Fuel Control System

Parent application Ser. No. 197,695 filed Oct. 16, 1980 discloses a fuel control system for dramatically increasing the fuel efficiency for motor vehicles. That system includes a metering device for supplying gasoline to the carburetor in such a manner that a reduced rate of flow is supplied under normal driving conditions and an increased rate of flow is supplied during acceleration of the vehicle. The present invention is directed to modifications of that fuel control system.

An object of this invention is to provide a fuel control system of the above type which is adapted to prevent blockage which might otherwise occur in the metering device. A further object of this invention is to provide such a system which utilizes an auxiliary reservoir downstream from the metering device.

A still further object of this invention is to provide such a system which assures a proper rate of flow through the main valve of the metering device once the valve has been set.

In accordance with this invention, the fuel control system includes a metering device connected to the fuel line between the gasoline tank and the carburetor with the metering device including means for supplying a controlled rate of flow of gasoline therethrough under ordinary driving conditions and further including means for increasing the rate of flow during acceleration of the vehicle with a filter being mounted upstream from the metering device to filter out dirt and thereby prevent blockage in the metering device. In accordance with the invention, the system also includes a second filter downstream from the metering device to function as an auxiliary reservoir for the carburetor.

In accordance with a preferred practice of this invention, the main valve which is operative during normal conditions is a needle valve and stop means are provided to hold the needle valve in position once it has been set and thereby assure the proper rate of flow of fuel to the carburetor.

The fuel control system of this invention is illustrated in the single FIGURE.

The present invention is directed to a modification of the fuel control system described in parent application Ser. No. 197,695 filed Oct. 16, 1980, the details of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. In general the fuel control system 10 which is the subject of the parent application includes a fuel storage tank 2 having a vent 3 with storage tank 2 feeding gasoline by means of pump 14 through fuel line 6. In accordance with that system, operating tank 12 is mounted to the fuel line 6 downstream from main tank 2 and is provided with its pump 8 to withdraw gasoline therefrom. Operating tank 12 includes a vent line 22 and a level sensing switch 26 for actuating pump 14 to assure that gasoline will be supplied from tank 2 when the level of gasoline in tank 12 is at a predetermined minimum. A protective skid plate 24 is also provided for operating tank 12. The system 10 also includes a metering device 16 which includes a main meter valve 18 and a by-pass valve 20 as later described. Fuel is fed from fuel line 6 into metering valve 16 through inlet line 34 and is then discharged from metering valve 16 through the portion of fuel line 6 downstream therefrom where it is fed into the float bowl of carburetor 4. Under ordinary operating conditions, the fuel is supplied to carburetor 4 through main meter valve 18. Under certain conditions, however, such as during acceleration when it is necessary to increase the supply of fuel, the fuel is additionally supplied through by-pass valve 20. The actuation of by-pass valve 20 (which is preferably a solenoid valve having extendable rod 38) may be accomplished by locating a suitable actuating by-pass switch 46 (connected by line 50 to valve 20) in the path of downward motion of gasoline pedal 48.

The drawing illustrates a further safeguard to system 10 wherein a pressure gauge 5 is mounted to fuel line 6 downstream from metering device 16 and upstream from carburetor 4 so as to provide a ready check that the proper amount of fuel pressure is maintained during feed of gasoline from the fuel pump 8 to the carburetor 4. The fuel feed pressure is easily adjusted by turning meter valve 18 in or out until the desired pressure is indicated on gauge 5.

The present invention includes a filter 80 upstream from inlet line 34 to filter out dirt and thereby prevent blockage which might otherwise occur in metering device 16 and particularly with respect to main meter valve 18.

The present invention also includes a second filter 82 downstream from metering device 16 which functions as a secondary reservoir similar to the reservoir in carburetor 4. The provision of this auxiliary reservoir provides the possibility of eliminating operating tank 12 and its fuel pump 8 although the invention may be practiced with the inclusion of both operating tank 12 and reservoir 82.

It is to be understood that the provision of filters 80, 82 is in addition to other filters which may conventionally be incorporated in the fuel system. In this regard, one of the advantages of the fuel control system of this invention is that it lends itself to adaptation to existing fuel systems in motor vehicles by a simple mounting of, for example, the metering device (and the operating tank 12 and its pump 8, where needed) to the fuel line of the existing system. Accordingly, while the existing fuel system to which the invention is adapted may already include filters, filters 80 and 82 are additional filters specifically intended to function in the manner indicated above.

In the preferred form of this invention, main meter valve 18 is a needle valve which includes a threaded rod 60 threadably engaged with an internally threaded portion of passage 62 so that the pointed end 32 of rod 60 may be adjusted with respect to the junction of inlet line 34 and outlet line or passageway 36 so as to control the amount of flow from inlet line 34 to outlet line 36. The drawback with using such a needle valve, however, is that vibrations caused by the bumping of the vehicle on the road might tend to cause the threaded rod 60 to rotate somewhat and back out or otherwise alter the intended setting. The present invention minimizes such backing off or setting alteration. This is accomplished by the provision of a locking mechanism to hold threaded rod 60 in position once it has been adjusted to the desired location. As shown in the drawing, the locking mechanism is in the form of a screw or bolt 84 which extends through a threaded bore in mounting block 58 perpendicular to threaded passage 62. In operation, locking member 84 would be retracted or unscrewed out of passage 62 so that threaded rod 60 can be manipulated to the desired setting. Locking member 84 is then moved inwardly toward passage 62 until it engages threaded rod 60. By so engaging locking member 84 with threaded rod 60 any tendency of threaded rod 60 to alter its position is prevented.

If desired, the outer end of locking member 84 could be slotted to accept the conventional screwdriver. As a further feature of this invention, however, the outer end would have a special configuration to require a special tool for its manipulation such as an Allen wrench so that locking member 84 can be easily manipulated. This feature would act as a tamperproof feature to prevent unauthorized adjustments of the needle valve 18.

Although the invention has been particularly described with respect to one form of locking mechanism which is particularly suitable for needle valve, the invention may be practiced with other forms of locking mechanisms and other forms of valves. Needle valves, however, are preferred for economy. Similarly, any suitable in-line fuel filter may be used for filters 80, 82 such as manufactured by Purolator, Fram, etc., or filter 82 may simply be any form of receptacle capable of functioning as an auxiliary reservoir.