Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1057979
Field of the Invention: This invention relates to the field
of instruments for indicating engine efficiency.
Description of the Prior Art: Applicant is aware of the
following U.S. patents: The Dickinson Paten~ No. 1,187,279; the Clark
Patent No. 1,401,315; the Brandenburg Patent No. 1,527,114; the Davis
Patent No. 1,552,119; the Schulz Patent No. 3,608,368. None of the
above patents suggest or disclose applicant's device.
It should be pointed out that the nation is currently in
the midst of an energy crisis, particularly in short supply for the
tremendous demand is gasoline and oil. Accordingly, a need exists
for vehicle operators to be, as a part of their normal driving
procedures, made constantly aware of conditions which result in poor
gasoline mileage. In other words, it is believed that most vehicle
operators are concerned about the fuel crisis and would voluntarily
take the necessary corrective action to improve the operating
efficiency of the automobile engine if provided with proper means
which constantly remind and qualitatively educate about efficiency
in engine operation.
The present invention is directed towards overcoming the
problems and disadvantages of previous engine efficiency indicating
instruments.
According to the present invention, there is provided
1~5~97~
in combination with a speed rate indicator means incorporating a
first visual indicator and for use upon a vehicle having a throttle
and an intake manifold, an engine efficiency indicator means having
a second visual indicator for revealing within limits the operating
efficiency of the vehicle engine, said engine efficiency indicator
being coupled to said speed rate indicator for simultaneous position-
ing of their visual indicators regardless of the vehicle speed, and
shifter means operatively associated with said indicator means and
structurally responsive to vacuum changes in the intake manifold for
displacing said second visual indicator from its positioning with
respect to said first visual indicator for indicating when the
operating engine departs from the limits of its predetermined
efficiency range.
A specific embodiment of the present invention would
directly indicate both vehicle speed (or rmp) and quantitatively
indicate that segment of the vehicle engine manifold vacuum
spectrum normally interpretive that:
1. Engine fuel/air ratios are enriched for added power at the
expense of vehicle mileage economy. 2. The vehicle automatic
transmission is restrained to lower ratios for added power at
the expense of vehicle mileage economy.
,~-~ i,
1~57979
3. The englne timing is not set at the optimum settlng.
4. Some other engine function normally controlled by or
recognizable through manlfold vacuum is functioning at the
expense of vehicle mileage eeonomy. The relative
displacement of the second point to the primary speed
may be scaled by a dial attached to either pointer. The
term manifold as used herein is defined for clarity of
explanation as vacuum referenced to atmospheric pressure.
Also included within the term are carburetor venturi induced
vacuums, varlable positive pressures from super-charged
engines, and many of the other commonly accepted sources
of pressure or vacuum which are related to vehlcle control
and/or performance and referenced to full vacuum atmospheric
or any secondary pressure pertinent to the determination
of vehicle efficiency.
The present lnvention is particularly desirable
to asslst the operator in the manipulation of the engine
throttle ln a manner that will preclude openlng the throttle
so wide that the carburetor system advances the fuel/air
ratio, thus lowering vehicle fuel economy. Appllcant
recognizes that many instruments are available to
quantitatively lndicate the manifold vacuum. Some of these
are equipped with additional scale faces which also interpret
manifold vacuum ln normally accepted terms of fuel economy.
Several lnstruments are avallable for a yes/no lnter-
pretatlon of manlfold vacuum wlth accompanylng acceptable
or non-acceptable fuel/alr ratios.
.
.. . ..
,
~157~79
In the light of the foregoing the primary
ob~ect of the present invention is to make available
a simplified direct reading instrumlent that will: 1.
Firmly lndlcate when the engine is being operated
inefficiently. 2. Provide quantitative manifold vacuum
and speed information useful to the operator in making the
necessary adJustmen~ to the throttle. 3. Provide the
information in a form that will require no additional
operator visual attention beyond that normally accorded
the vehicle speed (or engine rpm) indicator. 4. Provide
the information in a single instrument requiring no more
instrument panel space than allocated to a standard vehicle
speed indicator or tachometer. 5. Provide qualitative
indications interpretive in terms of relative fuel economy
for operator selected throttle openings which advance
fuel/air ratios at the expense of mlleage economy.
