Fuel distribution system for an internal combustion engine

Claim 2

In a two stroke cycle internal combustion engine having a housing with a series of bores therein, said bore having an entrance port and an exhaust port, a piston located in each bore for separating a supply chamber from a combustion chamber located therein, transfer conduits for connecting each supply chamber with a corresponding combustion chamber, a manifold system connected to said supply chambers, a control valve associated with each supply chamber for allowing air to flow into said supply chamber on movement of the piston toward the combustion chamber and for preventing communication from the supply chamber on movement of the piston toward the supply chamber, the improvement comprising: a series of housings, each of which has a mixing chamber located therein, a first nozzle connected to a source of fuel and said mixing chamber, a second nozzle through which the mixing chamber is connected to the entrance port, and an accumulator system connected to said supply chambers and each of said mixing chambers, the air in each of the supply chambers being compressed on movement of the pistons toward the supply chambers to raise the fluid pressure of the air therein, a portion of the air under pressure being communicated from the supply chambers into the accumulator system to maintain the fluid pressure therein at a substantially constant level, the air in the accumulator system flowing into said mixing chambers entering the fuel supplied thereto through the first nozzles before being presented to the entrance ports through the second nozzles.

Claim 3

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 1 wherein said second nozzles in each of said series of housing are connected to the supply chambers, said air entrained fuel being combined with air in the supply chamber to create a substantially uniform air-fuel mixture for distribution to the combustion chambers through the entrance ports.

Claim 4

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 1 wherein second nozzles in each of said series of housings are to said transfer conduits, said air entrained fuel being combined in said transfer conduit with air from the supply chamber to create a substantially uniform air-fuel mixture for distribution to the combustion chambers through the entrance ports.

Claim 5

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 2 wherein said distribution means further includes: check valves located between the supply chambers and accumulator system to prevent fluid from flowing from the accumulator system into the supply chamber to assure that all air flow from the accumulator system to the entrance ports occurs through said mixing chambers.

Claim 6

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 1 wherein said distributing means further includes: a pump responsive to an operator input for adding a quantity of fuel to that supplied said first nozzles during a predetermined rate of acceleration and for subtracting a quantity of fuel from that supplied said first nozzles during a predetermined rate of deceleration to provide for a substantially immediate response in the operation of the internal combustion engine.

Claim 7

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 1 wherein said distribution system further includes: fuel valve means responsive to the mass air flow through said manifold system for controlling the flow of fuel to said first nozzles; and choke means connected to said supply chambers and fuel valve means for modifying the effect of the mass air flow on the fuel valve means to increase the fuel in the fuel-air ratio mixture supplied to said entrance ports until a predetermined performance is achieved by the internal combustion engine.

Claim 8

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 6 wherein said choke means includes: a housing having a cavity therein with a first port connected to said supply chambers and a second port connected to said fuel valve means, said first port being separated by a valve seat; a first metal member having a first end secured to said housing adjacent said valve seat and a second end; and a second metal member secured to said first metal member, said air in said supply chamber being communicated through said cavity to said fuel valve means to provide said modification of the mass air flow on the fuel valve means, said air flowing through the cavity heating the first and second metal members, said first and second metal members responding to the temperature of the air by moving with respect to said seat to restrict the flow of air through said cavity and reduce said modification of the mass air flow on the fuel valve.

Claim 9

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 7 wherein said fluid pressure of the air in said supply chambers and communicated to said housing through said first port acts on said second metal strip to aid in urging said first metal strip toward said seat to completely interrupt the flow of air to the fuel valve means and thereafter allow the mass air flow to control the fuel supplied to said first nozzles.

Claim 10

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 1 wherein said distribution system further includes: fuel valve means responsive to the mass air flow through said manifold system for controlling the flow of fuel to said first nozzles; and choke means connected to said supply chambers and said fuel valve means for modifying the effect of the mass air flow on said fuel valve means as a function of the fluid pressure of the air in said supply chambers to increase the flow of fuel supplied to said first nozzles and correspondingly the fuel-air ratio supplied said combustion chambers.

Claim 11

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 9 wherein said choke means includes: a housing having a cavity therein with an entrance port and an exit port, said entrance port being connected to said supply chambers and said exit port being connected to said fuel valve means; and plunger means having a face member located in said cavity, said face member being movable within said cavity between an opened position where pressurized air from the supply chambers flows to the fuel valve means to modify the effect of the mass air flow to a closed position where the mass air flow primarily controls the flow of fuel to said first nozzles.

Claim 12

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 10 wherein said plunger means further includes: a solenoid having a stem connected to said face member, said solenoid receiving a timed electrical signal to temporarily hold said face member in said opened position.

Claim 13

In the internal combustion engine, as recited in claim 10 wherein said plunger means further includes: a stem connected to said face member, said stem having detents thereon; and latch means for engaging one of said detents to hold the face member in a position selected by the operator corresponding to a desired modification in the fuel flow to said first nozzles.

Claim 14

In an internal combustion engine as recited in claim 9 wherein said distribution system further includes: means for measuring an operational parameter of at least one piston in a bore to terminate the operation of said choke means when said operational parameter reaches a predetermined value.

