Air Cleaning Structure

Abstract

An air cleaner for an internal combustion engine embodying a centrifuging action to direct dust particles into a duct for exhaust to the atmosphere having separated the same for air directed into a chamber of increasing size for reduction of the velocity of said air as it approaches the vents through which it is drawn for passage to said engine.

Description

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an air cleaner for an internal combustion engine embodying a centrifuging action to separate dust particles from the air and to provide for a reduction in the initial velocity of clean air as it approaches the vents through which it is drawn for passage to the air intake of said engine.

Representative of the closest art appears to be U. S. Pat. No. 2,846,024 dated Aug. 5, 1958, issued to Theodor Bremi on a "Cyclone" structure. Although a centrifuging action is embodied in this patent, the structure involved is substantially different from the applicant's and a different operation is effected. Bremi discloses an open bottom narrowing passage of increasing height, an underlying swirl chamber with a relatively large deflection plate and a raised vent to receive cleaned air. The applicant's structure is unobviously different and readily distinguishable therefrom.

It is an object of this invention to provide an air cleaner for an internal combustion engine which embodies a centrifugal action for the separation of dust particles from incoming air and for directing the same through an enclosed duct running to the atmosphere and which provides for clear air to pass into an area of increased size resulting in a reduction of the velocity of said air for its entry into a passage which runs to the air intake of said engine.

It is another object of this invention to provide an air cleaner of the type above indicated wherein an air passage to receive clean air is disposed in an off center position within the outer housing of said air cleaner.

It is further an object of this invention with respect to an air cleaner of the type above indicated wherein the member receiving cleaned air for passage to the engine has vertically elongated louvered slots with the louvers thereof being disposed in the direction of the flow of air.

It is still another object of the invention herein with respect to the air cleaner above indicated wherein the passage within said air cleaner receiving dust particles for discharge to the atmosphere has a helically disposed bottom wall.

It is still another object of the invention herein to provide an air cleaner having a vertically elongated inlet therein, a deflector wall tangential to the housing of said cleaner to deflect air into said cleaner in a centrifuging action and a screen in connection with said wall overlying said opening into said cleaner.

Generally stated the structure herein comprises a cylindrical housing having a tangential deflection plate directing air inwardly setting up a centrifuging action for separation of dust particles into a radially narrow duct at the inner side of the outer wall of said housing which duct exhausts to the atmosphere and clean air by passes said duct and moves into a chamber portion of increasing size to reduce its velocity in approaching vents through which it is drawn into a passage running to the engine.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in horizontal section taken on line 1--1 of FIG. 2 as indicated;

FIG. 2 is a view in vertical section taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1 as indicated; and

FIG. 3 is a broken view in perspective on an enlarged scale with some portions thereof being removed.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, the air cleaning device 10 which comprises the subject matter of the invention herein consists of a cylindrical outer housing 12 having an outer wall 13, a removable top wall or cover 15, a chamber 16 therein and a bottom wall 19.

Disposed within said outer housing is a means for providing clean air to the engine which comprises an inner housing 25 formed as a tubular member having an outer wall 26, a top wall 27, a second wall 28 spaced below said wall 27, and a chamber or passage 29 therein. Said upper wall is tapped to receive a stud bolt 30 disposed through an accommodating aperture in said cover 15. Said tubular member 25 is disposed within said outer housing 12 to be in an axially off center position with respect thereto as will be further described. Said tubular member extends downwardly of said bottom wall 19 through an accommodating opening 32 therein and preferably is secured thereto.

Spaced upwardly of said bottom wall 19 is a helical flange 34 extending radially between said outer wall 13 and said tubular member 25 defining one revolution about said tubular member and having an upper end portion 36 in vertical alignment with its lower end portion 37 defining an outlet 40 therebetween as will be further described.

Formed in said outer wall 13 is an air inlet 42 formed as a vertical slot opening extending from the flange 34 adjacent its portion 36 and extending to a point just short of the upper end of said outer housing forming a narrow wall 46 therebetween. Said air inlet is positioned to be located in said outer wall in the area thereof which preferably is closest radially to said tubular member 25.

Said slotted opening 42 is further defined by said walls 43 and 44. A wall 47 extends forwardly tangentially to said housing 12 commencing with said side wall 43 and extending forwardly sufficiently to overlie said slotted opening 42 forming a deflector and thus it defines an inlet passage 50 taken with the housing 12. The forward or free end of said wall 47 carries at right angles thereto a slotted flange 49 and an adjacent opposite portion of said housing 12 has a vertical projecting boss 53 which has formed thereon a corresponding slotted flange 54 projecting outwardly thereof. Carried by said oppositely disposed flanges 49 and 54 and slidingly disposed therein is screen 60. It will be understood that said screen may be otherwise secured.

Underlying said wall 47 and said screen 60 and extending to said wall 13 of said housing 12 is a bottom wall 62.

The top wall or cover 15 above mentioned is of a configuration to overlie the housing 12 and to have a portion thereof extending to overlie the upper portion of said wall 47 and said screen 60. Said cover 15 has a slot 15a in its bottom side to receive therein and seat the upper edge portions of said housing, said wall and said screen.

