Fuel saving system for a gasoline engine

A fuel saving system for a gasoline engine including a chamber for mixing air and gas and passing the vaporized fuel into an intake manifold to create a better balanced fuel mixture in the engine combustion chambers. The mixing chamber draws air from the engine's vacuum, passing it through an elastic porous element where raw gas is sprayed directly on the element and vapor is drawn off and passed into the intake manifold where it is mixed with air.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The invention relates to fuel saving systems; and, more particularly, to a 
device used in conjunction with a conventional gasolene engine carburetor 
to provide a better balanced fuel mixture to the combustion chamber. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Conventional spark ignition internal combustion engines employ an air and 
fuel mixing and distribution system comprising a carburetor for mixing air 
and fuel and an intake manifold for distributing the mixture to the 
combustion cylinders. A combustible fuel and air mixture is formed in the 
carburetor by drawing air through a venturi where fuel is drawn into and 
mixed with the air. It is well known that the fuel and air mixture formed 
in conventional carburetors, however, is not an ideal mixture since the 
fuel is sprayed into an air stream in the form of a mist or small 
droplets. It is also well known that the efficiency of an internal 
combustion engine, i.e., the amount of work produced in terms of fuel 
consumed, is partially dependent upon the degree to which the fuel is 
dispersed in the air. Therefore, if the fuel is completely vaporized prior 
to injection into the combustion chamber of the engine, combustion thereof 
is more complete, thus resulting in higher efficiency. Furthermore, more 
complete combustion of the fuel lowers the concentration of hydrocarbon 
and carbon monoxide emissions from the engine. 
Various fuel saving devices have been suggested in the past. Generally 
speaking, such devices have not been successful since they may require 
some engine modification, thus possibly voiding the warranty on the 
vehicle, or are very complex and expensive. In addition, fuel saving 
claims using such devices have always been suspect. One such system that 
drastically replaces the conventional fuel pump and carburetor is 
disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,570 to Sommerville. Fuel being inducted 
into the engine cylinders should be completely vaporized prior to 
combustion. This complete vaporization has always been a problem in the 
prior art. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved system wherein a 
balanced ratio of fuel and air is admitted to the combustion chambers of 
an internal combustion engine while allowing a lesser amount of air to be 
drawn through the carburetor of the engine. 
It is a further object of the invention to carry out the foregoing device 
by allowing air and vapor to be pulled into the intake manifold of the 
engine underneath the carburetor thereof thus creating less air coming 
down through the carburetor. 
It is a further object of this invention to carry out the foregoing objects 
to produce a vapor prior to admitting the same into the intake manifold by 
using the engine vacuum to draw air through an elastic porous element 
while spraying raw fuel onto the element to form a mist. 
These and other objects are preferably accomplished by providing a fuel 
saving system for a gas engine having a chamber for mixing air and gas and 
passing the vaporized fuel into the intake manifold to create a better 
balanced fuel mixture in the engine combustion chambers. The mixing 
chamber draws air from the engine's vacuum, passing it through an elastic 
porous element where raw gas is sprayed directly onto the element and 
vapor is drawn off and passed into the intake manifold.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a system 10 is shown which may be 
installed on a vehicle. System 10, as will be evident, is a conventional 
internal combustion engine with modifications in accordance with the 
invention as disclosed herein. However, it is to be understood that system 
10 utilizes conventional components except wherein disclosed as part of 
the invention. 
Thus, a conventional gas tank 11 is provided coupling via conduit 12 to a 
conventional fuel pump 13. Fuel pump 13 is in turn coupled via conduit 14 
to a conventional carburetor 15. 
A conduit 16 interconnects conduit 12 (and thus fuel pump 13 and gas tank 
11) to apparatus 17 (see also FIG. 2), as will be disclosed further 
hereinbelow. A conduit 18 interconnects apparatus 17 with conduit 14 
(between fuel pump 13 and carburetor 15). Conduit 19 from apparatus 17 
inputs into a plate 21 mounted beneath carburetor 15 which plate 21 is a 
part of the intake manifold and which plate is in communication with the 
interior of carburetor 15 again for reasons to be discussed further 
hereinbelow. 