Flgure 1 is a sectional view of the engine
efficiency indlcator of the present invention shown suitably
connected to a diagrammatically depicted internal
combustion system with the view of the indicator being taken
a~ on a vertical plane through the center line of the indicator.
Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken
as on the llne II-II of Figure 1 with certain structure
being deleted for brevity to clearly show the interlocking
relationship of a sliding sleeve member concentrically
disposed about a rotatable shaft.
~lO57979
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the
sliding sleeve member.
Figure 4 is a front elevational vlew depicting
one embodiment of the face portion of the indicator of the
present invention.
Figure 5 is a front elevational view depicting
another embodiment of the face portion of the indicator
of the present invention.
The engine efficiency lndicator of the present
invention is generally character referenced in the drawings
by the numeral 11. However, it should be understood that
the englne efficiency lndicator 11 of the present invention
is shown ln combination with certain rate indicator means,
e.g., well-known speed indicator means or tachometer means.
In other words, typical speed indicator device and/or
tachometers include an instrument case section 13 for housing
certain components, e.g., the indicator needle and
dial, etc., and a standard drive case 15 for housing other
components, e.g., rotating permanent magnet, etc. The
conventional drive case 15 does not contribute structure for
disclosing the present invention. Therefore, the drlve case
15 is simply dlagrammatically depicted in Figure 1 of the
dr~wings. Other structure diagrammatically depicted in Figure
1 includes an internal combustion engine 17 having an intake
manifold 19, a carburetor 21 conveniently operated by a
conventional throttle or accelerator 23. Coupled to the drive
1057979
case 15 is a conventional flexible drlve cable 25, only
one end thereof being shown. It should be understood that
the remote end of the drive cable (not shown) is connected to
the engine 17 in the usual manner when the engine efficiency
indicator 11 is intended to be a tachometer. On the other
hand, the drive cable 25 is conveniently attached to the
transmlssion (not shown) or other convenient structure of
the vehicle in the event the engine efficiency indicator 11
of the present invention is intended to be a speed lndicating
device.
Accordingly, the indicator 11 includes the usual
flrst visual indicator, character referenced by the numeral
27, dlsposed a spaced distance outwardly from an lnstrument
dlal characterized by the numeral 29. The dlal 29 preferably
is protected by a transparent disc 31. It should be
underætood that the first visual indicator 27 depicted in
the drawings is the pointer or needle type 9 however, it is
anticipated that the present invention may be incorporated
with conventional rate indicators of the type which depicts
an elongated line or bar which varies in length in proportion
to the speed of the vehicle, etc. Therefore, the
first visual indicator 27 depicted in the drawings is intended
to be only one way of incorporating the engine efficiency
lndlcator of the present inventlon with typical rate indicators.
--6--
1057979
The engine efficiency indicator means 11 of the
present invention is intended for indicating within limits
the operating efficiency of the internal combustion engine 17
which includes the intake manifold 19 and the throttle 23 as
prevlously mentioned. The engine efficlency lndlcator means
11 of the present lnvention generally lncludes a second visual
lndlcator generally shown in Flgure 1 by the numeral 33, which
is normally aligned with the first visual indicator 27 when
the efficiency of the engine 17 is withln certain predetermined
deslrable llmits. Also included are pressure relative to
atmospheric pressure Sensing means, as at 35, responsive
to the intake manifold vacuum of the engine 17 for sensing
changes in the magnitude of the intake manifold vacuum
normally brought about by certain settings of the throttle
or accelerator 23. Additionally, the indicator means 11
includes shifter means, as at 37, responsive to the pressure
senslng means 35 and is operably interposed between the first
and second visual indicators 27, 33 for proportionably
dlsplaclng the second visual indlcator 33 from the first
vlsual lndicator 27 as the efficlency of the engine 17
dlmlnlshes below the certaln predetermined deslrable limits
above mentioned.
