Patents Assigned to Hatch & Kirk, Inc.
  • Patent number: 6739308
    Abstract: The present invention provides a piston for a diesel engine that reduces emissions generated during the combustion of fuel in a combustion chamber and a head that allows more air to flow into and out of the combustion chamber. The piston includes an igniter that ignites fuel injected into the combustion chamber and a piston bowl. The piston bowl agitates air in the combustion chamber to quickly mix the fuel and air before the igniter ignites the fuel and to reduce carbon build-up from unburned fuel in the combustion chamber. By igniting the fuel shortly after it is injected into the combustion chamber, the igniter reduces the time between injection and combustion of the fuel in the combustion chamber. Thus, the amount of NOx produced during combustion is reduced. Furthermore, injection of the fuel can commence when the piston is closer to top dead center and thus more power can be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Hatch & Kirk, Inc.
    Inventor: John M. Curtis
  • Patent number: 6491237
    Abstract: A fuel injector nozzle is disclosed which solves a long-standing problem in the industry of reducing polluting engine emissions. The nozzle has a needle which alternately blocks and leaves open spray holes for delivering fuel to the combustion chamber. The needle is received in a cavity where the injector needle seats. Machining the seat of the cavity causes a sac at the nozzle tip where the unburned fuel causes the polluting emissions. Minimizing the sac volume minimizes the polluting emissions. The present invention discloses a nozzle formed with a seat having an apex located at the bottom of a sac. The design of the present minimizes the sac volume and the sac volume is closer to zero volume than any prior design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Hatch & Kirk, Inc.
    Inventors: Edoardo Coppola, Norman Hsu