Abstract: An internal combustion engine having a main combustion chamber connected to an intake port for an air-fuel mixture, and an auxiliary combustion or a precombustion chamber communicated with the main combustion chamber through a plurality of torch apertures. The auxiliary combustion chamber is, before a combustion stroke of the engine, supplied through the torch apertures with an amount of the mixture for pre-combustion therein. A spark plug has a set of electrodes disposed in at least one of the torch apertures for causing the pre-combustion of the mixture in the auxiliary combustion chamber to thereby generate torch jets which are directed into the main combustion chamber to ignite the mixture therein.

Abstract: A torch-ignition internal combustion engine has a trap chamber formed in the engine cylinder head and communicated with a main combustion chamber through a plurality of torch apertures. An intake port extends through the cylinder head to the main combustion chamber to feed a charge of an air-fuel mixture thereinto when an intake valve is open on an intake stroke of the engine. At least one of the torch apertures is positioned and directed relative to the downstream end of the intake port such that a part of the mixture charge to the main combustion chamber flows through the one torch aperture into the trap chamber during the intake stroke of the engine to simultaneously force out the residual gases produced during a preceding combustion stroke through the other torch aperture or apertures into the main combustion chamber.

Abstract: A torch ignition type internal combustion engine has a main combustion chamber and a trap chamber having torch apertures through which both chambers are communicated with each other. The apertures are positioned such that, when the main chamber is supplied with a charge of an air-fuel mixture from an intake port on an intake stroke, a part of the mixture charge is introduced through one of the apertures into the trap chamber and the residual gases remaining therein are simultaneously discharged from the trap chamber into the main chamber through the other aperture. The trap chamber has a substantially smoothly continuous inner surface to which the one aperture is tangential so that the introduction of air-fuel mixture therethrough into the trap chamber produces therein a vortex flow which facilitates scavenging of the trap chamber.

Abstract: A torch-ignition internal combustion engine has a main and pre-combustion chambers communicated with each other through a torch aperture. Electrodes of a spark plug are disposed in the pre-combustion chamber at a point remote from the torch aperture. A fresh charge of a lean air-fuel mixture is supplied through an intake port into the main chamber on an intake stroke and compressed during a compression stroke so that a part of the fresh mixture charge is introduced through the torch aperture into the pre-combustion chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed is an internal combustion engine comprising a main combustion chamber and an auxiliary combustion chamber. The auxiliary combustion chamber comprises a first and a second auxiliary chambers. The first auxiliary chamber has a spark plug therein and is connected to the main combustion chamber. The second auxiliary chamber has a fuel injection nozzle therein and is connected to the first auxiliary chamber and to the main combustion chamber. Air or a lean air-fuel mixture is introduced into the main combustion chamber via the intake valve. An extremely rich air-fuel mixture is formed into the second auxiliary chamber. The extremely rich air-fuel mixture is introduced into the first auxiliary chamber and a combustible mixture is formed in the first auxiliary chamber. The combustible mixture is ignited and a burning gas is injected into the main combustion chamber.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine having an auxiliary combustion chamber connected to a main combustion chamber via multiple connecting holes is disclosed. The auxiliary combustion chamber has a drum shape. A first one of the connecting holes opens into the auxiliary combustion chamber in a direction tangential to the cylindrical circumferential wall of the drum shaped auxiliary combustion chamber for creating a swirl in the auxiliary combustion chamber at the compression stroke. An open end of the first hole on the main combustion chamber side is directed to the intake valve for scavenging the auxiliary combustion chamber at the intake stroke.

Abstract: All of combustion chambers receive a lean air-fuel charge at low and medium engine power demands. As the engine power demand increases, a rich air-fuel charge is supplied to one or a suitable number of the combustion chambers with countermeasures being provided to suppress the formation of nitrogen oxides, such as, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and the torch effect of a torch ignition system, the remaining combustion chambers, if any, receiving a lean air-fuel charge.Exhaust gases from all of the combustion chambers are converged to oxidize hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide formed by the combustion of the rich air-fuel charge when the combustion chambers respectively receive rich and lean air-fuel charges.