From Figure 1 of the drawings it may clearly be
seen that the first visual lndicator alluded to above includes
a shaft 39 conveniently Journaled to the lnstrument case
sectlon 13 for free rotatlon without axial movement thereof
' ' ~' .-
~057979
and a rate indicating needle 41 as best shown in Figure 4
oP the drawings. The rate indlcating needle 41 is fixedly
attached to the shaft 39 by a bolt or screw 43 or the like.
The second visual indicator 33 alluded to above includes an
englne efficiency indicating needle 45 as clearly shown in
Figure 4 of the drawings. The needle 45 is concentrically
disposed about an intermedlate member 47 (Figure 1) and is
flxedly attached thereto in any well-known manner as with a
bolt or screw 49 or the like. The intermedlate member
10 47 is concentrically disposed about the shaft 39. The
needle 45 and the intermediate member 47 are free to
plvotally swlng lndependently of the shaft 39, and are
restralned from axlal displacement relative to the shaft 39.
The shifter means 37 alluded to above includes a
sleeve member 51 concentrlcally disposed about, and being
rotationally driven by, the shaft 39 with the sleeve member
51 belng free to sllde to and fro along the rotatlng axis
of the shaft 39. The shifter means 37 also generally includes
flrst connectlng means, as at 53, for connecting the pressure
senslng means 35 to the sleeve member 51 whereby changes in
the magnltude of the lntake manlfold vacuum cause the sleeve
member 51 to sllde axlally along the shaft 39. Further, the
shlfter means 37 generally includes second connectlng means,
as at 55 for connecting the sleeve member 51 to the englne
efficlency lndlcatlng needle 45 whereby the sllding movement
~Q57979
of the sleeve member 51 proportionably displaces the
engine effi~iency indicating needle 45 in an appropriate
direction from the rate indicating needle 41, as illustrated
in Figure 4 Or the drawings.
From Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings it may
clearly be seen that the sleeve member or sleeve means
51 is elongated in side elevational view and is provided
with internal spline structure, as at 57, for being rotatably
driven by the shaft 39. The shaft 39 lncludes an external
spline portion, as at 59, for interlocking engagement with
the sleeve member 51, i.e., the sleeve means 51 being free
to slide to and fro along the rotating axis o~ the shaft 39.
The pressure sensing means 35 alluded to above
preferably includes bellows means, as at 61, which ls communicated
with the intake manifold 19 through a tubular member 63 as
clearly shown in Flgure 1 of the drawings. The bellows
means 61 includes a fixed base member 65, a movable member 67,
and a compression spring 69 which yieldably urges the movable
member 67 outwardly away from the fixed base member 65 at
manifold vacuums less than the design vacuum. It should be
understood that the movable member 67 includes a lug portion
71 having a pivot pin 73 attached thereto for purposes to
be descrlbed. The pivot pin 73 is shown in unbroken lines
at its outermost position and is shown in broken lines at
its innermost position indicated by the numeral 73'.
~57979
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the
art that the pivot pin 73 is moved to its outermost position
when the engine 17 is not operating, i.e., the pressure
within the intake manifold 19 simply being atmospherlc pressure.
Additionally, with proper structure and dimension of the bellows
means 61, the pivot pin 73 is carried to its innermost position
73' when the engine 17 is operating efficiently, i.e., the
vacuum within the intake manifold 19 belng usually greater
than 8 inches of mercury.
The followlng are some factual data for typical
operating conditions of an engine: The intake manifold vacuum
of an engine operating at about half throttle or propelling
a vehicle steadily on a level surface at about 45 miles per
hour would be about 21 inches of mercury. Also, a wide open
throttle would reduce the manifold vacuum to less than one
inch of mercury. In this regard, it should be mentioned that
typical carburetors incorporate what ls commonly known in
the art as a vacuum actuated enrichment valve which begins to
act at some design manifold vacuum normally occurring
between a throttle close posltion and a throttle wide open
posltlon. Normally, the enrlchment valve is designed to
enrich the fuel~air ratio at manlfold vacuum of less than
8 inche~ of mercury on standard automobile englnes.
