Abstract: The pressure of the air delivered to an internal combustion engine is measured by sensing the difference between the pressure in the inlet of the engine induction passage and the pressure in an accelerated air flow region of the engine induction passage when the engine throttle is closed.

Abstract: A low emission combustor assembly particularly suited for an automotive gas turbine engine has an inlet plenum supplied with regenerated compressor discharge, an exhaust plenum, a diffusion flame combustion chamber disposed between the inlet and exhaust plenums, and a catalytic combustion chamber also disposed between the inlet and exhaust plenums so that parallel flow paths are established between the inlet and exhaust plenums. During engine start-up, fuel is supplied only to the diffusion flame combustion chamber and regenerated compressor discharge simultaneously flowing through the catalytic combustion chamber heats the catalyst to operating temperature and cools and dilutes exhaust from the diffusion flame combustion chamber.

Abstract: Adjustable swirl developing vane means are provided in the outlet end portions of the intake ports of an internal combustion engine adjacent the intake valve heads to provide variable swirl of cylinder intake charges through adjustment of the vane positions. Both rigid and flexible adjustable vane arrangements are disclosed as are various means for positioning the vanes.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided with intake ports having transversely intersecting, longitudinally extending, wall defining cellular passages for intake flow. Selective control of both the location and volume of flow are provided by various means such as slidable entrance valves or an adjustable connecting manifold. In the latter case, movement of the manifold may variably control the flow of either air-fuel mixture or air through the various cellular passages in the respective intake ports.

Abstract: An improved gas turbine engine combustor assembly particularly for automotive application including a primary reaction chamber disposed in a pressurized air plenum of the engine, fixed area air flow ports between the reaction chamber and the plenum, a prechamber housing at an upstream end of the reaction chamber having an annular fixed area air passage between the plenum and the reaction chamber, a radially expandable annular partition in the air passage dividing the latter into an inner annular prechamber portion and an outer annular excess air portion, and a fuel nozzle operative to spray fuel into the prechamber portion where it vaporizes and mixes with air passing through the prechamber portion to provide a combustible mixture of properly lean air-fuel ratio in the combustor. The flow areas of the prechamber portion and the excess air portion vary in mutually inverse relationship and combine to always substantially equal the flow area of the air passage.

Abstract: Adjustable swirl developing vane means are provided in the outlet end portions of the intake ports of an internal combustion engine adjacent the intake valve heads to provide variable swirl of cylinder intake charges through adjustment of the vane positions. Both rigid and flexible adjustable vane arrangements are disclosed as are various means for positioning the vanes.

Abstract: A hybrid bearing assembly includes a shaft rotatably supportable within a shaft housing by a hydrodynamic foil bearing acting in parallel with an antifriction bearing. The shaft is supported solely by the antifriction bearing at zero and low shaft speeds, and is supported solely by the foil bearing at the running speed. As the shaft accelerates from low speeds through running speed, support of the shaft is shared between the antifriction bearing and the foil bearing which act in parallel.

Abstract: In order to improve volumetric efficiency and to encourage swirling flow inside a combustion chamber of a reciprocating engine, an intake valve is provided having its stem located eccentrically with respect to the head of the valve. The valve stem guide bore in the cylinder head of the engine is correspondingly located to one side of the axis of the intake port and, preferably, toward the center of the combustion chamber. In addition, drive means are associated with the valve whereby it is oscillated about the axis of the stem so as to bias the flow area, upon opening movement of the valve, in a direction so as to direct an induction charge into the combustion chamber in a flow direction substantially tangential to the cylinder wall.

Abstract: A stratified charge spark ignition internal combustion engine is arranged to provide a preferably centered target recess on the end of the piston to redirect fuel spray injected against the recess back into the central portion of the combustion chamber to form a centralized relatively rich core or mixture cloud surrounded by an annular body of air. The size of the centered mixture cloud is load variable as determined by the volume and timing of injection as well as other factors. A preferred embodiment includes a target shape which compensates for limited eccentricity and angularity of the nominally axial injection spray to maintain a relatively even distribution of fuel within the mixture cloud. An alternative arrangement also includes a small ignition antechamber surrounding the end of the injection nozzle.

