US3802191A

US3802191A - Air pollution control unit for internal combustion engines

Info

Publication number: US3802191A
Application number: US00181706A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Fox
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-09-20
Filing date: 1971-09-20
Publication date: 1974-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-09

Abstract

An exhaust gas receiving chamber that has its front end connected by a pipe to the exhaust manifold of an internal combustion engine, and the rear end of the aforesaid chamber is connected to an outlet pipe. The aforesaid exhaust gas chamber has structure therein adapted to separate the contents of the exhaust gases, as will hereinafter be described. The top of the aforesaid exhaust gas chamber is provided with structures connected to two tubes, one of the tubes terminates in the top of a vacuum separator tank and the other tube terminates in the top of a second vacuum separator tank. The two aforesaid vacuum separator tanks are connected to a third tank located below the aforesaid vacuum separator tanks by means of tubes. The top of one of the aforesaid vacuum separator tanks is connected by a tube to the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine and the top of the other aforesaid vacuum separator tank is connected by a tube to the air cleaner of the aforesaid internal combustion engine.

Description

Fox

AIR POLLUTION CONTROL UNIT FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES [76] Inventor: Rolan H. Fox, PO. Box 220,

Newcastle, Wyo. 82701 [22] Filed: Sept. 20, 1971 [21] App]. No.: 181,706

[52] U.S. Cl 60/279, 60/297, 123/119 A [51] Int. Cl F02m 25/06 [58] Field of Search 60/278, 279, 297, 311; 123/1 19 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,756,897 4/1930 Bilsky 60/279 1,992,266 2/1935 Weeks 60/279 2,409,825 10/1946 Baringoltz 60/311 3,304,711 2/1967 Eastman 60/279 Primary Examiner-Douglas Hart Attorney, Agent, orFirm-David I-l. Hill TO /I\/ TAKE 5 7 ABSTRACT An exhaust gas receiving chamber that has its front end connected by a pipe to the exhaust manifold of an internal combustion engine, and the rear end of the aforesaid chamber is connected to an outlet pipe. The aforesaid exhaust gas chamber has structure therein adapted to separate the contents of the exhaust gases, as will hereinafter be described. The top of the aforesaid exhaust gas chamber is provided with structures connected to two tubes, one of the tubes terminates in the top of a vacuum separator tank and the other tube terminates in the top of a second vacuum separator tank. The two aforesaid vacuum separator tanks are connected to a third tank located below the aforesaid vacuum separator tanks by means of tubes. The top of one of the aforesaid vacuum separator tanks is connected by a tube to the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine and the top of the other aforesaid vacuum separator tank is connected by a tube to the air cleaner of the aforesaid internal combustion engme.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR sign I E 1 of 2 3802.191

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I 11v VENTOR w ROLA/VHFOX 9 AIR POLLUTION CONTROL UNIT FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES This invention relates to internal combustion engines; more particularly, to a unit to reduce air pollution that is caused by the expelling of exhaust gases from the tail pipe or pipes of an internal combustion engine in an automobile or the like although the invention can be adapted to any internal combustion engine regardless of its use.

For the benefit of those less experienced in the art of air pollution control it is first herein explained that in this invention the aforesaid unit consists of four separate devices which are connected together by tubes or the like, as will hereinafter be described. The aforesaid devices are an exhaust gas chamber, two vacuum separator tanks, and a third tank.

It is to be realized at this time that while I personally prefer to call this invention a Smog Control Unit I will hereinafter call it by the broad term that is more readily understood by all as an Air Pollution Control Unit. Air can be polluted by the exhaust gases coming from an internal combustion engine without necessarily producing smog as certain temperatures and other conditions of the air are needed before smog can be produced. It will be noted in the following specification of this invention that l have use the term emissions, this being due to the fact that emissions are defined in the dictionary as something emitted" and in this case the something is of course the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine.

It is obviously the principal object of this invention to provide an air pollution control unit for internal combustion engines that will greatly reduce air pollution through the internal combustion engine exhaust emissions.

Another object of this invention is to provide an air pollution control unit for internal combustion engines that will eliminate the need for engine manufacturers to redesign their engines in order to reduce air pollution that is caused by the exhaust emissions of the engines.

Another object of this invention is to provide an air pollution control unit for internal combustion engines that will also permit the present fuels to continue to be used in internal combustion engines.

Another object of this invention is to provide an air pollution control unit for internal combustion engines, a unit that has neither moving parts nor does it require the use of chemicals in order to reduce air pollution caused by the exhaust emissions of the engines.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an air pollution control unit for internal combustion engines that can be installed on any internal combustion engine in a minimum of time and with a minimum of effort by nearly any mechanic or the like experienced either in the internal combustion engine or mechanical arts.