The most inefficient condition of the engine is
during the tlme that the enrlchment valve in the carburetor
is open. Therefore, the engine efficlency lndicator 11 of
--10--
~o5797g
the present inventlon is intended to visually indicate to
the vehicle operator the starting instant of this
inefficient condition, and the extent Or the condition
as it progresses. In other words, the engine efficiency
indicating needle 45 preferably remains at all times
aligned with the rate indicating needle 41 during normal
efficient englne running, e.g., with manifold vacuum between
21 and 8 inches of mercury. Therefore, the fixed base
member 65 preferably includes a stop portion 75 which prevents
movement of the movable member 67 at manifold vacuums
great enough to maintain closure of the enrichment valve
in the carburetor.
It should be understood that for certaln
embodlments the stopportlon 75 may be deleted wlthout departlng
from the splrlt and scope of the present lnvention. In this
event, the engine efflclency lndicatlng needle 45 would, of
course, quantltatlvely dlsplace past the rate lndlcatlng
needle 41 ln proportlon to the extent of manlfold vacuum
excurslons greater than 8 lnches of mercury, e.g., 15 or
21 lnches of mercury or the llke. The fixed base member
65 preferably is attached to the instrument dial 29 in
any well-known manner as by bolts 77 or the like.
The flrst connectlng means 53 alluded to above
lncludes provldlng the sleeve means 51 wlth a concentric
groove, as at 79, disposed ad~acent one end thereof as
clearly shown ln Flgures 1 and 3 of the drawlngs. Additionally,
~057979
the first connectlng means 53 includes a first nub, as at
81, whlch extends lnto the concentric groove 79 for urglng
the sleeve means 51 to slide axially along the shaft 39 as
the bellowslike pressure sensing means 35 responds to changes
in the intake manifold vacuum.
The second connectlng means 55 alluded to above
includes providing the sleeve means 51 with a helical groove,
as at 83 in Figure 3, disposed a spaced distance from the
concentric groove 79. The second connecting means 55 al5o
includes a second nub, as at 85 in Figure 1 of the drawings.
The nub 85 extends into the helical groove, as best shown
in Figure 3 of the drawings for urging the engine efficiency
indicating needle to a position whlch ls displaced from
the rate indicating needle 41. Therefore, when the intake
manifold vacuum becomes less than the design vacuum the
sleeve means 51 is caused to slide proportionately as
the efficiency of the engine 17 diminishes below the
deslrable limlts. The slldlng actlon of the sleeve 51
angularly displaces or advances the second visual lndlcator
20 33 ahead of the flrst visual indicator 27.
More speclfically, the englne efflclency indicator
11 of the present lnvention includes lever means, as at 87,
which ls plvotally connected at the one end thereof to the
plvot pln 73 and the other end carrles the flrst nub 81.
The lever means 87 ls plvotable about a plvot pin 89 which
ls rigldly supported by a support member 91. The support
- 12 -
10~7979
member 91 is flxedly attached to the lnstrument dial 29 in
any well-known manner, as by bolts 93 or the llke. There-
fore, lt should readily be seen that as the vacuum withln
the lntake manlfold 19 changes from a nominal 8 inches of
mercury toward 0 inches of mercury, the pivot pin 73 moves
away from the position 73' and the first nub 81 moves
away from the posltlon referenced by the numeral 81'.
Accordlngly, movement of the first nub 81 from the positlon
81' slides the sleeve means 51 away from the position
referenced by the numeral 51'.
The lntermedlate member 47 ls free to rotate
about the shaft 39 and carrles the second nub 85 as clearly
shown in Flgure 1 of the drawings. Therefore, slidable
movement of the sleeve means 51 away from the posltlon 51'
ls effectlve to cause the second nub 85 to travel along the
hellcal groove 83 whlch causes rotatlon of the lntermedlate
member 47 about the shaft 39. Slnce the engine efflclency
lndicatlng needle 45 is flxedly attached to the intermedlate
member 47, the englne efflclency lndlcatlng needle 45 ls
angularly dlsplaced from the rate lndlcatlng needle 41 ln
a manner to be even more fully descrlbed.
