In answer to your question Longshot (and remember this was way back in the 70's - before many of you were born), the atomizer broke the fuel down into even "finer" droplets that would supposedly burn more efficiently!
I honestly don't know why I fell for that now that I've reached my "golden years". I certainly knew enough then to realize this was a totally bogus line of reasoning. I think I was just "young", and naive.
One thing that DID work though, was Mobil 1 oil. It added an honest 2mpg to my gas mileage! Of course it had a lower viscosity index than the 20W40 (or was it 20W50?) I was using before I tried it, and I'm certain that was the major reason, but it sure was a lot more expensive, more so then than now.
- Jack