Self-regulating heater

A fuel entry system of an internal combustion engine, comprising a carburetor having a barrel through which fuel and air are adapted to pass, an intake manifold connected to said barrel and having a bent configuration to provide a wall substantially at right angle and opposite to said barrel, a stove disposed in said wall and offset with respect to said barrel, said stove comprising at least one self-regulating heater element having a steeply sloped positive temperature coefficient of resistivity, means to electrically connect the element to a power supply so that shortly after energization thereof the element is maintained at a preselected temperature whereby fuel droplets coming in contact with the stove will be vaporized to enhance start-up of the engine, said stove having a top plate in heat transfer relationship with said element, said top plate having a surface which faces the interior of said intake manifold and is flush with the inner surface of said wall and is provided with a multiplicity of heat conducting rods projecting from said surface into said intake manifold.

A fuel entry system of an internal combustion engine, comprising a carburetor having a first barrel for low load operation and a second barrel for high load operation, an intake manifold connected to said barrels and having a bent configuration to provide a wall substantially at right angle and opposite to said barrels, said intake manifold continuing downstream of said second barrel in an intake pipe extending to an engine cylinder, a stove disposed in said wall substantially in alignment with said second barrel, said stove having a top plate with a surface flush with said wall and provided with a multiplicity of heat conducting rods projecting from said surface into said intake manifold, at least one self-regulating heater element in heat-transfer relationship with said top plate and having a steeply sloped positive temperature coefficient of resistivity, means to electrically connect the element to a power supply so that shortly after energization thereof the element is maintained at a preselected temperature whereby fuel droplets coming in contact with the top plate and rods will be vaporized to enhance start-up operation of the engine, and a baffle in said intake manifold extending from a spot between the barrels towards said rods so that the flow of fuel and air passing through the first barrel is forced to pass through the interstices between said rods.