# US 2009/0260596 A1 · Ignition and fuel shutoff for engine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0260596 A1 - Document ID: US20090260596A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/419,458 - Filed: 2009-04-07 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-22 - Assignees: Briggs & Stratton Corporation - Inventors: Robert Johnson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260596A1 ## CPC - F02D 17/04: rendering engines inoperative or idling, e.g. caused by abnormal conditions (dependent on lubricating conditions F01M1/22; dependent on cooling F01P5/14) - F02D 11/02: characterised by hand, foot, or like operator controlled initiation means - F02M 37/0023: {Valves in the fuel supply and return system} - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF ## Abstract A carburetor assembly includes a carburetor, a fuel supply valve, a valve member and a normally open switch. The fuel supply valve is coupled to the carburetor housing and is fluidly connected to the carburetor. The fuel supply valve includes a lever pivotable between first and second positions. The valve member is configured to move in response to the lever such that fuel is allowed to flow to the carburetor when the lever is in the first position and fuel is not allowed to flow to the carburetor when the lever is in the second position. The normally open switch is adjacent the fuel supply valve and includes a switch actuator. The lever is configured to engage and release the switch actuator to move the switch actuator between a non-actuated position and an actuated position respectively when the lever moves between the first and second positions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A carburetor assembly, comprising: a carburetor having a housing, the carburetor configured to supply fuel to a combustion chamber of an engine; a fuel supply valve coupled to the carburetor housing and fluidly connected to the carburetor upstream of the carburetor, the fuel supply valve including: a lever configured to pivot about a pivot axis between a first position and a second position, the lever including: a pivot portion through which the pivot axis passes; a handle portion fixed to the pivot portion and extending generally radially from the pivot portion in a direction; wherein the pivot portion is configured to pivot about the pivot axis when an external force is applied to the handle portion; a valve member configured to move in response to the lever such that fuel is allowed to flow to the carburetor when the lever is in the first position and fuel is not allowed to flow to the carburetor when the lever is in the second position; and a normally open switch adjacent the fuel supply valve, the switch including a switch actuator configured to move between an actuated position and a non-actuated position, wherein the switch actuator is biased to the non-actuated position; wherein the lever is configured to engage and release the switch actuator to move the switch actuator between the non-actuated position and the actuated position respectively when the lever moves between the first and second positions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The carburetor assembly of claim 1, wherein the lever further includes a lever actuator fixed to the pivot portion and extending generally radially from the pivot portion in a second direction, wherein the lever actuator is configured to move about the pivot axis when an external force is applied to the handle portion, and wherein the lever actuator is configured to engage and disengage the switch actuator to move the switch actuator between the non-actuated position and the actuated position respectively when the lever moves between the first and second positions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The carburetor assembly of claim 2, wherein the second direction is generally opposite the first direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The carburetor assembly of claim 1, further comprising a sediment bowl adjacent the fuel supply valve. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The carburetor assembly of claim 1, wherein the sediment bowl is centered about the pivot axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The carburetor assembly of claim 1, wherein the switch is electrically connected to ground and to an ignition coil such that the ignition coil is electrically grounded when the switch is in the actuated position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The carburetor assembly of claim 6, wherein the switch is configured to disconnect the ignition coil from ground when the switch is in the non-actuated position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The carburetor assembly of claim 6, wherein the lever engages the switch actuator when the lever is in the second position to move the switch to the actuated position, thereby grounding the ignition coil. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The carburetor assembly of claim 1, further comprising a bracket adjacent the lever, the bracket including a switch mounting portion, wherein the switch is mounted to the switch mounting portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The carburetor assembly of claim 9, the bracket further including a lever mounting portion adjacent the switch mounting portion, the lever mounting portion having an aperture therethrough, wherein a portion of the lever assembly passes through the aperture, and wherein the pivot axis passes through the aperture. