U.S. patent number 3,908,617 [Application Number 05/424,836] was granted by the patent office on 1975-09-30 for total ventilating and scavenging system for an internal combustion engine.
Invention is credited to Drexel C. Partridge.
United States Patent |
3,908,617 |
Partridge |
September 30, 1975 |
Total ventilating and scavenging system for an internal combustion
engine
Abstract
A total ventilating and scavenging system for an internal
combustion engine in which filtered fresh air is initially drawn
into the interior of the engine, such as the cam shaft and
crankcase areas, where the air will mingle with, absorb, and pick
up any gaseous vapors and then this air is conveyed into such space
as within the cover that houses the rocker arms and valves and will
pick up any additional gaseous vapors, including oil vapors. Then
this vapor laden heated air is delivered to a combined oil/air
filter where any condensed vapors will be trapped. The heated and
filtered air will be led into the carburetor where it will become
part of an explosive mixture to be delivered to the cylinders for
combustion. The carburetor receives only this vapor laden air as
just described and in this way I provide a total ventilating and
scavenging system for the engine. An oil return pipe leads from the
oil/air filter to the interior of the engine for draining any
excess oil from the filter. An oil return pipe is so positioned in
the oil/air filter as to maintain a proper operating level for the
air/oil separation in the filter.
Inventors: |
Partridge; Drexel C. (San
Leandro, CA) |
Family
ID: |
23684063 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/424,836 |
Filed: |
December 14, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
123/572;
123/195C |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01M
13/04 (20130101); F02B 75/22 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F01M
13/04 (20060101); F01M 13/00 (20060101); F02B
75/00 (20060101); F02B 75/22 (20060101); F02F
009/00 (); 123 () |
Field of
Search: |
;123/119B,198E,195C,90.38 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Burns; Wendell E.
Assistant Examiner: Reynolds; David D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Piper; William R.
Claims
I claim:
1. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a
carburetor for feeding and metering a combustible mixture to the
engine cylinders and a cover enclosing the rocker arms that actuate
the intake and exhaust valves;
a. a first sole air feeding means for said carburetor and including
a conduit communicating with the top interior of said cover and
with said carburetor;
b. a second sole atmospheric air feeding means for delivering air
to the interior of the engine adjacent to one end of the engine
crankcase, said engine having passages leading from the crankcase
to the interior of said cover so that the air passing through the
crankcase will pick up any gaseous vapors therein for scavenging
the crankcase;
c. a baffle spaced below the top interior of said cover and
disposed above the rocker arms, the plane of said baffle being
downwardly inclined from a horizontal plane and extending from one
side wall of said cover and having a lip forming a trough, spaced a
measured distance from the other side wall so as to provide a space
between the trough and the wall of less area than the space between
said baffle and the top of said cover, whereby the air and any
gaseous vapor carried therewith will be caused to pass more rapidly
through the space between the trough and the adjacent wall and will
slow down immediately upon entering the larger space above the
baffle so that the slowing down of the air with its vapors will
cause the heavier vapors to precipitate out from the air and drop
onto said baffle, the remaining lighter vapors in the air being
conveyed by said first conduit to the carburetor, this conduit
being the only source of air and any vapor supply to the
carburetor.
2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 and in which
a. the trough for the baffle has its central portion at a higher
elevation than the trough ends so that the condensation from the
vapor in the trough will flow by gravity to the ends of the trough;
and
b. the trough ends being spaced from the adjacent ends of the valve
cover for permitting the condensation to return to the interior of
the engine.
