Precombustion ionization devices are disclosed for treating the vaporizable liquid fuel in internal combustion engines, including at least one foraminous member prepared from a catalytic metal having an oxide coating on the surface thereof. The foraminous member, or screen, is spaced from the carburetor and the engine intake of the internal combustion engine by means of a supporting gasket. The disclosed precombustion ionization devices may also be attached to a source of relatively high voltage, resulting in increased ionization of the vaporizable liquid fuel thereby, and preventing electropolishing of the metal oxide coating.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to devices for catalytically acting on a 
carbureted mixture of a vaporizable liquid fuel and air prior to its 
introduction into the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. 
More specifically, the present invention is directed to such catalytic or 
ionization devices which precondition the mixture of fuel and air for more 
efficient ignition. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The problems generated by the use of internal combustion engines, primarily 
such as two- and four-stroke cycle internal combustion gasoline engines 
and the like, generally include problems of both air pollution and of 
inefficiency. That is, the problems caused by the combustion products and 
their expulsion into the environment, and the problems caused by the 
inefficient use of fuel, and/or the use of more expensive fuels and the 
recent switch to non-leaded fuels. With respect to the former problem, 
post-combustion devices have been employed, such as exhaust gas catalysts 
and pollution control valves. With respect to the latter, however, 
improvements in the engine itself have generally been the main area of 
development, somewhat reducing pollution, but also reducing efficiency. 
There have been some suggestions with respect to the use of precombustion 
devices, that is devices for treating the fuel-air mixture prior to its 
introduction into the intake manifold of the automobile engine. Thus, for 
example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,899,949 discloses a precombustion catalyst device 
of that nature which includes a pair of screens of different catalytic 
materials, specifically cadmium and nickel for the upstream and downstream 
screens respectively. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 3,682,608 discloses an 
alleged improvement over that precombustion device, in which smaller 
screen openings are employed, and wherein the screens are dished in order 
to increase the total surface area of metal over which the gasoline/air 
mixture flows. In this manner, a tortuous flow passage is created for the 
carbureted mixture and the time of exposure to the catalytic surfaces is 
increased. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,539 discloses a precombustion 
device employing a pair of spaced screens having surfaces of different 
catalytic metals in which a gasket containing an electrolyte such as 
glycerol forms a high resistance path between the screens and between each 
screen and the engine ground. In connection with each of these devices, 
however, the search has continued for a more efficient, and inexpensive 
method for optimizing engine performance, obtaining mileage improvements, 
reducing pollution, lowering octane ratings, etc. 
On the other hand, U.S. Pat. No. 3,110,294 discloses the application of a 
magnetic field with ionizing potentials of from about 6 to 120 volts, in 
order to cause the ionization of a gaseous air-fuel mixture. The patentee 
thus teaches that he offers a more efficient conbustion of the more 
thoroughly mixed air/fuel mixture thereby. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 
3,749,545 discloses increasing combustion efficiency by electrostatically 
influencing the size distribution and trajectory of liquid fuel droplets 
introduced into a combustion chamber. This is accomplished by 
electrostatically charging the fuel spray and the walls of the combustion 
chamber. 
Again, attempts have continued to develop a precombustion device which can 
simply and economically achieve improved results in the form of improved 
engine efficiency, improved gasoline mileage, reduced pollution, lower 
octane ratings, decreased knocking, etc., all with regard to both leaded 
and unleaded fuels. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention, a precombustion ionization device 
is provided for interposition between the carburetor and the engine intake 
of an internal combustion engine employing a vaporizable liquid fuel. The 
precombustion ionization device itself comprises at least one foraminous 
member including a layer of a catalytic metal thereon, including an oxide 
coating of that catalytic metal on the surface thereof, and a gasket 
supporting the foraminous member so that is is spaced from both the 
carburetor and the engine intake. 
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the precombustion 
ionization device comprises at least a pair of foraminous members, each of 
which includes a layer of catalytic metal thereon, each including an oxide 
coating of that catalytic metal on the surface thereof. In this 
embodiment, the gasket supporting each of these members maintains the 
foraminous members spaced apart from each other, and furthermore from the 
carburetor and the engine intake. 
