Abstract: A method of sealing a high performance internal combustion engine with a head gasket having a fire ring comprising providing a groove in the head or block generally concentric with each said combustion opening, each groove having a land area and a generally vertical wall, and positioning the gasket on the block so that when the head is torqued down, each groove receives a fire ring and compresses the wire ring thereof to provide a primary seal therewith at the land area, the wall engages the armor of the fire ring to form a secondary seal, and the head and block clamping surfaces engage the armor to clamp the armor. The head gasket has a main body of a first thickness including a central core and facing layers laminated to the core, and defines a plurality of combustion openings.

Abstract: A two stroke internal combustion engine having an intake piston which feeds air to an adjacent power piston. Both the intake piston and the power piston are held in oscillating cylinder assemblies and the piston rods are integral with the pistons so that the piston rod is always in line with the piston. The cylinder assemblies are both supported by trunnions and the air from the intake cylinder assembly is fed through an opening in the center of the two trunnions between the intake cylinder assembly and the power cylinder assembly. Preferably the rod portion of the intake piston and rod assembly is shorter than the rod portion of the power piston and rod assembly.

Abstract: A one-piece integrally molded intake manifold is for an engine having opposed cylinders. The intake manifold comprises a plurality of runners each of which is coiled about a runner center. The runners are arranged side-by-side so that the runner centers lie on a common manifold axis. Adjacent ones of the runners are oppositely curved and interdigitated with one another so that a generally cylindrical plenum is defined by the space around which the runners are coiled. Each of the runners includes a runner inlet and upper and side runner surfaces adjoining the runner inlet. The portion of the upper and side runner surfaces adjoining the runner inlet are outwardly flared so that the cross section of the runner decreases from the runner inlet into the runner. The intersections between the upper and side runner surfaces are rounded. Air in the plenum can flow through the flared runner inlets into the runners.

Abstract: A balance vent for an internally vented float fuel bowl type carburetor in order to dampen pulse signal fluctuation to the internal vent that is created upon an excess vacuum buildup in the float bowl. The balance vent is a restricted passageway that communicates at one end with the internal vent circuitry and at its opposite end with the atmosphere external of the carburetor. The balance vent is sized so that the vacuum in the fuel bowl is bled off to the atmosphere only to a certain extent to permit an overall bowl vacuum to remain so that the characteristics of the internal bowl vent are maintained.

Abstract: A metal of which the body of a piston is formed contains iron as its main component, and the configuration of a silicon nitride member, the high-temperature strength of the silicon nitride material that composes the silicon nitride member, the melting point of the iron-containing metallic material and the inserting conditions satisfy the following formulae (1) and (2) or formulae (3) and (4):k.sub.1 .multidot..DELTA.T.multidot.(1/R.sub.1 -1/R.sub.2)+k.sub.2 .multidot.l.sup.2 .multidot..DELTA.T<0.5 .sigma..sub.c ( 1)T.sub.c =T.sub.m -0.413.multidot.l.multidot..DELTA.T (2)k.sub.1 .multidot.T.sub.m .multidot.(1/R.sub.1 -1/R.sub.2)+k.sub.2 .multidot.l.sup.2 .multidot.T.sub.m <0.5.sigma..sub.c ( 3)T.sub.c =T.sub.m -0.413.multidot.l.multidot.T.sub.m ( 4)The joint between the silicon nitride member and the metallic material need not be subjected to machining. Therefore, the manufacturing process is simple and the cost is low.

Abstract: An arrangement for converting linear motion from a power source to rotary motion, wherein the power source is intended to coact with a cam curve so as to generate rotary motion, the rotary motion being performed by an axle; wherein the arrangement includes a rod (4) or corresponding element which is connected to a piston (31) mounted for reciprocating movement in a cylinder (30; 50) through the action of a pressure medium which is intended to act on that side of the piston (31) which is opposite to that side on which the rod (4) is connected to the piston, and further comprises the cam curve (2) which is mounted on one end of the rod (4) and which has curved parts (5) solely on that side thereof which faces away from the rod (4), and wherein the arrangement includes second means which comprises two opposing wing-shaped parts (6, 7) which project outwards away from the axle and which are firmly connected to the axle (3), and wherein a roller (8, 9) is mounted on the outer part of each of the wing-shaped parts

Abstract: A swash plate engine having a stationary torque reaction member to resist tangential forces by directly supporting a piston rod is disclosed. To accommodate the stationary torque reaction member the swash plate is provided with a slot which receives the stationary torque reaction member during rotation of the swash plate. The torque reaction member provides reaction forces to the piston rod to maintain a proper orientation for the piston rod as it presses against the swash plate, making a wobble plate unnecessary.

Abstract: A two-stroke engine comprising at least one cylinder having a combustion chamber, an exhaust duct connected to the combustion chamber, at least one duct for the intake of fresh gas compressed by a compression device for delivering said fresh compressed gas, at least a first rotary valve opens and closes the exhaust duct and at least a second rotary valve feeds fluid into the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A marine propulsion device comprising a propulsion unit which is adapted to be mounted on a boat and which includes a propeller shaft and an internal combustion engine drivingly connected to the propeller shaft, the engine including engine block structure having a combustion chamber and defining an air intake passage communicable with the combustion chamber, a throttle plate movably supported by the engine block structure and located in the air intake passage, structure for moving the throttle plate in response to movement of an operator control member, and structure supported by the engine block structure for providing a signal indicating the position of the control member independent of the position of the throttle plate.

Abstract: A fuel injection system for engines that employs a fuel injector that sprays into a chamber to which compressed air is delivered and which chamber communicates with the combustion chamber through a port that is opened and closed by the reciprocation of the piston in a reciprocating engine. The source of compressed air may either be an air compressor or a crankcase chamber of the engine and the air compressor and/or crankcase chamber may also provide scavenging air for the engine. A variety of port arrangements are disclosed which include either single ports or a plurality of ports either circumferentially or axially spaced from each other and disposed between either the scavenge ports and exhaust ports or around a scavenge port or an exhaust port. Various arrangements are disclosed for improving the vaporization of the fuel in the chamber in which it is injected.

Abstract: Diesel fuel is stored in a first fuel tank, while water is stored in a second fuel tank. To use an emulsion fuel, diesel fuel and water are mixed and are caused to enter an injection pipe through a junction located between an injection pump and an injection nozzle. The emulsion fuel is injected through the injection nozzle. The engine is also equipped with exhaust gas recirculation devices to return a portion of the exhaust gas of the engine to an intake pipe of the engine so that some of the exhaust gas is recirculated.

Abstract: The engine housing for a small internal combustion engine lessens exhaust emissions by reducing cylinder bore distortion during manufacture and during use. Cylinder bore distortion is reduced by providing reinforcing material in two opposed wall sections for a relatively small length of the total cylinder length. This uppermost cylinder wall portion also includes bolt bosses for receiving the cylinder head bolts. The cylinder is divided into successive cylinder wall portions along its length, with the thicknesses of the cylinder walls decreasing in each wall portion away from the cylinder head. Cylinder bore distortion is also lessened by using concentric air vanes instead of the asymmetrically-shaped vanes typical of prior art engine housings.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to improve the fuel utilization of internal combustion engines by inducing a magnetic field in the fuel before it flows into a carburetor or fuel injector system. Aluminum or steel fittings connect a rubber fuel line between a fuel pump and a carburetor or fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine. A magnet assembly having one or more permanent magnets is secured against the fuel line so a preselected pole is in contact with the rubber fuel line. A rubber shield or wrap surrounds the magnet assembly and the portion of the fuel line in contact with the magnet assembly to shield the magnetic field about the fuel line. The one or more magnets direct a magnetic field toward the fuel line to induce a magnetic field into fuel flowing through the fuel line. The magnetic field induced in the flowing fuel is believed to ionize the hydrocarbon fuel to increase combustion efficiency, thus, increasing fuel economy and decreasing fuel emissions.

Abstract: A mechanical valve tappet arranged in a guide bore of a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine, which valve tappet comprises a cup-shaped housing with a hollow cylindrical wall (1) closed at one end by a bottom (2) against which a control cam runs from the outside while an adjusting element (5) bears against the inner surface of the bottom by a first flat end face and is in contact with the end of a valve stem of a two-way gas valve by a second end face which is parallel to said first end face, characterized in that the adjusting element (5) is a solid component with a cylindrical outer peripheral surface and parallel end faces, projections being provided on the cup-shaped housing to cooperate with the cylindrical outer peripheral surface of the adjusting element so that the adjusting element (5) is retained by interlocking or by force engagement on the cup-shaped housing.

Abstract: Apparatus, method and system are provided for monitoring catalytic converter efficiency in treating exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine. The air/fuel ratio fed to the engine is perturbed on a cylinder-to-cylinder basis above and below a mean or average air/fuel ratio. The signal from an exhaust gas exposed to the exhaust gas sensor downstream of the converter for the perturbation interval is compared to the signal for a non-perturbation interval. A signal is generated when the comparison indicates catalytic converter efficiency below a minimum acceptable level. The comparison may be carried out by comparing the difference in the mean value of the EGO sensor output signal for the perturbation and non-perturbation intervals to a preselected and stored reference value corresponding to the minimum acceptable efficiency. The efficiency monitoring test system may be incorporated into fuel control means for controlling air/fuel ratio during normal engine operation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for determining the hydrocarbon conversion efficiency of a catalytic converter used in conjunction with an internal combustion (IC) engine to reduce the pollutants contained in the IC exhaust gas comprising the steps of: (a) determining the hydrocarbon content of the IC exhaust gas prior to its entry into the catalytic converter by sampling the exhaust and passing the sample to a catalytic differential calorimetric sensor; (b) contacting the catalyst in the converter with the IC exhaust; (c) determining the hydrocarbon content of the exhaust leaving the catalytic converter by sampling the exhaust and passing the sample to the catalytic differential calorimetric sensor; and (d) comparing the hydrocarbon contents of the exhaust samples from steps (a) and (c) and thereby determining the hydrocarbon conversion efficiency of the catalyst in the converter.

Abstract: An engine (40) comprising a piston (2); a top ring (3) and a second ring (4) attached to the piston (2); partitioning members (9)(10) attached to the piston (2) and connecting the top ring (3) and the second ring (4) so as to form a gas chamber (8) at the side surface of the piston (2); a gas passage (15) for communicating the gas chamber (8) to an upper surface (7) of the piston.

Abstract: For use in a combustion-powered, fastener-driving tool having a combustion chamber, a source of a combustible fuel, and a switch that must be closed to enable the tool, a fuel system comprises a fuel injector, which includes a normally closed, solenoid-energized valve between the fuel source and the combustion chamber, and an electronic circuit responsive to the switch for energizing the solenoid to open the valve when the switch is closed and for deenergizing the solenoid after a time interval. A resistive-capacitive network defining the time interval includes a first resistor, a second resistor arranged to be selectively connected in parallel therewith, a thermistor connected in parallel therewith, and a variable resistor connected to the parallel resistors. Another network effects a time delay between closure of the switch and energization of the solenoid. Optionally, another network varies the time interval in response to ambient pressure.

Abstract: A piston assembly for an internal combustion engine includes a piston having at least one annular compression ring groove within which is disposed a plurality of split piston rings. Each of the rings includes a ring gap and the rings are arranged in the groove with the respective gaps angularly misaligned and with adjacent flat surfaces of the rings contacting one another so as to close the gaps to prevent fluids from passing through the gaps when the piston operates in its cylinder bore.

Abstract: Two embodiments of compact engine assemblies wherein the engine output shaft drives a driveshaft to which a flywheel is affixed. The flywheel is positioned closely adjacent one end of the engine output shaft and the engine output shaft drives the driveshaft by a gear drive that is positioned between the end main bearing of the engine output shaft and the first adjacent intermediate main bearing for limiting torsional stresses on the driveshaft.