Fuel economizer for cabureted internal combustion engines

Claim 2

A fuel economizer for internal combustion engines having an intake manifold and a carburetor thereon, comprises: a tubular body having an open inlet end and an open outlet end and means on the body for supporting the body in an intake manifold in aligned registry with a carburetor, whereby air and fuel leaving the carburetor will pass through the economizer; means on the body defining trough-like liquid fuel collecting means to collect liquid fuel leaving the carburetor; said liquid fuel collecting means having air passage means associated therewith for directing flow of air over collected fuel therein in contacting relationship therewith to atomize the liquid fuel; air/fuel deflector means movably carried by the body at the outlet end thereof in the path of air and fuel flowing through the outlet end of the body to promote turbulence in the air and fuel; and means yieldably biasing said deflector means toward closing relationship relative to the body, whereby the deflector means is moved toward open position in response to vacuum and increased flow in an intake manifold and is moved toward closed position by said biasing means under conditions of decreased vacuum and flow, said deflector means thus opening and closing in response to engine demand, and the economizer thus effecting thorough atomization of fuel and more efficient fuel combustion and consequently increasing the fuel economy of an engine.

Claim 3

A fuel economizer as in claim 1, wherein said deflector means includes second liquid fuel collecting means for collecting liquid fuel not atomized in the body of the economizer, whereby said liquid fuel is contacted with air and atomized prior to being supplied to an engine.

Claim 4

A fuel economizer as in claim 1, wherein said means for supporting the body in the intake manifold comprises a radially outwardly directed flange on the inlet end of the body, said flange engageable with an upper surface of an intake manifold to suspend the economizer in the intake manifold.

Claim 5

A fuel economizer as in claim 1, wherein second yieldable means is engaged with the deflector means to urge the deflector means toward an open position relative to the body, to thus damp movement of the deflector means under idle conditions of an engine with which the economizer is associated, to thus prevent undesired oscillatory movement of the deflector means.

Claim 6

A fuel economizer as in claim 3, wherein said deflector means includes second liquid fuel collecting means for collecting liquid fuel not atomized in the body of the economizer, whereby said liquid fuel is contacted with air and atomized prior to being supplied to an engine.

Claim 7

A fuel economizer as in claim 5, wherein second yieldable means is engaged with the deflector means to urge the deflector means away from the open outlet end of the body, to thus damp movement of the deflector means under idle conditions of an engine with which the economizer is associated, to thus prevent undesired oscillatory movement of the deflector means.

Claim 8

A fuel economizer as in claim 6, wherein a radially inwardly directed annular shoulder is formed in the body spaced between the inlet and outlet ends thereof and facing axially toward the inlet end, and an upstanding, perforated, cylindrical wall is supported in the body in coaxial radially inwardly spaced relation to an inner surface of the inlet end of the body, said perforated wall extending toward the inlet end of the body from the shoulder and defining with the shoulder and body said first liquid fuel collecting means.

Claim 9

A fuel economizer as in claim 7, wherein said deflector means includes a bottom wall and an upstanding, annular, cylindrical wall on the periphery thereof, said bottom wall and upstanding peripheral wall defining said second liquid fuel collecting means, whereby air flowing through the economizer contacts the collected fuel and is diverted upwardly and outwardly over the upstanding wall, thus including turbulence in the air and fuel and effecting atomization of the fuel.

Claim 10

A fuel economizer as in claim 3, wherein a radially inwardly directed, annular shoulder is formed in the body spaced between the inlet and outlet ends thereof and facing axially toward the inlet end, an upstanding, perforated, cylindrical wall is supported in the body in coaxial radially inwardly spaced relation to an inner surface of the inlet end of the body, said perforated wall extending toward the inlet end of the body from the shoulder and defining with the shoulder and body said liquid fuel collecting means, a spider member secured in the body below the perforated wall, a retaining sleeve engaged against the body at the outlet end thereof and extending coaxially therewith into engagement with the spider member at the periphery of the spider member, an elongate, headed retainer bolt extended coaxially through the outlet end of the body and having a threaded end projecting through the spider member toward the inlet end of the body, a spacer sleeve around the bolt engaged at one end with the headed end and engaged at the other end thereof with the spider member, said deflector means axially slidable on the spacer sleeve toward and away from the outlet end of the body, and retaining nut means on the threaded end of the bolt above the spider member holding the parts in assembled relationship.

Claim 11

A fuel economizer as in claim 9, wherein a first coil spring means is engaged between the deflector means and the headed end of the bolt for urging the deflector means into closing position relative to the outlet end of the body, and a second coil spring means is engaged between the deflector means and the spider member for damping closing movement of the deflector means.