In another embodiment of the present invention, a source of voltage is 
attached to the foraminous members, including a layer of an oxide of the 
catalytic metal thereon. Preferably, a voltage of greater than about 4 
volts is applied thereto. It has thus been found that under certain 
conditions a deterioration in the ability of the foraminous member of the 
present invention to effect the desired results has been found. In 
particular, this has occurred after extended useage of the vehicles 
employing the internal combustion engines of the present invention at 
sustained high speeds. By employing the embodiment of the present 
invention, however, it has also been found that this deterioration can be 
effectively reduced and in some cases fully eliminated. In yet another 
embodiment of this invention, this effect can be achieved by the proper 
application of heat to the foraminous member hereof. 
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, wherein at least two 
foraminous members are employed, one in an upstream location and one in a 
downstream location with respect to the air-fuel mixture traveling towards 
the intake manifold of the engine, the catalytic metal employed in 
connection with each foraminous member is different. Thus, in a preferred 
embodiment, the combination of zinc and nickel has been found to be 
particularly effective. 
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, however, again wherein 
at least two foraminous members are employed, the catalytic metal employed 
in connection with each such foraminous member is the same. In this 
embodiment, the combination of a pair of anodized aluminum foraminous 
members and of a pair of zinc foraminous members, each including a zinc 
oxide coating of at least about 0.0001 inches has been found to be 
particularly effective.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
It has been observed with prior precombustion ionization devices that the 
devices loose their effectiveness under certain conditions. In particular, 
this has been most pronounced at cold engine starting and at high throttle 
settings, for example when the engine was operating under heavy loads or 
at high speeds, particularly for sustained periods. It is therefore among 
the primary objects of the present invention to obtain a precombustion 
ionization device which avoids these difficulties. In addition, with the 
current use of lead-free fuels, it has been observed that as the length of 
service increases, there is an increasing tendency to cause an increase in 
the engine octane requirement therewith. For example, a normal unused 
engine using lead-free fuel will normally be satisfied with a lead-free 
fuel having a research octane member of approximately 90. That is, normal 
gasoline blends comprise various vaporizable volitizable liquid 
hydrocarbons. Among these, iso-octane is a hydrocarbon of extremely high 
anti-knocking value, and has been designated as 100 on the octane scale, 
while normal heptane, a hydrocarbon of extremely low anti-knocking value, 
is designated as 0 on the octane scale. The blend of hydrocarbon 
components used therefore determines the overall octane rating of the 
gasoline employed. Of course, higher octane gasoline blends entail 
increased cost, principally due to the greater refinery costs related 
therewith. However, after about 15,000 miles of engine use, it is 
generally found that the engine begins to detonate, and a lead-free fuel 
having approximately a 95 research octane number rating is required. 
Finally, in most cases, after about 25,000 miles of useage, a premium 
grade of about 98 research octane number is normally required. These 
effects, however, are substantially overcome by employing the 
precombustion ionization device of the present invention. 
The precombustion ionization device of the present invention is normally 
located with respect to both the carburetor and the fuel-air inlet of a 
four stroke internal combustion engine in the manner shown in FIG. 1 of 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,885,539, that portion of which is hereby incorporated 
herein by reference thereto. Reference numeral 10 in that Figure thus 
denotes a conventional four-stroke internal combustion engine, and the 
precombustion catalyst device of the present invention is associated 
therewith. The device is interposed between the carburetor and a fuel/air 
inlet to the engine. Specifically, the precombustion catalyst device is 
interposed between the outlet of the carburetor and the inlet to the 
engine intake manifold. The carburetor also includes the usual air control 
valve and means for regulating the supply of fuel to the mixing chamber of 
the carburetor. 
The fuel, after partial vaporization and reduction of the remainder to 
minute droplets, and after mixing with air and passage of the mixture to 
the outlet of the carburetor, instead of flowing directly to the engine 
intake manifold as in normal practice, is passed through the precombustion 
ionization device of the present invention. 