Other and further objects and advantages of this novel invention will no doubt come to mind as the reading of this specification and its appended claims proceeds and the accompanying drawings are examined in connection therewith.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a semi-diagrammatic view of this invention in its entirety.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinally disposed sectional view of the exhaust gas chamber of this invention, taken substantially along line 22 of FIG. 1, and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

In the two views of this invention, like parts of the invention are indicated by like reference numbers.

Directing ones attention first to FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings it will be seen that the reference number 5 indicates that part of this invention which I call an exhaust gas chamber for want of a better name. The just mentioned exhaust gas chamber 5 consists of a cylindrical housing 6 in which are located three equally spaced and parallel cones 7 which can either be fabricated from sheet metal or the like. The aforesaid chamber 5 contains three equally spaced and parallel cones 8 which are fabricated from the same material as that of the aforesaid cones 7. Each cone 8 has a tubular member 9 secured in the apex thereof. Examination of FIG. 2 shows that the cones 7 are smaller in diameter than cones 8 to which their bottoms 10 are secured by any suitable means. Cones 8, which are nearest the tail pipe 11, have their bottoms secured to the periphery of the cylindrical housing 6 that is located in parallel spaced relation to the perforated plate 13. The space between the two plates 12 and 13 is filled with chromed ceramic balls 14, which, as a catalyst, oxidize the carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and reduce nitrogen oxides to nitrogen. A capped opening 15, covered by cap 15A, is provided in the aforesaid housing 6 be tween the two perforated plates 12 and 13 in order to provide a means of placing the aforesaid balls I4 within this described exhaust gas chamber 5. A drain opening 16, covered by drain cap 16A, is located in theother side of the aforesaid housing 6.

Continuing to look at FIG. 2 of the drawings it will be seen that the just mentioned housing 6 is provided with three equally spaced and parallel perforated openings that are encompassed by upwardly extending tubular outlets 17 that are capped with end plates 18 (FIG. 1). Each tubular outlet is located at the base of one of the aforesaid sheet metal cones 8, as one can see by looking at the appended drawings. Acone-shaped tube 19, having an opening 20 inthe apex thereof, is located in each tubular outlet 17.

Before examining FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings it should be realized that this FIG. 1 is called a semi-diagrammatic view since it is only an outline drawing. It is also because of the fact that the aforesaid exhaust gas chamber 5 is shown at ninety degrees to the other details of the invention for reasons of clarity. Also, the figure contains large outline arrows in the two vacuum separator tanks that show the direction of flow of the exhaust gases.

Directing ones attention now to FIG. 1 of the drawings it will be seen that the three aforesaid tubular outlets 17 are connected together by tubes and also that the outlet nearest the front end of the aforesaid exhaust gas chamber is connected by a tube 21 to the vacuum separator tank 22. The just mentioned tube 21 extends down through the top 23. of the tank 22, as one can see by looking at the previously mentioned FIG. 1. The rearmost one of the aforesaid outlets 17 is likewise connected by a tube 24 that extends down through the top 25 of the vacuum tank 26. A water and oxides discharge tube 27 extends downward from the bottom of the aforesaid vacuum separator tank 22, on through the top of the tank 28, which has a water drain off tube 29 extending downward from the bottom thereof. The aforesaid vacuum separator tank 26 is likewise provided with a water and oxides discharge tube 30 that also extends downward through the top of the aforesaid tank 28. Each

discharge tube

27 and 30 has its lower end terminating in the upper end of a rubber tube 31, which has an elongated opening 32 therein and a plug 33 in the bottom thereof.

Still looking at FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings it will be seen that the aforesaid vacuum separator tank 22 has a tube 34 extending outward from the top thereof to be suitably connected to the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine. This tube 34 is what I personally call a low velocity tube. A like tube 35, extends outward from the top of the aforesaid vacuum separator tank 26 to be suitably connected to the air cleaner of the engine. This tube is what I personally call a high velocity tube.

The only part of this novel invention that l have not so far mentioned is the tube 36 that extends outward from the front end 37 of the aforesaid exhaust gas chamber to be connected to the exhaust manifold of the internal combustion engine. The previously mentioned outlet pipe 11 extends outward from.the rear end 38 of the same aforesaid exhaust gas chamber 5 to replace the original stock muffler on the rear end of the outlet pipe l1 which may terminate in open air.

