Engine and reactor connection system

Claim 1

A system for connecting a thermal reactor to an internal combustion engine, said thermal reactor including outer and inner casings, said inner casing defining therein a reaction chamber and said outer casing surrounding the inner casing and having at least one mounting flange through which the thermal reactor is operatively coupled to the internal combustion engine, said outer casing further having a first flat, planar surface in which an intake port is defined in communication with the reaction chamber, said combustion engine including an engine casing having at least one combustion chamber defined therein, said engine casing further having a second flat, planar surface in which an exhaust port is defined in communication with the combustion chamber, said connecting system comprising, in combination: an exhaust passage defining portion of the engine casing having an exhaust passage defined therein and having one end radially outwardly enlarged to provide a larger diameter portion and the other end in communication with the combustion chamber; a tubular insert having on one end a radially outwardly extending flange and loosely inserted within the exhaust passage with said flange on said tubular insert situated within the large diameter portion, and the other end facing the combustion chamber, the opening at said one end of the tubular insert constituting said exhaust port; an intake pipe having one end opening into the reaction chamber through the inner casing and the other end having a radially outwardly extending flange, said flange on said intake pipe having an outer peripheral portion engaged with the mounting flange; a connecting member in position between one of the opposed annular faces of the flange on the tubular insert facing the intake pipe and the opposed annular face of the flange on the intake pipe facing the tubular insert and having a thickness greater than the distance between the engine casing and the face of the flange on said intake pipe which faces said engine casing when said thermal reactor is mounted on said engine casing; said flange on the intake pipe having an area of reduced surface contact thereon, said flange on the intake pipe being bent in a direction towards the flange on the tubular insert when the mounting flange is secured to the engine casing by the outer peripheral portion of the flange on the intake pipe being pressed towards the second planar surface surrounding the exhaust port for generating a resilient force; and said connecting member, when said mounting flange is secured to the engine casing, receiving said resilient force and transmitting it to said tubular insert for fixing said tubular insert and said intake pipe in position in said exhaust passage and said intake port.

Claim 2

A system for connecting a thermal reactor to an internal combustion engine, said thermal reactor including outer and inner casings, said inner casing defining therein a reaction chamber and said outer casing surrounding the inner casing and having at least one mounting flange through which the thermal reactor is operatively coupled to the internal combustion engine, said outer casing further having a first flat, planar surface in which an intake port is defined in communication with the reaction chamber, said combustion engine including an engine casing having at least one combustion chamber defined therein, said engine casing further having a second flat, planar surface in which an exhaust port is defined in communication with the combustion chamber, said connecting system comprising, in combination: an exhaust passage defining portion of the engine casing having an exhaust passage defined therein and having one end radially outwardly enlarged to provide a larger diameter portion and the other end in communication with the combustion chamber; a tubular insert having on one end a radially outwardly extending flange and loosely inserted within the exhaust passage with said flange on said tubular insert situated within the large diameter portion, and the other end facing the combustion chamber, the opening at said one end of the tubular insert constituting said exhaust port; an intake pipe having one end opening into the reaction chamber through the inner casing and the other end having a radially outwardly extending flange, said flange on said intake pipe having an outer peripheral portion engaged with the mounting flange; a connecting member in position between one of the opposed annular faces of the flange on the tubular insert facing the intake pipe and the opposed annular face of the flange on the intake pipe facing the tubular insert and having a thickness greater than the distance between the engine casing and the face of the flange on said intake pipe which faces said engine casing when said thermal reactor is mounted on said engine casing; said flange on the intake pipe having an area of reduced surface contact thereon, said flange on the intake pipe being bent in a direction towards the flange on the tubular insert when the mounting flange is secured to the engine casing by the outer peripheral portion of the flange on the intake pipe being pressed towards the second planar surface surrounding the exhaust port for generating a resilient force; and said connecting member, when said mounting flange is secured to the engine casing, receiving said resilient force and transmitting it to said tubular insert for fixing said tubular insert and said intake pipe in position in said exhaust passage and said intake port.