US2946576A - Fuel injector for internal combustion engines - Google Patents

Description

July 26, 1960 c. B. COULTER 2,946,576

FUEL INJECTOR FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed July 12. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

CLAUDE. B. CouLJ-EFZ ATTORNEVS July 26, 1960 c. B. COULTER 2,946,576

FUEL INJECTOR FOR INTERNAL. COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed July 12, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTQR NE Y3 INVENTOR. CLAUDE 6. COULTFER.

United States patmt g v 2,946,576 i unnuiuncrok FDR MERNAL commends ENGINES entities. center, Bobciiygedn, Ontario, Canada (23 Queen St., Lindsay, Ontario, Canada) Filed July 12, 1957, Ser. No. 671,548 13 Claims. 01. 261-23) -This invention relates to a metering and fuel injection control device especially designed for use in connection with an automobile internal combustion engine.

One ofthe primary objects of this invention is to pro- 'vide a fuel metering and injection control device for injecting a predetermined amount of fuel into the air "stream entering a combustion chamber. I

A further object'of this invention is to provide a metering and injection control device with control means connected mechanically to the vehicles accelerator linkage in'order to control the entry of air-into the intake manifold of the engine in such a manner that the metering means'is opera-ted to supply fuel in a'm-anner directly'proportional to the openingorclosing of an air entry valve in the air intake manifold by'the acceleratorlinkage.

-'A- stillfurther object of this invention is to-provide a metering'and injection'control device of the type referred to above wherein the timing speed required forthefuel pulsations is the same as the timing speed required for the ignition} distributor electrical pulsations whereby a common drive may be utilized to operate the metering and 'inje'ction control means as 'well as the distributor.

This invention contemplates as a still further object thereof the provision of a fuel metering andinjection control device which is noncomplex iii-construction and assembly, inexpensive to -manufacture, and durable in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become moreapparent from a consideration "of the followingspecification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure l is a cross sectional vi'ew'of a conventional v-type internal combustion engine and illustrating the application of the metering and'injection control device thei'eto; I H p 4 Fi'gui'e2 is an enlarged-perspective View of the metering and "injection control devicejper'se p *Figure' 3 'isfan enlarged detailed medial cross sectional "Vie'w'taken substantially on-the vertical plane of line 3=-3 I of Figure 2,- looking in the-direction of the arrows;

' Figure 4 is a top plan view of the device illustrated in Figure 2, partly in cross section, and taken substantially "on the horizontal planeof line4-'-4 of Figure 3, looking infthe directionof the arrows;

igure-s is a detailed crosssectionalview'taken substanfjtiallyon the horizontalplane of line 5'-" -5"of Figure 3,

-looking inthe direction of the arrows;

' j Figure '6 is an enlarged detailed cross section-al view of aninjection nozzle; and p v Figure 7 is an exploded view of the component elements "er the metering device, the casing therefor being omitted from this illustration. V v U Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 designates, generaLja fuel injector and "metering device for internal combustion engines constructed in accordance with theteachings of the present Linyention. Thejinjector 10 is'seen'to comprise "a substanti'ally hollow cylindrical 'ca'sifi'g'12 having'an integrally 2,946,576 Patented July 26, 1960 formed end wall 14 and a cylindrical side wall 16. The end wall-14 is provided with a centrally-positioned;enlarged boss 18 which projects laterally-beyond each side thereof and has an elongated bore extending longitudinally therethrough. The wall 16 is formed with an internally threaded fuel inlet port 20 which receives an externally threaded fitting 22. An internally threaded cap'24 connects one end of a fuel supply conduit 26 to the fitting 22, and the other end of the conduit 26 is connected to-a conventional electric constant pressure pump P. -A second conduit 28 connects the pump P with a fuel source (not shown).

The boss 18 is provided with an axial -bore 30, the function of which will be explained below, and the boss 18 is loosely surrounded by'an elongated cylindrical sleeve 32 having an integrally formed outwardly projecting radial flange 34 at the upper end thereof. A helicoidal spring 36 is interposed between the flange 34 and the end wall 14 and constantly biases the flange 34. for movement away from the boss- 18.

