Internal combustion engine utilizing particulate fuel

In an internal combustion engine including at least one cylinder having a combustion chamber within which a piston is positioned for reciprocal movement, the combination comprising:

• a bulk source of particulate fuel;
• intake port means including an orifice commumicating with said combustion chamber;
• injecting valve means having an outlet communicable with said intake port means orifice, having a metering duct extending from a particulate fuel inlet to said outlet, having an air input duct extending from a pressurized air inlet to said outlet and communicating with said metering duct to effect movement of metered quantities of particulate fuel therein, said injecting valve means being actuable to move with respect to said intake port means orifice to selectively effect an intermittent conjoining at said outlet of pressurized air from said air input duct with said particulate fuel from said metering duct to effect an injection thereof through said orifice for evoking a combustible particulate fuel suspension within said combustion chamber;
• air supply means for providing air from a pressurized source thereof to an air outlet situate at said injecting valve means and communicable with said pressurized air inlet;
• transport means for continuously transporting said particulate fuel in delivery from said bulk source to said injecting valve means and from said injecting valve means, in return, to said source;
• fuel outlet means for communicating select portions of transported said bulk fuel from said transport means at said injecting valve means with said particulate fuel inlet;
• and
• actuator means for selectively actuating said injecting valve means to move said metering duct into select communication with said fuel outlet means and simultaneously to effect said communication between said air outlet and said pressurized air inlet, to effect said injection of said fuel through said orifice.

In an internal combustion engine with at least one cylinder having a wall defining a combustion chamber within which a piston is positioned for reciprocal movement, the combination comprising:

• intake port means including an orifice communicating with said combustion chamber for effecting the passage of particulate solid fuel and air thereinto;
• a fuel injection housing mounted adjacent said combustion chamber orifice;
• transport means for transporting said particulate fuel from a source thereof to a fuel outlet within said fuel injection housing;
• air supply means for providing air from a pressurized source thereof to an air outlet within said fuel injection housing;
• a mixer component actuable for movement within said fuel injection housing and having an outlet communicable with said intake port means orifice, a first duct within said component extending from a particulate fuel inlet toward said outlet, a second duct within said component extending from a pressurized air inlet toward said outlet and configured to join with said first duct in the vicinity of said outlet to selectively effect the commencement of entrainment of said particles with air substantially in the vicinity of said intake port means orifice;
• and
• actuating means for selectively actuating said mixer component to selectively effect the simultaneous communication of said outlet, said particulate fuel inlet and said pressurized air inlet respectively with said orifice, said fuel outlet and said air outlet to effect said commencement of entrainment.