US4220127A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fuel vaporizer
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1977-10-28
•
Granted: 1980-09-02
•
Expires: 1997-10-28
Abstract
Abstract Air is bubbled through a preset level of fuel in a vaporization chamber, thus forming a vaporized fuel-air mixture. The vaporized fuel-air mixture is supplied to the carburetor through a vapor conduit from the crankcase. Each time the engine is started, a drop of additive is inserted. Each time the engine is stopped the fuel is drained from the vaporization chamber.
Inventors
- 👤 Alfred L. Reynolds
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 23:25
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02M; F02M17/00; F02M17/18; F02M17/20; F02M17/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
443 words
In an automobile having a spark ignition engine, the improved structure comprising in combination: a. a crankcase, b. a manifold, c. a carburetor on the manifold having (i) a choke valve, and (ii) a throttle valve, d. an air cleaner on the carburetor, e. a fuel tank, f. a fuel line from the fuel tank to the carburetor, g. a fuel pump in the fuel line, h. a vaporization chamber having a top, a bottom, an interior and cross-sectional area of about 150 cm 2 , j. a float valve in the vaporization chamber including (i) a rigid tube from the top of the chamber extending downward into the chamber, (ii) a valve seat member telescoped into the rigid tube, (iii) a needle valve telescoped within the valve seat member, (iv) said needle valve having a tail which extends through a bushing on a bottom of the valve seat member, (v) said valve seat member having a cage attached to a lower portion thereof, (vi) nipples on a bottom of the cage bearing against the bottom of the vaporizer chamber, (vii) a float in the cage so that a top of the float can push a bottom of the tail up to a seat in the valve member, k. said rigid tube being connected to said fuel line between the fuel pump and fuel tank, whereby m. said float valve providing means for maintaining a preset fuel level of about 3 cm of fuel in the vaporization chamber, n. a bubble tube extending from the top of the chamber to about 2 cm above the bottom of the chamber which will be below the fuel level specified above, o. said bubble tube having a maximum internal cross sectional area of about 75 sq mm, p. said bubble tube having a length of about 15 cm, q. a check valve at the top of the chamber, r. said check valve having (i) a valve seat communicating with the interior of the vaporization chamber, (ii) a valve disc on a top of said valve seat, (iii) a spring on a top of said valve disc, (iv) said spring being within a portion of the check valve designated as a spring chamber, and (v) a nipple fully connected to said spring chamber, and s. a check valve line extending from the nipple to a connection with the carburetor between the throttle valve and manifold, t. a drain valve including (i) a drain valve seat in the bottom of the chamber, (ii) a drain valve ball on the seat, and (iii) a drain line from the drain valve to the fuel line between the pump and tank.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
443 words
In an automobile having a spark ignition engine, the improved structure comprising in combination: a. a crankcase, b. a manifold, c. a carburetor on the manifold having (i) a choke valve, and (ii) a throttle valve, d. an air cleaner on the carburetor, e. a fuel tank, f. a fuel line from the fuel tank to the carburetor, g. a fuel pump in the fuel line, h. a vaporization chamber having a top, a bottom, an interior and cross-sectional area of about 150 cm 2 , j. a float valve in the vaporization chamber including (i) a rigid tube from the top of the chamber extending downward into the chamber, (ii) a valve seat member telescoped into the rigid tube, (iii) a needle valve telescoped within the valve seat member, (iv) said needle valve having a tail which extends through a bushing on a bottom of the valve seat member, (v) said valve seat member having a cage attached to a lower portion thereof, (vi) nipples on a bottom of the cage bearing against the bottom of the vaporizer chamber, (vii) a float in the cage so that a top of the float can push a bottom of the tail up to a seat in the valve member, k. said rigid tube being connected to said fuel line between the fuel pump and fuel tank, whereby m. said float valve providing means for maintaining a preset fuel level of about 3 cm of fuel in the vaporization chamber, n. a bubble tube extending from the top of the chamber to about 2 cm above the bottom of the chamber which will be below the fuel level specified above, o. said bubble tube having a maximum internal cross sectional area of about 75 sq mm, p. said bubble tube having a length of about 15 cm, q. a check valve at the top of the chamber, r. said check valve having (i) a valve seat communicating with the interior of the vaporization chamber, (ii) a valve disc on a top of said valve seat, (iii) a spring on a top of said valve disc, (iv) said spring being within a portion of the check valve designated as a spring chamber, and (v) a nipple fully connected to said spring chamber, and s. a check valve line extending from the nipple to a connection with the carburetor between the throttle valve and manifold, t. a drain valve including (i) a drain valve seat in the bottom of the chamber, (ii) a drain valve ball on the seat, and (iii) a drain line from the drain valve to the fuel line between the pump and tank.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The invention as defined in claim 1 further comprising: u. a crankcase vapor line connecting the crankcase to the top of the bubble tube so that fumes from the crankcase are pulled into the vaporization chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