The precombustion device itself primarily includes at least one foraminous 
member in the form of a screen, such as screen 2 shown in FIG. 8. The 
screen is electrically conductive, and is preferably made of metal in the 
form of a wire cloth. The cloth preferably includes a base wire cloth, 
although it is possible to prepare the wire cloth itself from the 
catalytic metal to be employed. Preferably, the base wire cloth, when 
utilized, is one having a good thermal conductivity and is fabricated of 
an inexpensive suitable metal such as iron or steel. The cost of the base 
wire cloth is not a critical factor. More desirable metals for the base 
wire cloth, however, are copper and aluminum and alloys thereof due to 
their better heat conductivity. The cloths are desirably of a very fine 
mesh. A suitable range of mesh sizes for the wire cloths of this invention 
is from about 40 by 40 mesh to about 8 by 8 mesh, with wire diameters of 
from about 0.010 inches to about 0.015 inches for the coarest mesh, and of 
from about 0.005 inches to about 0.008 inches for the finest mesh. At 
very fine mesh sizes, i.e. greater than about 40 by 40 mesh, throttling of 
the engine, and frosting can also occur, and it thus becomes necessary to 
supply an external source of heat. On the other hand, with mesh sizes of 
less than 8 by 8 mesh, insufficient catalyst area is provided. The 
percentage of open area in a direction perpendicular to the plane of open 
area in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the mesh may vary for 
the cloths from about 40% up to about 70%. 
In the case of a pair of foraminous members being employed, i.e. an 
upstream wire cloth and a downstream wire cloth, as in FIG. 2, the 
upstream wire cloth will typically have a mesh size of about 20 by 20, 
with a 0.011 inch diameter wire, and therefore about 400 openings per 
square inch, while the downstream cloth will typically have a mesh size of 
about 16 by 16 mesh, with a 0.011 inch diameter wire, and thus have in the 
order of 256 openings per square inch. 
While the cloths themselves may be made entirely of the catalytic material, 
with the surface thereof then including the oxide of the catalytic 
material of this invention, as a matter of economy, it is clearly less 
expensive and just as functionally effective to employ common metals for 
the base metal cloths and to coat them with the catalytic material and 
oxides thereof. Coatings of from about 0.0005 to 0.003 inches, and 
preferably of from 0.0007 to 0.0015 inches, i.e. about .001 inches of the 
catalytic metals employed may be applied to a base metal, such as steel, 
by electroplating or immersion of the preformed base wire cloth. 
Among the catalytic metals which may be employed therein are included such 
metals as cadmium, nickel, zinc, aluminum, platinum, etc. However, other 
catalytic metals with respect to the hydrocarbon fuels normally 
encountered are possible, such as antimony, beryllium, chromium, cobalt, 
copper, iron, lead, manganese, molybendum, osmium, ruthenium, selenium, 
silica, tellurium, thorium, and vanadium. In accordance with the present 
invention, it is then critical that the wire cloth also include on the 
surface thereof an oxide coating of the catalytic metal employed. 
Generally, a metal oxide coating of at least about 0.0001 inches in 
thickness, preferably greater than about 0.0003 inches, and most 
preferably from about 0.0003 to 0.0005 inches be effected by "burning" the 
catalytic metal itself when it is applied by the aforementioned 
electroplating or immersion techniques, by the application of high current 
densities to the electroplating or immersion baths. 
While the initial electroplating or other techniques employed to apply the 
catalytic metal to a base wire when a base wire is utilized is not highly 
critical, it is essential that specific techniques to be employed when the 
catalytic metal oxide is formed on the surface thereof, i.e. by applying 
the high current densities to the electroplating or immersion baths as 
discussed above. Thus, while most of the components of typical 
electroplating baths are known, it is essential that a minimum of 
impurities be contained in the plating solution, including the exclusion 
of any brighteners therefrom. This is, of course, essential in order to 
produce such burning of the catalytic metals and formation of the 
catalytic metal oxide layer thereon. 
It is also noted that recently more sophisticated techniques have been 
developed for heat treating such oxidized layers after they are prepared 
in order to harden same. Such techniques may also be employed in 
accordance with the present invention, since as will be discussed more 
fully below with respect to the application of a voltage to the foraminous 
member of the ionization device hereof, it is essential to maintain the 
oxide layer and not to electropolish same during its use. 
When the catalytic metal employed is aluminum, a heavy oxide coating is 
obtained in a substantially similar manner by anodizing the aluminum, i.e. 
by again passing a high voltage electric current through the bath in which 
the metal is suspended. In such a case, the bath usually contains 
sulfuric, chromic or oxalic acid. 
The wire cloths, either when used alone or with two or more such cloths, 
extend completely across passageway 34 through device 4, as shown in FIG. 