3. The combination as set forth in claim 1: and in which
a. the internal combustion engine is of the V-type with two banks
of cylinders and pistons with a cover enclosing each set of rocker
arms that cooperate with intake and exhaust valves for each bank of
cylinders;
b. the first sole air feeding means for said carburetor having a
conduit communicating with each of the ends of the top interior of
each cover and with said carburetor;
c. the engine passages that lead from the crankcase to the interior
of the cover communicating with the interiors of both covers;
and
d. there being a baffle spaced below the top interior of each cover
and disposed above the rocker arms enclosed by each cover, the
planes of both baffles extending downwardly from a horizontal plane
and extending from the higher side wall of the cover and having a
trough spaced a measured distance from the other side wall so as to
provide a restricted space between the upper lip of the trough of
each baffle and its adjacent side wall of less area than the space
between each baffle and the top of the cover enclosing the baffle,
whereby the air and any gaseous vapor carried therewith and picked
up by the air flowing through the crankcase and along the passages
to the covers, will pass more rapidly through the said restricted
spaces and then suddenly more slowly as the air with its vapor
enters the larger spaces provided between the baffles and the tops
of their covers;
c. whereby the slowing down of the air with its lighter vapors will
cause the heavier vapors to precipitate out from the air and drop
upon the baffles, the remaining air with its vapors being conveyed
by said first conduits to the carburetor, these conduits being the
only source of air and vapor supply to the carburetor.
4. The combination as set forth in claim 2: and in which
a. the conduits extending from said covers to said carburetor have
an oil/air filter forming a part of the passage between the
conduits and carburetor, said oil/air filter separating any oil
from the vapor laden air and returning this oil to the engine
interior; and
b. said second sole atmospheric air feeding means for delivering
air to the interior of the engine including an air filter for
filtering the atmospheric air entering the engine interior.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention.
One of the main problems faced by engineers when designing an
internal combustion engine is to prevent the accumulation of
gaseous vapors within the engine where they will collect and
condense on cold surfaces to form sludge. Sludge contaminates oil
and hinders its lubricating qualities as well as hindering its heat
transfer. I have provided novel means whereby the air that is fed
to the carburetor must first be moved through the interior of the
engine and the valve covers and this air will mingle with and pick
up gaseous vapors, carrying them to the oil/air filter which is
connected to the carburetor. The interior of the engine will be
continuously scavenged and thus prevent the formation of sludge. A
pre-enriched mixture will be delivered to the carburetor because
the air will already be mixed with a gaseous vapor that at times
collects within the interior of the engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
The patent to Jacob Cornell on an engine crankcase ventilation
system, U.S. Pat. No. 3,111,120, issued Nov. 19, 1963, discloses an
air filter communicating with a carburetor. A conduit leads from
the air filter to the interior of the valve cover that houses the
rocker arms and valves. In my invention I do not provide a conduit
for conveying filtered fresh air directly into the interior of the
valve cover. Instead, the filtered fresh air must first flow
through the interior of the engine to mingle with and pick up
blowby gases as well as any oil vapors. Before this mixed air is
conveyed to the carburetor it must pass through the interior of the
valve cover where the majority of the oil is separated and remains
within the engine interior enclosures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of my invention is to provide novel means for thoroughly
scavenging the interior of an internal combustion engine, to remove
any undesirable gases and vapors from the engine and valve cover.
The scavenging of the engine interior is accomplished by flowing
filtered fresh air through the engine to mingle with and pick up
gaseous vapors and carry these to and oil/air separator where
condensed oil vapor is removed, and the remaining heated vapor
laden air is delivered to the carburetor. The intake vacuum created
in the manifold creates sufficient suction to cause the filtered
fresh air to flow through the interior of the engine for scavenging
before this air reaches the carburetor. The engine interior is not
only scavenged of any gaseous vapors but the resulting vapor laden
air aids the carburetor in forming a better combustible mixture for
the engine cylinders.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an isometric schematic view of an internal combustion
engine with parts being shown in section. The pistons, cylinders,
valve rods, valves, engine block, etc., are indicated by single
lines rather than by double lines to denote thickness of material.
This four cycle engine is shown as one example of how my invention
may be applied to any type of internal combustion engine.