The way in which this novel invention works is quite simple-When the aforesaid internal combustion engine having this unit connected thereto is started, the exhaust emissions, consisting of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sodium, sulphur, chlorides, lead, and acids deriving from sulfides flow through the aforesaid tube 36 on into the aforesaid exhaust gas chamber 5 which is provided with a plurality of open and closed trap cones, which I hereinbefore called cones 8 and 7 from whence the gases flow upward through the hydrocarbon receiver heads which for simplicity in this specification and its appended claims I have herein called the tubular outlets 17. From the outlets 17 the emissions .are drawn by vacuum through the aforesaidtubes 21 and 24 to the

vacuum separator tanks

22 and 26, where the emissions are separated as indicated by the large arrows in FlG. l of the accompanying drawings. In the just mentioned tanks, the hydrocarbons are pulled off by vacuum and returned to the engine for reburning; the metal oxides and excess water are dropped out through the bottom of the often mentioned

vacuum separator tanks

22 and 26 into the oxide trap which I have called a tank 28 in this specification and its appended claims. This tank contains a sponge or filter (not shown in the drawings) to trap the metal oxides. The water is drained off through the aforesaid water drain tube 29. The cycle through this invention is continuous, thus reducing the noxious content of the exhaust emissions before their final exit to the atmosphere through the aforesaid outlet pipe l l. The unit is designed to burn its own spoils over and over, using less atmospheric air. The unit does not require ari air pump to force in good clean air to reduce the amount of hydrocarbons going through the exhaust system of the engine.

This invention is subject to any and all changes in detail design and/or modifications that one may care to make in so long as the changes and/or modifications all fall within the scope and intent of the appended claims.

What I now claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An air pollution control unit for an internal combustion engine of the type having an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold and an air cleaner, comprising an exhaust gas chamber having an input pipe at one end thereof adapted to be connected to such-engine exhaust manifold for the reception of the exhaust gases coming from such engine when it is in operation, and an output, pipe at another end thereof first and second vacuum separator tanks connected by respective tubes to said exhaust gas chamber, said first tank having a tube adapted to connect said first tank with such engine intake manifold, and said second tank having a tube adapted to connect said second tank to such engine air cleaner,

a third tank having a water drain tube in the bottom thereof, and

two tubes extending downwardly into the top of said third tank and being respectively connected to said first and second tanks.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the said exhaust gas chamber contains a plurality of sheet metal cones in equal and parallel spaced relation to each other, the second cone from the first mentioned pipe being provided with a tubular member in the apex thereof as is every other said com, the last one of which has its base secured to the periphery of a perforated plate that is sccured in the said exhaust gas chamber.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein the said exhaust gas chamber also contains a second perforated plate that is in parallel spaced relation to the first mentioned perforated plate; and a plurality of chromed ceramic balls being located between the two perforated plates, the last plate being in parallel spaced relation to said another end of the said'exhaust gas chamber.

4. The invention of claim 3, wherein the top of the said exhaust gas chamber is provided with a plurality of groups of a plurality of openings therein that are encompassed by upwardly extending tubes in which are located cone shaped tubes, each tube having an opening in the apex thereof that is located below an end plate which is secured to the top of each upwardly extending tube.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein the lower end of the said tube that extends downward from the bottom of each vacuum separator tank terminates in the upper end of a rubber tube having an elongated opening in the side thereof; and a plug located in the bottom of the said rubber tube which is located in the said third tank.

ings in the rubber tubes.

Claims

1. An air pollution control unit for an internal combustion engine of the type having an intake manifold, an exhaust manifold and an air cleaner, comprising an exhaust gas chamber having an input pipe at one end thereof adapted to be connected to such engine exhaust manifold for the reception of the exhaust gases coming from such engine when it is in operation, and an output pipe at another end thereof first and second vacuum separator tanks connected by respective tubes to said exhaust gas chamber, said first tank having a tube adapted to connect said first tank with such engine intake manifold, and said second tank having a tube adapted to connect said second tank to such engine air cleaner, a third tank having a water drain tube in the bottom thereof, and two tubes extending downwardly into the top of said third tank and being respectively connected to said first and second tanks.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the said exhaust gas chamber contains a plurality of sheet metal cones in equal and parallel spaced relation to each other, the second cone from the first mentioned pipe being provided with a tubular member in the apex thereof as is every other said cone, the last one of which has its base secured to the periphery of a perforated plate that is secured in the said exhaust gas chamber.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein the said exhaust gas chamber also contains a second perforated plate that is in parallel spaced relation to the first mentioned perforated plate; and a plurality of chromed ceramic balls being located between the two perforated plates, the last plate being in parallel spaced relation to said another end of the said exhaust gas chamber.

6. The invention of claim 5, wherein the said third tank is provided with a sponge filter to trap solids that enter the said third tank through the elongated openings in the rubber tubes.