Referring now to FIG. 2, apparatus 17 is shown removed from system 10 of 
FIG. 1. Apparatus 17 includes a main body housing 23 having a one-way ball 
check valve 24 at the bottom thereof communicating with the interior 
thereof through a drain hole 50 in bottom wall 29 (see particularly FIG. 
5). As also seen in FIG. 5, housing 23 includes an open chamber closed off 
by a lid or cover 25. An elongated bolt 26 having a head 27 and threaded 
shaft 28 extends up from bottom wall 29 through an aperture in the top 
cover 25 where nut 30 is threaded thereon. A washer 31 may be provided 
between head 27 and wall 29 and between nut 30 and cover 25 as shown. As 
seen in FIG. 3, the shaft 28 is generally centrally located in housing 23. 
Check valve 24 is preferably a threaded fitting threaded into an opening in 
the bottom wall 29 spaced about one inch from the side wall 32. A 
conventional washer 33 and gasket 34 may be provided. 
As seen in FIG. 6, housing 23 may be rectangular having the aforementioned 
bottom wall 29, side walls 32,35 and front and back walls 36,37, 
respectively. 
A fuel mist valve 38 is provided in side wall 32 coupled to conduit 18 (see 
FIGS. 1 and 2). 
An elongated porous elastic element, such as a sponge 39, is provided 
internally of housing 23 and, as seen in FIG. 3, has shaft 28 extending 
threethrough (and, of course, sponge 39 surrounds shaft 28). As seen in 
FIG. 5, sponge 39 extends from bottom wall 29 to top cover 25. 
As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, a U-shaped flange 40 on the upper surface of 
cover 25 at one end may be removably secured to cover 25 by suitable 
screws 41 or the like. Of course, flange 40 may be spot welded or riveted 
to cover 25. A sponge 42, similar to sponge 39, is disposed internally of 
flange 40 as shown. A hole or aperture 43 is provided in cover 25 
communicating with the sponge 42 for reasons to be discussed. As seen in 
FIG. 4, the flange 40 is open to the atmosphere so that sponge 42 is also 
open to the atmosphere. The opposite side of flange 40 in FIG. 4 is also 
open to the atmosphere and, in this manner, sponge 42 may be quickly and 
easily removed from, or inserted in, flange 40 from either side thereof. 
As seen in FIG. 3, a U-shaped flange 44 is provided on back wall 37 for 
connection to a mounting strap (not shown) as will be discussed. Flange 44 
may be removably secured to wall 37 by suitable screws 45, if desired. Of 
course, flange 44 may be spot-welded or riveted to wall 37. 
Another opening or hole 46 (FIG. 5) is provided in cover 25 at the end 
thereof opposite hole 43. The bolt 26 and holes 43,46 may be centrally 
located on cover 25 and lie along the central longitudinal axis of cover 
25. A resilient grommet 47 is mounted in hole 46 and a pressure control 
valve 48 terminating in threaded end 49 is mounted in grommet 47 thus 
communicating the interior of housing 23 with the carburetor 15 (FIG. 1) 
of the vehicle via conduit 19. 
As seen in FIG. 3, sponge 39 extends across the shorter axis of housing 23 
and, as seen in FIG. 5, extends from the top to the bottom thereof. A pair 
of sponge filters 51,52 (FIG. 5) are also disposed in housing 23 on both 
sides of sponge 39 again for reasons to be discussed. 
The apparatus disclosed herein may be of any suitable materials and 
dimensions. For example, housing 23 may be of plastic or aluminum about 7" 
in height, 61/2" wide and about 4" in depth. If desired, a gasket (not 
shown) may be provided between cover 25 and housing 23. Although bolt 26 
has been disclosed as insertible through bottom wall 29, it may be a 1/4 
in. bolt welded interiorly thereof at the dead center of bottom wall 29. 
Holes 43 and 46 may be about 1 in. in diameter and about 5/8 in. from the 
side walls 32,35. 
The flange 40 may be about 2 in. in both length and width and about 1 in. 
high. Drain hole 50 may be about 7/16 in. in diameter and about 1 in. from 
wall 32. The mounting flange 44 may be about 2 in. by 2 in. and is adapted 
to receive a mounting strap (not shown) bolted or otherwise secured to the 
vehicle so that housing 23 and its components need only be slid onto the 
mounting strap, the strap engages the spacing between flange 44 and back 
wall 37 (this spacing is of course related to the thickness of the 
mounting strap-e.g., about 1/8 in). 
