US1511739A - Attachment for internal-combustion engines - Google Patents

Description

I. M DOWELL ATTACHMENT FOR IN TERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed May 29. 1923 2 m m I A 7'TOR/VE VS lllltt ravine ironownan, or BROOKLYN, new TOW ATTACHMENT FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGTIF.

Application filed May as, 1923. fierial No. 642,160.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRVING MCDOWELL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the boron h of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in At tachments for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to internal combustion engines and has for its obje'ct to provide an attachment adapted more particularly to increase the efiiciency of the customary spark plugs and to protect the same against the accumulation of oil and carbon. The invention will be fully described in the description hereinafter in which more specific objects thereof will appear.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate several examples of the invention without definin its limits and in which Fig. 1 is a sectiona view of one form of the attachment showing .the same in operative position in an internal combustion engine; Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end view thereof; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of another form of the attachment; Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4 and Fig. 6 is an end view thereof.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the attach ment comprises a. casin consisting of a body 10 of generally cyllndrical form and provided with a hexagonal or equivalent head 11 for the accommodation of a wrench or other suitable tool, said body having an interior screw-thread 12 for the accommodation of the screw-threaded end 13 of the s ark plug 14. An externally screwtlireaded neck 15 projects in an axial direction from the casing 10 and has its free end preferably tapered as indicated at 16 and provided with apertures 17 which communicate with an interior axial passage 18. The latter extends from the apertured end 16 to the interior of the casing 10 which constitutes an auxiliary explosion chamber 19 in which the electrodes 20 of the spark plug 14 are contained as shown in Fig. 1. The surface of the passage 18 is roughened in an suitable manner as, for instance, by being provided with screw-threads as shown in Fig. 1, the purpose of which will appear more fully hereinafter; the apertures ll converge toward the passage 18 and extend along lines which intersect each other as shown in Fig. 1.

In practice the attachment is connected with the engine by screwing the neck 15 thereof into the customary spark plug opento ing in the cylinder 21 so that the tapered end 16 extends into the combustion chamber thereof and the apertures 17 establish communication between said combustion chamber and the passage 18, it being understood at the spark plug, the electrodes 20 of which are contained in, and protected by, the auxiliary explosion chamber 19. In operation, under the compression stroke of the piston, explosive mixture is forced through the apertures 17 and the passage 18 into the auxillary combustion chamber 19 and at the proper time is there ignited by the spark produced in the well known way at the electrodes 20. The explosion of this auxiliary charge, contained in the auxiliary cham- I so ber 19, results in a burning mixture which is projected through the aperture 17 in a plurality of jets of intense flame whereby the main charge of explosive mixture con tained in the combustion chamber of the en- 5 gine is efliciently and completely exploded to produce the operation'of the engine in the well known way.

In the form shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6,

the attachment comprises a hexagonal body 11 from which an externally screw-threaded neck 15 projects which, in turn. is continued in the form of a cylindrical extension 10, the end surface 16 of which is perfectly flat as shown in Fi 5. The cylinat drical extension 10 is provi ed with a plurality of apertures 17" which, in this form, extend at right angles to the axis of the attachment and communicate with an interior passage 18 which, in turn, communiwe cates with the auxiliary ex losion chamber 19 as in the first form. e auxiliary explosion chamber 19 encloses the electrodes 20 of the spark plug 1 1 in the same way an in the form first described, said spark plug ma being combined with the attachment by having its screw-threaded neck 13 enga e with the interior screw-threads 12' of sai auxil i H attachment is in place thereon.

In operation a portion of the explosive mixture is forced inwardly through "the apertures 17 and the passage 18 into the auxiliary explosion chamber 19 in which it is exploded at the proper time as in the first form and is projected outwardly through the apertures 17 in the form of jets of intense flame which serve to explode the main charge in the combustion chamber of the engin'eas in the first form. Because of the location and direction of the apertures 17*, these jets of flame are projected along the inner end surface of the cylinder and thus burn away any oil which may have adhered to this surface and at the same time keep the carbon deposit on said surface at a low point.

