Abstract: Control of cylinder swirl in an internal combustion engine is provided by a swirl generating inlet port having a movable wall to vary the cross-sectional area of the port in a swirl portion surrounding the valve axis. In a preferred embodiment, a wall of thin flexible spring material extends the length of the port and is tensioned or released to vary the flow area.

Abstract: A method and means for controlling diesel particulate emissions involves providing an exhaust trap filter to collect exhaust particulates at a point near the engine exhaust ports and providing means to periodically vent burning combustion chamber gases to the exhaust filter to initiate combustion and incineration of the collected particulates. Various means for conducting burning mixture to ignite the particulates in the filter are disclosed.

Abstract: The noise level of a V-type diesel engine is reduced by providing a multi-piece intake manifold system including a pair of separate intake manifolds mounted on the inside valley defining walls of the engine cylinder banks and joined by an air supplying manifold connector mounted on both manifolds with isolation mounting means that limit the transmission of noise creating vibrations to the connector and between the manifolds and their respective cylinder banks.

Abstract: Diesel exhaust particulates are efficiently trapped by incineration cleanable ceramic monolith porous wall filter elements. A number of arrangements for high efficiency elements having high filtration area in compact units are disclosed as are exemplary methods of construction.

Abstract: In preferred embodiments, the pistons of a 4-stroke cycle diesel engine are provided with blowby storage chambers between two upper piston rings and a scavenging system to flush out blowby gases from the storage chambers when the pistons are at or near their bottom positions of piston motion. The scavenged blowby gas is recirculated to the engine induction system or may be conducted directly to the associated combustion chambers. The system reduces contamination of the engine lubricating oil with sooty particulates and other products in the blowby gases.

Abstract: An exhaust silencer especially for turbo-charged diesel locomotives with a single exhaust outlet combines a straight through exhaust duct preferably diverging to recover velocity pressure and minimize back pressure with dual silencing means including a large expansion tank around the duct tuned to attenuate a fundamental low frequency exhaust noise peak and smaller reactive chambered means in the duct sized to attenuate a selected mid range of higher frequency exhaust noise. Various features are included.

Abstract: Gutter forming ribs are arranged on the valley walls of a V-type internal combustion engine to intercept excess lubricant passing downwardly to the oil sump and direct it first to the individual valve actuating cams of the camshaft for lubricating the cams and second to the lower portions of the piston skirts extending below their respective cylinders at the bottom of their travel to lubricate the piston skirt and cylinder walls.

Abstract: An altitude compensating control device for a vacuum pump supplying a vehicle accessory vacuum supply system comprising, in a preferred embodiment, a dual diaphragm pressure switch spring biased in a closing direction to actuate the pump and having an ambient pressure exposed diaphragm acting in a switch-opening direction opposed by a controlled vacuum pressure exposed diaphragm of larger area acting in a switch closing direction to provide a controlled vacuum pressure range that declines from a desired operational vacuum pressure range at sea level to a lower satisfactory vacuum level for efficient operation at higher altitudes. Other features and advantages are also disclosed.

Abstract: A vacuum pump having a cam actuated spring-biased pumping element and a gear for rotatably driving the cam has a torque counterbalancing spring and plunger device engaging the cam in a position out of phase with the pumping element and arranged to apply counterbalancing torques that prevent the application of torque reversals to the gear and thus avoid gear oscillation and chatter.

Abstract: A diesel engine mechanical governor is disclosed having various novel features including a fuel modulating and maximum and minimum speed controlling cam plate and follower mechanism which connects the governor speed responsive actuating mechanism with the fuel rack actuating means to modify the effect of the manual fuel control means in a predetermined manner. The disclosure also includes novel rocking flyweight mechanism arranged to provide an output force as a function of rotational input shaft speed in which the exponential increase in centrifugal force upon outward rocking of the flyweights is partially offset to provide a more gradual increase in force with a corresponding increase of speed.

Abstract: An insulating liner for use in an exhaust port of an internal combustion engine or the like consisting, in a preferred embodiment, of a formed thin wall tubular body of rigidized fibrous ceramic such as fibrous alumina-silica material (Fiberfrax) with an abrasion resistant ceramic coating fused onto the inner gas-exposed surface of the body. The coating comprises a mixture of fused silica cement and fine glass frit sintered in place on the body inner surface at a temperature below that which would damage the thin walls of the body.