An elongated cylindrical shaft.- 38 is rotatably mounted in the bore 30 and is integrally'formed with a disk shaped rotor 40 having=an arcuately shaped slot 41 formed in a portion of its circumference. As is seen in the drawing, the shaft 38 projects'beyond both ends of the casing 12, and the rotor 40 is supported on the flange 34. e Reference-numeral 42 denotes an elongated cylindrical sleeve which is rotatably mounted on the shaft 38, and the lower end of the sleeve 42-is integrally connected with a metering disk 44. 1 As is clearly seen in Figure- '3, the disk 44 engages against the upper. side of the rotor 40,;anda plurality of uniformly shaped slots 46'e'xtend inwardly fromits circumference at radially spaced intervals. The arrangements of the slots 41 and 46' is such that as the shaft 38 rotates the slot 41- passes below each of the slots 46 in succession. It should be here noted that the arcuate length of the slot 41 is greater than the the externally threaded fittings 62. Caps 64corineict one of the ends of a pluralitytof fuel outlet conduits to the fittings 62. As is seen in Figures 3,-5 and 7 the ports 5 8 are each seen to hav'ea Tpair'oflaterally-spaced side walls68, 70, an end wall 72,'and a top wall 74. The top wall 74-is inclined downwardly from-'theupper end 'of the end wall 72 and it is seen thatthe tapped openings 60 communicate with the' ports 58 at points-immediately adjacent the end'wall 72. The number of slots46-a1id ports"58 correspond to the number of cylinders formed in the'internal combustion engine.

The other ends of the fuel conduit 66 (see Figu res-l and 6)' are'conn'ected through caps 76 with one of the ends of aplurality of fittings 78, and the latter are connected with the outer ends, respectively,'of a plur'ality of nozzles'8 0. The nozzles-80 "are threaded through a side wall 82' of a conventional air intake m anifold 83' of the internal" combustion engine 84. I

' Each of the nozzles 80'include's-an elongated cylindrical :main'body portion 86 having a tapering centrally'disposed passage 88 which communicates an elongated jaxially ext'endiiigfcylindfical bore 89 'thart -in"turn opens tats-an internallythreaded counter bore 90 in which is through the arm 102 and a similar screw 108 is threaded through the arm 104.

One end of an elongated substantially rectangular lever 110 terminates in an integrally connected annular member 112 which is mounted over the upper end of the shaft 38 and is fixedly secured to the upper end of the sleeve42 by means of screws 114. The lever 110 projects through the slots 96 and is provided with means 116 to afford connection with linkage 118 of a conventional engine acceleration and deceleration device (not shown).

The upper end of the shaft 38 is connected with the conventional rotor (not shown) of a conventional distributor 120, and the distributor 120 is supported on and connected to the upper end of the fuel injector head 43.

The shaft 38 is rotated in the usual manner by means of a worm gear 122 fixedly secured to the lower ends thereof and meshing with a suitable gear (not shown) fixedly secured on a valve actuating cam shaft 124.

Atmospheric air is admitted into the manifold 83 through the air filter 126 under the control of a butterfly valve 128, and the mixture of fuel and air passes into the engine cylinders 130 through the inlet valve 132. After the mixed fuel and air has been ignited the products of the combustion are exhausted through the exhaust valves 134. The valves 132, 134 are operated in timed sequence by cams 136 fixedly secured to the cam shaft 124, all in the conventional manner.

The fuel metering and control device operates in the following manner. The electric pump P is first energized to draw fuel through the fuel conduit 28 for passage through the conduit 26 through the port 20 and into the casing 12.

Assuming that the internal combustion engine 84 is operating, the cam shaft 124 rotates and in so rotating imparts rotation to the shaft 38 through the worm gear 122. Since the rotor disk 40 is fixedly secured to the shaft 38 it too will rotate. As the rotor disk 40 rotates, fuel under pressure in the casing 12 passes through the slot 41 of the rotor 40 and through the slots 46 formed in the metering disk 44. This occurs as the slot 41 passes beneath and becomes substantially aligned with the slots 46 in succession. The fuel then passes through the outlet openings 58 formed in the flange 54 of the fuel injector head 48, and from these ports it is led through the conduit 66 to the injection nozzles 80. The fuel is then sprayed through the nozzles 80 for mixture with air in the intake manifold 83.