Abstract: A method of operating a torch ignition type internal combustion engine having a main combustion chamber and a trap chamber always communicated therewith through first and second apertures provided in the trap chamber has the steps of supplying a charge of a lean air-fuel mixture into the main combustion chamber through an intake port and introducing another charge of a rich air-fuel mixture through the first aperture into the trap chamber. The rich air-fuel mixture charge is substituted in the trap chamber for residual gases produced therein during the preceding combustion stroke to discharge the residual gases through the second aperture whereby the trap chamber is scavenged.

Abstract: A gasoline engine fed with lean mixture only is improved for practical use. The cylinder head of the engine has an area providing intense turbulance in cooperation with the top surface of the piston. It is provided, further, with a torch chamber which emits torch flames sharing the combustion of lean mixture so that the flame propagation distance is decreased. Among the torch flame, one passes through a portion of the combustion chamber just below the center of the head of the suction valve, and another passes through a portion of the combustion chamber just below the center of the head of the exhaust valve.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine having a plurality of sequentially operative combustion chambers, harmful components in exhaust gases are reduced. At least one of the combustion chambers is supplied with a rich mixture having a smaller air-to-fuel ratio than the stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio and the remaining combustion chambers are fed with a lean mixture whose air-to-fuel ratio is greater than the stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio. At the point where the exhaust gases emitted from the combustion chambers gather, the total air-to-fuel ratio of the rich and lean mixtures is detected producing a signal representing the total air-to-fuel ratio. One of the rich and lean mixtures is controlled in accordance with the air/fuel ratio signal to maintain the total air-to-fuel ratio practically at a predetermined value.

Abstract: A carburetor for an internal combustion engine of the stratified combustion type supplies a rich air-fuel mixture in the neighborhood of the ignition plug in each cylinder and a lean air-fuel mixture in the remaining space in the cylinder. The carburetor comprises an air horn, a fuel jet having a nozzle open to the air horn, and main and auxiliary ducts branching from the air horn downstream of the fuel nozzle and extending parallel to each other. Air-fuel mixture produced from both air introduced into the air horn and fuel supplied from the fuel jet is led to both the main and auxiliary ducts. At this time, the rich air-fuel mixture is collected in the auxiliary duct, which is closer to the fuel nozzle, and lean air-fuel mixture is collected in the main duct, which is spaced further from the fuel nozzle. The main and auxiliary ducts are respectively provided with main and auxiliary throttle valves, which are controlled by the accelerator pedal.

Abstract: A torch ignition internal combustion engine has a main combustion chamber for the combustion of a lean air-fuel mixture and an auxiliary combustion chamber for the combustion of a rich air-fuel mixture. The auxiliary combustion chamber has a suction and a discharge apertures open to the main combustion chamber. The suction aperture is located near to a valve seat for an intake valve so that the auxiliary combustion chamber is communicated with an intake port through the suction aperture and a part of the main combustion chamber when the intake valve is opened. The intake port is connected at its upstream end to an air intake pipe.

Abstract: A torch ignition type internal combustion engine has a trap chamber comprising a cup-shaped member of a heat-resistant metal mounted on a cylinder head of the engine. The member has a substantially closed end protruding into a main combustion chamber and suction and discharge apertures through which the trap chamber always communicates with the main combustion chamber. A single intake port is provided in the cylinder head for supplying air-fuel mixture charges to both the main combustion chamber and trap chamber.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine having a main combustion chamber, an auxiliary combustion chamber having inlet and outlet ports through which the auxiliary combustion chamber is communicated with the main combustion chamber, an intake port for supplying a lean air/fuel mixture to the main combustion chamber and an auxiliary passage disposed in the intake port for supplying a rich air/fuel mixture. A cylinder head of the engine has a cylindrical recess connecting with the intake port so as to enable the mixtures to flow through the intake port and the recess into the combustion chambers. An intake valve is adapted to seat, at the closed position, a on value seat disposed at the bottom of the recess. The auxiliary combustion chamber is communicated through the inlet port with the recess so that the rich air/fuel mixture is effectively conducted into the auxiliary combustion chamber through the inlet port when the intake valve is at the partially open position and is still positioned within the residual recess.

