Patent ID: 6269799
Filing Date: 2001-08-07
Classification: F02B,F02M

Abstract:
An internal combustion engine having a plurality of variable volume combustion chambers having horizontal axes and oriented so that their axes are arranged above one another, each of the combustion chambers being defined by at least a pair of components that move relative to each other, a plurality of charge formers, each charge former communicating with a corresponding combustion chamber to supply a fuel/air charge to the respective combustion chamber, the charge formers arranged vertically relative to each other, and a fuel supply system connected to the charge formers to deliver fuel to the charge formers, the fuel supply system including a fuel pump having a discharge port communicating through a conduit system with the charge formers, the discharge port being positioned at an uppermost portion of the fuel pump so that the vapor within the pump will migrate toward and through the discharge port into the conduit system, and a discharge check valve positioned adjacent the discharge port, the discharge port being positioned below a fuel inlet port of the uppermost charge former, the conduit system defining a generally upwardly-directed path from the discharge port to the uppermost charge former fuel inlet port, the conduit system adapted so that, at any point within the conduit system, a generally upwardly directed path toward a fuel inlet port of one of the charge formers is defined within the conduit system so that vapors can be smoothly and easily vented from the conduit system to the charge formers.