Any suitable valving may be used. For example, the misting valve 38 may be 
the fogger-type valve manufactured by Banmac Corp. of St. Louis, Mo. 
Although valve 38 may be at any suitable location, it has been found that 
its exact location can affect the air-fuel ratio. Thus, it is preferred 
that the valve 38 be mounted, in the housing 23 of the size previously 
indicted, about 2 and 1/2 in. up side wall 35 along the centerline 
thereof. Any suitable oneway check valve 24 may be used, such as the one 
manufactured and sold by the Weatherband Corp. Valve 24 allows the fuel 
pump 13 (FIG. 1) to suck gas but it only works in one direction. Valve 48 
is any conventional pressure control valve and controls the total output 
of vapor which thereby controls the air input through hole 43 due to the 
size thereof. 
The specific sponges used in housing 23 are of three different types. 
Sponges 51,52 are of polyester and absorb excess mist gases formed in 
housing 23 and is not air permeable so as to prevent air in the housing 23 
from being sucked thereout by fuel pump 13. Sponge 39 is also of polyester 
and is air and mist permeable. Sponge 42 is also of polyester, of lesser 
density than sponges 39 and 52, and of the type used in conventional 
filters for smog devices and air filter spaces. Sponge 42 is air and mist 
permeable. 
The sponges used herein may be of the type manufactured and sold by Armley 
Sponge Co. of Detroit, Mich. For example, sponges 51,52 may be part no. 
13500; sponge 42 may be part no. 139600 and sponge 39 may be part no. 
139500Z, all sold by Armley Sponge Co. Sponge 39 is about 7 in. tall, may 
be about 2 in. by 4.25 in. in width and breadth. Sponges 51,52 may be 
about 2 in. high and about 4 in. wide and 1.5 in. in breadth. Sponges 
51,52 act as baffles to prevent the shocking of fuel entering housing 23. 
Sponge 42 may be about 2 in. by 2 in. by 1 in. in length, width and 
breadth. 
Referring again to FIG. 1, plate 21 is also of any suitable material, such 
as asbestos, phenol resin or aluminum alloy. A gasket 53, e.g., one about 
1/2 in. thick, may be provided between carburetor 15 and plate 21. 
Carburetor 15 is not otherwise modified or altered. 
In operation, referring again to FIG. 1, ambient air is drawn into flange 
40 through sponge 42 and against and through sponge 39 which acts as a 
wick (see arrow 54 in FIG. 5). Raw fuel is pumped from gas tank 11 via 
fuel pump 13 through conduit 14 and conduit 18 into spray valve 38 where 
the fuel is sprayed directly onto sponge 39 in the form of an extra fine 
mist (see arrows 55 in FIG. 5). 
Vapor is prodcued in housing 23 by the admixture of fuel and air and flows, 
as indicated by arrow 56, up within housing 23 and out through valve 48. 
Excess fuel which is not vaporized settles to the bottom of housing 23 
through sponge 51 which acts as both a baffle for the incoming fuel and as 
a filter. Sponge 52 also acts as a filter and both sponges permit the fuel 
deposited at the bottom of housing 23 to be drawn out the drain hole 50 
and valve 24 by the fuel pump 13. Since valve 24 is a one-way valve, no 
air is sucked back into housing 23 through valve 24. Thus, the fuel 
withdrawn from housing 23 flows back into tank 11 where it can be 
recirculated by pump 13 to apparatus 17. As seen in FIG. 5, and indicated 
by arrows 57, vaporized fuel also rises from sponges 51,52 and exits 
housing 23 at arrow 56. 
The surface area of the sponge 39 through which the incoming air is passing 
through is much greater than the size of the sponge 39 since it is very 
porous. Thus, vapor is being drawn off of a much larger area in reality 
than the overall size of the sponge 39 itself. 
Air entering carburetor 15 passes into mixing plate 21 where it mixes with 
the incoming vapor. This mixture of vapor and air enters the plate 21 
below carburetor 15 in a more suitable and balanced ratio of fuel and air 
than in known prior art arrangements. Thus, this preferred ratio of fuel 
and air is admitted into each combustion chamber of the vehicle while 
allowing less air to be drawn through carburetor 15. Since less air is 
drawn through carburetor 15, less raw fuel is distributed to the engine of 
the vehicle. 