Abstract: An engine having piston-controlled cylinder air intake ports into which lubricating oil may be carried during engine operation is fitted with porous liners in the cylinder intake ports which receive the lubricating oil to prevent its being carried by the inlet air into the engine combustion chamber and exhaust system. Collection and return passages are provided to receive oil drained from the porous liners and return it to the engine crankcase and oil sump. A slight flow of pressurized air from the engine air chamber aids the draining and return passage of oil from the porous liners to the crankcase.

Abstract: Spark ignition internal combustion engine arrangements are disclosed wherein swirling stratified charges are formed in the engine combustion chambers, each charge having a central core of relatively fuel-rich mixture and a surrounding peripheral portion of leaner mixture or air, and in which the exhaust valve for each chamber is connected with the fuel-lean peripheral portion so that during the exhaust process the portions of the burned gases which are lowest in unburned hydrocarbons will be preferentially exhausted, leaving those portions richest in hydrocarbons as residual gases within the chamber.

Abstract: A variable spray direction fuel injection nozzle includes a cylindrical nozzle body having a stepped bore therein defining at one end a first cavity and a second cavity of reduced size terminating at a closed end wall at the opposite end of the nozzle body, the nozzle body further having a fuel inlet in communication with the first cavity, the wall of the nozzle body being provided with a radial through spray orifice extending into the second cavity closely adjacent to the end wall, a cup-shaped, cylindrical valve open at one end being slidably mounted within the second cavity with its open end opening into the first cavity, the valve adjacent to its closed end being provided with a radially extending through slot, the valve being angularly fixed relative to the nozzle body so that the slot in the valve is in angular alignment with the spray orifice in the nozzle body, a spring being positioned within the nozzle body to normally bias the valve in an axial direction relative to the nozzle body whereby the slot

Abstract: A separator for removing sulfuric acid from a hot gas stream comprising a substantially cylindrical body having tangentially arranged inlet and outlet conduits to create a vortical flow path of the gas being treated, means being provided for adding cooling air to the gas, the inner surface of the body being provided with baffle means to cause a high degree of turbulence in the gases at the surface which is maintained at a temperature below that for condensation of sulfuric acid.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided with means for creating a vortical stratified charge in a preferably axisymmetric combustion chamber which may be conical in shape. Excessive mixing of rich and lean mixtures, which make up the stratified charge, is avoided by first admitting a homogeneous lean mixture on the intake stroke through a swirl port to develop a vortical motion and subsequently admitting a rich air-fuel mixture toward the end of the intake stroke directed so as to form a swirling pattern of rich mixture around the spark plug. Means are provided for directing and timing the admission of lean and rich mixtures.

Abstract: Creation of a swirling stratified air-fuel charge in an engine combustion chamber is aided by a curved vane or scoop fixedly mounted on the cylinder end and arranged to divide the vortex gas flow introduced through the intake passage into segregated peripheral and core portions. The scoop may also serve as a fuel vaporizing surface and collector for surface quench products. Various arrangements are disclosed for forming a rich mixture in the central core portion adjacent the spark plug to provide the ignition and combustion advantages of a stratified charge.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine having an air flow sensitive fuel sink-distribution-source arrangement that intercepts the liquid fuel film on the intake passage wall adjacent the intake port entry to the combustion chamber and accumulates this fuel on reduced air flow and releases the accumulated fuel to the intake port on increased air flow while distributing the accumulated fuel about the intake port.

Abstract: A rotary engine is provided with a plenum that is charged with relatively high-pressure hot gaseous products from the working chambers during the gas expansion process but after rapid combustion is completed and then discharges these products into a trailing portion of the working chambers during the remainder of their expansion phase to cause mixing of the gases in the trailing portion with the other gases in the chamber.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine system having a pressurized liquid coolant system whose coolant level automatically adjusts to effect rapid combustion chamber surface temperature rise on cold start. The coolant system includes a valve which automatically opens to drain coolant from the coolant system to a reservoir in response to coolant system pressure falling below a predetermined value because of temperature decrease on engine shut-off to establish a below-normal coolant level relative to the combustion chamber surface when the engine is cold and permits the drained coolant to be pumped back to the coolant system on cold start and then closes in response to coolant system pressure rise above the predetermined value because of coolant temperature increase on engine start-up to establish and maintain the normal coolant level for engine cooling.