Abstract: This invention relates to a reciprocating internal combustion engine having a cylinder crankcase in which a crankshaft is rotatably supported, to which crankshaft there is flexibly joined at least one connecting rod having a piston guided in a cylinder liner, the crankcase having fittings of an oil circulation system and various attached parts in a number independent of the number of cylinders. The crankcases with various numbers of cylinders can be cast, machined and assembled at the lowest possible cost because groups of fittings and attached parts have spacings to one of the two ends of the various cylinder crankcases (1) that remain constant.

Abstract: An apparatus for electrically determining and recording the dose of an agent delivered with a syringe consisting of a barrel for holding the agent and a plunger for expelling the agent. The syringe has a conducting path with an input terminal and an output terminal, and at least one electrically resistive element, whose resistance changes depending on the position of the plunger inside the barrel. The apparatus produces a voltage difference across the terminals and causes an electric current to flow through the conducting path. An electric response measuring device, preferably an ammeter, measures the electric current delivered from the syringe's output terminal and calculates the dose therefrom. The result is recorded by a digital memory unit.

Abstract: A structure for mounting the same type of camshafts on two different types of cylinder heads which have reversed order of intake valve/exhaust valve arrangement, the same type of camshafts being mounted on the two types of cylinder heads so as to be staggered longitudinally by an amount delta. In the structure, thrust planes formed in the two types of cylinder heads also are staggered with respect to each other by the amount delta. Further, a single type of thrust bearing cap is provided which has a bolt hole spaced longitudinally from the transverse centerline of the bearing cap by one-half the amount delta. The bearing cap mounted to one type of cylinder head is in reversed orientation relative to the bearing cap mounted to the other type of cylinder head. This structure enables common use of the same camshaft manufacturing line and the same engine assembly line for the two types of cylinder heads.

Abstract: A low cost multi cylinder radial aircraft engine is composed of an even number of individually functional, single cylinder slider crank model engines. They are mounted to a plate to form equally spaced radially oriented cylinders. In the preferred embodiment, use of standard, low cost, & mass produced two cycles engines are used. This in conjunction with a novel exhaust muffler and throttle mechanism results in a low cost radial engine. The individual engine shafts surround and are parallel to a central output shaft. Pinion gears on each shaft transfer power to a larger sun gear on the output shaft. This gearing synchronizes opposed pistons to reach top dead center at the same time resulting in vibration free piston motion and perfect balance of the entire engine. Said gearing also provides speed reduction for use of large diameter scale propellers. A rear mounted throttle mechanism controls individual carburetor throttles.

Abstract: A low cost multi cylinder radial aircraft engine is composed of an even number of individually functional, single cylinder slider crank model engines. They are mounted to a plate to form equally spaced radially oriented cylinders. In the preferred embodiment, use of standard, low cost, & mass produced two cycles engines are used. This in conjunction with a novel exhaust muffler and throttle mechanism results in a low cost radial engine. The individual engine shafts surround and are parallel to a central output shaft. Pinion gears on each shaft transfer power to a larger sun gear on the output shaft. This gearing synchronizes opposed pistons to reach top dead center at the same time resulting in vibration free piston motion and perfect balance of the entire engine. Said gearing also provides speed reduction for use of large diameter scale propellers. A rear mounted throttle mechanism controls individual carburetor throttles.

Abstract: A method of reducing the number of operative cylinders in an internal combustion engine, and an engine produced according to the method. The cylinder head is removed. A hole is formed in at least one initially operative piston associated with at least one cylinder. The head is replaced. The intake manifold is removed. The valve push rods and valve lifters associated with the cylinder are removed. The exit ports of oil opening into the bores for the valve lifters associated with the cylinder are sealed. The intake manifold is replaced.

Abstract: A system for deactivating cylinders in an interval combustion engine by replacing the spark plugs in every other cylinder of the firing order of the engine with a check valve grounding the unused spark plug wire to the engine, disconnecting the valve activating means in the deactivated cylinders so that the engine capacity is reduced thus reducing fuel consumption.

Abstract: A combination internal combustion and electric engine has a predetermined plurality of cylinders. A number of cylinders less than the predetermined plurality of cylinders are configured in conventional fashion and each has a conventional fuel powered piston located within it. A solenoid powered piston is positioned in each one of the remaining cylinders which does not have a conventional fuel powered piston therein. Additionally, a method of converting a conventional internal combustion engine having a predetermined plurality of cylinders in fluidic communication with a carburetor and an equal number of pistons into a combination internal combustion and electric engine includes blocking off less than all of the cylinders to prevent fluidic communication between the blocked cylinders and the carburetor and replacing a number of the fuel powered pistons within the blocked cylinders with electrically powered pistons. The invention is equally applicable to four, six, and eight cylinder engines.

