Carburettor

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Carburetor \Car"bu*ret`or\, Carburettor \Car"bu*ret`tor\, n.
     1. (Chem.) An apparatus in which coal gas, hydrogen, or air
        is passed through or over a volatile hydrocarbon, in order
        to confer or increase illuminating power. [Written also
        {carburettor}.]
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. One that carburets; specif., an apparatus in which air or
        gas is carbureted, as by passing it through a light
        petroleum oil. The carburetor for a gasoline engine is
        usually either a {surface carburetor}, or alternatively a
        {float carburetor} (called also {float-feed carburetor},
        or {spray carburetor}). In the former air is charged by
        being passed over the surface of gasoline. In the latter a
        fine spray of gasoline is drawn from an atomizing nozzle
        by a current of air induced by the suction of the engine
        piston, the supply of gasoline being regulated by a float
        which actuates a needle valve controlling the outlet of
        the feed pipe. Alcohol and other volatile inflammable
        liquids may be used instead of gasoline.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  carburettor
       n : mixes air with gasoline vapor prior to explosion [syn: {carburetor}]