Claim 15

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 13 wherein said means for measuring includes: a thermostat for measuring the temperature of a coolant to provide said choke with a termination signal when the temperature reaches a preselected temperature.

Claim 16

In an internal combustion engine having a housing with a series of bores therein, each bore having an entrance port and an exhaust port, a piston for separating each bore into a supply chamber and an exhaust chamber, a transfer conduit for connecting each supply chamber with its corresponding combustion chamber, a manifold system connected to said supply chambers, a control valve associated with each supply chamber to allow air to flow into each supply chamber on movement of the piston toward the combustion chamber and to prevent the flow of fluid from each supply chamber on movement of said piston toward the supply chamber and a fuel distribution system for supplying fuel to each combustion chamber on movement of the piston toward the combustion chamber, said fuel distribution system being characterized by a nozzle for supplying each bore with fuel from a source without going through said control valve, said fuel and air being combined and communicated to said combustion chamber through said transfer conduit, each nozzle having a housing with a mixing chamber, each mixing chamber having an entrance port connected to the source of fuel, an exit port connected to said supply chamber, and an accumulator port connected to an accumulator, said accumulator being connected to said supply chamber to receive air from the supply chamber on movement of the piston toward the supply chamber, said mixing chamber receiving air from the accumulator and fuel from the source on movement of the piston in the bore toward the combustion chamber, said air entraining the fuel in the mixing chamber before flowing through the exit port into said supply chamber, said air in the supply chamber being combined with the air entrained fuel to create an air-fuel mixture for distribution to said combustion chamber.

Claim 17

In an internal combustion engine having a housing with a series of bores therein, each bore having an entrance port and an exhaust port, a piston for separating each bore into a supply chamber and an exhaust chamber, a transfer conduit for connecting each supply chamber with its corresponding combustion chamber, a manifold system connected to said supply chambers, a control valve associated with each supply chamber to allow air to flow into each supply chamber on movement of the piston toward the combustion chamber and to prevent the flow of fluid from each supply chamber on movement of said piston toward the supply chamber and a fuel distribution system for supplying fuel to each combustion chamber on movement of the piston toward the combustion chamber, said fuel distribution system being characterized by a nozzle for supplying each bore with fuel from a source without going through said control valve, said fuel and air being combined and communicated to said combustion chamber through said transfer conduit, each nozzle having a housing with a mixing chamber, each mixing chamber having an entrance port connected to the source of fuel, an exit port connected to said supply chamber, and an accumulator port connected to an accumulator, said accumulator being connected to said supply chamber to receive air from the supply chamber on movement of the piston toward the supply chamber, said mixing chamber receiving air from the accumulator and fuel from the source on movement of the piston in the bore toward the combustion chamber, said air entraining the fuel in the mixing chamber before flowing through the exit port into said supply chamber, said air in the supply chamber being combined with the air entrained fuel to create an air-fuel mixture for distribution to said combustion chamber.

Claim 18

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 15 wherein said distribution system further includes: a fuel valve connected to said source of fuel and said manifold system, said fuel valve responding to the mass air flow through the manifold system for supplying each nozzle with a substantially identical quantity of fuel corresponding to an operator input.

Claim 19

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 16 wherein said distribution system further includes: a choke having a housing with a cavity therein with an entrance port connected to said supply chambers and an exit port connected to said fuel valve; and a plunger located in said cavity, said plunger being moved from a first position where fluid communication through said cavity is interrupted to a second position where air from the supply chambers is communicated to said fuel valve to modify the effect of the mass air flow and allow an additional quantity of fuel to flow to the nozzles and increase the fuel-to-air ratio of the fluid mixture supplied to the combustion chambers.

Claim 20

In an internal combustion engine having a housing with a series of bores therein, each of said bores having an intake port, exhaust port and a transfer port therein, a piston located in each bore for separating a supply chamber from a combustion chamber located therein, a transfer conduit for connecting each supply chamber with a corresponding combustion chamber through said transfer port, a manifold system connected to each intake port, each piston on movement toward said combustion chamber opening said intake port to allow air to flow from said manifold system into said supply chamber while closing said exhaust and transfer ports and on movement toward said supply chamber closing said intake port to interrupt communication of air to said supply chamber while opening the exhaust port to allow exhaust gases to flow out of the combustion chamber and opening the transfer port to allow a fuel-air mixture to flow into the combustion chamber, the improvement comprising: distribution means for presenting fuel from a source to each supply chamber, said distribution means including nozzles each of which has a first injector connected to a source of fuel and a mixing chamber and a second injector connected to said supply chamber, said mixing chamber receiving air from said supply chamber, said air in the mixing chamber being entrained with fuel transmitted from said first injector, said air entrained fuel flowing through said second injector into said supply chamber to create said fuel-air mixture, said fuel-air mixture flowing from said supply chamber to said combustion chamber by way of said transfer conduit.