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a valve cover, rocker arm
and associate mechanism, and in the present illustration shows a
baffle mounted within and secured to the valve cover.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In carrying out my invention I make use of a standard internal
combustion engine which is shown in an isometric schematic view in
FIG. 1. The engine block A is shown in phantom by a single line and
the cylinders B and pistons C are also schematically shown by
single lines. I have indicated a V8 engine, although my invention
can be applied to any type of internal combustion engine, such as
one having a single row of cylinders. The oil pan D is disposed
under the crank shaft E and piston rods F interconnect the crank
shaft E with the pistons C in the customary manner.
The overhead intake valve is schematically shown at H and a rocker
arm 1 actuates the valve in a properly timed sequence by a push rod
2 being operated by a cam on a cam shaft K, see FIG. 1. I further
illustrate an overhead exhaust valve J and its rocker arm 3
actuates the exhaust valve in a properly timed sequence by its push
rod 4 being operated by a cam on the common cam shaft K. It should
be understood that the engine shown in FIG. 1 is given by way of
example since my invention can be used on any type of internal
combustion engine. In the present illustration, the valve cover L
encloses the rocker arm 1, see FIG. 1, and the other rocker arms,
not shown, are arranged above the cylinders in the right hand bank
of cylinders.
Another valve cover M, see also FIG. 3, encloses the rocker arm 3
and the other rocker arms, not shown, are arranged above the
cylinders in the left hand bank of cylinders shown in the same
Figure. It will also be noted that there are passages 5 between the
interior of the engine and the interior of the valve cover L, and
there are passages 6 between the engine interior and the interior
of the valve cover M.
In FIG. 3, I show an enlarged transverse sectional view of the
valve cover M that houses the rocker arm 3 and the upper ends of
the push rod 4 and the exhaust valve K. I mount a baffle N within
the valve cover M and above the rocker arm 3. The baffle N is
separated from the top 7 of the valve cover M and it has one edge 8
welded or otherwise secured to a side wall 9 of the valve cover.
The opposite edge of the baffle N is spaced from the adjacent side
wall 10 of the valve cover M, and this edge is curved back on
itself to form a trough 11 that will catch and carry oil that
condenses or drops as "fall out" on the upper inclined surface of
the baffle and flows downwardly by gravity into the trough 11. The
length of the baffle N is less than the length of the valve cover M
and the ends or portions of the baffle are spaced from the adjacent
ends of the valve cover as shown by dotted lines in FIG. 1. The
trough 11 for the baffle N may have its high point midway between
the ends of the trough portions may incline downwardly at a slight
angle from this higher midpoint portion so that any condensed oil
and gaseous vapors, which are caught in the trough, will flow by
gravity to the ends of the trough and flow back into the interior
of the engine.
The special design features which I have explained for the baffle N
are also true for the baffle P that is positioned within the valve
cover L, see FIG. 1. Rather than describe the baffle P in detail, I
have applied the same reference numerals to the different parts of
the baffle P, as has been applied to the baffle N, but have primed
the numbers referring to the baffle P, see FIGS. 1 and 2. The
engine has a standard carburetor Q that communicates with an intake
passage 12, see FIG. 1.
I will now describe the apparatus that causes the interior of the
engine and the interiors of the two valve covers L and M to be
continually scavenged of gaseous vapors during the operation of the
engine, thereby greatly reducing the formation of sludge and the
dilution of the oil within the engine. I mount on oil/air separator
R on the top of the carburetor Q, see FIG. 1 and provide one or
more conduits 13 of sufficient air capacity that lead from the top
of the valve cover L to the oil/air separator R. I further provide
one or more conduits 14 that lead from the top of the other valve
cover M to the oil/air filter R. No other air can enter the oil/air
separator than that is conveyed to it by the conduits 13 and 14, as
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. An air filter S has a conduit 15, see FIG.
1, that conveys atmospheric air from the filter S to the interior
of the engine. An oil return passage, such as the pipe 16, leads
from the oil/air separator R to the interior of the engine for
conveying trapped oil in excess of or above the normal operating
level in the oil/air separator R, back to the engine oil
supply.