Partlcular attentlon ls now dlrected toward
Flgure 4 of the drawlngs whereln lt may be seen that the
lnstrument dlal 29 lncludes a plurallty Or graduatlon marks
or lndlcla 95 whlch are lndlvldually deslgnated as
95a, 95b and 95c, etc. Mlnlmum dlsplacement of the englne
efflclency lndlcatlng needle 45 ln relatlon to the rate
-
1057979
indicating needle 41 is illustrated in Figure 4 of the
drawings in broken lines and character referenced by the
numeral 45 having a sufflx consisting of the letters "mln".
On the other hand, maximum displacement of the needle 45 ln
relation to the rate indication needle 41 ls lllustrated ln
broken lines and character referenced by the numeral 45
having a sufflx consisting of the letters "max".
More speciflcally and still referring to Flgure
4, the rate indicating needle 41 ls shown moved from lts
minimum positlon 41' where it ls shown by broken lines to
be aligned with the graduatlon lndlcla 95a, to the positlon
41 where lt ls shown by solld llnes to be allgned wlth the
graduatlon lndlcia 95c. Likewise, at fixed manlfold vacuum
the same fractlonal rotatlon of the shaft 39 is effective
to angularly dlsplace the engine efficlency indicating
needle 45 an equal amount from the position shown in broken
lines by the numeral 45' to the position shown in solid
lines by the numeral 45. In other words, fractlonal rotatlon
of the shaft 39 when manifold vacuum is constant is effective
to cause simultaneous fractional rotation of both needles
41 and 45 irrespective of the relative posltions they may
have one with the other, l.e., both needles 41 and 45 belng
angularly dlsplaced the same number of degrees by the turnlng
actlon of the shaft 39.
In order to more fully explain dlsplacement of
the engine efficiency indicating needle 45 in relation to
-14-
1057979
rate lndlcating needle 41 it would be helpful to assume
that the engine efficiency indicator 11 as depicted in Flgure
4 is being utilized as a speed indicating device, i.e.,
as opposed to a tachometer. Additionally assume that the
graduation indicia 95c represents 45 miles per hour.
Under these conditions, the vehicle is shown by the rate
indicating needle 41 as traveling at 45 miles an hour.
Dis~lacement of the en@ine efficiency indicating needle 45
from an aligned position behind the needle 41 (where it
cannot be seen) to the position 45 min is achieved by minimal
opening of the throttle 23 to the extent that the enrichment
valve ln the carburetor is beginnlng to be actuated, l.e.,
the rate indicating needle 41 initially contlnues to
indicate the 45 miles per hour. However, disregard the fact
that the vehicle may speed up or the rate indicatlng needle
41 may start moving away from the graduatlon indicia 95c,
partlcularly if the vehicle is not going uphlll. Opening
the throttle 23 all the way causes further reduction ln
manifold vacuum, i.e., the manifold vacuum is now approaching
atmospherlc pressure, whlch causes the needle 45 to advance to
the posltlon 45 max even though the rate lndlcating needle 41
may still contlnue to indicate 45 mlles per hour, i.e., disregard
the fact that the vehlcle may speed up. Actually, slnce the
vehlcle may be golng up a steep hill or some other conditlon
may prevall whlch creates a load on the englne 17 the s~eed
may not vary even though the throttle 23 ls wide open. However,
-15-
1~5797~
it should be understood that when the rate indlcatlng
needle 41 does advance, i.e., move toward the graduation
indicia 95d, the angular displacement between the needles
45, 41 remains constant unless there is a change in manifold
vacuum.
From Flgures 1 and 4 of the drawings lt may be
seen that the indlcator 11 includes a scale, as at 97,
having certain lndicia, as at 99, for vlsually indlcating
degrees of less than deslrable operatlng efficlency of the
engine 17. More speclfically, the scale 97 includes a
transparent disc segment 101 fixedly attached to the rate
indicator needle 41 in any well-known manner as with
the bolts 103 or the like. From Flgure 1 of the drawlngs lt
may be seen that the englne efficiency indlcatlng needle
45 is disposed behind the transparent disc segment 101
whereby the displacement thereof may readily be observed
through the transparent dlsc segment 101 and measured by the
lndicia 99 aligned therewith. The indica 99 may include
graduations or the llke but preferably includes certain colors
to aid in warning the operator of varlous degrees Or less
than desirable engine efficiency. In this regard, the indicia
99 as shown ln Figure 4 includes a short green portion 99a,
a yellow portion 99b, and a red portion 99c. Accordingly,
the needle 45 is shown ln Flgure 4 in an intermediate position
and aligned with the yellow indlcia 99b.
