July 7, 1959
R._ J. HAEFNER
2,893,365
FUEL INJECTION MEANS
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Filed May 51. 1956
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All,
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INVENTOR
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Attornev
United states' Faremo
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ICC
2,893,365
Patented July 7,4 1959
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proximately the lowest point in the chamber. Thus the
bottom of the chamber will act as a sump to collect any
stray fuel which fails to immediately pass »through the ori
tice and to retain the stray fuel immediately adjacent the
orifice so that it may subsequently pass therethrough. A
vent manifold supplies »the air for the envelopes through
inlets in the tops of the chambers. The inlets are pref
2,893,365
FUEL INJECTION
lRaymond J. Haefner, Utica, Mich., assignor to General
Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of
Delaware
Application May 31, 1956,'serta1N0. 588,451
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` 3 claims.
erably disposed adjacent the highest point in the cham
ber and remote from the orifice. Thus any fuel that does
10 not pass through the orifice will collect in the sump and
be prevented from entering the manifold and thereby
passing from one injector assembly to another. Thus
(ci. 12s-119)
even if a surge of air in an induction passage should tem
porarily prevent the iiow of fuel through an orifice, the
'Ifhe present invention relates to internal combustion en 15 fuel will be confined to the area around the orifice and
gines and more particularly to means for injecting fuel
as soon as more favorable conditions are restored, the
into the charge for the cylinders.
fuel will drain into its intended induction passage. It
' ` In the operation of an internal combustion engine, the
will thus be seen that each and every cylinder will re
combustible charge of air and fuel may be formed by
ceive identical quantities of correctly metered fuel.
injecting a metered quantity of fuel into the air as it 20
In the one sheet of drawings:
ñows to the engine cylinders. Since the pressure of the
Figure 1 is a plan view of an engine employing a fuel
air in the induction system iiuctuates over a considerable
injection system embodying the present invention.
range, if an injector nozzle is disposed in an induction
Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the engine taken
>passage it will be subject to such fluctuating pressures.
in the direction of arrow 2-2 in Figure l with parts
Accordingly, it is desirable -to isolate the fuel in the 25 broken away and in section.
nozzles and the fuel system from the effects of these
Figure 3 is a cross sectional view on an enlarged scale
pressure changes. If this is not done the variation in the
of a fuel injector assembly.
v pressures in ltheinduction air will override the metering
mechanism and cause an inaccurate metering of Ithe fuel.
Although the present invention may be used on any
suitable engine, in the present instance it is especially
One simple and very successful means for isolating the 30 adapted to be employed on a so-called V-type engine 10
fuel in the nozzles from the effects of the induction
having a cylinder block 12 with a pair of angularly dis
pressure is to incorporate the nozzle in an injector as
posed cylinder banks 14. Separate cylinder heads 16
sembly having a vent that will create an envelope of
are secured to the banks 14 so that cavities therein will
.substantially
atmospheric air around the nozzle. The
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register with the open ends of the cylinders. These cavi
fuel from the nozzle and the air in the envelope flow 35 ties together with the upper ends of the pistons 18 re
through a small orifice and into an induction passage.
ciprocably disposed in the cylinders form the combustion
' Thus the fuel will be discharged into an envelope of air
chambers 20. In order to charge the cylinders an in
duction system 22 may be provided that includes an in
take manifold 23 having a throttled inlet 24 and a plu
at a substantially constant pressure and thel nozzle will be
isolated from the intake vacuum. Since the air in the
envelope flows through the orifice and is consumed in
the engine, it is desirable to limit the `amount of such
air iiow to less than the amount required for idling
"theengine In addition, where there are a multiplicity
lof ,nou/les, it is desirable that the air supply to the en
velopes produce substantially ident-ical amounts of air
flow through the orifices as otherwise the engine will not
‘run i smoothly, particularly during idling.
Accordingly,
a vent manifold may be provided for supplying the air
40
rality of ram pipes 26 that interconnect the plenum cham
ber 28 with the intake passages 30 in the cylinder heads
16. Intake valves 32 are disposed in the intake passages
30 to time the iiow into the cylinders. It has been found
advantageous to tune the ram pipes 26 in accordance
45 with the charging of the cylinders so that they will reso
nate during one or more engine operating conditions and
thus the surges of `air therein will tend to supercharge
the cylinders.
