Southwest Research Institute

Centrifugal Piston Expander, Inc.

Charles D Wood, Iii

Harvey S Benson

Cheryl Renee Blanchard

James Lankford, Jr

Edwin W Dibrell

James J Cole

Rosser B Melton, Jr

Gerald S McAlwee

John W Colburn, Jr

A spark plug for use in an internal combustion engine comprises an electrically nonconductive body member and a pair of electrodes formed of a material each having titanium diboride as its major component. Tests indicate that titanium diboride electrodes are extremely resistant to electrical erosion. The spark plugs embodying the present invention are particularly useful in continuous cycle or heavy duty cycle engines that have heretofore been the subject of severe electrode erosion.

Spark plug having titanium diboride electrodes

An engine having a variable piston capable of adjusting an engine's compression ratio while cranking or operating throughout an engine's speed/load range. Control may be obtained through varying the volume of lubricating fluid supplied to an inertia operated pump/accumulator device located in each multi-element piston. Fluid is supplied to said pump/accumulator device by means of a low pressure jet directed into an opening in the accumulator. No direct plumbing connection is required between the fluid source and the pump/accumulator device. Each piston includes an inner element conventionally mounted on a connecting rod and an outer element slidably mounted above and around said inner element. A chamber is formed between the upper surface of said inner element and the inside top surface of said outer element. Supplying a fluid into this cavity extends the upper portion of the piston, raising the engine compression ratio. Said chamber is constructed with a small orifice draining to a second smaller cavity within the multi-element piston and used to modify relative motions. When fluid supply is less than said drain rate, the piston upper portion will retract and compression ratios will decrease. When fluid supply exceeds the drain rate, compression ratios increase. The system also allows for remote control of compression ratio through variation in the volume of oil supplied through supply jets. The system also insured a steady supply of fluid for piston cooling.

Variable compression piston

The present invention is a valve control device (10) for an internal combustion engine (12). It comprises a housing (18) having a piston chamber (20), in which is mounted a power piston (22) for reciprocating movement. The power piston (22) is connected to the engine valve (26). An air reservoir chamber (62) connected to a high pressure air source (74), is formed above the piston chamber (20). A poppet valve (42) mounted on the upper surface of the power piston (22) blocks communication between the piston chamber (20) and the air reservoir chamber (62) when the power piston (22) is in its highest position. The air source (74) is also connectred to the upper portion of the piston chamber (20) through a timing valve (76), which controls flow of air to the piston chamber (20).

Internal combustion engine valve control device

A process and engine using a homogeneous mixture of fuel and air but ignited spontaneously by high mixture temperatures produced by heating and by compression of the fuel charge in which a controlled rate of combustion is obtained by adding exhaust products to the fuel-air mixture. A combustion chamber is connected to the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine which is provided with a fuel and exhaust products which remain therein as fresh air is introduced into the cylinder due to a restricted entrance. A heater element at the entrance heats fresh air entering the combustion chamber on the compression stroke to produce spontaneous ignition of the homogeneous mixture.

Process and engine using compression ignition of a homogeneous fuel-air

An non-lubricated, ringless piston engine without a conventional heat exchange system having a cross-head guide for guiding and restraining the piston within a cylinder of a two-stroke engine. The piston-bore radial clearance gap is maintained during engine operation by means of a capacitance sensor controlling a temperature equilibrium flow system within the piston head and the cylinder jacket. The engine operates at high speeds to minimize horsepower losses due to gas leakage, while benefiting from reduced friction losses resulting from absence of piston rings. Blowing gases are collected and returned to the combustion chamber from a pumping chamber formed beneath the piston and above the cross-head guide.