The quantity of fuel injected through the outlet ports 58 is controlled by the metering disk 44 wherein the slots 46 formed therein are located to correspond with the ports 58. Thus, the operator through the linkage 1 18 and the lever 110 may turn the metering disk 44 relative to the injection head 48 in such a manner as to increase or decrease the area of the outlet ports 58. Linkage, not illustrated herein, connects the butterfly valve 128 with the accelerator linkage 118 whereby the correct proportion of air relative to fuel within the air intake manifold 83 is constantly maintained.

As has been set forth above, the shaft 38 is common to both the rotor disk 40 and the rotor of the distributor 120. The timing speed required for the injector fuel pulsations is the same as the timing speed required for the ignition distributor electrical pulsations, and for this reason a common drive was employed therebetween. The duration of the fuel pulses by the injector is regulated by the length of the slot 41 in the rotor disk 40, and this may be regulated or varied within certain limits in order 4 to obtain the best performance in particular makes of engines.

Preferably the rotor 40 should be timed and designed to commence spraying fuel into the air intake manifold 83 with a ten to fifteen degree advance over the opening of the intake valve of a given cylinder 130, and that the length of the slot should be such that it continues to spray fuel into the air stream of the given cylinder until one or two degrees after the intake valve of this cylinder has closed. Thus, the length of the slot 41 in the rotor disk 40 is determined by the number of degrees the intake valves stay open, plus an extra ten to fifteen degrees advance on the leading edge of the slot, and one or two degrees overlap on the closing edge of the slot 41. Thus, the injector nozzles will always discharge to the atmosphere rather than to vacuum. Of course, the component elements of the device 10 will require machining and fitting so that a very close fit may be obtained between adjacent elements thereof, and it is essential that no fuel leak past any one thereof.

It should be noted that the injector head 48 is herein illustrated as being used in conjunction with eight cylinder internal combustion engines. To that end eight of the ports 58 have been formed in the underside of the flange 54 and are disposed at 45 intervals. In the event the device 10 is to be used with six cylinder engines, the number of the ports 58 will be reduced to six, these ports being disposed at 60 intervals.

Injector timing is obtained by aligning the slot 41 with an indicator pin 200 which extends through the cylindrical wall16 of the casing 12, and the engine flywheel or crankshaft pulley With a timing mark.

The lever as illustrated in Figure 4 is disposed in its maximum closed position against the adjustment or set screw 106, the lever 110 being set in the engine idling position. The set screw 108 has been adjusted to maintain a' maximum of fuel passage through the slot 46 and ports -58 to obtain the maximum power from the engine. Thus when the lever 110 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction (reference being made to Figure 4) toengage against the adjacent end of the set screw 108, the metering control device 10 will deliver to the cylinders the maximum volume of mixed fuel and air in order to obtain the full power output from the internal combustion engine 84.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention in detail, it will be understood that the same has been offered merely by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid metering and control device comprising a substantially hollow casing having a pair of opposed closed ends, one of said ends having a plurality of radially spaced fluid discharge ports extending transversely therethrough, a disk having a plurality of radially spaced slots extending transversely therethrough with the spacing between said slots corresponding to the spacing between said ports, said disk being disposed within said casing with a slide thereof slidably engaging the inner side of said one closed end with said slots normally aligned with said ports, means connected with said disk to effect rotation thereof relative to said one end of sald .casing, a second disk disposed within said casing and having a side thereof engaging against the other side of said first disk, said second disk having a slot formed therein, said second disk being rotatable relative to said first disk to effect alignment of said last named slot, suc- .cessively, with said slots formed in said first disk, means for connecting said casing with a source of fluid under constant pressure, and means for effecting rotation of 2. A fluid metering and control device as defined in claim 1- wherein said first means comprises a manually claim 2, and means disposed within said casing for maintaining said second disk in engagement against said first disk.