108 words
The invention as defined in claim 1 further comprising: u. an air cleaner line connecting from within an air cleaner to a top of the bubble tube, v. a fuel additive reservoir (i) attached to the air cleaner line, and (ii) having a sealed cap on top, and w. a small additive tube (i) extending from the air cleaner line adjacent the bubble tube top to (ii) within the reservoir a short distance above the bottom, (iii) so that a small amount of additive is fed from the reservoir into the vaporization chamber each time the engine is started causing a reduced pressure on the air cleaner line.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
177 words
In an automobile having a spark ignition engine, the improved structure comprising in combination: a. a crankcase, b. a manifold, c. a carburetor on the manifold having (i) a choke valve and (ii) a throttle valve, d. an air cleaner on the carburetor, e. a fuel tank, f. a fuel line from the tank to the carburetor, g. a fuel pump in the fuel line, h. a vaporization chamber having a top and bottom, j. a float valve in the chamber connected to the fuel line to keep a preset level of fuel in the vaporization chamber, k. a bubble tube extending from the top of the chamber to near the bottom of the chamber below the fuel level, m. the top of the chamber connected to said carburetor between the throttle valve and manifold, n. a drain line from the bottom of the vaporization chamber to the fuel line between the pump and tank, and o. a drain check valve in said drain line forming means for preventing flow from the fuel line to the chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
177 words
In an automobile having a spark ignition engine, the improved structure comprising in combination: a. a crankcase, b. a manifold, c. a carburetor on the manifold having (i) a choke valve and (ii) a throttle valve, d. an air cleaner on the carburetor, e. a fuel tank, f. a fuel line from the tank to the carburetor, g. a fuel pump in the fuel line, h. a vaporization chamber having a top and bottom, j. a float valve in the chamber connected to the fuel line to keep a preset level of fuel in the vaporization chamber, k. a bubble tube extending from the top of the chamber to near the bottom of the chamber below the fuel level, m. the top of the chamber connected to said carburetor between the throttle valve and manifold, n. a drain line from the bottom of the vaporization chamber to the fuel line between the pump and tank, and o. a drain check valve in said drain line forming means for preventing flow from the fuel line to the chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
The invention as defined in claim 4 further comprising: o. an additive reservoir adjacent a top of the bubble tube, p. feed means connecting the additive reservoir to the bubble tube for feeding a drop of additive from the reservoir to the bubble tube each time the engine is started.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
The invention as defined in claim 4 with additional limitations of o. a vapor check valve at the top of the vaporization chamber, and p. said vapor check valve is the means by which the chamber is connected to said carburetor,
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
The invention as defined in claim 6 with additional limitations of q. said vapor check valve including a valve seat connected to the top of the vaporization chamber, r. a valve disc on the top of said valve seat, and s. a spring on top of said valve disc.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention as defined in claim 7 further comprising: t. a drain check valve in said drain line forming means for preventing flow from the fuel line to the chamber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
The invention as defined in claim 8 further comprising: u. an additive reservoir adjacent a top of the bubble tube, v. feed means connecting the additive reservoir to the bubble tube for feeding a drop of additive from the reservoir to the bubble tube each time the engine is started.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The invention as defined in claim 8 further comprising: u. a crankcase line connecting the crankcase to the top of the bubble tube.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein u. the bottom of the tube is about 2 cm from the bottom of the vaporization chamber, and v. the level of the fuel is about 3 cm above the bottom of the vaporization chamber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
The invention as defined in claim 11 wherein w. the vaporization chamber has a cross sectional area of about 150 cm 2 and has a depth of about 17 cm as measured from the bottom of the vaporization chamber to the bottom of the vaporized fuel-air outlet.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention as defined in claim 12 with an additional limitation of x. said bubble tube having a length of about 15 cm and an inside diameter of about 6 mm.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-09-02 | 1984-03-03 | 1984-09-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-09-02 | 1988-03-03 | 1988-09-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-09-02 | 1992-03-03 | 1992-09-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |