Abstract: Combustion control in a spark ignited internal combustion engine for inhibition of incipient detonation, or knock, is provided by the addition of exhaust gases or other diluent gases to the intake manifold of the engine prior to opening of the intake valve. The addition of this diluent gas causes a prestratification of the charge entering the combustion chamber of the engine. Upon compression and ignition of the charge, the diluent gas inhibits spontaneous combustion of the portions of the charge furthest away from the site of ignition of the charge, thereby preventing one cause of incipient detonation. This combustion control allows the engine to operate on much lower octane fuel than would be possible without prestratification.

Abstract: Combustion control in a spark ignited internal combustion engine for inhibition of incipient detonation, or knock, is provided by the addition of exhaust gases or other diluent gases to the intake manifold of the engine prior to opening of the intake valve. The addition of this diluent gas causes a prestratification of the charge entering the combustion chamber of the engine. Upon compression and ignition of the charge, the diluent gas inhibits spontaneous combustion of the portions of the charge furthest away from the site of ignition of the charge, thereby preventing one cause of incipient detonation. This combustion control may be used with turbocharged and supercharged engines, as well as with naturally aspirated internal combustion engines, and allows the engine to operate on much lower octane fuel than would be possible without prestratification.

Abstract: A low pollution internal combustion engine is disclosed in which a predetermined portion of a stratified charge is initially pre-formed in the part of the manifold which supplies the predetermined charge portion to the cylinder, said predetermined charge portion being composed of fuel-air mixture diluted by exhaust gas and pre-formed when the intake valve for the cylinder is in the closed condition, and subsequently being introduced together with the remaining portion of the stratified charge, when the intake valve is opened during the intake stroke of the engine.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for reducing the nitrogen oxide component from the oxygen-poor combustion products of a hydrocarbon fuel combustion device, which product would ordinarily contain an undesirable excess quantity of oxides of nitrogen. The method and apparatus include the means for associating gaseous hydrocarbon compounds in said products of combustion at a sufficiently high temperature in a related selected contained volume such that a degree of acceleration of the reduction of oxides of nitrogen is obtained so that the NO is reduced to an acceptable level within a selected reaction time related to said volume which reaction time, volume and temperature are reasonably associated with or present within said combustion device.

Abstract: An anti-pollution head construction for internal combustion engines is disclosed in which a storage chamber is formed in the head adjacent the spark plug opening, said storage chamber being in constant communication with the cylinder chamber by passages contained in the head. The storage chamber receives unburnt hydrocarbons during the compression stroke of the engine and returns the unburnt hydrocarbons to the cylinder chamber during the subsequent expansion stroke following combustion. The hydrocarbons mix with the oxides of nitrogen at a temperature of at least 2200.degree. Rankine, thereby reducing the oxides of nitrogen to the equilibrium value. Preferably the storage chamber is annular and is arranged concentrically about the spark plug opening.

Abstract: A low pollution internal combustion engine is disclosed in which a first portion of a stratified charge is initially pre-formed in the part of the manifold which supplies the first charge portion to the cylinder, said first charge portion being pre-formed when the intake valve for the cylinder is in the closed condition, and subsequently being introduced, together with the remaining portion of the stratified charge, when the intake valve is opened during the intake stroke of the engine.

Abstract: An anti-pollution piston construction is disclosed containing at least one storage chamber having inlet orifices contained in the periphery of the cylindrical side wall of the piston adjacent the imperforate piston end wall, said storage chamber being adapted to receive unburnt hydrocarbons during the compression stroke of the engine. During the expansion stroke following ignition, the unburnt hydrocarbons are returned to the cylinder chamber for mixing with the combustion gases to reduce the oxides of nitrogen having an excess concentration relative to an equilibrium value which is a function of the temperature, pressure and composition parameters of the combustion gases. The unburnt hydrocarbons in the storage chamber are returned in a manner that displaces unburnt hydrocarbons from the relatively cold wall of the cylinder which further aids the reduction of the oxides of nitrogen.

Abstract: An anti-pollution spark plug is disclosed having a storage chamber contained in the body portion of the metal shell for receiving -- via longitudinal passages contained in the externally threaded reduced portion of the metal shell -- unburnt hydrocarbons from the cylinder during the compression stroke of the engine. During the subsequent expansion stroke following combustion, the unburnt hydrocarbons are returned to the cylinder for mixing (at a temperature of at least 2200.degree. Rankine) with the oxides of nitrogen having an excess concentration relative to an equilibrium value defined by the pressure, temperature and composition parameters of the products of combustion, thereby to reduce the oxides of nitrogen to the equilibrium value.