US2061002A - Generator for use with internal combustion engines - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 17,1936. c, MORLEY GENERATOR FOR UsE WITH INTERNAL comBusTioN ENelNEs Filed June, 21, 1954 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 'Cfidrlas E Morley ATTORNEY.

Nov. 17, 1936. I c, MORLEY I 2,061,002

' GENERATOR FOR USE WITH INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed June 21, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4/ 40 if 49 v I INVENTOR. CfiarZeS Z: M0716 W z/al A TTORNE Y.

Patented Nov. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES GENERATOR FOR USE WITH INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES cranes E. Morley, Detroit, Mich.

Application June 21, 1934, Serial No. 731,682"

' Claims. (Cl. 122-24) This invention relates to steam generators, the object being to provide a boiler associated with the automobile engine to receive the heat of the combustion gases to quickly transform a small 5 body of water to steam, the quantity of-water in the boiler being insufficient to produce pressures destructive of the apparatus.

It is further an object and feature of the invention to provide a steam generator including a boiler element carried in the casing which may be inserted in the spark plug aperture of the engine and opening to the combustion chamber whereby the combustion gases may circulate about the boiler element to heat the water.

It is further an object and feature of the invention to provide a steam generating apparatus consisting of a boiler element attachable to the engine cylinder as hereinafter described.

These and other objects and novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and the preferred form of construction of a steam generator embodying my inven-. tion is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section showing one form of my improved steam generating device.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section showing the boiler construction taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken through the sleeve supported in the partitionbetween the body and engine compartment.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of another form of the device.

Fig. 5 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4. 7

In Fig. 1, the partition wall between the passenger and engine compartments of an automobile is indicated at i, a portion of the engine being indicated at 2 and the combustion chamber at 3. In the engine head is a threaded aperture 4 in which the spark plug 5 is usually threaded. In this case, however, the boiler element 6 has a tubular extension I of the casing 8 threaded in the spark plug opening. The boiler element comprises an external casingB of a hollow cone like form having a cap 9 secured to the upper open end thereof in any approved manner as by threading the same thereinto. The cap 9 has a central depression l0 formed with a threaded aperture to receive the threaded end of the spark plug 5. The boiler proper consists of a cone like element ll hollow inform and having a central aperture I! with which the spark plug is closely associated and in alignment with the extension I of the casing thus providing a passageway for gases.

On the compression stroke of the engine piston, the gases are forced into the passageway I and aperture i2 opening to the spark plug terminals and are ignited by the spark plug in the usual manner. Thus the heat of the burning gases is applied directly to this boiler element H which is spaced from the cap and walls of the casing 8 permitting the burning gases to pass about the inner and outer walls of the boiler as well as centrally thereof at the point 12.

The boiler structure, indicated generally at 6, is comparatively small, the boiler at its upper end preferably for the usual automobile being about four inches in diameter and the distance from the top of the boiler to the bottom also about four inches in length. As this boiler will hold less than one-half pint of water, the water is quickly changed to steam and the radiator practically immediately will transfer heat to the passenger compartment. There is a hollow tubular stud l3 secured to the upper end of the boiler element at one side and extends through an aperture in the cap 9 provided therefor and a gasket I4 is provided about the tube i3-between the upper edge of the boiler and the cap and a similar gasket i5 is provided between the cap and the nut Hi thereon. Thus the aperture for the tube I3 is sealed to prevent an escape of steam. The steam line I! is connected to the hollow stud l3 as by means of a coupling l8 of any approved form. On the diametrically opposite side of the boiler element II is a tubular stud l9 which extends outwardly through the cap in the same manner as the stud l3 and connected by a similar coupling with the return line 20. The tubular stud H! has an extension 2i leading to nearly the bottom of the boiler while the tubular stud l3 opens directly to the top of the boiler.

The partition wall l has an aperture for a threaded sleeve 2|, which sleeve, as will be understood from Fig. 3, has a slot 22 therein to receive the lines l1 and 20 which are preferably spaced apart as shown.

The end of the sleeve extends from the passenger compartment into the engine compartmerit and is there provided with a nut 23 and lock washer 35 and the opposite end of the sleeve is provided with a large head 24 which is preferably provided with points Mo on the face thereof toward the partition I- that are caused to cut into the partitionmember by the tightening of the nut 23 and thus hold the sleeve from accidental rotation. The head 24 also has a bracket 25 on each of its opposite sides which brackets extend upwardly and inwardly of the passenger compartment to beneath a clamping band 26 on the motor casing, the two brackets being on diametrically opposite sides of the motor casing and suspending the motor. These brackets are outturned at the ends 28 and may be attached in any desired manner as by a bolt '29 to the radiator casing 30. It is not important what the radiator structure may be but preferably the outer shell 30 is open at 3| in the rear face and within this outer shell is a cylindrical shell 34 of hexagonal cross section having tubes 34a. extending therethrough from the front to the rear through which air may be drawn. To the upper end of the shell 34 is connected the conduit [1 for the heated fluid and to the lower side is con nected the return line 20. The motor casing is supported centrally of the inner radiator element 34 and a fan 32 on the motor shaft is forward of. this radiator element 34 by means of which air is drawn through the tubes and across the radiator. A shutter member having the blades 33 is mounted on the shell 30, which blades may be hinged if desired to vary the direction of flow of the heated air.

