Abstract: A throttle body includes a secondary passageway having an inlet communicating with a central passageway upstream of a throttle plate disposed in the central passageway. An outlet communicates with an intake manifold of the engine downstream of the throttle plate to allow fluid flow to bypass the throttle plate. A pocket is formed in the throttle body and a seat is formed at the bottom of the pocket to communicate with the secondary passageway. A motor is disposed within the pocket and secured to the throttle body and cooperates with the seat for metering predetermined amounts of fluid flow past the seat. An opening is formed intersecting with the pocket and the outlet to form an internal flow path within the throttle body to allow fluid flow past the seat to flow through the outlet and bypass the throttle plate when in the closed position.

Abstract: An electronic fuel injection system operable as a bolt on retro fit replacement for a wide variety of carburetors is disclosed. The system includes a throttle body-injector assembly which, by means of an adapter may be bolted directly to stock intake manifolds using the carburetor mounting bolt holes in the manifold. The throttle body passages and injectors are designed to meet the fuel and air delivery requirements of large displacement engines and an electronic control unit which controls the solenoid actuated injectors in a duty cycle operation is provided with externally accessible adjustments by means of which the system may be adjusted to tune the rate of fuel injection to the fuel delivery requirements of engines of displacements much smaller than the largest displacement engine within the systems capability.

Abstract: This invention is a computer-based engine-diagnostic method wherein there are provided lists of observable engine faults and causes for each observable engine fault. A user inputs one or more observed engine faults, and the software responds by displaying, in decreasing order by number of occurrences, causes which are common to two or more of the observed engine faults. Thus, the most probable causes for the observed engine faults appear at the head of the display. Additionally, once a probable cause is determined, the software is enabled to display other engine faults which should be observable, given the selected cause.

Abstract: Various forms of control modules incorporating multiple solenoid actuated valves and passages are disclosed. All disclosed modules include a one piece sheet metal mounting bracket upon which the multiple valves and a manifold may be assembled in a frictional snap fit assembly procedure. The one piece sheet metal mounting bracket is formed with a pair of spaced parallel vertical webs at least, one being formed with a double thickness of the sheet metal material and provided with U-shaped recesses extending into the web from its upper edge. The U-shaped recesses are adapted to snugly receive a portion of each valve housing which is formed with a pair of spaced radially outwardly projecting flanges which frictionally grip the opposed sides of the doubled web to hold the valve assemblies in a seated position. The other web engages the rearward ends of each valve assembly. Several variant assembly techniques are disclosed.

Abstract: A fuel injection fuel supply system for a combustion engine has a fuel injector valve assembly effective for metering and injecting metered fuel into the engine induction system; the valve assembly is shown having a plurality of reed-like valving members each of which is opened and closed in response to the energization and de-energization of an electrical field generating coil which is a part of the injector valve assembly.

Abstract: A system and method for removing heavy metals, such as hexavalent chromium from water. The system comprises at least two reactor containers for independently mixing chemicals with water. The system further comprises a flocculator and a clarifier whereby each container can separately treat water therein and separately transfer the treated water to the flocculator such that water treated in batches at the containers can be treated in a relatively independent manner with relatively constant results. The method of chemically treating the water in the containers includes decreasing the pH value, adding a reducing agent and then increasing the pH value in preparation for precipitating the heavy metals in the clarifier.

Abstract: A solenoid actuated pressure control valve includes a solenoid coil having a central passage extending axially through the coil. An armature is movable axially within the coil passage to be magnetically attracted to the pole piece when the coil is energized. Fluid pressure at a supply port of the valve biases the armature to its opposite end limit of movement when the coil is deenergized. Various forms of valving arrangements are disclosed, in one of which valve heads are located on the opposite ends of the armature to engage either of opposed valve seats dependent on whether the coil is energized or not. In other arrangements, the armature engages a push rod to unseat one valve upon energization of the coil while closing a seond valve. The one valve is biased to its closed position by supply port pressure when the coil is deenergized, the push rod opening the other valve.

Abstract: A hubodometer (10) for attachment to a vehicle's wheel structure for sensing a rotation of the wheel structure and for converting the sensed rotation to a distance travelled. The hubodometer comprises an outer housing (12) having a permanent magnet (28) affixed thereto for generating a magnetic field and a coupler (14) for coupling the housing to the wheel structure such that the outer housing rotates therewith. The hubodometer further comprises an anti-rotation mechanism (16) rotatably coupled within the outer housing, the mechanism having a plurality of components (18,20,22,24,30) coupled thereto, the components being stabilized against rotation thereby. The components include an electronic controller (20) and a plurality of magnetic field sensors (30). The plurality of sensors are disposed relative to the housing such that as the magnet rotates thereabout all of the plurality of magnetic field sensors do not simultaneously sense the magnetic field.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to fuel control systems for combustion engines such as gas turbines used in helicopters and the like, and more specifically relates to a fuel control transfer system which permits the substitution of one fuel control device for another which is supplying fuel to an operating combustion engine, without interruption of, or adverse effect on continued operation of the engine.

Abstract: A rod seal for establishing a seal between an elongate rod and a housing wall around an enlarged opening in the wall through which the rod projects provides a close fitting sliding seal between the rod and the seal to accommodate longitudinal reciprocation of the rod relative to the seal and housing and also provides a sliding seal between the seal and housing wall to accommodate lateral movement of the rod relative to the housing. The sleeve is of a two piece construction which is assembled by a snap fit after the rod has been inserted into one element of the seal so that an enlarged end of the rod may be passed through an opening in the one seal element and the subsequent assembly of the second element achieves a close sliding fit with the unenlarged diameter section of the rod.

