US3171016A - Preheating means for internal combustion engines - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 23, 1965 J. M. SUKALA 3,171,015

PREHEATING MEANS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed March 14, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG 2 FIG I FIG4 I FIG3 INVENTOR.

JOHN M. SU KALA Feb. 23, 1965 J. M. SUKALA 3,171,016

PREHEATING MEANS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed March 14, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

JO HN M. SUKALA United States Patent Ofl1C 3,171,016 Patented Feb. 23, 1965 3,171,016 PREIIEATING MEANS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES John M. Sukala, 55 Institute Place, Bridgeton, NJ. Filed Mar. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 95,543 1 Claim. (Cl. 219-208) This invention relates to preheating means for internal combustion engines of the water cooled type.

One of the major problems in operating trucks and other vehicles having internal combustion engines, for instance Diesel engines, is the problem of cold weather starting. At very low temperatures it is well known that the engine oil tends to solidify and also that batteries are at low efliciency at low temperature. These conditions result in very hard starting of engines at low temperatures which results in inconvenience, delay and wearing out of batteries and starters. Also starting engines at a low temperature where the oil is not properly circulating causes increased engine wear.

The present invention solves these difliculties by preheating the water in the engine block by inserting an immersion type electric water heater into the engine block. Suitable means are provided for connecting the water heater into a convenient aperture in the engine block, for instance, the conventional core plug opening may be used. The installation is a permanent one and may be left in the engine at all times. During cold weather the water heater would be plugged into a source of electricity when the vehicle is parked overnight or for any length of time so that the water in the engine and therefore the engine block itself will be maintained at a reasonably warm temperature which will result in positive, quick starting. It has been found that a 1000 watt water heater will raise the temperature of a typical Diesel engine 80 or 90 F. in two or three hours. The heater should be inserted as low as possible in the system as hot water rises.

One of the problems in installations of this type is to make sure that there is a good seal between the inserted heater and the engine block so that there will be no leakage of water. Also the heater should not extend more than a few inches from the engine block so that it will not impede mechanical work on the engine.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide new and improved preheating means for internal combustion engines.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved means for cold weather starting of internal combustion engines,

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved means for cold weather starting of internal combustion engines comprising an immersion type electric water heater and means to connect said heater permanently in the engine block.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and drawings, of which FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a flange mounted embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 show another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the figures, there is shown an engine block 1 which contains the cooling water 2 for the engine. Most engines have a core aperture 3 in the water jacket of the engine block. This aperture may be threaded and is normally closed by a threaded or other plug. The present invention comprises an immersion type electric water heater 4 of the Calrod type which is adapted to be inserted in the core aperture 3 by means of a connector unit 5. The connector unit 5 is generally cylindrical in shape and has an internal thread 6 which is adapted to receive the external threads 7 on the water heater base 4'. The inner portion of the connector 5 has external threads 8 which are adapted to screw into the threads 9 on the core aperture of the engine block 1. Just behind the internal threads 8 is an annular groove 10 which is adapted to receive an O-ring gasket -11 which may be of neoprene.

To insert, the block is drained and the core plug removed. The threads and gasket are preferably coated with gasket cement and the connector and heater are screwed in. The dimensions of the shoulder 10 are arranged so that the neoprene gasket fits over the center line of the threads 8 and 9. If the engine block aperture is not threaded a toggle bolt mounting may be used. If there is interference inside the engine block the heating element may be bent or curved. The water heater may be conventional immersion electric water heater of the Calrod or equivalent type used in hot water heating systems.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a flange mounted heater and heater base 4" connected to a mounting flange 14. This heater may be flange mounted on the connector 5' without the necessity of the internal threads 7. The flange mounting may be by means of bolts in four mounting holes 15, 16, 17, 18 in the flange 14 with corresponding tapped mounting holes in the connector ring 5". The connector 5' is otherwise similar to connector 5 of FIG. 1 except the internal threads are not necessary.

The heater unit has a pair of screw contacts 23, '24 to connect an external electric cord 19 with a conventional electrical socket '20. The heating coil is preferably rated in the neighborhood of 1,000 watts and volts as that is generally the most convenient voltage supply. The heater is preferably connected to an electric cable 19 having a length sufficient to mount plug 20 at its other end at some convenient place in the vehicle, for instance in the cab or on a bumper bracket so that the connection can be made without opening the engine cover. A conventional extension cable may be used to connect the heater with any convenient electric outlet. A ground wire may be added if desired by using a three contact plug.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 show means for inserting the heater 4 in an unthreaded aperture 26 in the engine block 1. In this embodiment the heater elements 4 are mounted through a flange 27 which is larger than the aperture 26. The heater element 4 extends from the flange 27 through a thick rubber member 28 of substantially the same thickness as the wall 1 and through a thin washer 29. This assembly is held together by means of the threaded brackets 30, 31 and the nuts 30', 31'. The threaded brackets have screw driver slots 30a and 31a which are lined up with the right angle extension portion 30b (FIG. 7). The purpose of this is that after the assembly has been inserted in the aperture 26, a screw driver is inserted in the slot 30a and the member 30 is rotated so that the extension portion 30b extends beyond the inside lip of the aperture 26. Therefore, as the bracket is held in this position by the screw driver the nuts are tightened up and the extension portions 30b grip the inside of the engine block and squeeze the rubber member 28 so that it completely seals the aperture 26 in the block 1.

Many modifications may be made by those who desire to practice the invention without departing from the scope thereof which is defined by the following claim.

I claim:

Preheating means for internal combustion engines of Water heater having a base, an elongated heating portion connected to the inner end of said base, a mounting flange connected to the outer end of said base, means to removably connect said heater into the block of said engine so that said heater is immersed in the water in said block comprising a connector member, said connector member having an open ended passage through which said heater extends into said water jacket, an externally threaded portion on the inner end of said connector adapted to be inserted in said threaded cored aperture in said engine block, sealing means between the inner end of said connector and the portion of said block surrounding said core aperture, a continuous annular lip on the outer end of said connector, said lip extending transversely 'to the longitudinal axis of said passage, means to rotatably position said heater to avoid internal obstructions in said engine block interfering with said elongated heater comprising an annular flange rotatably mounted on said connector on the inner side of said lip, sealing means between said mounting flange and the outer end of said connector, means to connect said mounting flange to said rotatable flange whereby said heater may be positioned inside said engine block in a water tight manner.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,079,320 11/13 Baker 219-208 X 1,227,529 5/ 17 Clarke 219-208 1,376,209 4/21 Kuhn et a1 219-523 X 1,553,026 9/25 Brown 219-335 X 2,618,731 11/52 Bremer 219-336 2,783,352 2/57 McKay 219-208 X FOREIGN PATENTS 94,924 6/ 22 Switzerland. 498,928 1/ 39 Great Britain.

RICHARD M. WOOD, Primary Examiner.

20 MAX L. LEVY, ANTHONY BARTIS, Examiner s.

Images