Ringless piston engine

A compact heat exchanger and method for making the same using the interior of randomly arranged interconnecting hollow spheres as a conduit for a first fluid and the exterior of same as a conduit for a second fluid of different temperature. The apparatus is constructed by fusing the points of contact between the objects of a packed cluster of objects, forming an impermeable layer on the fused objects and removing the fused objects to leave hollow shells interconnected at their points of contact. The interconnecting interiors of the hollow shells form an inner space to which fluid entry and exit ports may be provided to entry and exit manifolds. An outer interstitial space is realized by channeling the second fluid through the porosity in the cluster of shells comprised of the spaces outside the interconnected hollow shells.

Compact heat exchanger

The disclosure provides an oscillatable body mounting a cylinder defining an elongated fluid pressure chamber having at least one end thereof remotely located with respect to the axis of oscillation. The elongated fluid pressure chamber accommodates a free piston which reciprocates along the length of the chamber according to fluid pressure applied thereto. Solenoid operated inlet and exhaust valves are provided at each end of the elongated fluid pressure chamber, and sensing devices, responsive to the passage of the free piston therethrough are disposed on opposite ends of the elongated fluid pressure chamber and adjacent the medial portions thereof to control the operation of the inlet and exhaust valves in accordance with the desired objective to either maximize the extraction of mechanical energy from a pressured gas in the form of oscillating movements of the body, or maximize the expansion of the pressured gas to derive the greatest possible cooling effect therefrom.

Gas pressure operated power source

A fuel injection system for a diesel engine is disclosed as having a single injector for injecting diesel fuel and alternative fuel into each combustion chamber of the engine in the form of a plume having diesel fuel at its tip so that the diesel fuel is ignited by the compression in the chamber and the alternative fuel is ignited by the ignition of the diesel fuel.

Fuel injection system for diesel engines

A draft power sensor is shown which is capable of determining the amount of power being applied to the soil in earthmoving equipment. The effective draft force and the true ground speed of the earthmoving equipment are measured. This information is processed electronically to provide the product of the two values, which is the draft power. Production from earthmoving equipment can be maximized if the highest value of the draft power is maintained.

Draft power sensor and method for improving performance in earthmoving

Staged combustion apparatus is disclosed for generating repetitive explosions. The apparatus includes a first chamber in which a gas under pressure is ignited by an ignition source, such as a spark plug, and a second chamber in which gas under pressure is ignited by gas discharging from the first chamber. The second chamber includes a discharge outlet and a dump valve is provided responsive to the gas pressures in the two chambers for permitting the discharge of gas under pressure from the second chamber when it is ignited. The gas discharge, for example, may be conducted about the tooth of a ripper plow to aid in earth fracture.

Combustion apparatus for generating repetitive explosions

A highly responsive valve for exhausting high pressure combustion gases from a closed combustion chamber upon the occurrence of a predetermined pressure is disclosed. A valve housing defines a cylindrical pressure chamber adapted for connection to a combustion chamber. A cylindrical valve sleeve is reciprocably guided along the chamber interior wall from a first position blocking directionally oriented outlet ports in the chamber to a second position opening the outlet ports to rapidly discharge combustion gases from the pressure chamber. The lower edge of the sleeve seats against a cover plate in the first position and defines an annular pressure chamber with the grooved seat. A pilot valve houses a reciprocable piston which controls communication between the pressure chamber and the valve chamber. The pilot valve piston is pressure biased to a position blocking communication between the pressure and valve chambers and the pilot valve piston shifts in response to a predetermined pressure rise in the valve pressure chamber to communicate the annular pressure chamber with high pressure to cause the valve sleeve to be rapidly accelerated to a full open position. Ring springs limit the sleeve travel and absorb the energy of the accelerating sleeve. The valve sleeve is provided with an internal shoulder area exposed to the pressure chamber so that combustion chamber pressure prior to ignition acts to positively hold the sleeve seated. Lubricating fluid is introduced in a valve guided slot of the valve sleeve and valve housing wall surfaces so that lubricant is prevented from entering the interior pressure chamber.

Growing community of inventors

San Antonio, TX, United States of America

Charles D Wood, Iii