~tothe individual envelopes in the nozzles. Normally the
In order to form a combustible charge of air and fuel,
-air will always flow in one direction through the nozzle, 50 a fuel injection system 34 may be provided for meter
i.e., the intake vacuum will cause the air in the envelope
ing- and distributing the fuel to the charges for the cylin
to be drawn into the intakepassage. However, under
some circumstances, for example the closing of an intake
ders. This fuel system 34 may include a metering unit
36 responsive to the fuel demands of the engine 10` for
controlling the flow of fuel therethrough. In order to
distribute this metered fuel to the various cylinders, sep
arate injector lines 38 may be provided for each cylin
valve, there may be surges of air or other conditions
that will result in a transient condition in which the air
»y flow will reverse itself and disrupt the flow of fuel
through the orifice and into the intake passages. This
der so as to radiate from the metering unit 36. Tihe out
may cause inaccurate metering of the fuel and in the
let end of each of these injector lines 38 may be equipped
event there is a common vent manifold for supplying air
with separate injector assemblies 40 »that are positioned
to the nozzles, some of the fuel intended for one cylinder 60 to discharge the metered fuel into the induction passages.
may be blown into the vent manifold and carried into
Although the injector assemblies 40 may be mounted at
another nozzle and thence into another cylinder, thereby
any suitable location it has been found desirable to mount
resulting in uneven fuel distribution.
the assemblies 40 on the intake manifold 23 adjacent
It is now proposed to provide an injector nozzle sys
the ends of the ram pipes 26 for spraying a stream of
tem in which a vent manifold common to all of the noz 65 fuel into the intake passage and toward the intake valve.
zles may supply separate quanti-ties of air to the nozzles
It -should be noted that if the injector assemblies 40
`without in any way impairing the uniformity of the fuel
distribution or the accuracy of the metering act-ion. This
ís to be accomplished by providing injector assemblies in
communicate with induction passages 42, they will be
subject to the effects of intake vacuum. Since the in
take vacuum varies over a very wide range the head op
which the nozzles are disposed in chambers that con 70 posing the discharge of the fuel into the induction pas
tain the isolating envelope of atmospheric air. An ori
sages 42 will also vary and cause a considerable varia
`ficethrough whichthe fuelmust pass is disposed atap- . . tion in the flow of metered fuel. In fact, under Asome
aseaaßs
3
How
ever, -since the entrances 68 to the chambers v60 are ar
ranged to prevent the escape of any fuel therethrough,
there will be no maldistribution of the fuel.
lines 38.
During normal operation of the engine 10 there will
Vil
be a small amount of air flowing through the vent mani
fold 70 and into the chambers 60 -to form envelopes
from'the elfects'of the _intake'_vacuum,`íthefinjectordas
_semblies 40 ’may besimil‘ar to those disclosed and >_clarr'ned
of atmospheric zair aroundY theînozzles?ti.` This air will
in copending application’_SeriahNor’S 12,175, Fuel ln
then flow througlf'the orifices 6'4 and into vthe induction
jection Nozzle> iiledl May 31,1955', in the nameso͑Max
_Homfeld and Stephen“ Kalmar vandnow abandoned. l‘In
10
the ram pipes 26 to the cylinders. The metering'mech
posed in .a_`passage'44 extending downwardly~`from the
anisrn 34 will be eiîectivel-to sense v'_theffuel_demands of
/face"'46 of a padf48on ‘theside‘of 4the* intake manifold
the engine'ltl and( to meter the fuel in proportion there
23. ~`'I_lhis passage 44 visoblique to the _induction passage
to. This supplyrof meteredv fuel will~v then be forced to
'willbe aimed_'in__the
generalldirectionof the intake Valves `~312.
