1 and 5.

Claim 37

An engine according to claim 31, wherein said means for reforming is adapted to carry out said reforming at temperatures between 150 and 500*C.

Claim 38

An engine according to claim 31, wherein said first supply system comprises a first carburetor and said second supply system comprises a second carburetor connected to said means for reforming.

Claim 39

An engine according to claim 34, wherein said combustion chamber is defined by a cylinder and a cylinder head and wherein said piston is a reciprocating piston.

Claim 40

An engine according to claim 35, wherrein said first supply system further comprises an intake manifold connected to said first carburetor, an intake port connected to said intake manifold and communicating with said combustion chamber, and wherein an intake valve is disposed in said intake port and said intake system comprises a conduit connected to said means for reforming at one end thereof, the other end of said conduit opening into said intake port upstream of and in the vicinity of said intake valve.

Claim 41

An engine according to claim 32, further comprising a trap chamber disposed in said combustion chamber enclosing said ignition means and having at least one aperture defined therein, said trap chamber being capable of trapping said first mixture which enters into said trap chamber through said aperture whereby said first mixture is ignited in said trap chamber which produces a flame to spurt through said aperture.

Claim 42

An engine according to claim 34, further comprising a fuel tank connected to said first and second carburetors, and wherein said fuel is gasoline and said fuel is 12 to 38 percent by weight of the total fuel introduced into said combustion chamber.

Claim 43

An engine according to claim 31, wherein said means for reforming includes a catalyst thereby said reforming being conducted in the presence of said catalyst.

Claim 44

An engine according to claim 32, wherein said means for reforming includes a catalyst thereby said reforming being conducted in the presence of said catalyst.

Claim 45

An engine according to claim 31, wherein said means for reforming comprises a heating element disposed therein for heating said fuel, and a backfire trap disposed therein foR preventing backfiring into said second supply system.