Carburetor and intake air heating arrangements for V-twin engines

Abstract

An apparatus and method for heating the intake air which is drawn into the carburetor of a V-twin engine, as well as an apparatus and method for heating the carburetor itself. The V-twin engine includes a crankcase and a pair of cylinders attached to the crankcase and defining a V-space therebetween, and one or more additional engine structures such as a shroud, fuel tank, and muffler, for example, cooperate with the cylinders to substantially enclose the V-space except for one or more air inlet gaps between the foregoing engine structures and the cylinders. During running of the engine, the V-space is heated by radiant heat from the muffler and the cylinders, and the carburetor, which is positioned within the V-space, is also heated to prevent “freeze-up” of the carburetor. Intake air is drawn through the air inlet gaps into the V-space, and is heated before entering the carburetor. In other embodiments, one or more exhaust outlets from the muffler and/or exhaust conduits of the engine exhaust system may be located in airflow communication with the V-space or the carburetor inlet to aid in heating the V-space and the intake air which is drawn into the carburetor, respectively.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.