1, passageway 34, connecting the discharge throat of the carburetor to the 
entrance of the intake manifold, so that it is not possible for the 
fuel/air mixture to by-pass this cloth or cloths. It is, however, within 
the ambit of the present invention to by-pass some of the fuel/air 
mixture, as in a single barrel carburetor, but this will lessen the 
advantages obtained by this invention. In addition, where staged 
carburetion is used, it is possible to employ the wire cloths only in the 
primary opening, since in normal driving the secondary is used less than 
10% of the time. Such a device is specifically shown in FIGS. 1-6. 
The wire cloth or cloths utilized are preferably dished, a suitable 
configuration being as shown in the drawings. When two such cloths are 
employed, both wire cloths are similarly dished, and they are placed in 
such position that they are substantially uniformly spaced apart. A 
desirable spacing in the directional flow of the air-fuel mixture is about 
3 millimeters. 
It is also necessary for the precombustion catalyst device of this 
invention to include suitable means for supporting either the single or 
two spaced wire cloths in their aforesaid positions completely spanning 
the passageway between the carburetor and the intake manifold and, 
preferably, where two or more such cloths are employed, to integrate the 
cloths into a single unit while maintaining the cloths separated from each 
other as discussed above, for easier handling and installation. For this 
purpose, there is provided a unitary gasket construction as shown in FIGS. 
1-6. 
The gasket itself, as indicated by gasket 6 in FIG. 1, and gasket layers 8, 
10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 in FIG. 2, is preferably highly electrically 
insulated, eg. has a resistance on the order of about 200 .times. 10.sup.6 
ohms. However, the device will function satisfactorily with a lower order 
of resistance, for example, down to about 100 .times. 10.sup.6 ohms. The 
gasket itself thus provides a physical support for the screen or wire 
cloth or cloths, serves to separate the cloths from each other, and also 
insulates the screen(s) from the engine ground. 
Referring specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2, the gasket 6 is itself preferably 
composed of a series of layers of gasket material. Again, the gasket 6 
shown in FIG. 1 includes a pair of openings 34 and 36, 34, the relatively 
small opening, being the primary opening, in which the foraminous member 
of the present invention, i.e. screens 38 and 40, are interposed, and 
opening 36 being the secondary member, which can remain open, thus 
permitting the fuel utilized at high driving speeds to flow therethrough 
without passing through a foraminous member. It is, of course, also 
possible to include a foraminous member, or members, in the secondary 
opening 36, preferably of the same configuration as the foraminous member 
included in the primary opening 34. As shown specifically in FIG. 2, the 
layered gaskets include an initial layer 8, preferably composed of rubber, 
preferably nitrile rubber. For example, a preferred material is sold under 
the trademark VELBESTOS, by the Vellumoid Division of Federal-Mogul 
Corporation of Worcester, Mass. These materials, such as VELBESTOS 250 and 
VELBESTOS 260, are composed of nitrile (Buna N) rubber and asbestos fiber. 
As shown in FIG. 2, a second gasket layer 10 is then provided. Preferably, 
this layer is a wood-based gasket, preferably a wood pulp gasket. In 
particular, a preferred material is the product sold under the trademark 
S-101 by the Colonial Fiber Company of Manchester, Conn. This material is 
a homogeneous and rigid fiberboard product, preferably reinforced with 
various resins and polymers. It is most preferred that the two types of 
gasket materials as described above with respect to gasket layers 8 and 10 
be alternated, the rubber material of gasket 8 being preferred for 
purposes of pliability and sealing with respect to coarsely machined 
surfaces and the wood pulp gaskets layers 10 be employed because of its 
stiffness and heat insulation properties. All these materials must, of 
course, be resistant to gasoline, and the overall environment for which it 
is intended. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the overall gasket 6 includes a rubber gasket 8, 
followed by a wood gasket 10, followed by a pair of rubber gaskets 12 and 
14, followed by another wood gasket 16, and finally by another rubber 
gasket 18. Preferably, the overall thickness of the gasket shown therein 
will be about 0.29 inches, although variations are, of course, possible 
therewith. With reference to FIGS. 4 through 6, the overall configuration 
of the gasket 6 is more clearly shown. Thus, each of the gasket layers of 
course includes both the primary opening 34 and the secondary opening 36. 