4. A fluid metering and control device as defined in claim 3 wherein said last named means comprises a cylindrical sleeve surrounding said shaft and having a radial flange abutting said second disk, and a helicoidal spring surrounding said sleeve and having one of its ends engaging against said flange and its other end engaging said other end of said casing.

5. A fluid metering and control device as defined in claim 4 wherein said ports formed in said one end ofv said casing are each defined by a slot extending inwardly from said one side of said one end of said casing and including a pair of oppositely disposed elongated side Walls, an end wall, and a top wall extending downwardly from the inner end of said end wall to said one side of said one end of said casing, said casing having a. bore extending transversely through said one end of said casing in open communication with each of said slots, respectively.

6. A fluid metering and control device as defined in claim 5 wherein said bores communicate with said slots at a point adjacent each of said end walls.

7. A fluid metering and control device comprising an elongated substantially hollow cylindrical casing having a side wall and a pair of opposed open and closed ends, a rotor disk having a slot formed therein, said disk being disposed within said casing, a drive shaft for effecting rotation of said rotor disk, said shaft having one of its ends fixedly secured to said rotor disk and the other end thereof extending transversely through said closed end of said casing, a fluid metering disk loosely mounted on said shaft and having a side thereof slidably engaging against a side of said rotor disk, said metering disk having a plurality of radially spaced transversely extending slots formed therein, said rotor disk being rotatable relative to said metering disk to align, successively, said slots formed in said rotor disk with said slots formed in said metering disk, a closure member for said open end of said casing, said closure member having a plurality of.

fluid discharge ports extending transversely therethrough in radially spaced relation 'with the spacing therebetween corresponding to the spacing between said slots formed in said metering disks and being adapted for alignment therewith, said closure member having a side thereof engaging against the other side of said metering disk, means connected with said metering disk to efiect rotation thereof relative to said closure member whereby the area of the inner ends of said port may be selectively increased or decreased, and means for connecting said casing with a source of fluid under pressure.

8. A fluid metering and control device as defined in claim 7 wherein said other end of said shaft is journaled for rotation in a boss disposed within said casing and integrally connected with said closed end, and means for cfiecting a substantially liquid type seal between said disks and closure member, said means comprising a sleeve loosely surrounding said boss and having a radial-' ly outwardly extending flange at an end thereof, said flange engaging with the other side of said rotor disk, and a helicoidal spring having an end thereof engaging said flange and its other end engaging said closed end of said casing.

9. A fluid metering and control device as defined in a a claim 8 wherein said fluid discharge ports formed in said closure member-are each defined by. a slot extending inwardly from said one side of said closure member and 7 a bore extending transversely therethrough in open communication with each of said slots, respectively.

'10. A fluid metering device as defined in claim 9 wherein said bores communicate with said slot at a point adjacent each of said end walls. I

11. A metering and fuel control device for an internal combustion engine having an air intake manifold, a fuel injection nozzle for each cylinder of said engine, said nozzles being disposed, in the air stream for each of said cylinders, and valve control means for said air intake manifold, said device comprising a casing having a plurality of radially spaced fuel discharge ports extending transversely therethrough, a manually operable rotatable disk disposed within said casing and having a plurality of radially spaced slots formed therein corresponding in numregistration of said ports with said slots, a second disk disposed in said casing and having one of its sides engaging against the other side of said first disk, said second disk having a slot formed therein adapted to be aligned with said first slots, successively, means connected with said second disk to effect rotation thereof relative to said first disk, means for connecting said casing with a source of fuel under'constaut pressure, and conduit means connecting each of said fuel discharge ports, respectively, with one of said nozzles.

12. A metering and fuel control device as defined in claim 11 wherein each of said fluid discharge ports are defined by a slot extending inwardly from that side of said casing immediately'proximate said one side of said first disk, each of said slots including, a pair of oppositely disposed laterally spaced and elongated side walls, an end wall, and a top wall extending downwardly from the inner end of said end wall to said side of said casing, and said casing having a bore extending transversely therethrough in open communication with each of said slots, respectively.

13. A fluid metering and control device as defined in claim 12 wherein said bores communicate with said slots at a point adjacent each of said end walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Nystrorn et a1. Dec. 4, 1956

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