This invention relates to a carburetor spacer for installation between a carburetor and an intake manifold which effects increased horsepower in engine operation. More specifically, this invention relates to a carburetor spacer having a particular shape such that improved air/fuel flow to the intake manifold is achieved.
Spacers for use between the carburetor and intake manifold of an automobile engine are well known in the art and conventionally serve the purpose(s) of increasing horsepower, gas mileage, or torque, as well as reducing emissions in some cases. The spacers (a.k.a. carburetor spacers) are often designed with specific thickness in mind depending on the desired performance enhancement. In particular, the space which is created between the carburetor and the intake manifold allows the air/fuel mixture which is discharged from the carburetor barrel(s) to increase in velocity prior to entering the combustion chamber of an engine. In addition, in certain designs of carburetor spacers, better air/fuel mixing is believed to be achieved. As a result, improved fuel combustion is normally realized.
In certain applications, such as in some automobile racing circuits, increases in horsepower are desired with little increased cost or weight and while conforming to sometimes restrictive engine modification regulations. In such applications, a carburetor spacer is a cheap, efficient, lightweight, and easy to install option.
For such uses (as well as other uses) various prior art attempts to design effective carburetor spacers have been attempted. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,460, describes a carburetor spacer which employs channels/grooves in the interior of the air/fuel passageways. In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,059 describes a spacer in which the air fuel ports extend lengthwise into the opening of the intake manifold. While each of these example designs (as well as others designs known in the art) have met varying success, further increases in combustion efficiency and thus improvement in horsepower are desired.
In view of the above, it is apparent that there exists a need in the art for spacer apparatus which overcomes, mitigates, or solves the above problems in the art. It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill this and other needs in the art which will become more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.
Generally speaking, this invention fulfills the above-described needs in the art by providing: a spacer apparatus for installation between an intake manifold and a carburetor, the spacer apparatus comprising:
a substantially planar spacer body having a top surface and a bottom surface each surface having horizontal portions, the horizontal portion of the bottom surface comprising an intake manifold mounting surface;
an elongated nose member having a base portion and a tip portion, the nose member extending substantially perpendicularly from the approximate center of the bottom surface and the tip member extending a pre-selected distance through a plane of the intake manifold mounting surface;
a plurality of air/fuel passageways located proximal the base portion of the nose member;
mount means for mounting the spacer apparatus and the carburetor to the intake manifold.
In further embodiments, this invention provides: an automotive engine having an air/fuel delivery system comprising in combination:
a carburetor mounted on an intake manifold, the intake manifold having a single plane open plenum;
a spacer apparatus mounted between the carburetor and the intake manifold, the spacer apparatus comprising:
a substantially planar spacer body having a top surface and a bottom surface each surface having horizontal portions, the horizontal portion of the bottom surface comprising an intake manifold mounting surface;
an elongated nose member having a base portion and a tip portion, the nose member extending substantially perpendicularly from the approximate center of the bottom surface and the tip member extending a pre-selected distance through a plane of the intake manifold mounting surface;
a plurality of air/fuel passageways located proximal the base portion of the nose member;
mount means for mounting the spacer apparatus and the carburetor to the intake manifold;
wherein the elongated nose member extends at least partially into the single plane open plenum so as to displace air volume therein.