Intake expansion chamber apparatus for internal combustion engines

Claim 2

An intake expansion chamber apparatus for internal combustion engines which preheats and expands the vaporized fuel/air mixture as said mixture flows between the carburetor and combustion chamber through a conduit such as the intake manifold, and wherein the heat is supplied to the fuel/air mixture by the exhaust system of said internal combustion engine, said apparatus comprising: a wall defining an enclosure; a further wall disposed at least partially within said enclosure and serving to partition said enclosure into an expansion chamber section and a heating chamber section, said expansion chamber section having a first leg which has a first end portion which communicates with said fuel/air mixture inlet and a further end portion, and a second leg which has a first end portion which communicates with said fuel/air mixture outlet and a further end portion, the further end portions of said first leg and said further leg being joined in fluid communication such that said first leg and said further leg are disposed substantially parallel with each other and substantially coextensive, said heating chamber section including an exhaust intake joined in fluid communication with said exhaust system of said internal combustion engine, and an exhaust outlet joined in fluid communication with said exhaust system of said internal combustion engine at a location downstream from said exhaust intake, whereby heated gases from said exhaust system flow through said heating chamber section and heat said further wall to form a heat transfer surface; said expansion chamber section being interposed in the intake manifold of said internal combustion engine between said carburetor and said combustion chamber, and including a fuel/air mixture inlet connected in fluid communication with said intake manifold, and a fuel/air mixture outlet joined in fluid communication with said intake manifold at a location downstream from said fuel/air mixture inlet, said expansion chamber section serving to direct said fuel/air mixture over said heat transfer surface defined by said further wall for purposes of heating and expanding said mixture prior to its introduction into a combustion chamber of said internal combustion engine, such that vaporization is improved and hydrocarbons are more completely combusted; and a safety valve providing selective fluid communication between said expansion chamber section and the ambient atmosphere, said safety valve disposed proximate the juncture at which said further end portion of said first leg and said further end portion of said second leg are joined in fluid communication, said safety valve serving to release pressure within said expansion chamber section when said pressure exceeds a preselected value as during an engine backfire.

Claim 3

The intake expansion chamber of claim 1 wherein said heating chamber is interposed between said first leg of said expansion chamber and said further leg of said expansion chamber, and defines one end portion which is spaced from said juncture at which said first leg and said further leg of the expansion chamber are joined in fluid communication.

Claim 4

An intake expansion chamber apparatus for internal combustion engines which preheats and expands the vaporized fuel/air mixture as said mixture flows between the carburetor and the combustion chamber through a conduit such as the intake manifold, and wherein the heat is supplied to the fuel/air mixture by the exhaust system of said internal combustion engine, said apparatus comprising: wall means defining an enclosure, said wall means comprising a pair of mating pans having a similar cross-sectional outline, each of said pans defining an opening, and each of said pans including flanges proximate said opening of each respected pan, said flanges mating for purposes of joining said pans together, a further wall means comprising a substantially planar plate interposed between said pans for purposes of partitioning said enclosure defind by joining said pans into an expansion chamber section and a heating chamber section, said plate serving as a heat transfer surface, said heating chamber section defining a heating chamber, said heating chamber section including at least two exhaust intakes joined in fluid communication with said exhaust system of said internal combustion engine, and an exhaust outlet joined in fluid communication with said exhaust system of said internal combustion engine at a location downstream from the exhaust intakes, whereby the heated gases from said exhaust systems are introduced into said heating chamber at its opposide ends and flow toward a central portion thereof where they are discharged by said exhaust outlet thereby enhancing the even distribution of heat along the length of said further wall means serving as the heat transfer surface, said expansion chamber section defining an expansion chamber interposed in the intake manifold said internal combustion between the carburetor and said combustion chamber, and including a fuel/air mixture inlet connected in fluid communication with said intake manifold, and a fuel/air mixture outlet joined in fluid communication with said intake manifold at a location downstream from said fuel/air mixture, said expansion chamber section serving to direct a fuel/air mixture over said heat transfer surface defined by said further wall means for purposes of heating and expanding said mixture prior to its introduction into a combustion chamber of said internal combustion engine, such that vaporization is improved and hydrocarbons are more completely combusted, and a safety valve providing selective fluid communication between said expansion chamber and the ambient atmosphere, said safety valve serving to release pressure within said expansion chamber when said pressure exceeds a preselected value as during an engine backfire, and wherein said first wall means defines at least one portion for providing communication between said expansion chamber and the ambient atmosphere, and wherein said safety valve includes a closure member proportioned for closing said heating chamber section port, a spring member for biasing said closure member to its closed position over said heating chamber section port and a housng member engaging a portion of said spring member and serving to mount said spring member and said closure member proximate said expansion chamber section port, said housing member including an opening through which pressurized gases can be vented to the ambient atmosphere.

Claim 5

An intake expansion chamber apparatus for internal combustion engines which preheats and expands the vaporized fuel/air mixture as said mixture flows between the carburetor and the combustion chamber through a conduit such as the intake manifold, and wherein the heat is supplied to the fuel/air mixture by the exhaust system of said internal combustion engine, said apparatus comprising: wall means defining an enclosure, said wall means comprising a pair of mating pans having a similar cross-sectional outline, each of said pans defining an opening, and each of said pans including flanges proximate said opening of each respected pan, said flanges mating for purposes of joining said pans together, a further wall means comprising a substantially planar plate interposed between said pans for purposes of partitioning said enclosure defind by joining said pans into an expansion chamber section and a heating chamber section, said plate serving as a heat transfer surface, said heating chamber section defining a heating chamber, said heating chamber section including at least two exhaust intakes joined in fluid communication with said exhaust system of said internal combustion engine, and an exhaust outlet joined in fluid communication with said exhaust system of said internal combustion engine at a location downstream from the exhaust intakes, whereby the heated gases from said exhaust systems are introduced into said heating chamber at its opposide ends and flow toward a central portion thereof where they are discharged by said exhaust outlet thereby enhancing the even distribution of heat along the length of said further wall means serving as the heat transfer surface, said expansion chamber section defining an expansion chamber interposed in the intake manifold said internal combustion between the carburetor and said combustion chamber, and including a fuel/air mixture inlet connected in fluid communication with said intake manifold, and a fuel/air mixture outlet joined in fluid communication with said intake manifold at a location downstream from said fuel/air mixture, said expansion chamber section serving to direct a fuel/air mixture over said heat transfer surface defined by said further wall means for purposes of heating and expanding said mixture prior to its introduction into a combustion chamber of said internal combustion engine, such that vaporization is improved and hydrocarbons are more completely combusted, and a safety valve providing selective fluid communication between said expansion chamber and the ambient atmosphere, said safety valve serving to release pressure within said expansion chamber when said pressure exceeds a preselected value as during an engine backfire, and wherein said first wall means defines at least one portion for providing communication between said expansion chamber and the ambient atmosphere, and wherein said safety valve includes a closure member proportioned for closing said heating chamber section port, a spring member for biasing said closure member to its closed position over said heating chamber section port and a housng member engaging a portion of said spring member and serving to mount said spring member and said closure member proximate said expansion chamber section port, said housing member including an opening through which pressurized gases can be vented to the ambient atmosphere.