Abstract: A composite exhaust filter particularly for use in diesel engine powered vehicles includes first and second filter sections disposed in series. The first filter section is a high-temperature depth-type filter material capable of collecting exhaust particulates with moderate efficiency while the second filter section is a high-temperature ceramic wall-flow monolith capable of collecting exhaust particulates on an extended gas porous surface with high efficiency. The vehicle system is provided with means such as an inlet throttle for increasing exhaust gas temperature to the ignition point of the collected particulates. Combustion initiated in the depth type first filter section generates a substantial amount of added heat which is carried to the second filter section, raising the surface temperature to a point where the particulates in the latter section are also incinerated.

Abstract: Disclosed is a stratified charge internal combustion engine having a charge preparation chamber centrally disposed at the end of each cylinder and means for direct fuel injection into the preparation chamber. A valved opening connects the charge preparation chamber with a charge admission portion of a combustion chamber having the usual intake, exhaust and spark-ignition means. In operation, the charge chamber valve is opened twice each cycle, once during a high-pressure portion of the expansion stroke to receive a charge of pressurized hot gas, after which fuel is discharged into the charge chamber to be vaporized by and mixed with the hot gas. The charge chamber valve is subsequently opened during a portion of the subsequent compression stroke so that the premixed charge is forced at high pressure into the combustion chamber for further mixing and the creation of a localized cloud of air-fuel mixture and combustion gases which is subsequently ignited by the spark.

Abstract: A vacuum supply system for automotive vehicles having vacuum powered accessories and driven by an engine with an air intake system in which vacuum is developed that may be inadequate to operate the accessories under some conditions. A vacuum pump, which may be engine driven, is connected between the engine and the accessories to supplement the operating vacuum. Flow limiting orifices in a junction connecting with secondary accessories provide for continued operation of a primary accessory such as a vacuum brake booster in spite of the disconnection of a vacuum hose or other massive air leak in one of the secondary accessory lines.

Abstract: A cyclic phase-change coupling in which opposed ends of two members rotatable on parallel offset axes are connected by an intermediate member through guide means which restrict lateral motion of the intermediate member with respect to both other members to separate arcuate paths, the axial projections of which intersect within the lateral boundaries of the intermediate member. In a preferred form, the arrangement comprises a curved key and groove variation of a standard Oldham shaft coupling that provides a cyclic phase change between the offset shafts rather than the fixed phase rotation of the Oldham construction.

Abstract: An engine piston and ring assembly providing improved oil control and where applicable sealing of scavenging air. In a preferred embodiment applicable to two-cycle port scavenged diesel engines and similar applications, the piston is provided with dual oil ring grooves near its open end, which is free from drain openings through the wall in the vicinity of the ring grooves to the oil cooled hollow interior of the piston. Drainage of lubricating oil scraped from the cylinder walls by the rings is provided instead by scalloped recesses in the lower wall surface extending from the open end of the piston to the nearest ring groove. The arrangement reduces leakage of scavenging air from the inlet ports to the engine crankcase as well as the occasional flooding of the piston rings with the cooling oil from the piston interior.

Abstract: A diesel exhaust particulate filter contains a high temperature depth type filter material arranged in a reflexive path throughout which diesel particulates are collected from engine exhaust gases passed therethrough. Upstream and downstream portions of the filter flow path are disposed in heat exchange relation. Upon heating of the incoming gases to the incineration temperature of collected particulates, the heat of combustion in the downstream portion will be partially transferred to the upstream portion, providing more even temperature levels and improving balance of the incineration process.

Abstract: A system for controlling emissions of particulates and heavy organic vapors in the exhaust gases of diesel engines includes, in a preferred embodiment, a heat exchanger for cooling the engine exhaust gases below the condensation temperature of the organic vapors and their resultant adsorption onto the entrained particulates, and a particulate trap connected to receive the cooled gases from the heat exchanger and collect therefrom entrained particulates and heavy organic vapors adsorbed thereon. A bypass system is provided to direct high temperature exhaust gases around the filtration device to avoid desorption of condensed vapors from the collected particulates and other auxiliary filter and control means are included.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a log-type intake manifold for a diesel engine has a longitudinal passage with four equally spaced lateral outlet openings on one side and a centrally disposed inlet opening on the other side of the passage. Similar outlet flow conditions are created in the outlet passages by the addition of at least one flow directing vane at an outlet toward one end of the passage from the inlet to redirect the outlet gas flow into a pattern similar to that of the naturally occurring gas flow patterns at the outlet openings located toward the other end of the passage from the inlet.

Abstract: A lightweight fully shrouded radial flow fluid machine comprising a rotor having blades with flexible sides and a closed edge and a housing having opposed walls closely adjacent the flexible sides of the blades, the rotor blades being shaped to coact with the working fluid and adjacent walls of the housing during rotor rotation to develop a fluid dynamic bearing film that supports the blade sides in free-running close clearance with the walls thus sealing the space between the blades and the walls with a minimum of wearing contact.