Water injection device for internal combustion engines

Claim 1

In combination with an internal combustion engine that has a carburetor with an air intake, which carburetor delivers an air-fuel mixture to said engine, a device for supplying water in the form of minute globules to said air-fuel mixture when said engine is operating to lessen the content of carbon monoxide in the exhaust from the engine, said device including: a. a vented reservoir for water; b. a first tube connected to the interior of said reservoir, said first tube having a first free end portion; c. an elongate hollow housing that has first and second ends; d. first apertured means that connect said first free end portion to said first end of said housing; e. a second tube connected to said air intake of said carburetor, said second tube having a second free end; f. an orifice defining plate transversely disposed adjacent said second end of said housing; g. second apertured means that connect said second end to said second end portion of said housing and hold said orifice defining plate at a fixed position relative to said housing; and h. an elongate porous cup that is supported from said second means and extends into the interior of said housing, said cup, second means and orifice defining plate cooperating to provide a confined space, said cup of such porosity that water will flow into said confined space and then discharge from said orifice as a stream of said globules only when said engine is operating to impress a negative pressure in said second tube, said cup serving as a filter to remove solid particles from water in said reservoir that might clog said orifice prior to said water entering said confined space, said cup tending to prevent water from said reservoir flowing to said air intake when said engine is not operating, and said confined space serving as storage for a body of filtered water that is immediately available to be formed into said globules when said engine is started and said second tube has a negative pressure therein.