Abstract: Improved pollutant emission control system and a combined electric switch and temperature responsive valve therefor as utilized in an internal combustion engine wherein a specially arranged electric switch and valve of the combined switch and valve is respectively connected to a catalytic converter of the engine exhaust system and to certain engine portions such as the engine spark device in order that the thermo-responsive power element of the combined switch and valve controls the operation of both the specially arranged electric switch and valve to minimize noxious pollutant emission from the engine exhaust system.

Abstract: To reduce the potential magnitude necessary to break down the distributor arc gap between the distributor movable output electrode carried by the distributor rotor and each of the stationary output electrodes of the distributor cap, a distributor movable output electrode of an electrically conductive material having a cross-sectional area so selected that the output tip is heated to incandescence by arc current is employed and is located within a surrounding thermal shield member of an electrically nonconductive and heat insulating material.

Abstract: This disclosure deals with a fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, the supply system including injectors for injecting fuel into the combustion chambers of the engine, and hydraulic means for adjusting the timing of injection. In one form of the invention, a pump-distributor assembly supplies fuel sequentially to a plurality of injectors, and the hydraulic timing adjustment forms part of the assembly. In another form of the invention, the hydraulic timing adjustment is included in the injectors. The hydraulic timing adjustment responds to parameters of the engine, such as load and/or speed, for varying or holding constant the time of initiation of injection, and is quickly responsive to changes in the parameters.

Abstract: To prevent phase-shift and pulse retardation in capacitor ignition systems, supplied with pulses from an a-c generator, the ignition capacitor is included in the armature circuit of the magneto to form, with the armature, an oscillatory circuit; the magneto supplies temporally spaced pulsed of opposite polarity, the first pulse causing oscillation of the oscillatory capacitor-armature circuit which, upon the first oscillation swing, recharges the capacitor with opposite polarity so that the next pulse derived from the magneto will add to the charge placed on the capacitor by the first oscillatory swing, thus preventing spark retardation due to phase shift upon change in engine speed.

Abstract: This invention, in one embodiment useful as a vehicular fuel container, includes as rigid outer tank, a collapsible inner bladder, expansion volumes positioned between said tank and said bladder, and means for causing fuel vapors to be removed from the bladder and injected into the vehicle carburation system for subsequent combustion.

Abstract: To improve the operation of semiconductor control ignition systems under widely varying supply voltage conditions, a voltage divider having a division tap point is connected in parallel to the main switching part of the switching transistor of the ignition system, and a voltage breakdown element, typically a Zener diode is connected from the tap point to the control electrodes of the semiconductor switch to provide an additional control voltage thereto if the voltage at the tap point exceeds a value leading to breakdown of the breakdown device (Zener diode); the main control circuit for the main ignition transistor may be conventional.

Abstract: Mechanism is provided for activating a piezoelectric crystal used to produce a spark at a plug fitted to the cylinder of an internal combustion engine. The mechanism has a striker for delivering current-generating blows to the crystal and this striker is coaxially mounted with respect to a driven shaft of the engine such as the crank shaft or cam shaft. Cam means connects the striker to a rotor which is driven by the shaft through drive means including a one-way clutch. The striker is reciprocated in timed relation to rotation of the driven shaft and can be rotated about its own axis by a device which is operated to vary the timing of the spark in accordance with the speed of the engine.

Abstract: A centrifugal ignition advancer device adapted to advance the ignition timing of an internal combustion engine according to the engine speed comprising two weights adapted to be displaced in accordance with the speed of revolution of a distributor shaft, and two springs differing from each other in initial tension and spring constant, one of the two weights being maintained in its initial position by one of the two springs while the other weight is maintained in its initial position by the other spring. Only one weight is displaced so that the rate of increase in the degree of advance of ignition timing in relation to a change in engine speed can be kept at a lower level at lower engine speeds and the two weights are both displaced so that the rate of increase in the degree of advance of ignition timing in relation to a change in engine speed can be maintained at a higher level at higher engine speeds.

Abstract: A fuel injection system for externally ignited engines employing continuous manifold injection includes a fuel metering valve assembly. The control slide of this valve assembly is actuated by the air-flow through the induction manifold and controls the size of fuel flow apertures. A differential pressure valve normally maintains a constant pressure difference across these metering valve apertures. The magnitude of this normally constant pressure difference can be altered in response to signals obtained from or measurements performed on operational parameters of the engine; for example, the oxygen content of the engine's exhaust gases.

Abstract: Improved ignition systems for substantially increasing the gas mileage and boosting the voltage utilizing a standard magneto and isolated breaker points and an additional condenser. In one embodiment, the secondary of the magneto has been separated from the primary and a condenser has been added in the secondary winding. Another embodiment separates the secondary and primary windings and adds a condenser in the secondary.

Abstract: To reduce the potential magnitude necessary to break down the spark gap between the rectangular cross-section rotor electrode of an ignition distributor rotor having a body member of electrically nonconductive material and each of the output electrodes in the distributor cap, discrete electrically conductive material is placed in intimate electrical contact with a selected area along each opposite edge surface of the rotor electrode and the rotor body to provide electrical interconnection between the rotor electrode and the rotor body.

Abstract: A spark prolonging device having a winding on an electrically inert core and connected at one end to the secondary coil of an ignition system and at the other end to the distributor, a first portion of the winding comprised of coils spaced on said core and a second portion of the winding comprised of tightly wound coils; the second winding portion consisting of three sections with the direction of winding reversed between the first and second sections and between the second and third sections and the second section having approximately twice as many coil turns as said first and third sections.

Abstract: An ignition system for use with an ignition coil and a source of alternating distributor pickup signals within an internal combustion engine. The system includes a zero crossing detector responsive to the distributor pickup signals and operative to generate a first timing signal, a complex ramp generator responsive to the first timing signal and operative to generate a second timing signal, a gate responsive to the first and second timing signals and operative to generate a constant ignition coil control signal over the normal operating range of the engine, and an output amplifier responsive to the control signal and operative to control charging and discharging of the ignition coil. A voltage control circuit is employed to switch the output amplifier on when the voltage at the ignition coil exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: A fuel quantity manifold for a multiple-cylinder internal combustion engine with two cylindrical dosing elements supported within a cylindrically-bored housing in mutually end surface contacting and in relative to each other rotatable relationship, and which are provided with metering passageways, wherein the end surface edges of the metering passageways overlap each other so as to release or open a more or less large flow passage cross-section.