Abstract: A fuel system for an internal combustion engine (10) includes a controller (14) which controls the operation of an engine fuel pump (13). Signals are supplied to the controller by a transducer (16) which is responsive to the passage of teeth formed on the periphery of a wheel (12) which is mounted on the engine crankshaft. In order to generate an engine speed signal it is necessary to know the tooth spacing errors and these are determined by recording two time pulse sequences of signals from the transducer at different engine speeds and loads and then processing those signals to firstly determine the periodic component of the signals due to the fluctuation of engine speed which occurs due to the individual power strokes of the engine.

Abstract: For the purpose of routing an electric cable through the movable wall of the two pneumatic working chambers of an electronically controllable bake booster, comprising a first pneumatic working chamber and a second pneumatic working chamber which are separated by a movable wall, where a simple assembly and a high functional reliability are to be ensured, a cable feed-through for at least one electric cable penetrating the movable wall is provided, with a portion of the cable-feed through penetrating the movable wall, and a holder which limits the movability of the cable feed-through at least in its longitudinal direction, and a seal surrounding the cable feed-through in the area of the movable wall.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pneumatic brake booster comprising a housing (10) which is divided into a vacuum chamber (14) and a working chamber (12), in which a dual valve arrangement (20) having a first valve (24, 26) between the vacuum chamber (14) and the working chamber (12) and a second valve (24', 26') between the ambient atmosphere (A) and the working chamber (12) is arranged at the housing (10), in which the valve arrangement (20), in an inoperative position, allows having pressure levels in the vacuum chamber (14) and in the working chamber (12) which are different from the ambient atmospheric pressure (A), and in an operative position, keeps the vacuum chamber (14) sealed off and allows communication between the ambient atmosphere (A) and the working chamber (12), wherein, in normal operation, the first valve (24, 26) and the second valve (24', 26') are actuatable by a common actuating rod, and, in a controlled operation, an electromagnetic actuator (40, 46) which is independent of the actuating rod

Abstract: A position sensor for monitoring the position of the valve element of a valve is described. The sensor comprises reflector means associated with the valve element and arranged to reflect energy, for example visible light, from a suitable source such that when the valve element is in a first position the reflected energy is incident upon a detector. Movement of the valve element away from the first position results in the reflected light no longer being incident upon the detector. The invention further relates to a valve including such a position sensor.

Abstract: A solenoid-operated flow control valve is disclosed which comprises a housing having a bore, a solenoid coil, an armature, an inlet and an outlet, a permanent communication between an inlet and an outlet comprising a first and a second flow path connected in parallel between the inlet and the outlet, the first flow path being closable and the second flow path providing permanent communication between the outlet, an exhaust, a seating and a valve assembly including a hollow valve body working in the bore, the armature being responsive to the coil to open the exhaust to determine a pressure differential across the valve body, the pressure differential in turn causing the valve body to move in the bore so as to co-operate with the seating, whereby the valve body provides selective communication between the inlet, outlet and exhaust, and whereby upon deenergisation of the coil the flow control valve controls the rate of reapplication of pressure to the outlet.

Abstract: A method for preventing the driven wheels of an automotive vehicle from spinning provides that whenever one of two driven wheels of one axle of the vehicle has a lower friction coefficient with the road surface than the other wheel of said axle and the one wheel shows a spinning tendency, brake pressure is built up at said wheel, with the rotational speed of the other wheel being measured, and whenever the rotational speed exceeds a specified value with respect to a vehicle reference speed, the brake pressure at the one wheel is reduced or maintained constant.

Abstract: A rotary distributor fuel injection pump includes a pumping plunger housed in a bore and has a spill valve member integrally formed with an actuator piston contained in a cylinder. High pressure fuel from the bore can be admitted to the one end of the cylinder to move the actuator piston and valve member away from the seating by opening an on/off valve. When the spilled fuel has been returned to the bore further fuel flows to the bore by way of the on/off valve and this fuel flows to the on/off valve through a non-return valve from a source of fuel under pressure.

Abstract: A method of testing a fuel system of an internal combustion engine comprises measuring the instantaneous speed of a component of a pumping apparatus of the system this speed decreasing as fuel is pressurised to achieve fuel delivery to the engine as compared with the nominal engine speed due to "wind up" in the drive to the engine. The speed profiles obtained as fuel is supplied to each injection nozzle and compared to determine if the injection nozzles are working correctly.

Abstract: In a hydraulic anti-lock braking system a flow control valve operates with a single-acting solenoid operated valve (35) and the flew control valve incorporates a spool (17) working in a bore (8) in a housing (7) with the flow directed through a passage (20) passing substantially through the center of the spool (7). A fixed orifice (21) is located at the one end of the spool which defines a chamber (19) for a control spring (18), and a variable orifice is defined between a port (33) in the housing (7) end a metering edge on the input side of an annular groove (24) in the spool (17) and which communicates with the passage (20) in the spool (17). A chamber containing the spring (18) being of a larger bore than the bore containing the spool (17).