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passagesAZ. «AtpthesameÁ .time the primary .supply of
air will enter the y,throttle valve inlet y24 and ñow through
the presentinstance the injectorassernblies '4h 'are dis
ÄZ, so'that itopens fthereinto
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common supply of air to all of the envelopes.
conditions the vacuum may even become large enough
to 'cause unmetered fuel Jflow from the injectionsystem
34 and/or the formation of fuel vapors in the injector
flow through the injector lines 3S and into injector as
semblies 4t). The fuel will be discharged from Ithe noz
'
injector,assemblyätlfincludes a member 5t) hav
î_ing a cylindrical'e‘jrterior that fits intofthe passage 42
zle v66 as a `streamairned to pass through. theoritice 64
Yso‘that'lthe end- thereof will rest on a shoulder SZin the
passage 42'. A spring clamp 54 fastened to they 'face 46
Although the entire stream .of fuel -is intended’to unin
and> mix with the chrèlrgein- >the induction:passagesv 42.
terruptedly iiow through'` an korifice A64„:there may _be pe
riods duringwhich this` condition does .not prevail. _Eor
example, ,when an intake ',valve.
suddenly closes,` `it
mayÍ retain the memb'erfSt't in the passage 42. Tlhe mem
ber* 5'0 includes'a lowerV portion’56 and an upper 'portion
58 that are separated‘from eachother by a chamber
60. The lower portion "56 includes a conical depression
may cause a surge of `air to be reflected backupjthezin
L62’ that'forrnsone end of the. charnberoii` _and a small
diameter passage or ~orifice 64_'that extends ¿the rest of
duction passageY 4t2.> rl'his surgeof air‘rnayhaveisuflì
the chamber'60 with »the ‘induction passage 4Z; "_The
upper portion 58 of _the member- _50 includes' a nozzle
í66- that-'p'rojects intoi‘said chamber ‘60 concentric ` with
the passage 42 ¿and is aimed at the orifice_§64. '_ A passage
6_8ge`jrtends1through'the vupper portion 58 so as to be in~
and into- the chamber 60. ï-Since this pufI" .will _Ãbef of
very short duration andthe _orifice 64 is of :small s_ize,
cientfpressure to'__ca_use a. small Ípuff of _air ¿to be _blown
fromV the ç,induction passage 42 through¿_-the¿.orii_ice„¿64
`the‘way through >the ,lower portion 456 to interconnect
30
can cause> the ~fuel to _be blown backintoìthe chamber
60( ThisV `fuel Ywill tend to collect inthe sump formed
fby the bottom-of the chamber .'60 4around the orifice ,_64.
>`:te'r'cc‘innected _with vtheoutlet"end of ‘the injector line 33.
Thus the nozzle 66 may ldirect a stream fof metered fuel
_thro'gh said o?ifice'64~ and into said induction passage
42 -in, the directionof the intake valve 32.
35
is restored, lthe fuel .will again .pass ,through Ítheoriijice
_Maand be mixed with' the charge.- YV'I_'hu'sfall ofthe. nie
tered fuelWillÍ-be consumed inthe._cylinderfforV _which it
lIt'has been found that _byhaving _the passage 42 at
an _ahgle to< thehorizontal the _lower end ofthe cham
adjacentthe'oriiice 64'whic‘n is at or 'immediately/'_ adja
cent Vthe lowest portionofthe ohamberót). Thusin the
event _the'fuel discharged from 'the nozzle?ó shouldfail
to4 pass through the Vvorií‘iceuóft, itV _will collect around the
lSubsequently, when _the air ñow'vfrorn ,the chamber 60
through the orifice 64 and intothe induction'pas‘s‘ageAZ
'
ber-"'60 Will- actas a Vsump softhat: the fuel will collect
fthe puff wilhquickly dissipateitself in the’vvchamberî60,
Thus if theÍfuel stream has lvery -little inertiaïéthe pun'
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Ais’intenderl.A
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Various changes and modiñcationsof Vthe embodiment
of the _invention described ,herein may „be made‘by ¿those
skilled in _the art without departinglfroin >¿the spirit .and
orificev64 4and drain into the induction passages 42.
principles of the invention.