OPERATION
From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device,
the operation thereof may be readily understood. In the normal
operation of the internal combustion engine using my invention, the
air enters in a manner such as through the air filter S, see FIG.
1, and flows into the interior of the engine through the pipe 15 as
indicated by the dotted arrow 17 in the pipe 15 and the arrows 17,
shown in the interior of the engine block. The air will pick up,
absorb and collect gaseous vapors from the engine interior and then
will pass up through the push rod area into the rocker arm area, as
shown by the arrows 18, see also FIG. 3. At this point the air,
which is carrying gaseous vapors collected from the engine
interior, will flow along the under surfaces of both the baffle N
in the valve cover M and the baffle P in the valve cover L. FIG. 2
illustrates how the lengths of the baffles N and P are of less
length than the lengths of the valve covers M and L, and therefore
spaces are provided between the ends of the baffles and the
adjacent ends of their respective valve covers. It is possible for
the air with its gaseous vapors to pass through these spaces and to
flow through the area lying between the upper surfaces of the
baffles N and P and the undersurfaces of the valve covers, M and L,
respectively.
In addition, I have already described how the baffle N has its
longitudinal edge 8 welded or otherwise secured to the adjacent
inner surface of the valve cover M, see FIG. 3, and how the baffle
P has its longtitudinal edge 8', see FIG. 1, welded or otherwise
secured to the adjacent inner surface of the valve cover L. The
opposite longitudinal edge of the baffle N has the trough 11 formed
therein that extends throughout the length of the baffle and is
spaced away from the adjacent inner surface of the valve cover M,
as is shown in FIG. 3. The width of this space 19 will cause the
gaseous laden air to speed up its flow through this space and then
there will be a sudden slow down of the flow as the gaseous air
enters the enlarged space above the baffle N. This sudden slow down
of the gaseous air in the area above the baffle N will permit some
of the heavier gaseous products to precipitate or condense, as a
fall out from the air and to drop upon the upper surface of the
baffle N where they will flow into the trough 11 and then along the
inclined portions of the trough to the ends of the baffle N, at
which points the products, consisting mostly of condensed gases
vapors, will drop from the ends of the trough and flow back into
the engine interior. What I have described for the gaseous flow of
air around the baffle N holds true for the gaseous air flowing
around the baffle P shown in FIG. 1.
One or more passageways, such as the conduits 13 and 14,
communicate with the interiors of the valve covers L and M,
respectively, at points above the baffles P and N, respectively, so
as to receive the gaseous vapors from the interiors of the valve
covers and convey them to the oil/air filter R, see FIG. 1. The
oil/air filter R will filter any oil particles from the gaseous
vapors and then the air and remaining gaseous vapors will flow into
the carburetor Q where it will be mixed with fuel to form a desired
combustible mixture that is conveyed to the cylinders B by the
intake passage 12. This completes the flow of the air from the air
filter S to the flow of gaseous vapor laden air into the intake
passage 12. I have shown the direction of flow of the air with its
gaseous vapors into the space between the baffles N and P and their
respective valve covers M and L by the arrows 21. Also, dotted
arrows 22 indicate the flow of the air with its gaseous vapors
through the conduits 13 and 14. Finally, arrows 23 show the flow of
air with its gaseous vapors in the intake passage 12 leading from
this down draft carburetor Q. The oil return pipe 16 in FIG. 1 will
carry trapped oil in the oil/air filter R that is in excess of or
above the operating level in the oil/air filter back to the engine
oil supply.
My invention discloses an arrangement of parts in any type of
internal combustion engine that will provide total ventilation and
scavenging for the engine interior. Moreover, the gaseous vapors
picked up and absorbed by the filtered air passing through the
engine interior during the scavenging process will provide air that
is already enriched with combustible materials and hydrocarbons and
these are fed into the carburetor or air metering control, such as
diesel or fuel injected engine. It is understood where the word
carburetor is mentioned throughout the specification, the term
carburetor includes other possible fuel and air mixing devices for
automatically or manually providing a prearranged mixture for
cumbustion.
* * * * *