Abstract: A lever 22, which comprises a slot 28 and an abutment 30, is supported on a housing 18 so as to pivot about a pivot axis A. A cable 40, which is supported against the abutment 30 via an enlarged butt end 42, is placed in position in the slot 28, such that the lever 22 can be pivoted by a pulling force C of the cable. The lever 22 comprises a projection 34 which, in extension of the cable 40 and defining an intermediate space 32, is disposed opposite the abutment 30. The end 42 is accommodated in the intermediate space 32 and is supported against the projection 34 for transmitting a pushing force D of the cable. The projection is provided, at its side facing away from the abutment 30, with a ramp 38, on to which ramp the end 42 of the cable 40 is adapted to be placed, when the cable is inserted in the slot, and from which ramp the end 42 slides downward into the intermediate space 32 when a pulling force C is exerted on the cable.

Abstract: A fuel supply apparatus is disclosed which includes a distributor comprising a distributor member rotatable within a bore provided in a sleeve. The sleeve is provided with a plurality of feed ports and a plurality of delivery ports, fewer feed ports being provided than delivery ports. The distributor member is provided with a delivery passage registrable with the delivery ports, in turn, and a plurality of feed passages registrable with the feed ports. The feed and delivery passages communicate with one another. The feed and delivery passages are located so that when the delivery passage registers with one of the delivery ports, one or more of the feed passages register with respective feed ports.

Abstract: A method of detecting when a moving component of an electromagnetically operable device attains a final position after de-energizing a winding of the device comprises allowing the energizing current to fall to zero and prior to the component reaching its final position, connecting a sensing circuit in parallel with the winding, the current flow in the sensing circuit increasing from the instant of connections and decreasing when the component reaches its final position, said sensing circuit detecting the change in current flow.

Abstract: A fuel filter element includes an annular filter medium which is supported on a lower support plate. Fuel flows downwardly through the medium and then through apertures at the outer periphery of the support plate. The support plate is provided with depending annular baffles, the outer one being adjacent the apertures but inwardly thereof. The baffles and support plate form an air collection chamber from which air escapes at a controlled rate through an orifice into a central outlet tube.

Abstract: A fuel injection nozzle of the outwardly opening type has a valve member movable outwardly by the fuel pressure within a bore in a nozzle body. The member is biased to the closed position by an elastic member in the form of a rod. At its end remote from the valve head, the rod engages a collar between which and an adjacent part of the valve body is a shim. The thickness of the shim is selected so that the tension force in the rod is higher than is required to give the desired nozzle opening pressure and this is adjusted to the desired value by compressing a portion of the nozzle body using a cap nut which secures the nozzle body to a supporting part.

Abstract: A control system comprises a controller for controlling an actuator, for instance of an electrically power assisted vehicle steering system. An unstable circuit, such as first and second cascade connected integrators has an input connected to the controller and an output connected to a detector, which signals an error when the output signal of the unstable circuit is outside an acceptable range. During normal operation, the controller supplies a signal to the unstable circuit such that its output signal remains within the acceptable range. The error signal may be used to disable the actuator, for instance so as to remove power assistance from steering system.

Abstract: The vehicle brake system including an electronically controlled brake booster (10), comprising a first actuator (350) which is connected to a second actuator (360) for transmitting to the same an actuating movement (P) of a brake pedal, wherein the second actuator (360) transmits the movement to a master brake cylinder, a signal generator (365) disposed between first and second actuators (350, 360) for generating a signal to be supplied to the controller of the brake booster (10), wherein the signal generator (365) is triggered by a relative movement between the first actuator and the housing of the brake booster.

Abstract: An electrical connector assembly is disclosed which comprises first and second elements rotatable with one another and housing a conductor electrically connecting respective terminals provided on the first and second elements. A locking assembly is provided to restrict removal of the connector assembly from a support structure, the locking assembly including a locking member moveable in response to movement of the second element relative to the first element to and from a datum position such that the locking assembly permits removal or replacement of the connector assembly when the second element is in the datum position and prevent such removal or replacement when the second element does not occupy the datum position.

Abstract: A fuel pumping apparatus of the rotary distributor type has an annular cam ring (12) which is coupled to a tangentially disposed piston (15) slidable in a cylinder (16) formed in a body part (10). The body is formed from light alloy and the piston from steel. The piston is provided with a blind recess (28) at one end and a steel spigot (19) is slidable within the recess. The blind end of the recess communicates with the adjacent end of the cylinder (16) through a restricted passage (23) and a non-return valve (26). Fuel at a varying pressure is applied to the one end of the cylinder to vary the setting of the cam ring.

Abstract: A fuel injection nozzle includes a fuel pressure actuated valve member which is biased by a first spring into engagement with a seating. A pre lift stop is engaged by a surface which moves with the valve member after a predetermined movement of the valve member away from the seating. The lift stop is movable against the action of a second spring to allow continued movement of the valve member. The lift stop position is determined by a yieldable abutment which during the closing movement of the valve member towards the seating, yields under the action of the inertia of the pre lift stop to assist the closing movement of the valve member.

Abstract: A master cylinder (10) for a hydraulic brake system comprises a quickfill stage (28) which in the initial phase of an actuation of the master cylinder rapidly fills an associated brake system with hydraulic fluid upon a relatively short actuation travel. A housing (12) of the master cylinder (10) extends essentially along an axis (A) and comprises at least one pressure chamber (14) formed therein which is open at the actuation end of the master cylinder (10). A quickfill piston and a quickfill chamber of the quickfill stage (28) are essentially formed by a cup shaped component (30) which is guided on the acutation end of the master cylinder housing (12) in a telescopical and pressure chamber sealing manner. This solution can be manufactured economically and requires little installation space.