Internal combustion engine

Claim 2

A carburetor having an air/fuel induction passage open to air at one end and connected at its opposite end to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine to be subject to the manifold vacuum therein for the flow of an air/fuel mixture thereinto, a throttle valve in the passage movable between positions opening and closing the passage, an additional air passage having a discharge portion open to the induction passage on the manifold side of the throttle valve and connected at its inlet end to a compressed air source of a capacity providing a pressure in the air passage higher than the maximum manifold pressure by a critical value sufficient to maintain air flow through the air passage at sonic velocity at all times during engine operation, and a fuel supply line connected to the air passage for the induction of a continuous supply of fuel therefrom into the air passage irrespective of the position of the throttle valve, the air passage comprising a flow restricting orifice, the throttle valve having additional means thereon movable into and out of the discharge end of the air passage upon predetermined movement of the throttle valve to vary the orifice size and flow volume as a function of throttle valve movement.

Claim 3

A carburetor as in claim 1, the additional means comprising a combination flow deflector and obturator promoting mixing of the air/fuel mixture flowing through the air passage with the additional air flowing through the induction passage upon opening of the throttle valve.

Claim 4

A carburetor as in claim 1, the additional means comprising an obturator movably mounted with respect to the throttle valve and movable by the differential between manifold vacuum and atmospheric pressure acting thereon to vary the position of the obturator with respect to the air passage discharge when the throttle valve is in a closed position to thereby vary the flow volume through the air passage.

Claim 5

A carburetor having a cylindrical air/fuel induction passage open to air at one end and connected at its opposite end to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine to be subject to the change in manifold vacuum therein for the flow of an air/fuel mixture thereinto, the passage being defined by lower and upper cylindrical portions, the upper portion being of larger diameter, the lower portion containing a hollow cylindrical axially slidable throttle valve open at its ends, the upper cylindrical portion having a central axially extending partition therein terminating short of the junction between the cylindrical portions to define a path for the flow of air between the portions, the throttle valve being axially movable between a closed passage position wherein the throttle valve edge abuts the partition to block air flow between portions and open passage positions permitting the air flow, the partition containing an additional air passage connected at one end to a compressed air source and at its other end at all times to the induction passage and manifold through the open ends of the throttle valve, the additional air passage containing a flow restricting orifice, the compressed air source being of a capacity providing a pressure in the air passage higher than the maximum manifold pressure by a critical value sufficient to maintain air flow through the orifice at sonic velocity at all times, and a fuel supply line connected to the orifice for the induction of a continuous supply of fuel into the orifice and out into the induction passage regardless of the position of the throttle valve.

Claim 6

A carburetor having a cylindrical air/fuel induction passage open to air at one end and connected at its opposite end to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine to be subject to the change in manifold vacuum therein for the flow of an air/fuel mixture thereinto, the passage being defined by lower and upper cylindrical portions, the upper portion being of larger diameter, the lower portion containing a hollow cylindrical axially slidable throttle valve open at its ends, the upper cylindrical portion having a central axially extending partition therein terminating short of the junction between the cylindrical portions to define a path for the flow of air between the portions, the throttle valve being axially movable between a closed passage position wherein the throttle valve edge abuts the partition to block air flow between portions and open passage positions permitting the air flow, the partition containing an additional air passage connected at one end to a compressed air source and at its other end at all times to the induction passage and manifold through the open ends of the throttle valve, the additional air passage containing a flow restricting orifice, the compressed air source being of a capacity providing a pressure in the air passage higher than the maximum manifold pressure by a critical value sufficient to maintain air flow through the orifice at sonic velocity at all times, and a fuel supply line connected to the orifice for the induction of a continuous supply of fuel into the orifice and out into the induction passage regardless of the position of the throttle valve.

Claim 7

A carburetor as in claim 4, wherein the fuel line includes movable means to vary the rate of fuel flow.

Claim 8

A carburetor as in claim 4, wherein the fuel supplied to the air passage provides a richer than stiochiometric air/fuel mixture in the air passage at all times during engine operation.

Claim 9

A carburetor as in claim 4, including air/fuel mixture guide means on the throttle valve end projecting towards the orifice for mixing the mixture with air passing between induction passage portions upon opening of the throttle valve.

Claim 10

A carburetor as in claim 7, including means mounting the obturator for movement relative to the throttle valve to permit variance of the output of air through the air passage when the throttle valve is in a closed position.

Claim 11

A carburetor as in claim 8, the latter means including piston means connected to the obturator and subject to a force differential between the pressure of air in the upper portion of the induction passage acting thereon and manifold pressure acting thereon.

Claim 12

A carburetor as in claim 4, the fuel supply line including a fuel orifice and needle valve combination, and force means responsive to throttle valve movements for moving the needle valve to vary fuel flow rate to the air passage orifice.

Claim 13

A carburetor as in claim 10, wherein the force means includes a linkage connection to the throttle valve.

Claim 14

A carburetor as in claim 11, wherein the force means includes a vacuum servo having force means connected to the needle valve and a vacuum connection to the induction passage operable when the throttle valve is moved to an open position.