Abstract: A fuel vaporizing and atomizing device which is particularly suitable for ammoniacal fuels comprises a chamber having a resonant plate therein, possibly forming part or all of one wall of the chamber, which plate is in physical contact with a transducer operating to vibrate the plate at an ultrasonic frequency in order to encourage vaporization which is further enhanced by passing the partly vaporized fuel through a silent discharge device operating at a very high voltage, following which the fuel passes over a catalyst such as platinum.

Abstract: A carburetor in which a fuel evaporator using a "porous ceramic body" is disclosed. The "porous ceramic body" has a three-dimensional porous structure with open boxes. The three-dimensional porous structure comprises an electrically conductive ceramic with a positive temperature coefficient. The carburetor is provided with an electrical arrangement so as to permit current to flow through the "porous ceramic body" to cause it to produce heat.

Abstract: The device includes a thermostat which is potted or secured by epoxy in a recess in the closed end of a generally cup-shaped, dielectric housing. A generally disc-shaped, aluminum alloy casting is secured coaxially against an opening formed in the bottom of the housing, and against a PTC resistor which is positioned in the opening between the casting and the thermostat, and in electrical contact with the latter. A bimetallic coil is mounted in the open end of the housing with its inner end staked to an integral post on the Al casting, and with its free end mounted to unwind or rotate angularly in the housing with changes in ambient temperature. The Al casting functions as a heat sink which can be trimmed, before being secured in the housing, to calibrate the bimetel coil.

Abstract: In a carburetor, a heating device comprises a honeycomb heater element disposed within at least one of fuel and air passages of the carburetor to heat the fuel and/or air passing therethrough, the honeycomb heater element being made of a ceramic composition to have a positive temperature coefficient of resistance and being connected at the opposite ends thereof with an electric power source across an ignition switch of the engine, whereby the liquid fuel and/or air is heated by the heating device when the temperature of the liquid fuel or the air is lower than a critical temperature defined by the ceramic composition of the heater element.

Abstract: A carburetion system for providing improved cold start engine operation comprises a carburetor having an air-fuel passage, an air inlet to the passage, a fuel inlet to the passage for mixing fuel and air in the passage, and an outlet from the passage for delivering a mixture of air and vaporized fuel to the engine. A heater comprising a ceramic resistor body of a material of positive temperature coefficient of resistivity has a plurality of passages extending through the body and has means directing electrical current through the body for heating the body. The heater is mounted at the outlet of the air-fuel passage of the carburetor with the heater body passages aligned with the air-fuel passage to pass the air-fuel mixture through the heater passages in heat-transfer relation to the body to facilitate vaporization and mixing of the fuel in the air-fuel mixture.

Abstract: A fuel atomizing unit interposable in a conduit feeding a relatively cold mixture of fuel droplets dispersedd in air to a combustion chamber. The unit includes a permeable assembly constituted by an electrical heating element disposed between a pair of spaced mesh screens to define an atomization zone. The assembly is seated in a cavity formed in a metal plate having a flow passage which registers with the flow conduit, the plate acting as a heat sink and being sandwiched between thermal insulation gaskets to render the plate effective as an oven chamber to maintain the atomization zone at an elevated temperature despite the varying cooling effect of the incoming mixture. The zone restricts the flow of the mixture, the screen intercepting the droplets therein to create a suspension of minute fuel particles to produce a downstream mist.

Abstract: A carburetion system for improving cold starting of an automotive engine comprises a carburetor having an air-fuel passage, an air inlet to the passage, a fuel inlet to the passage for mixing fuel and air in the passage, and an outlet from the passage for delivering a mixture of an air and vaporized fuel to the engine. A heater comprising a ceramic resistor body of a material of positive temperature coefficient of resistivity has a plurality of relatively large passages extending in a pattern in spaced side-by-side relation to each other through the body between opposite ends of the body for defining thin webs of the resistor material between adjacent body passages. The heater is mounted at the outlet of the carburetor air-fuel passage with the heater passages aligned with the air-fuel passage to pass the air-fuel mixture through the heater passages in heat transfer relation to the body.

Abstract: Apparatus for increasing the efficiency of combustion in an internal combustion engine having a fuel atomizing means, an intake to the combustion chambers and a battery powered electrical ignition system comprises at least one screen inserted between the fuel atomizing means and the intake for contacting fuel which has been atomized by the fuel atomizing means, electrical means powered by the battery for heating the screen sufficiently to vaporize atomized fuel in contact therewith and means for adjusting the power supplied to the heating means by the battery in response to the operating conditions of the engine.

Abstract: An automatic choking device of an electric heating type for use in an automobile engine and the like having a carburetor main body, a choke valve provided in the carburetor main body, a shaft for rotating the choke valve which is supported on the carburetor main body in a freely rotable manner, a bimetal member connected to the rotational shaft for the choke valve by means of a connecting member, and to cause the rotational shaft to rotate, when heated, to open the choke valve, heating means having an electric heating mechanism to heat the bimetal member, and a switch means to open and close a connecting circuit between the heating means and a power source for the same, in which the electric heating mechanism functions to maintain the choke valve in a substantially perfectly closed state without actuating the bimetal member when the internal combustion engine is at a low temperature level, to open the choke valve by heating the bimetal as the temperature of the engine rises with lapse of time, and to lower th

Abstract: The carburetor has a conventional automatic choke construction heating a bimetallic coil by engine exhaust stove heat to slowly open the choke valve during cold weather starts; supplemental heat is provided by an electrically controlled positive temperature coefficient heater device operable above a predetermined ambient temperature to move the choke valve open faster, to reduce emissions.

Abstract: A fuel atomizing unit interposable in a conduit feeding to a combustion chamber a relatively cold mixture of fuel droplets dispersed in air. The unit is constituted by an electrical heating element placed between a pair of spaced mesh screens to define a permeable assembly having a pocket therein. The assembly functions as a restriction in the conduit whose impedance to flow is in the order of about 15 to 20%, whereby the screen intercepts the droplets to create a suspension in air of minute fuel particles to produce a downstream mist which is forced by the restriction to assume a vortex-like flow pattern. The heat supplied to the pocket by the heater is sufficient to raise the temperature of the mist to a level conducive to complete combustion in the chamber, whereby no fuel is wasted and the exhaust of the chamber is substantially free of pollutants.

Abstract: A method for decreasing hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen emanating from the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine involves supplying substantially pure oxygen to the air intake means of the engine. Such pure oxygen may be passed from a tank in which it is stored to the air intake means of the engine. The pure oxygen may be created by storing a chemical compound in a chamber and heating the chamber so that the compound may release the oxygen, or oxygen can be created by electrolytically decomposing water, passing oxygen generated by such decomposition into a storage tank coupled to the air intake means of the engine.

Abstract: Electric heating means for fuel vaporization in internal combustion engines to improve the efficiency, performance and starting thereof, an optimum amount of electrical power being supplied to the heating means during operation of the engine. An important feature relates to the use of heating units mounted in an intake manifold preferably with there being one heating unit for each engine cylinder, mounted adjacent the intake valve. In an engine having fuel injection, a heating unit is mounted on the downstream side of each fuel injector. Another important feature relates to the provision of means controlled by ambient temperature sensing means for automatically adjusting the optimum amount of electrical power supplied to electric heating and vaporizing means.