Abstract: A stratified internal combustion engine has a main combustion chamber for receiving a lean air-fuel mixture, a trap chamber for receiving a rich air-fuel mixture, a primary intake port for supplying the lean air-fuel mixture to the main combustion chamber, a secondary intake port for supplying the rich air-fuel mixture to the trap chamber and a partition between the primary and secondary intake ports. The primary and secondary intake ports merge at their upstream ends into a single general passage defined by an intake manifold. A single fuel injection nozzle is mounted on the intake manifold to inject fuel toward the upstream end of the partition so that the injected fuel is divided and distributed by the partition into the primary and secondary intake ports and thus into the main combustion chamber and the trap chamber, whereby a stratified combustion is achieved by a simplified engine construction.

Abstract: An auxiliary combustion chamber at least partially embedded in the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine adjacent the intake valve of a main combustion chamber and having a spark plug positioned in the auxiliary chamber and unvalved inlet and outlet ports interconnecting the auxiliary chamber with the main chamber. The air/fuel mixture drawn into the main combustion chamber is deflected by the back surface of the intake valve into the inlet port of the auxiliary combustion chamber toward the spark plug. The auxiliary combustion chamber may include a shell positioned in a cavity in the cylinder head with devices for properly positioning the shell in the cavity and for retaining the shell and preventing it from rotating.

Abstract: An auxiliary combustion chamber at least partially embedded in the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine adjacent the intake valve of a main combustion chamber and having a spark plug positioned in the auxiliary chamber and unvalved inlet and outlet ports interconnecting the auxiliary chamber with the main chamber. The air/fuel mixture drawn into the main combustion chamber is deflected by the back surface of the intake valve into the inlet port of the auxiliary combustion chamber toward the spark plug. The auxiliary combustion chamber may include a shell positioned in a cavity in the cylinder head with devices for properly positioning the shell in the cavity and for retaining the shell and preventing it from rotating.

Abstract: An auxiliary combustion chamber at least partially embedded in the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine adjacent the intake valve of a main combustion chamber and having a spark plug positioned in the auxiliary chamber and unvalved inlet and outlet ports interconnecting the auxiliary chamber with the main chamber. The air/fuel mixture drawn into the main combustion chamber is deflected by the back surface of the intake valve into the inlet port of the auxiliary combustion chamber toward the spark plug. The auxiliary combustion chamber may include a shell positioned in a cavity in the cylinder head with devices for properly positioning the shell in the cavity and for retaining the shell and preventing it from rotating.

Abstract: A fuel reforming system for use in an intake system for an internal combustion engine operable with a hydrocarbon fuel has a spark plug or plugs for intermittently producing spark discharges to cause imperfect combustion of a rich air-fuel mixture so that a part of the fuel is reformed into intermediate combustion products and the large portion of the remainder of the fuel is vaporized by the heat produced by the imperfect combustion, whereby the reformed mixture is made optimum for combustion to thereby enable the engine to perform an optimum operation.

Abstract: An auxiliary combustion chamber at least partially embedded in the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine adjacent the intake valve of a main combustion chamber and having a spark plug positioned in the auxiliary chamber and unvalved inlet and outlet ports interconnecting the auxiliary chamber with the main chamber. The air/fuel mixture drawn into the main combustion chamber is deflected by the back surface of the intake valve into the inlet port of the auxiliary combustion chamber toward the spark plug. The auxiliary combustion chamber may include a shell positioned in a cavity in the cylinder head with devices for properly positioning the shell in the cavity and for retaining the shell and preventing it from rotating.