Prime mover fuel efficiency control system

Claim 1

A system for determining and controlling the power being transmitted through a rotated shaft from a fuel consuming engine, comprising: first means mounted on said shaft for generating a direct current signal having a magnitude proportional to torque transmitted through said shaft and a polarity corresponding to torque direction, said first means including a husk assembly clamped about said shaft and a linear variable differential transformer carried on said husk assembly; second means coupled with said husk assembly for generating a direct current signal having a magnitude proportional to shaft rotational speed and a polarity corresponding to rotation direction; electronic circuit means having first and second inputs connected to receive said generated direct current signals from said first and second means, respectively, and an output; said circuit means electronically multiplying said signals to produce a direct current signal at said output proportional in magnitude and polarity to the product of said first and second input signals whereby said direct current output signal is linearly representative of the horsepower being transmitted through said shaft in either forward or reverse directions; flowmeter means for determining the rate of fuel being consumed by the engine in the transmission of power through said shaft and providing a direct current output signal representative thereof; divider means connected to said circuit means and said flowmeter means for electronically dividing the output signal of said flowmeter means by the output signal of said circuit means whereby a direct current signal representative of specific fuel rate and instantaneous efficiency is provided; display means coupled to said divider means and responsive to said direct current signal for providing a visually perceptible output of specific fuel rate and instantaneous efficiency; first control means having an input connected to receive said generated direct current signal from said second means, and an output coupled to said engine; said first control means producing a variable direct current signal at said output for maintaining the rotational speed of said engine at a preselected value; and second control means having an input connected to receive said generated direct current signal from said first means, and an output coupled to said engine; said second control means producing a variable direct current signal at said output for maintaining the torque transmitted through said shaft at a preselected value, whereby both rotational speed and torque may be set and maintained at preselected values to produce a direct current signal at the output of said divider means representing maximum instantaneous efficiency.

Claim 2

A system for determining and controlling the power being transmitted through a rotated shaft from a fuel consuming engine, comprising: first means mounted on said shaft for generating a direct current signal having a magnitude proportional to torque transmitted through said shaft and a polarity corresponding to torque direction, said first means including a husk assembly clamped about said shaft and a linear variable differential transformer carried on said husk assembly; second means coupled with said husk assembly for generating a direct current signal having a magnitude proportional to shaft rotational speed and a polarity corresponding to rotation direction; electronic circuit means having first and second inputs connected to receive said generated direct current signals from said first and second means, respectively, and an output; said circuit means electronically multiplying said signals to produce a direct current signal at said output proportional in magnitude and polarity to the product of said first and second input signals whereby said direct current output signal is linearly representative of the horsepower being transmitted through said shaft in either forward or reverse directions; flowmeter means for determining the rate of fuel being consumed by the engine in the transmission of power through said shaft and providing a direct current output signal representative thereof; divider means connected to said circuit means and said flowmeter means for electronically dividing the output signal of said flowmeter means by the output signal of said circuit means whereby a direct current signal representative of specific fuel rate and instantaneous efficiency is provided; display means coupled to said divider means and responsive to said direct current signal for providing a visually perceptible output of specific fuel rate and instantaneous efficiency; first control means having an input connected to receive said generated direct current signal from said second means, and an output coupled to said engine; said first control means producing a variable direct current signal at said output for maintaining the rotational speed of said engine at a preselected value; and second control means having an input connected to receive said generated direct current signal from said first means, and an output coupled to said engine; said second control means producing a variable direct current signal at said output for maintaining the torque transmitted through said shaft at a preselected value, whereby both rotational speed and torque may be set and maintained at preselected values to produce a direct current signal at the output of said divider means representing maximum instantaneous efficiency.

Claim 13

A system for determining and controlling the power being transmitted through a rotated shaft from a fuel-consuming engine, comprising: first means on said shaft for generating a signal representative of torque transmitted through said shaft; second means on said shaft for generating a signal representative of shaft rotational speed; third means multiplying said signals from said first and second means to produce a signal representative of the horse-power being transmitted through said shaft; fourth means coupled to the engine for producing a signal representative of the rate of fuel consumed in the transmission of power through said shaft; fifth means dividing the signal from said fourth means by the signal from said third means to produce a signal representative of specific fuel rate, reflecting instantaneous engine efficiency; sixth means coupled to said fifth means and responsive to the signal from said fifth means for providing a visually perceptible output of specific fuel rate and instantaneous efficiency; seventh means coupled to receive said signal from said first means for producing a variable feedback signal for controlling engine torque; and eighth means coupled to receive said signal from said second means for producing a variable feedback signal for controlling engine speed, whereby engine speed and torque operating parameters may be controlled and specific fuel rate may be monitored so as to maximize fuel efficiency.

Claim 14

A system for determining and controlling the power being transmitted through a rotated shaft from a fuel-consuming engine, comprising: first means on said shaft for generating a signal representative of torque transmitted through said shaft; second means on said shaft for generating a signal representative of shaft rotational speed; third means multiplying said signals from said first and second means to produce a signal representative of the horse-power being transmitted through said shaft; fourth means coupled to the engine for producing a signal representative of the rate of fuel consumed in the transmission of power through said shaft; fifth means dividing the signal from said fourth means by the signal from said third means to produce a signal representative of specific fuel rate, reflecting instantaneous engine efficiency; sixth means coupled to said fifth means and responsive to the signal from said fifth means for providing a visually perceptible output of specific fuel rate and instantaneous efficiency; seventh means coupled to receive said signal from said first means for producing a variable feedback signal for controlling engine torque; and eighth means coupled to receive said signal from said second means for producing a variable feedback signal for controlling engine speed, whereby engine speed and torque operating parameters may be controlled and specific fuel rate may be monitored so as to maximize fuel efficiency.