In both forms of the invention the apertures 17 and 17 extend transversely to the axis ofthe attachment so that the mixture passing inwardly throu h the same is churned up as it were within the assage 18 or 18 'so that any oil carried y this mixture is separated t erefrom. Because of the roughened surface of this passage 18 or 18 this oil, together with any oil which ma not have been physically separated from the mixture, clings to said roughened surface and is prevented thereby from reaching the auxiliary explosion chamber 19 or 19. The oil collected, in this way, upon the roughened surface of the passage 18 or 18', is blown out through the apertures 17 or 17" with each explosion of the mixture in the auxiliary chamber 19 or 19 so that the electrodes 20 are, at all times kept perfectly dry and free from oil and therefore in a condition of maximum efficiency as an ignitin medium. In both forms the apertures 1 and 17' are so dimensioned and positioned with respect to each other as to leave a minimum amount of metal between each two holes, which metal becomes quickly heated by the successive explosions and preheats the mixture which passes inwardly through said apertures 17 and 17' and by this preheating increases the explosibility thereof.

The externally screw-threaded necks 15 and 15' are of such an axial len h as to position the inner end of the attac ment in the internal combustion chamber in such a way that there will be no interference with the operation of the piston or the customary valves.

' The inner end face 16, and more particularly the inner end face 16, serves to deflect and eflicient in operation and maintains the electrodes of the spark plug in a condition of maximum sergiceability and requires no skill in its attachment to the engine; the attachment is simply screwed into the customary spark plu opening in the same way that the spark plug is fixed therein after which the spark plug is connected with the attachment in the manner set forth. The use of the attachment requires no special construction in the engine and requires no changes to be made therein.

The attachment which is in the nature of a shield protects the spark plugs from oil and carbon and, as a matter of fact, prevents carbon caused by excessive oil or a slow burning mixture; the attachment increases the life of the plugs by protectin them from the heat ofthe c linder head which, in many cases, warps t e electrodes and either closes them up or opensthem apart and,'in any case, interferes with the efliciency of the ignition system. Furthermore the porcelain of the lugs is kept away from the intense heat of the cylinders and is thereby guarded against cracking.

y The attachment makes the starting of the engine easier because the gas in the auxiliary explosion chamber 19 is ignited with one turn of the motor on the compression stroke andincidentally sends forth a powerful burst of flame into the c linder similar to the flame of a blow-torch which will ignite either a lean or rich mixture much quicker and more positively than the ordinary spark of the customary spark plug will do it; at the same time every particle of the mixture, including any oil or other foreign matter which may be suspended therein or carried thereby will be completely consumed. The life of the spark plugs and of the entire car, as a matter of fact, is extended and the engine'is given more power and increased flexibility. The possibility of loose bearings, loose wrist pins, universal joints, keyways, loose keys, and loss of power caused by foul spark plugs, is also done away with Various changes in the specific form I claim: 1. An attachment for internal combustion engines comprising a member adapted for connection with an engine cylinder so as to communicate at its inner end with the combustion chamber thereof and to receive a spark plug at its outer end in a having its interior surface roughened inproximity to said apertures and between its inner end and the point at which the spark plug electrodes are intended to 'be located.

2. The combination of a spark plug and a casing connected therewith and covering the electrodes thereof, said casing being adapted for connection with the cylinder of an internal combustion engine and having apertures at its inner end for communication with the combustion chamber of said engine and further being provided with an axlal passage extending inwardly from said apertures toward said electrodes and having its surface roughened, said roughened surface being located between said apertures and said electrodes.

3. The combination of a spark plug and a casing connected therewith and covering the electrodes thereof, said casing being adapted for connection with the cylinder of an internal combustion engine and having apertures at its inner end, said casing further having an interior auxiliary explosive chamber in which said electrodes are located and an axial passage extending from said chamber to said apertured end and having its surface roughened, said roughened surface being located between said apertures and said electrodes.

4:. The combination of a spark plug and a casing connected therewith and covering the electrodes thereof, said casing being adapted for connection with the cylinder of an internal combustion engine and having atapered inner end provided with apertures, said casing further having an interior auxiliary explosion chamber in which said electrodes are located and an axial passage extending from said chamber to said apertured .end and having its surface screwthreaded to provide a roughness thereon, said screw threaded surface bein located between said apertures and said e ectrodes.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set m hand.

y iavnvc MQDOWELL.

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