>'It willl bel seen >that the fuel is discharged from a nozzle
I claim:
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l. in an enginel having a cyl-inderwith an induction
66 that is` disposed in an envelopeof air contained in
side ofthe c_thamber 60. ' »By continuously supplying air
passagey interconnected therewith by means of> a'nwint'ake
to "this 'chamber 6(1)Üthe _pressureof the air in the en
valve, an injector assembly adapted to `befmounted`fin a
velope may be maintained at a substantially constant
`value`which approximates atmosphericpressure irre- ,
passageextending through aÍs'ide- wall of saidinduction
passage for spraying metered quantities offuel into'_said
spective of the vacuum present inside of the manifold
_23. In order to maintain the pressure in the envelope
yat or near atmospheric pressure it is necessary to provide
ysaid injector assembly comprising an elongated fcham
induction passage in the direction'offsaid'intake valve,
ber having an orifice at the lower end thereof opening
into Vsaid induction passage, said chamber~ being .inclined
a_frelativelydunobstructed source of airito the‘chamber
_60"s’o that the orifice 64- will be ythe primary factor _lim
to the horizontal _toforr'n asump adjacent Í'said orifice
positioned> to collect lfuel therein, said'fsump tapering
toward said orifice, Va nozzle disposedk in saidl chamber
itingthe _air flow into ‘the _induction passage 42. This air
preferably/,enters the chamberßí) by an entrance 68 lo
cated ‘at or immediately adjacent the upper end of the
chamber'60. Thus _the entrance 68 to the chamber 6i)
will be disposed remote from and _considerably above the
orifice 64 and the jsump._ Consequently, any fuel which
fails to immediately pass throughfthe oriñce 64> will col
and being connected to a source ofzkmeteîred -fuelfor
60
discharging a stream of said metered` _fuel therefrom,
said nozzle >being disposed in spacedrelation to _s_aid
opening for directing saidvstream~ of f_uel therethrough
and toward said intake valve, and a comparatively unre
lect aroundthe orifice 64 andv will not 4corne near the en
trance 68. This will -eliminatethe,t'endency’for any fuel
that is intended to pass Vthrough the orilice 64 leaving
through the entrance 68. u In order to conveniently filter
stricted air entrance into _said chamber disposed above
said sump for supplying air _to said chamber.
2. _In an engine haying a plurality ofcylinders ,and
and’uniformly regulate the flow of air to the chambers
ing said cylinders, a plurality of injector _assemblies for
60, it _may be desirable to provide a ventmanifold '7f3
spraying metered quantities of fuel from a fuel meter
ing system into said induction passages and a vent mani
Vsuchas disclosed vand claimed in copending `application
_Serial No. 512,170, Atmospheric Vent for Fuel -lnjection
Nozzle ~iiled May >3.l,`l955„in the names ¿of John Dolza
and Raymon I.' k`Haefner now Patent No. 2,833,260, is
an induction system with induction lpassages for „charg
70 fold, each of said assemblies. comprising an ~elongated
chamber having` an orifice at the lower end thereof
_opening into one of said induction passages, saidfcham
ber including a tapered fuel sump portion terminating
sued _May»6, 1958.' V'.Thismanifold «'70 includes a filter
:at said orifice, saidchamber being inclined _to the hori
v_inlet72 Vand, a pair oflarms 'V74 that extend along -thetwo
cylinders. _.Thislarrapgement will __insure a 75 zontalsuch that any fuel therein -will- ñ'ow toward the
2,893,365
5
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tapered sump to drain through said orifice into the in
duction passage, a nozzle disposed in said chamber and
stantially unobstructed inlets opening into the tops there
' being connected to said fuel system for discharging a
stream of fuel therefrom, said nozzle being positioned
in spaced relation to said opening for directing said
stream of fuel therethrough and into said induction pas
sage Vand an air entrance into said chamber disposed re
mote from said opening and above said sump, said vent
manifold being interconnected With said entrances for
supplying air at substantially atmospheric pressure tc» 10
said chambers.
3. In a V-type engine having a pair of angularly dis
posed banks of cylinders, an induction system having
induction passages for charging said cylinders, fuel noz
zles disposed in separate chambers for directing streams
of metered vfuel from a fuel system through restricted
orifices in the bottoms of said chambers and into said
induction passages, each of said chambers having sub»
of, a vent manifold connected to said inlets for supply
ing atmospheric air to the tops of said chambers that
may pass through said oriiices and into said induction
passages, said chambers being arranged to`form coni
cal sumps having their apices terminating in the re
stricting orifices of said chambers so that any residual
fuel in said chambers will collect in said sumps and
drain through said oriñces with said air.
References Cited ín the ñle of this patent
UNITED STATES PATENTS
2,157,034
2,511,213
Tice ________________ __ May 2, 1939
Leslie ______________ __ June 13, 1950
FOREIGN PATENTS
520,965
710,213
France ______________ _.. Feb. 24, 1921
Great Britain ________ _„ June 9, 1954