The Allen Group Inc.

Lucas Automation & Control Engineering, Inc.

Assembly Technology & Test Limited

Lucas Hartridge, Inc.

George Scourtes

John P Gagneur

Elliott Yush

An internal combustion engine is tested by measuring/recording the pressure of the intake gas as the engine is rotated without combustion.

Cold engine testing

An internal combustion engine having a rotary crankshaft and pistons reciprocable in cylinders is tested for imbalance by suspending the engine from above to preclude vertical displacement of the engine and clamping the engine horizontally to preclude horizontal displacement thereof. Force sensors act on the engine to detect both vertical and horizontal forces imposed on the engine in response to rotation of the crankshaft by a crankshaft driver and resulting reciprocation of the pistons at speeds sufficient to cause the imposition of horizontal and vertical forces on the engine by a moving, unbalanced mass. The forces may be measured and oriented to enable the imbalance to be corrected. The cylinders are evacuated during rotation of the crankshaft to avoid the imposition of loads on the moving parts of the engine during the test. Changes in torque due to changes in the speed of rotation of the crankshaft may be detected by load cells which are responsive to rocking movements of the crankshaft driver.

Apparatus and methods for detecting imbalance

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for testing an internal combustion engine having one or more cylinders each of which has a reciprocable piston which defines a variable volume combustion chamber in communication with intake and exhaust ports that are opened and closed by intake and exhaust valves, respectively. The combustion chamber of each cylinder is either evacuated or pressurized, depending upon the tests to be performed, to establish in such chamber a negative or positive pressure relative to ambient pressure, and such negative or positive pressure is maintained, while the associated piston is reciprocated. The opening and closing of the valves in conjunction with reciprocation of the associated piston causes pressure pulses to be generated which are sensed and analyzed.

Methods and apparatus for testing engines

An internal combustion engine is tested by measuring/recording the pressure of the exhaust gas as the engine is rotate without combustion.

Apparatus for generating a precision fluid flow comprises a cylinder having side and end walls forming a fluid-receiving chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. A cylindrical piston free of engagement with the cylinder side wall is movable longitudinally into the cylinder so as to displace through the fluid outlet a volume of fluid corresponding to the volume of the piston accommodated in the chamber. The piston is formed of a material which is substantially insensitive to variations in temperature and pressure of the fluid in the chamber so that the piston rod is substantially dimensionally stable. The piston is moved relative to the chamber by a precision driving mechanism either at a constant velocity to provide a constant volumetric flow of fluid through the outlet or at a variable velocity to provide a constant fluid pressure at the outlet.

Fluid flow generating apparatus

A chassis dynamometer has a number of rotary units corresponding to the number of wheels of a vehicle to be tested, each of the rotary units constituting a synchronous electric motor independent of one another. Each motor is coupled to an electric power source via a single frequency control unit which is operable to adjust the frequency of electric current supplied to the motors. All motors operate at a uniform speed and each motor is coupled to a torque responsive load cell operable to generate a signal in response to a change in torque of the associated motor. Each load cell is coupled to a summing circuit unit which also is coupled to the frequency control unit for adjusting the latter in accordance with an average of changes in the torque.

Chassis dynamometer construction

A continuously movable conveyor supports a plurality of articles for movement along a path leading to and beyond a zone at which selected articles are transferred from and returned to the conveyor. At the transfer zone is stop apparatus movable from a position clear of the path of movement of the articles on the conveyor to a position in which it projects into such path of movement so as to engage and stop an oncoming article as the conveyor continues to move. The stop apparatus includes a stop member supported by a parallelogram linkage which is rockable by an extensible and retractable hydraulic ram to effect movements of the stop member into and out of the path of conveyor borne articles. The coupling of the ram to the stop member includes a lost motion connection enabling displacement of the stop member upon engagement of the latter by an article on the conveyor and the ram is yieldably retractable in response to such engagement so as to absorb and cushion the shock of such engagement. Following stopping of the article on the conveyor the ram returns to its extended position and locates the stop member in such position that, upon retraction of the ram to move the stop member out of the path of movement of conveyor borne articles, the stop member has a component of movement along the conveyor path so as to avoid the imposition of binding forces on the stop member by the article engaged thereby.

Apparatus for stopping articles on a conveyor

Apparatus and methods for testing a front wheel drive automotive transmission having a drive input adapted for connection to the engine driveshaft and two driven outputs adapted for coupling to the axles of the front wheels. The testing apparatus comprises a drive input shaft corresponding to the engine driveshaft and a pair of output shafts corresponding to the vehicle axles. Each output shaft is coupled to a single driven shaft by a positive drive, non-slip coupling mechanism so that neither of the output shafts can rotate at a speed different from that of the other. The single, driven shaft is provided with a flywheel which simulates inertial forces. The input driveshaft is coupled to a variable speed motor and the single, driven shaft is coupled to a similar motor which is operable at selected speeds to impose varying load conditions on the transmission. The positive drive couplings preferably rotate the single, driven shaft at a speed greater than that of the driving output shafts so as to minimize the mass of the flywheel.

Transmission testing apparatus and method

Apparatus and methods for simulating varying atmospheric conditions comprises an enclosure that is sealed except for an air inlet and an air outlet by means of which air is admitted to and exhausted from the enclosure. The inlet of the enclosure is connected to a compressed air source and the outlet of the enclosure is connected to a vacuum pump. Adjustment of the flow rates of air into and from the enclosure results in changes in the air pressure within the enclosure to simulate barometric pressure changes from below to well above sea level. Air admitted to the enclosure is temperature and moisture conditioned to simulate changes in atmospheric temperature and humidity conditions. Apparatus and methods according to the disclosure are particularly suited for the testing and calibration of vehicle carburetors.

Apparatus and methods for simulating varying atmospheric conditions

Apparatus and method for automatically transferring articles from a continuously movable conveyor to a work station, and return, the transfer apparatus comprising a carriage mounted alongside the conveyor between the latter and the work station and for reciprocating movements along a path parallel to the movement of the conveyor. The carriage has two article support portions, one of which is adapted to receive an article from the conveyor and move it into the work station, and the other of which is adapted to receive an article from the work station and return it to the conveyor. The conveyor is provided with means for stopping selected articles carried by the conveyor to enable the transfer of articles from and to the conveyor to be effected. The movements of the carriage are controlled in such manner as to ensure the presence thereon of an article in readiness to be transferred to the work station prior to the completion of work performed on a preceding article in the work station.

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Clearwater, FL, United States of America

George Scourtes