Abstract: A starting aid for an internal combustion engine comprises a tubular extension in the end of which is a spirally wound electric heating element. The extension is secured to a body which in use is located in a bore in the cylinder head of the engine so that at least part of the extension extends into a combustion chamber of the engine. The extension mounts a sleeve extending from the body towards the end of the extension and this is formed from a material having a high thermal conductivity. The sleeve acts to minimize the temperature attained by the extension when the aid is in use.

Abstract: An internal combustion diesel engine having a piston sliding in a cylinder and forming a main combustion chamber between the piston and the cylinder head. The cylinder head also has a pre-combustion chamber which communicates by a connecting passage with the main combustion chamber, with a fuel injection nozzle and glow plug arranged to project into the pre-combustion chamber. In addition, a smaller auxiliary chamber is provided which communicates with the pre-combustion chamber by a nozzle shaped aperture, and supplies additional combustion air to the pre-combustion chamber to help effectuate complete combustion, even at high engine loads, of the air-fuel mixture.

Abstract: An improved ignitor and ignition method for igniting a wide variety of fuels that may be used to power various types of engines, or for use with other applications requiring the efficient combustion of fuel. The fuel to be burned is mixed with air to form a relatively lean first fuel/air mixture. This first fuel/air mixture is then injected into the primary combustion chamber, such as the combustion zone of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine, or similar combustion chamber of other types of fuel-burning apparatus. The first fuel/air mixture is ignited with a stream of hot ionized gas that is jetted into the primary combustion chamber from a precombustion or plasma-generating chamber. The plasma-generating chamber is in close proximity to the primary combustion chamber, with a plasma guide or discharge tunnel connecting the two. A fuel line connects a source of pressurized fuel to the plasma-generating chamber.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an internal combustion engine having an auxiliary combustion chamber in which a principal chamber is provided having (a) two intake valves and an intake port connected thereto and, (b) on the opposite side of a vertical plane extending along an axial line centered at the crank shaft and the center of the cylinder, a single exhaust valve and an exhaust port connected thereto, the same being in communication with the auxiliary combustion chamber.