The neoprene rubber - asbestos filler gaskets, identified as rubber gasket 
8, shown in FIG. 4, also includes four eyelet openings 41 therein. This is 
also true for the rubber gasket 14 shown in FIG. 6. While the wood fiber 
gasket 10 shown in FIG. 5 similarly contains four such eyelet openings, 
the openings as shown therein are larger than those with respect to the 
rubber gasket. These openings 42 are larger because of the nature of these 
gaskets, being less flexible and stiffer, the increased openings therefore 
permitting the eyelets to be inserted therein with greater ease, and 
permitting the gasket layers to be more firmly compressed together. It is 
therefore then possible to insert four eyelets 46 into these openings, in 
the manner shown in FIG. 2, in order to prepare the overall gasket 6, and 
compress the gasket layers together suitably. Preferably, brass eyelets of 
0.275 inches in height are employed. 
Referring to FIG. 5, the rubber gasket 14 is similar to rubber gasket 8, 
but includes a cutout portion 48, including throat section 49. The purpose 
of this cutout portion is to accomodate means for forming an electrical 
connection to the foraminous member disposed within the primary opening 
34, as discussed below. 
A similar gasket configuration is shown in FIG. 8, with respect to a single 
foraminous member 2, contained in a gasket including a single opening, for 
use with respect to single barrel carburetors. Thus, this gasket 32 
includes alternating layers 20, 24, and 28 of neoprene rubber, and 22 and 
26 of the wood-fiber material discussed above. 
The out-turned flat peripheral zones of the wire cloths 38, 40 and 2 are 
desirably stiffened, that is to say reinforced, by crimping around each of 
the peripheries a thin annulus of metal such as, for example, low carbon 
steel, stainless steel or soft steel plated with a metal the same as the 
associated screen, which is of U-shaped cross-section with the base of the 
U facing outwardly. These crimped annular rings have been indicated by 
reference numerals 50 in FIG. 2 and 52 in FIG. 8. 
As discussed above, the application of a voltage to the highly oxidized 
catalytic metal surface of the foraminous member of this invention tends 
to increase the intensity of ionization of the vaporized liquid fuel, and 
therefore to result in the substantial advantages of the present invention 
as discussed above. Preferably, a voltage of from about 4 to about 5,000 
volts may be applied to the foraminous member, however this may include 
the use of from about 4 to 12 volts, such as when the automobile battery 
itself is employed as the source of voltage, or increased voltages if 
greater than 12 volts, up to about 5,000 volts, preferably greater than 
about 300 volts, such as from about 300 to 400 volts, or greater than 
about 1,000 volts in some cases. It is therefore possible, as noted, to 
apply voltage from the automobile battery, eg. 12 volts thereto. The 
positive effects thereof are more strikingly observed, however, at the 
higher voltages described above. It has also been found, however, that 
such high voltages sometimes also have the effect of electropolishing off 
the oxide coating in certain cases, i.e. particularly when it is a 
relatively soft oxide coating. That is, with metals such as zinc and 
cadmium, this can occur, in which case the advantages of the present 
invention can eventually be lost. One method of overcoming this problem, 
when employing the precombustion ionization device as shown in FIGS. 1 and 
2, i.e. including at least two foraminous members, is to apply such 
voltages only to the outside or downstream member, and connecting the 
inside member only to ground. The outside member is then prepared 
preferably from a material having a harder oxide coating, such as nickel, 
which more effectively resists the effects of electropolishing. 
On the other hand, it is possible to employ materials having extremely hard 
oxide coatings, in which case the effects of electropolishing are 
practically eliminated. For example, the use of an anodized aluminum 
foraminous member, and most preferably a pair of such members in the 
device shown in FIG. 2, has been found to be extremely advantageous when 
applying voltages to these members. 