Abstract: A replacement starting motor of the type for use in starting a passenger vehicle internal combustion engine is provided by converting a donor motor originally manufactured for one engine installation into a form making it a substitute for a starting motor manufactured for a different engine installation. The motor shell and solenoid housing and internal features contained therein are retained as a core from the donor starting motor in the replacement starting motor. A newly developed end cap assembly having a shape and spacial dimensions enabling the retained components of the donor starting motor to fit the different engine installation of the starting motor being replaced is attached to the donor core. A newly developed pinion sleeve having a unique length dimension is provided in the replacement starting motor to enable the retained components of the donor starter to properly bring the drive pinion into and out of driving engagement with the flywheel associated with the different engine installation.

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: Sparkplug means for an internal combustion engine are provided with conduits to introduce pre-combustion gases directly to a mixing area adjacent the sparking electrodes. This may be by connecting the conduits into the plug directly or by connecting them into an adapter to be interposed between the engine and the sparkplug, and providing a pre-combustion chamber therebetween. Preferably there is a mixing area upstream of the electrodes. An electrolyzer can be built into the arrangement to generate the pre-combustion gases immediately adjacent the sparkplug.

Abstract: A modular internal combustion engine is provided in which a single crankcase can be adapted to a plurality of different types of engine configurations. The crankcase is open at its top so that each upper side edge of the crankcase forms a mounting flange while a crankshaft is rotatably carried by the crankcase. Block members and adapter members are provided and each includes a mounting flange formed along each longitudinal side. All of the mounting flanges are substantially identical to each other so that any one mounting flange can be detachably secured to another mounting flange. Thus to construct the engine, one mounting flange of either the block or adapter member is attached to one crankcase mounting flange while one mounting flange on the other member is attached to the other crankcase mounting flange. In addition, the remaining mounting flanges on the block and adapter members register with each other and are secured together.

Abstract: A modular internal combustion engine is provided in which a single crankcase can be adapted to a plurality of different types of engine configurations. The crankcase is open at its top so that each upper side edge of the crankcase forms a mounting flange while a crankshaft is rotatably carried by the crankcase. Block members and adapter members are provided and each includes a mounting flange formed along each longitudinal side. All of the mounting flanges are substantially identical to each other so that any one mounting flange can be detachably secured to another mounting flange. Thus to construct the engine, one mounting flange of either the block or adapter member is attached to one crankcase mounting flange while one mounting flange on the other member is attached to the other crankcase mounting flange. In addition, the remaining mounting flanges on the block and adapter members register with each other and are secured together.

Abstract: An assembly comprises a cylinder block and a cylinder head secured to the cylinder block to close a plurality of cylinders formed in the cylinder block and to form a cooling liquid passage, in which, in assembly, cylinder head has two assembled positions on the cylinder block, the two assembled positions being pivoted from each other.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for converting a standard multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having a "split" intake manifold and "N" number of cylinders into a N/2 engine (as in converting a V-8 to V-4) to increase engine efficency and conserve fuel. One half of the split intake manifold is blocked off to prevent the fuel/air mixture from reaching one half of the engines' cylinders thereby preventing combustion within those cylinders. Horsepower losses due to compression of air within the deactivated cylinders are avoided by opening the intake valve passages and closing the exhaust valve passages. This forms a closed chamber between the deactivated cylinders and the intake manifold and allows the air to be pushed out of a cylinder during its normal compression stroke, through the intake manifold passages and into cylinders undergoing expansion strokes.

Abstract: An 8-cylinder engine is converted to a 4-cylinder engine by disconnecting and removing four alternate firing order pistons and connecting rods, by attaching a counterweight to each crank shaft throw journal from which a connecting rod has been removed, by blocking intake ports with replacement gaskets having obstructions at the ports of the selected cylinders and by adding weights to the flywheel.

Abstract: A converter kit for use in converting a stock vehicle engine to drive the distributor assembly from the front rather than the rear end of the engine camshaft thereby to provide improved synchronization between the crank shaft and distributor, particularly at higher engine speeds. The kit includes a main body casting securable across the front end of the engine and having a drive connection extending through a stock camshaft cover into a drive coupling secured to the front end of the camshaft. The engine distributor is transferable directly from its original support housing into a vertically disposed receiving well of the converter casting. The support brackets for the converter casting include cooling fluid passages across the outer ends thereof adapted to be sandwiched between the stock cooling fluid pump flow passages and the engine cooling passages.

Abstract: A simple and inexpensive method for converting an N-cylinder automobile engine to an (N/2)-cylinder engine which requires only minor modifications to the basic engine structure. Every other cylinder in the firing order is deactivated by removing adjacent spark plugs. A conduit is connected between the spark plug hole for each such cylinder and the carburetor air cleaner to prevent power stroke vacuum, exhaust stroke compression, and passage of debris. The rocker arm assemblies for each deactivated cylinder are removed to maintain the intake and exhaust valves in a closed position, and thereby discontinue fuel flow and limit the air flow to that through the conduits.