Abstract: A purge valve for a vehicle mounted fuel vapor recovery system is made up of a main housing and two end caps which snap fit together to seal and mount a computer controlled solenoid valve and a diaphragm controlled regulating valve. The housing is designed so that the required valve seats are integrally molded in the housing as are the various internal passages and chambers. A compression post formed on one end cap seats the solenoid assembly firmly against an abutment surface on the housing.

Abstract: A throttle plate actuator and apparatus for controlling the pivotal position of a carburetor or throttle body throttle plate. The throttle plate actuator includes a rotor having a rotatable shaft mounted in a housing. First and second permanent magnets of opposite polarity directions are mounted on the rotatable shaft in spaced, facing relationship. A stator in the form of an electromagnet constructed of first and second pole pieces normally surrounds the facing portions of the first and second permanent magnets. At least one electrical conductor is wound in a plurality of turns to form a winding about each pole piece. When energized, the windings induced a magnetic field in the pole pieces which generate a predetermined magnetic torque proportional to the amount of current flowing through the windings to overcome the bias of the return spring attached to the throttle plate so as to rotate the rotor and attached throttle plate a predetermined angular amount.

Abstract: An onboard fuel vapor recovery system for a motor vehicle includes a fill neck assembly mounted at the inlet end of a dual passage fuel tank fill pipe in which fuel dispensed into the fuel tank during a refueling operation passes through an inner conduit while fuel vapor displaced from the tank by incoming fuel passes upwardly through a vapor passage between the inner conduit and an outer conduit loosely surrounding the inner conduit, the fill neck assembly including a vapor valve movable to an open position in response to unsealing of the inlet to the inner conduit in preparation for a refueling operation, opening of the vapor valve permitting fuel vapor displaced from the tank during the refueling operation to flow into a vapor receiving canister from which the vapor is subsequently withdrawn for combustion in the vehicle engine, the fill neck assembly also including a float valve for signalling the filling of the tank to capacity and a pressure relief valve in the fill neck assembly protecting the system i

Abstract: An adjustable air cleaner fastening assembly adapted for interconnecting predetermined centers of an air cleaner cover or housing and carburetor on an engine, the centers being eccentric. A base fastening portion engages the predetermined center of the carburetor on the engine. An air cleaner housing or cover fastening portion engages the base fastening portion and the predetermined center of the air cleaner cover for adjustably maintaining a predetermined distance between the predetermined center of the air cleaner cover and the predetermined center of the carburetor.

Abstract: The wiper or movable contact of an electrical potentiometer employs fingers of an oval-like transverse cross section to increase the useful service life of the potentiometer in application such as a throttle position sensor where the potentiometer may be subjected to mechanical vibration, repeated random shock loading, constant movement, etc.

Abstract: A manifold for distributing a fluid to a plurality of fluid ports, and a method for manufacturing the manifold. The manifold comprises a first tubular means forming a first tube, a second tubular means forming a second tube extending axially outwardly beyond said first tubular means, support means connected to one end of said first tubular means for supporting said second tubular means in spaced relationship to said first tubular means, and housing means molded about said first and second tubular means for forming an integral manifold.

Abstract: A solenoid actuated valve for regulating the fluid pressure at a control port by cyclically connecting the control port alternately to a fluid pressure supply source and to a sump includes a sleeve-like valve member slidably mounted on a fixed valve member for movement between two positions in response to energization or deenergization of the solenoid coil. The valve sleeve is the armature of the solenoid and operates within an internal chamber in the valve housing with pressure within the chamber balanced against its opposite ends. Energization and deenergization of the solenoid coil may be controlled by a processor which supplies a pulse width modulated electric control signal variable in response to processor inputs to establish a control port pressure which is accurately linearly related to the time duration of the pulse width modulated signal.

Abstract: A valve employed in applications where the valve is rapidly cyclically opened and closed over extended periods of time is constructed in a manner such that the impact between a rapidly moving metal valve head and metal valve seat at valve closure is minimized to reduce noise and wear. The valve head engaging element of the valve seat may take the form of a frusto conical belleville washer located with its concave side resting on a flat planar wall surface in the valve housing or a flat washer bridging a frusto conical wall surface in the housing. Fluid filling the recess between the opposed surfaces of the washer and housing wall is expressed from the recess as the frusto conical washer is axially compressed against the wall by the closing valve head to further cushion or damp the resiliently resisted compression of the washer.

Abstract: A side channel pump (10) has a pumping cavity (26) which includes an inlet port (78), a discharge port (80) and side channels (72,74). An impeller (54) is mounted for rotation in the pumping cavity. A reservoir (20) holds an ample supply of liquid for pump priming and pump cooling during periods of gas pumping. A bypass suction duct (24) carries liquid from the reservoir to the pumping cavity during priming, gas pumping and normal operating and a bypass return duct (22) returns some discharged liquid to the reservoir during gas pumping and normal operation. The reservoir acts as a heat sink to enable the liquid ring formed during gas pumping operation to absorb more heat and provide pump cooling.

Abstract: A boundary layer thrust vector control nozzle (10) has a housing (18), the aft end of which has attached a control vane assembly (12). The control vane assembly includes two brackets (78, 80) which receive two vanes (86,88) such that the vanes are in spaced parallel relationship and extend across the exhaust opening. The vanes have equal but opposite angles of attack and are adapted to generate large side forces in a perpendicular plane and small side forces in a plane parallel to the vanes. The nozzle includes four sets of control ports (44, 46) for deflecting an exhaust plume to produce the large and small side forces also to produce significant roll moments.