Extending substantially the full extent of said tubular member 25 between the helical flange 34 and the wall 28 are a plurality of slot-like louvered or finned openings 65 disposed circumferentially of said tubular member substantially diametrically opposite of said slotted opening or inlet 42. Said louvered openings are located preferably within said housing 12 in position to be radially the maximum distance away from said wall 13.

A duct 70 comprising a passage is formed by a wall 71 spaced radially inwardly a short distance from said outer housing wall 13. Said duct has a top wall 72. Said duct declines in height having its top wall define a helical path about the inner side of said wall 13. Said helical flange 32 forms the bottom wall of said duct. Said duct terminates with its discharge end portion 73 extending just within said discharge outlet 40 as indicated in FIG. 3. A forward and upward extension of said top wall 72 is formed as a flange 74 which radially extends between said outer wall 13 and the adjacent wall 26 of said tubular member 25 and extends to a point which overlies the upper end of the inlet 42 and which at such point is just short of engagement with the adjacent portion of the cover 15.

Extending outwardly of said housing 12 from said discharge outlet 40 is an exhaust vent 80 which reduces outwardly in transverse dimension and is shown here carrying at its outer end an exhaust fan member 81 which will draw and exhaust air from said housing as will be described hereinafter. OPERATION

The air cleaner herein is intended for use with an internal combustion engine as in connection with a tractor such as may be used for farming purposes or for hauling trailers. Such vehicles commonly have a stack providing air passage to the carburetion system of the engine. The air cleaner will be mounted onto the upper end of the stack in an appropriate manner such as by having the lower end portion of the tubular member 25 slipped onto the upper portion of the stack to be clamped thereon.

The action of the engine will draw air into and through the housing 12. The exhaust fan member 81 will provide for sufficient and positive movement of air to pass through the housing 12 irrespective of the engine speed. Thus the air cleaner will operate at a point of maximum efficiency even during the times when the engine may be idling or operating at low speeds.

With the air cleaner suitably mounted in operating position, the action of the internal combustion engine and of the exhaust fan 81 will draw air through the screen 60, into the inlet passage 50 and as deflected by the wall 47 into and through the slot opening 42 for entrance into the chamber of the housing 12. The wall 47 which forms the outer wall of the inlet passage 50 is continuous with the side 43 of said slot 42 and forms a continuation thereof tangential to the housing 12.

The wall 47 in forming a deflector initiates a centrifugal action which carries the dust particles of the air entering the slot opening 42 along the inner side of the wall 13 and into duct 70. The overlying flange 74 confines the upper reach of entering air directing it toward said duct 70. The air moving through said duct 70 is tapered downwardly to the exhaust end portion 73 thereof to be exhausted to the atmosphere through the exhaust passage or vent 80.

With the centrifuging action present drawing the dust particles of the air into duct 70, the air by-passing said duct 70 and moving about said center tubular member 25 is clean air. With said tubular member 25 being positioned in an off center position within said housing 12 and having a maximum free space thereabout at its side remote from said outlet 42, the velocity of the air passing about said tubular member will decrease substantially as it passes the vents or inlet openings 65 to be drawn therethrough and through the passage 29 of said tubular member 25 into the air inlet of the engine.

The entrance to the duct 70 is spaced inwardly of said housing 12 spaced from said slot opening 42 sufficiently to permit centrifuging action to effectively separate dust particles from the air passing about said tubular member 25 for passage to the air intake of the engine.

The helical bottom wall 34 provides a downward sloping passage for the exhaust of any dust particles which come to rest thereupon. Said wall 34 also provides for the exhaust of dust particles along the bottom of said passage 70.

It is understood that clean air will continue to move about said tubular member 25 to be drawn into and through the vents 65 for passage downward to the air intake of the engine.

The height and location of the vents 65 and the positioning of the inner tubular member 25 in an off center position as shown here in a preferred embodiment has resulted in unusually high efficiency of operation. Said air cleaner as herein described was subjected to conventional tests for the purpose of determining its efficiency in operation and the tests made indicate an operating efficiency of 95.5 percent. This represents an unusually high degree of efficiency in the operation of an air cleaner for an internal combustion engine.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in form, details arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention herein which, generally stated, consists in an apparatus capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An air cleaner for an internal combustion engine, having in combination

a cylindrical housing formed with an outer wall,

an inner wall spaced from said outer wall forming a duct of narrow radial width within said housing,

said duct decreasing in height from its inlet end toward its outlet end and having an overlying top wall,

the outlet end of said duct communicating with the atmosphere,

an inlet into said housing tangential thereto and spaced from the adjacent inlet end of said duct,

an upright tubular member within said housing disposed in an axially off center position with respect thereto in the direction of said inlet and with respect to said duct disposed substantially thereabout,

said tubular member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced vents,

a passage in said tubular member for communication with an engine, and

said vents opening to said passage.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, wherein

said duct at its inlet end extends substantially the full height of said inlet of said housing,

said top of said duct defining a helical path to said outlet end of said duct, and

an outlet extending outwardly of said housing receiving therein said outlet end of said duct.