Claim 12

A fuel economizer for internal combustion engines having an intake manifold and a carburetor thereon, comprises: a tubular body having an open inlet end and an open outlet end and means on the body for supporting the body in an intake manifold in aligned registry with a carburetor, whereby air and fuel flowing from a carburetor to an associated intake manifold passes through the economizer; means in the body defining trough-like liquid fuel collecting means to collect liquid fuel leaving the carburetor; said liquid fuel collecting means having means associated therewith for enabling flow of air over collected fuel therein in contacting relationship therewith to atomize the liquid fuel; air/fuel deflector means movably carried by the body at the outlet end thereof in the path of air and fuel exiting the outlet end of the body to promote turbulence in the air and fuel; and means yieldably biasing said deflector means toward closing relationship relative to the open outlet end, whereby the deflector means is moved toward open position in response to vacuum and increased flow in an intake manifold and is moved toward closed position by said biasing means under conditions of decreased vacuum and flow, said deflector means thus opening and closing in response to engine demand, and the economizer thus effecting thorough atomization of fuel and more efficient fuel combustion and consequently increasing the fuel economy of the engine.

Claim 13

A fuel economizer for internal combustion engines having an intake manifold and a carburetor thereon, comprises: a tubular body having an open inlet end and an open outlet end and means on the body for supporting the body in an intake manifold in aligned registry with a carburetor, whereby air and fuel flowing from a carburetor to an associated intake manifold passes through the economizer; means in the body defining trough-like liquid fuel collecting means to collect liquid fuel leaving the carburetor; said liquid fuel collecting means having means associated therewith for enabling flow of air over collected fuel therein in contacting relationship therewith to atomize the liquid fuel; air/fuel deflector means movably carried by the body at the outlet end thereof in the path of air and fuel exiting the outlet end of the body to promote turbulence in the air and fuel; and means yieldably biasing said deflector means toward closing relationship relative to the open outlet end, whereby the deflector means is moved toward open position in response to vacuum and increased flow in an intake manifold and is moved toward closed position by said biasing means under conditions of decreased vacuum and flow, said deflector means thus opening and closing in response to engine demand, and the economizer thus effecting thorough atomization of fuel and more efficient fuel combustion and consequently increasing the fuel economy of the engine.

Claim 14

A fuel economizer for internal combustion engines having an intake manifold and a carburetor thereon, comprise: a tubular body having an open inlet end and an open outlet end and means on the body for supporting the body in an intake manifold in aligned registry with an associated carburetor, whereby air and fuel from a carburetor passes through the economizer when in use; air/fuel deflector means movably carried by the body at the outlet end thereof in the path of air and fuel exiting the outlet end of the body to promote turbulence in the air and fuel; first resilient means yieldably biasing said deflector means toward closing relationship relative to the open outlet end; and second resilient means disposed between the deflector means and the body to urge the deflector means away from the open outlet end of the body, to thus damp movement of the deflector means under idle conditions of an engine with which the economizer is associated, to thus prevent undesired oscillatory movement of the deflector means, said deflector means being moved toward open position in response to vacuum and increased flow in an associated intake manifold and moved toward closed position by said first resilient means under conditions of decreased vacuum and flow, said deflector means thus opening and closing in response to engine demand, and the economizer thus effecting thorough atomization of fuel and more efficient fuel combustion and consequently increasing the fuel economy of an engine.

Claim 15

A fuel economizer for internal combustion engines having an intake manifold and a carburetor thereon, comprise: a tubular body having an open inlet end and an open outlet end and means on the body for supporting the body in an intake manifold in aligned registry with an associated carburetor, whereby air and fuel from a carburetor passes through the economizer when in use; air/fuel deflector means movably carried by the body at the outlet end thereof in the path of air and fuel exiting the outlet end of the body to promote turbulence in the air and fuel; first resilient means yieldably biasing said deflector means toward closing relationship relative to the open outlet end; and second resilient means disposed between the deflector means and the body to urge the deflector means away from the open outlet end of the body, to thus damp movement of the deflector means under idle conditions of an engine with which the economizer is associated, to thus prevent undesired oscillatory movement of the deflector means, said deflector means being moved toward open position in response to vacuum and increased flow in an associated intake manifold and moved toward closed position by said first resilient means under conditions of decreased vacuum and flow, said deflector means thus opening and closing in response to engine demand, and the economizer thus effecting thorough atomization of fuel and more efficient fuel combustion and consequently increasing the fuel economy of an engine.