Apparatus for providing a uniform combustible air-fuel mixture

Claim 1

A carburetor for supplying metered amounts of atomized liquid fuel to an internal combustion engine comprising (1) an open generally cylindrical housing having an upper intake air receiving section with a generally ring-like configuration a mixing chamber into which intake air from the upper section passes directly, said mixing chamber defined by a radial wall that extends inwardly from the wall of the housing and forms an opening smaller in diameter than the opening of the upper intake air receiving section, a wall that converges downwardly from the radial wall to a sharp edge forming the smallest opening within the carburetor housing, and a wall that diverges from the sharp edge to the wall of the housing, said mixing chamber also including liquid fuel supply means for supplying liquid fuel into the intake air immediately below the sharp edge of the mixing chamber, a lower turbulence section for passing without obstruction liquid fuel and air directly to the manifold of the internal combustion engine; (2) a regulating member in the configuration of upper and lower cone-like sections arranged with a common base and mounted for reciprocating movement within at least the mixing chamber and the turbulence section, the upper cone-like section of the regulating member functioning to deflect the intake air toward a gradually enlarging constricted zone defined by the upper cone-like section and the diverging wall of the mixing chamber and wherein the liquid fuel is mixed with and atomized by the intake air and the lower cone-like section of the regulating member defining within the turbulence section a turbulence zone wherein the air and liquid fuel exiting from the constricted zone are subjected to turbulence to provide further mixing of the atomized fuel with the intake air; and (3) control means coupled to the regulating member for selectively reciprocating the regulating member in accordance with engine speed substantially axially within the housing to thereby vary the area of the constricted zone and the amount of intake air and liquid fuel mixed therein.