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The carburetor assembly of claim 1, wherein the switch is a microswitch, and wherein the switch actuator is an actuation arm. ### Claim 12 A carburetor assembly, comprising: a carburetor having a housing, the carburetor configured to supply fuel to an engine for combustion; a fuel valve coupled to the carburetor housing and configured to allow and prevent fuel flow to the carburetor, the fuel valve including: a lever configured to pivot about an axis between a first position and a second position, the lever including: a pivot through which the axis passes; a handle fixed to the pivot and extending away from the pivot in a direction; wherein the pivot is configured to pivot about the axis when a force is applied to the handle; a valve member coupled with the lever such that fuel is allowed to flow to the carburetor when the lever is in the first position and fuel is prevented from flowing to the carburetor when the lever is in the second position; and a normally open switch adjacent the fuel valve, the switch including a switch actuator configured to move between an actuated position and a non-actuated position, wherein the switch actuator is biased to the non-actuated position; wherein the lever is configured to press and release the switch actuator to move the switch actuator between the non-actuated position and the actuated position when the lever moves between the first and second positions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The carburetor assembly of claim 12, wherein the lever further includes a lever actuator fixed to the pivot and extending away from the pivot in a second direction, wherein the lever actuator is configured to move about the axis when a force is applied to the handle, and wherein the lever actuator is configured to press and release the switch actuator to move the switch actuator between the non-actuated position and the actuated position respectively when the lever moves between the first and second positions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The carburetor assembly of claim 13, wherein the second direction is generally opposite the first direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The carburetor assembly of claim 12, further comprising a sediment bowl next to the fuel valve. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The carburetor assembly of claim 12, wherein the sediment bowl is centered about the axis. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The carburetor assembly of claim 12, wherein the switch is electrically connected to ground and to an ignition coil such that the ignition coil is electrically grounded when the switch is in the actuated position. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The carburetor assembly of claim 17, wherein the switch is configured to disconnect the ignition coil from ground when the switch is in the non-actuated position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The carburetor assembly of claim 17, wherein the lever presses the switch actuator when the lever is in the second position to move the switch to the actuated position, thereby grounding the ignition coil. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The carburetor assembly of claim 12, further comprising a bracket next to the lever, the bracket including a switch mounting portion, wherein the switch is mounted to the switch mounting portion. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The carburetor assembly of claim 20, the bracket further including a lever mounting portion adjacent the switch mounting portion, the lever mounting portion having a hole, wherein a portion of the lever assembly passes through the hole, and wherein the axis passes through the hole. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The carburetor assembly of claim 12, wherein the switch is a microswitch, and wherein the switch actuator is an actuation arm. ### Claim 23 A fuel and ignition shutoff system for an internal combustion engine, comprising: a carburetor shutoff valve configured to selectively prevent and allow fuel from entering a carburetor, the shutoff valve having a lever including: a pivot portion pivotable about a pivot axis; a handle portion fixed to the pivot portion and extending generally radially from the pivot portion in a direction; wherein the pivot portion is configured to pivot about the pivot axis when an external force is applied to the handle portion; a valve member coupled with the lever such that fuel is allowed to flow to the carburetor when the lever is in the first position and wherein fuel is not allowed to flow to the carburetor when the lever is in the second position; and a normally open switch adjacent the carburetor shutoff valve, the switch including a switch actuator configured to move between an actuated position and a non-actuated position, the switch being electrically connected to ground and to an ignition coil such that the ignition coil is electrically connected to ground when the switch is in the actuated position, wherein the lever is configured such that the actuator engages and releases the switch actuator to move the switch actuator between the non-actuated position and the actuated position respectively when the lever moves between the first and second positions, wherein the lever engages the actuation arm when the lever is in the second position such that the actuation arm is placed in the actuated position and such that the ignition coil is grounded. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The fuel and ignition shutoff system of claim 23, the lever further including a lever actuator fixed to the pivot portion and extending generally radially from the pivot portion in a second direction, wherein the lever actuator is configured to move about the pivot axis when an external force is applied to the handle portion, and wherein the lever actuator is configured to engage and release the switch actuator to move the switch actuator between the non-actuated position and the actuated position respectively when the lever moves between the first and second positions. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The fuel and ignition shutoff system of claim 24, wherein the second direction is generally opposite the first direction. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The fuel and ignition shutoff system of claim 23, further comprising a sediment bowl centered about the pivot axis. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The fuel and ignition shutoff system of claim 23, wherein the switch is configured to disconnect the ignition coil from ground when the switch is in the non-actuated position. ### Claim 28 (depends on 23) The fuel and ignition shutoff system of claim 23, further comprising a bracket adjacent the lever, the bracket including a switch mounting portion, wherein the switch is mounted to the switch mounting portion. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The carburetor assembly of claim 28, the bracket further including a lever mounting portion adjacent the switch mounting portion, the lever mounting portion having an aperture therethrough, wherein a portion of the fuel shutoff valve passes through the aperture, and wherein the pivot axis passes through the aperture. ### Claim 30 (depends on 23) The carburetor assembly of claim 23, wherein the actuation arm is biased to the no-actuated position.