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US4519341A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Heated water-alcohol injection system for carbureted internal combustion engines

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1982-08-05
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Granted: 1985-05-28
•
Expires: 2002-08-05
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Abstract

Abstract This alcohol-water injection system first electrically heats a alcohol-water mixture to a superheated gaseous state, then utilizes the vacuum conditions in the carburetor to control the flow of the gaseous alcohol-water mixture into the intake manifold of the engine where it is mixed with gasoline and air from the carburetor to power the engine.

Inventors

  • 👤 Clarence D. McGarr

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 13:33
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02M; F02M25/00; F02B; F02B1/00; F02B1/02; F02B1/04

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim 103 words
In a gasoline burning internal combustion engine having a carbureted fuel intake system, a heated water-alcohol injection system comprising: means for storing a mixture comprising liquid water and alcohol, means for electrically heating the mixture to a gaseous state; pump means in combination with fluid conduit means to convey the mixture from the mixture storing means to the heating means; backflow vent means connecting a point in the fluid conduit means intermediate the pump means and the heating means to the storage means; and means to controllably deliver the heated mixture from the heating means to the fuel intake system of the engine.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 103 words
In a gasoline burning internal combustion engine having a carbureted fuel intake system, a heated water-alcohol injection system comprising: means for storing a mixture comprising liquid water and alcohol, means for electrically heating the mixture to a gaseous state; pump means in combination with fluid conduit means to convey the mixture from the mixture storing means to the heating means; backflow vent means connecting a point in the fluid conduit means intermediate the pump means and the heating means to the storage means; and means to controllably deliver the heated mixture from the heating means to the fuel intake system of the engine.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 26 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the fluid conduit means between the pump means and the backflow vent means contains a manually operated adjustable valve means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the heating means comprises an electrical heating element means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 18 words
The electrical heating element means of claim 3 wherein the heating element means is controlled by thermostat means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 19 words
The thermostat means of claim 4 wherein the thermostat means are responsive to temperature conditions within the heating means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 29 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the means to controllably deliver the heated mixture comprises means responsive to vacuum pressure conditions within the fuel intake system of the engine.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 56 words
The responsive means of claim 6 wherein said means comprise a vacuum valve means wherein the vacuum valve means substantially closes under pressure conditions within the fuel intake system which are substantially the same as ambient atmospheric pressure and increasingly opens as the pressure within the fuel intake systems decreases in relation to ambient atmospheric pressure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 34 words
The responsive means of claim 7 further comprising a bypass line means which allows an effective amount of heated mixture to pass into the fuel intake system of the engine during said pressure conditions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 62 words
The bypass line means of claim 8 wherein the bypass line means comprise a line having an inside diameter of about 0.030 inches disposed with one end adjacent to and in fluid communication with the inlet side of the vacuum valve means and with the other end adjacent to and in fluid communication with the outlet side of the vacuum valve means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 32 words
The system of claim 3 wherein the heating means comprises an enclosed, hollow chamber containing the electric heating element means and inlet and outlet means for the passage of the mixture therethrough.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 16 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the backflow vent means further comprises an atmospheric vent means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 14 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the fluid conduit means further comprises filter means.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 125 words
A method of operating a gasoline burning internal combustion engine having a carbureted fuel intake system as a modified steam engine by the operation of a heated alcohol-water injection system comprising: storing a mixture comprising liquid water and alcohol in storage means; heating the mixture to a gaseous state in heating means; pumping the mixture by pump means through fluid conduit means from the storage means to the heating means wherein the fluid conduit means includes backflow vent means intermediate the pump means and the heating means, such vent means being in fluid communication with the storage means; and controllably delivering the heated mixture from the heating means to the fuel intake system of the engine and therethrough to the combustion chambers of the engine.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 125 words
A method of operating a gasoline burning internal combustion engine having a carbureted fuel intake system as a modified steam engine by the operation of a heated alcohol-water injection system comprising: storing a mixture comprising liquid water and alcohol in storage means; heating the mixture to a gaseous state in heating means; pumping the mixture by pump means through fluid conduit means from the storage means to the heating means wherein the fluid conduit means includes backflow vent means intermediate the pump means and the heating means, such vent means being in fluid communication with the storage means; and controllably delivering the heated mixture from the heating means to the fuel intake system of the engine and therethrough to the combustion chambers of the engine.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the fluid conduit means between the pump means and the backflow vent means contains a manually operated adjustable valve means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the heating means comprises an electrical heating element means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 14 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the heating means is controlled by thermostat means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 29 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the means to controllably deliver the heated mixture comprises means responsive to vacuum pressure conditions within the fuel intake system of the engine.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 56 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the responsive means comprises a vacuum valve means wherein the vacuum valve means substantially closes under pressure conditions within the fuel intake system which are substantially the same as ambient atmospheric pressure and increasingly opens as the pressure within the fuel intake systems decreases in relation to ambient atmospheric pressure.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 16 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the backflow vent means further comprises an atmospheric vent means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 14 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the fluid conduit means further comprises filter means.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2746440A Cited
US3968775A Cited
US3986486A Cited
US4370970A Cited
US4333422A Cited
US4364370A Cited
US4385593A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1988-05-27 1988-11-26 1989-05-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1992-05-27 1992-11-26 1993-05-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1996-05-27 1996-11-26 1997-05-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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