The boiler element, indicated generally at 40, extends to one side only of the spark plug as will be understood from the plan view Fig. 5. It is sometimes necessary to use this construction due to the peculiarity of construction of the engine or parts associated therewith on or adjacent the -upper ends of the engine cylinder which would prevent the use of a cone form of. boiler socket has a flanged opening indicated at 46 and in this opening is an externally flanged hollow ferrule 41 threaded into the spark plug opening 45. The ferrule 41 may be notched on opposite sides as at 48 to permit an operator to thread the same to place and to thus secure the boiler structure imposition. The ferrule is diametrically opposite a threaded opening in the upper wall of the neck in which the spark plug 49 is inserted. The spark plug may be of a special form in which the porcelain extension 50 is sufficiently long to enter the ferrule and this carries one terminal 5| of the electric circuit and the ferrule may be provided with the opposing terminal 52.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1, the spark plug is above its normal position in respect to the engine cylinder and in some cases this may be undesirable. shown in Fig. 4, the spark plug terminals occupy the normal position or practically the normal.

position of those of the usual plug when inserted in the threaded aperture 45. The ferrule 41 is of tubular form as shown and the gases on the compression stroke of the engine may be. forced up into the shell or casing formed by the walls 4| and 42. In this casing is mounted the boiler' proper indicated at 53 which may be of comparatively thin metal and provided with a threaded stem 54 at the top of the boiler and a similar stem 55 near the lower end thereof. To these stems are connected respectively the steam and Therefore by the construction return lines of the same character as shown in Fig. 1 leading to a radiator. The boiler 53 in the form shown in Fig. 4 is spaced from the wall of the casing as is the relationship of the parts shown in Fig. 1 permitting the gases of combustion to contact the entire exterior surface of the boiler wall 53. This boiler functions in the same manner and is equally as eflicient as the form,

of construction shown in Fig. 1 and is superior in some respects particularly in that the spark plug, although of special form, has the electric terminals in more technically correct position in the cylinder head of the engine. As both devices are equally as efficient and each incorporates the same generalfeatures of construction and resultant operation, the invention may be embodied in both these or other forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appendedclaims.

' From the foregoing description it will be evident that the device issimple in-- form and is readily disassembled by disconnecting the unions I8 with the respective tubes l3 and IQ of the boiler and, by removal of the nut 23 and lock washer 35, the entire structure may be withdrawn through the opening provided in the partition I for the sleeve. The boiler element may be removed from the engine head whereupon the spark plug 5 may be re-inserted in the aperture 4 of the engine block. It will also be observed that by use of not more than a half pint of water, a continuous flow of steam will be'provided through the line I! to the radiator and of condensed steam through the return line 20 to the boiler and thus a continuous circulation of the steam in the radiator is maintained. Due to the small quantity of water utilized, the pressures to which the structure is submitted are not sufiiciently great to cause disruption of the parts and a quick production of steam results. It has also been found that the engine operates efficiently even through the spark plug 5 be removed a distance from its usual position relative to the combustion chamber of the engine cylinder as the tubular portions 1 and I2 are filled with an explosive gas on the compression stroke. When the fuel charge is fired, there is a considerable flame discharged directly into the combustion chamber and also the burning gases circulate about the walls of the boiler element proper indicated at l l, and thus are in position to be sufficiently heated for the purpose as heretofore stated.

It is to be noted that the boiler structure, which includes the casing 8 as well as the inner boiler shell I I, may be of different form than that shown in the drawings. It is however preferable, whatever the form of the boiler structure may be, that the spark plug 5 should align with the tubular portion 1 supported in the spark plug opening.

It is also pointed out that the boiler and radiator element vary in size, firstly for. different installations as passenger cars, motor busses, aeroplanes etc., some of which require greater heating capacities than a passenger automobile. v Also in'the event it is not desired to reduce thewater to steam, the boiler element and system may be considerably larger and the boiler element need not have so great a surface exposed to the influence of heat of the combustion gases.

Having thus briefly described my invention, its utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a cylinder and a spark plug 2,001,002 opening for the cylinder-[oi a casing provided with a tubular extension threaded into the spark plug-opening, a spark plug mounted in the casing and communicating with the cylinder through-the tubular extension of the casing, an annular water tank mounted in the casing about the spark plug and having an opening in the center between the tubularextension and the spark plug, an inlet and an outlet conduit and means associated therewith (or supporting the water chamber in spaced relationv with the .wall of the casing; the inlet and outlet conduits opening into the water chamber.

2. The combination with an internal co'mlmstion engine having a cylinder and a spark plug opening tor the cylinder, of a casing provided with a tubular extension threaded into the spark plug opening, a spark plug mounted in the casing and communicating with the cylinder through the tubular extension oi the casing, a water chamber mounted within the casing, an inlet and an outlet conduit connected to the water chamber and secured to the casing, and means for supporting the water chamber in spaced relation with the wall of the casing.

8. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a cylinder and a spark plug opening for the cylinder, of a casing provided withga tubular extension threaded into thespark plug opening. a' spark plug mounted in the casing and communicating with the cylinder through the I tubular extension of the casing. a water chamber mounted within the'casing and spaced from the wall 0! the casing and an inlet and outlet connecj tion !or the water-chamber. 4. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a cylinder and a spark plug opening for the cylinder, 0! a casing threaded into the spark plug opening and open to the interior with the interior of the engine cylinder, a' water chamber mounted in the casing and spaced from the wall of the casing. an inlet and an outlet conduit for the water chamber, and a spark plug mounted in the casing.

11:. MORLEY.

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