Claim 21

In an internal combustion engine having a housing with a series of bores therein, each of said bores having an intake port, exhaust port and a transfer port therein, a piston located in each bore for separating a supply chamber from a combustion chamber located therein, a transfer conduit for connecting each supply chamber with a corresponding combustion chamber through said transfer port, a manifold system connected to each intake port, each piston on movement toward said combustion chamber opening said intake port to allow air to flow from said manifold system into said supply chamber while closing said exhaust and transfer ports and on movement toward said supply chamber closing said intake port to interrupt communication of air to said supply chamber while opening the exhaust port to allow exhaust gases to flow out of the combustion chamber and opening the transfer port to allow a fuel-air mixture to flow into the combustion chamber, the improvement comprising: distribution means for presenting fuel from a source to each supply chamber, said distribution means including nozzles each of which has a first injector connected to a source of fuel and a mixing chamber and a second injector connected to said supply chamber, said mixing chamber receiving air from said supply chamber, said air in the mixing chamber being entrained with fuel transmitted from said first injector, said air entrained fuel flowing through said second injector into said supply chamber to create said fuel-air mixture, said fuel-air mixture flowing from said supply chamber to said combustion chamber by way of said transfer conduit.

Claim 22

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 18 wherein said distribution means further includes: an accumulator connected to each supply chamber and mixing chamber, said accumulator receiving air from each of said supply chambers to provide each mixing chamber with a substantially uniform volume of air to entrain the fuel transmitted from said first injector.

Claim 23

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 19 further including: a pump responsive to an operational input for increasing the quantity of fuel supplied to each injector during a predetermined rate of acceleration and decreasing the quantity of fuel supplied to each injector during deceleration to achieve a substantially immediate response in the operation of the internal combustion engine.

Claim 24

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 20 further including: choke means responsive to an operational parameter of said engine to modify the flow of fuel from said source to each injector to change the air-fuel ratio in the mixture.

Claim 25

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 21 wherein said operational parameter allows the internal combustion engine to achieve the greatest operational efficiency for a set air-fuel mixture.

Claim 26

In an internal combustion engine having a housing with a series of bores therein, each of said bores having an intake port, exhaust port and a transfer port therein, a piston located in each bore for separating a supply chamber from a combustion chamber located therein, a transfer conduit for connecting each supply chamber with a corresponding combustion chamber through said transfer port, a manifold system connected to each intake port, each piston on movement toward said combustion chamber opening said intake port to allow air to flow from said manifold system into said supply chamber while closing said exhaust and transfer ports and on movement toward said supply chamber closing said intake port to interrupt communication of air to said supply chamber while opening the exhaust port to allow exhaust gases to flow out of the combustion chamber and opening the transfer port to allow a fuel-air mixture to flow into the combustion chamber, the improvement comprising: distribution means for presenting fuel from a source to said transfer conduit, said distribution means including a nozzle connected to each transfer conduit, each nozzle having a first injector connected to a source of fuel and a mixing chamber and a second injector connected to said transfer conduit, said mixing chamber receiving air from said supply chamber, said air from said supply chamber entraining fuel transmitted from said first injector into said mixing chamber, said air entrained fuel flowing through said second injector into said transfer tube and being combined with air flowing from said supply chamber in said transfer tube toward said transfer port to create said fuel-air mixture.

Claim 27

In an internal combustion engine having a housing with a series of bores therein, each of said bores having an intake port, exhaust port and a transfer port therein, a piston located in each bore for separating a supply chamber from a combustion chamber located therein, a transfer conduit for connecting each supply chamber with a corresponding combustion chamber through said transfer port, a manifold system connected to each intake port, each piston on movement toward said combustion chamber opening said intake port to allow air to flow from said manifold system into said supply chamber while closing said exhaust and transfer ports and on movement toward said supply chamber closing said intake port to interrupt communication of air to said supply chamber while opening the exhaust port to allow exhaust gases to flow out of the combustion chamber and opening the transfer port to allow a fuel-air mixture to flow into the combustion chamber, the improvement comprising: distribution means for presenting fuel from a source to said transfer conduit, said distribution means including a nozzle connected to each transfer conduit, each nozzle having a first injector connected to a source of fuel and a mixing chamber and a second injector connected to said transfer conduit, said mixing chamber receiving air from said supply chamber, said air from said supply chamber entraining fuel transmitted from said first injector into said mixing chamber, said air entrained fuel flowing through said second injector into said transfer tube and being combined with air flowing from said supply chamber in said transfer tube toward said transfer port to create said fuel-air mixture.

Claim 28

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 23 wherein said distribution means includes: accumulator means connected to said supply chambers to receive air and to provide a substantially constant volume of air to said mixing chambers in establishing uniformity to said air entrained fuel supplied to said second injectors.

Claim 29

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 24 wherein said distribution means further includes: means for modifying the quantity of fuel supplied to said injectors as a function of the rate of acceleration and deceleration to establish an immediate operational response in said engine.

Claim 30

In the internal combustion engine as recited in claim 25 wherein said means for modifying includes: choke means connected to said manifold system for modifying the air flow therethrough to increase the fuel in the fuel-air mixture until a specified operational parameter of said engine is achieved.