The actual connection of the foraminous members to the source of voltage is 
accomplished by means of tabs applied to the peripheral zones of the wire 
cloth, that is the crimped annular rings 50 and 52. In a preferred 
embodiment, the foraminous member, and particularly the crimped annular 
ring is produced in a particular manner whereby the tab member is readily 
applied thereto. Thus, as shown in FIG. 7, the ring itself is manufactured 
including a depending tab portion 60 therewith, so that the entire upper 
portion as shown in FIG. 7 may be stamped in a single operation. Then, by 
merely bending tab 60 along dotted line 62 as shown in FIG. 7, a tab 
extending from the foraminous member is obtained. This tab is shown in 
FIG. 3 as extending beyond the gasket 14 thereof. It will therefore 
protrude from the gasket 6 as shown in FIG. 1. This tab 60 may then be 
employed as a means of grounding the foraminous member, such as to the 
base of the carburetor, or some other such suitable portion of the 
automobile. While it is also possible to employ a second tab, such as tab 
60, extending from the other side of the second foraminous member as shown 
in FIG. 3, it has been found that when this tab is to be used for the 
application of the voltages of the present invention, whereby it is 
necessary to solder or weld a wire connection to the tab, when using soft 
metals such as carbon, steel and the like for the tabs, in this 
application the tabs easily break. Therefore, in the embodiments shown in 
the drawings, this tab 64 is shortened so that it does not extend beyond 
the edge of gasket number 14. The electrical connection, such as by 
soldering or welding, of wire 66 to the surface of tab 64 is therefore 
within the gasket itself, with the wire 66 extending therefrom. The other 
end of the wire may, of course, include a standard clip 70 for attachment 
to a source of voltage. Preferably, a 5,000 ohm carbon resistor 72 is 
maintained in line 68. Reference can now be made to the insert 48 cutout 
of gasket number 14 as shown in FIG. 6. The soldered wire connection at 66 
may therefore rest in the opening 48, and the wire 68 may extend through 
the throat portion 49 of opening 48, so that the connection and the wire 
do not prevent sealing of the gasket and complete preparation of the 
overall gasket 6 by pressing the individual gasket layers together as 
discussed above. 
As for the actual application of voltage itself, irrespective of the 
particular method for applying that voltage, it is necessary for applying 
that voltage in accordance with this invention that overall a positive 
voltage must be applied. That is, for example, where two foraminous 
members are used as in FIGS. 1-3, preferably the top member 40 will be 
grounded, such as by use of tab 60, while the bottom or downstream member 
38 will be applied to a positive voltage, such as by tab 64 and the 
connection described with reference to FIG. 3. On the other hand, it is 
also possible to apply a positive voltage to both the upstream member 40 
and the downstream member 38. 
The actual application of a voltage to either one or both of the foraminous 
members hereof may be accomplished in several ways, as exemplified in 
FIGS. 9 through 11. Thus, as shown in FIG. 9, a source of direct current 
such as a battery 72 is utilized. By means of a multivibrator or 
circuit-breaker 74, the circuit is periodically broken, and an alternating 
current is produced from the direct current. Thus, by means of step-up 
transformer 76, an elevated AC voltage is produced, such as 400 volts or 
higher. Subsequently, by means of rectifying circuit 78, a direct current 
is again produced, which is then filtered in filtering circuit 80 so that 
the direct current thus produced is smoothed out. Finally, a light 82 may 
be employed to signify the presence of such voltage, protected by resistor 
84. The elevated voltage at 86 may then be applied directly to one of the 
foraminous members of this invention as discussed above. 
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10, the ignition coil 88 of an automobile 
may be employed as a source of such increased voltage. Thus, the ignition 
cell is directly connected to the auto battery by means of line 90, and is 
also directed to the points 92 in the automobile whereby the voltage is 
periodically shorted down to ground so that an increased alternating 
current is produced in line 94. By attaching a rectifier 96 thereto, again 
in combination with a filter 98, a substantially increased voltage is 
realized at 100, again for application to the foraminous members hereof. 
In a third alternative, the automobile alternator 110, which is connected 
to the battery, is employed as a source of voltage. Thus, rectifier 114 
and filter 116 are normally employed in connection with alternator 112. It 
is possible, however, to realize an increased voltage by connecting line 
122 to the alternator as shown. This increased alternating voltage may 
then be connected to a direct current in rectifier 124, and filtered in 
filter 126, for supply by line 128 to the foraminous members of the 
present invention. 
Another alternative for the application of energy to at least one of the 
foraminous members of the present precombustion ionization device is the 
application of heat rather than a voltage thereto. This may be 
accomplished, for example, by employing a highly-conductive metal so that 
heat is conducted to the foraminous member, and a relatively high current 
is applied thereto. 
It should also be noted in connection with the application of a voltage, 
particularly where the voltage is obtained from an external source apart 
from the automobile battery itself, that this source must be grounded to 
the engine's electrical system. 
As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention and as 
various changes might be made in the embodiments set forth above, it is to 
be understood that all matters herein described or shown in the 
accompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a 
limiting sense.