Plate 21 thus acts as an intake manifold and the air-fuel mixture, such as 
1 part raw fuel to 14 parts air, is admitted to the combustion chambers as 
shown in FIG. 1. 
Valve 48 is operated to control the total output of vapor from housing 23 
thus controlling the input into chamber 19. Since the amount of air 
admitted into carburetor 15 is controlled by the size of the opening in 
the throat of the carburetor 15, the desired 1:14 fuel-air mixture is 
easily obtained. Since vapor is now created underneath carburetor 15 and 
not within the carburetor 15, as in conventional systems, a better 
balanced fuel mixture is created. In conventional carburetors, the air is 
drawn down the throat of the carburetor, passes over the venturis therein, 
creates a vacuum in the venturis while pulling raw fuel into the 
carburetor throat. This mixture then passes through the intake manifold 
and into the combustion chamber where only 174th of the raw fuel has been 
vaporized. This of course is quite inefficient and wastes fuel. 
Although a pair of sponges 51 and 52 have been provided, one of the 
sponges, such as sponge 51, may be eliminated and a float may be provided, 
coupled to valve 24, for detecting the level of fuel at the bottom of 
housing 23 and selectively drawing off the same when necessary. This is 
particularly useful since 70% of the fuel entering housing 23 may be 
deposited therein when the vehicle engine is at idle. 
This is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 wherein like parts relate to like 
parts of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5. It is also to be understood that 
the embodiment in FIGS. 6 and 7 includes all of the elements and 
components of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 5 other than sponge 51. Thus, a 
hole 58 is provided in front wall 36 a predetermined distance from the 
bottom thereof, such as a 5/16th of an inch diameter hole about 1 in. up 
from bottom wall 29 and about 1 in. from side wall 35. A threaded fitting 
59 is mounted in hole 58. Hole 58 may be a threaded hole and a nut, not 
shown, if desired, may be threaded on fitting 59. Suitable washers or 
gaskets (not shown) may also be provided. 
Fitting 59 has a flange 60 abutting wall 36 on the interior of housing 23 
and a main body portion 61 and a detector 62 which may be coupled, via 
electrical conduit 63, to aforementioned valve 24 as is well known in the 
art. A U-shaped flange 64 is held against wall 36 by flange 60 and a shaft 
65 is fixedly mounted between the spaced arms 66,67 of flange 64. A float 
68 is provided having an extension portion 69 with spaced arms 70,71 
having shaft 65 extending through aligned apertures therein so that 
extension portion 69 is rotatably mounted on shaft 65. An indicating 
finger 72 is mounted at the terminal end of portion 69 and extends 
upwardly as shown in FIG. 6. 
In FIG. 6, the float 68 is shown at rest. It can be appreciated that, as 
fuel fills housing 23, float 68 will move upwardly and counterclockwise 
about shaft 65. When finger 72 engages sensor 62, a signal is sent to 
valve 24 via conduit 63 and valve 24 is activated to drain fuel from 
housing 23. When float 68 returns to the FIG. 6 position, sensor 62 is 
disengaged and valve 24 is deactivated to stop the flow of fuel. In this 
manner, fuel can be quickly and easily automatically removed from housing 
23 when necessary. 
In actual installation of the apparatus in acoordance with the teachings of 
this invention, it was found that a 20 to 25% increase in miles per gallon 
was obtained. The apparatus has been in use in one installation for over 
10,000 miles with no problems. 
In rigidly controlled tests carried out by a testing lab, there was an 
average gain of 6.3% in fuel savings with considerably improved throttle 
response. 
It can be seen that the installation of the apparatus of the invention 
results in considerable savings in fuel and increased throttle response. 
The primary advantage of the instant invention lies in the elimination of a 
standard float, such as one would find in a carburetor. The valve is 
easier to adjust to ensure the desired 14:1 air-fuel mixture. 
It is seen that the fuel intake is beneath the carburetor not above the 
carburetor. Thus only the air comes through the carburetor and the fuel 
and vapor mixture comes in at the bottom of the carburetor directly into 
the intake manifold. The vapor mixture is, of course, seen to be actually 
of fuel droplets and air. 
In addition, the instant apparatus is seen to have a temperature lowering 
effect upon the engine, thus extending the engine's life.