Another embodiment of the instrument dlal 29 ls
hereln dlsclosed and is shown in Figure 5 of the drawings
and character referenced therein by the numeral 29'. The
instrument dial 29' includes an opaque disc, as at 105, with
-16-
1057979
the rate indicating needle 41 constituting a radially aligned
segment thereof. In other words, the rate indicating needle
41 may, for the most oart, simply be scribed onto the opaque
disc 105. The opaque disc 105 is provided with a transparent
window, as at 107, which is disposed coincident with at least
a portion of the rate indicating needle 41 as clearly shown
in Figure 5 of the drawings. Additionally, the engine
efficiency indicating needle 45" is fan shaned as clearly
shown in Figure 5 and ls disposed behind the opaque disc
105, l.e., portlons of the opaque dlsc 105 are cut away to
reveal the ~an shaped efficiency indicating needle 45 ". A
portion of the fan shaped needle 45 '' is visible through the
transparent window 107 and the fan shaped englne efficlency
indicating needle 45 '' includes lndlcia 109 constltuting
at least two colors but preferably three or a color gradient,
or any combinatlon which establishes the scale 97, i.e.,
the indicia 109 constituting a gre~ portion lO9a, a yellow
portlon lO9b, and a red portion lO9c. Therefore, the lnstant
of displacement of the englne efflciency indlcatlng needle
45" from the rate indlcatlng needle 41 may readily be
observed through the transparent wlndow 107, wlth the degree
of e~ficiency generally belng indicated and measured by
the particular color, color gradient, or colors being
vislbly displayed through the transparent window 107. The
preferred displacement of the fan shaped needle 45"
relative to the rate indicating needle 41 is counter-clockwise
as manifold vacuum lowers ln order that when varled lndlcia
-17-
~057979
colors are at the same time vislble through the trans~arent
window 107, that color normally associated with increasin~
danger will be located on the side toward increasing rate
indicia.
It should be understood that the interior Or the
instrument case section 13 is vented to the atmosphere ln
any well-known manner, as with a vent hole 111 or the like,
in order that the pressure sensing means 35 shall be responsive
to manifold vacuum relative to atmospheric pressure. Where
the invention ls incorporated into vehicles requiring response
to previously defined alternatives to manifold vacuums
referenced to atmos~heric pressure, vent hole 111 may be
deleted and the interior of the case 13 referenced to a full
vacuum or any secondary pressure by suitable connecting means,
or the pressure sensing means 35 may be of standard
conventional design for pressure sensing relative to full
vacuum, atmospheric or any secondary pressure, all without
departlng from the spirlt and scope of the present invention.
The instrument dial 29' as above disclosed
optlonally elimlnates the need for the stop portion 75. In other
words, the length of the green indicia lO9a may simply be of
sufficient degrees of angular displacement of the needle 45 "
50 that intake.manifold vacuum from 30 inches of mercury
to 8 inches of mercury does not change the color of the
indicia being vlsibly displayed through the transparent window t
-18-
~57979
107. In other words, the yellow inclicia lO9b preferably
commences to appear in the transparent window 107 at the
precise point in which the enrichment valve in the -~
carburetor beglns to be actuated, i.e., approximately
manifold vacuum of 8 inches of mercury. It should be
understood that the yellow indicia lO9b could be rearranged
so as to appear at some other manlPold pressure without
departln~ Prom the splrit andscope o~ the present invention.
Although the lnvention has been descrlbed and
lllustrated with respect to prePerred embodlments thereoP,
lt ls not to be so llmlted since changes and modifications
may be made thereln whlch are wlthln the full lntended
scope oP the inventlon.
--19--
., .
