US1995762A - Intermittent lubricant metering device - Google Patents

Description

Nimah 26, 1935.. o. A, wiLLiAMs 1557762 INTERMITTENT LUBRICANT METERING DEVICE Filed Sept. 19, 1935' Patentedl Mar. '26, 19.35

UNITED STATES PATENT oFEicE INTERMITTENT LUBRICANT METERING DEVICE 8 Claims.

graphite, is agitated by the inflowing air and is` then held in suspension by the air currents, and is thereby oated as it were into the usual intake manifold, for direct application to the walls of each of the engine cylinders. On the other hand, itis to be understood that the principles incorporated inthe device provide for its use in the application of liquid and semi-liquid, as well as solid, semi-solid and iinely divided lubricants.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a diaphragm as a means for automatically regulatingthe :dow of lubricant intermittently, or in other words at such intervals as may be required for the proper lubrication of the cylinders, and in accordance with, as well as under the control of, the working period of the engine, by virtue of variations in the degree lof vacuum in the fuel intake, as affected by the extentto which the carburetor is opened and the' induction system is in full operation. That is, the more the carburetor is opened and the vacuum decreased, the less the new device will function to agitate and admit quantities of lubricant into the engine cylinders, whereas -when the carburetor is closed and the engine is idling, the vacuum is correspondingly increased and the improved device accordingly acts to supply lubricant in accordance with its characteristic construction and functioning.

Still another object is to provide a device of this character which is both simply and inexpensively constructed, and which can be both cleaned and reassembled with ease, and without the slightest chance of disarrangement; also to provide a device having a reservoir or lubricant container, which can be readily iilled whenever necessary without disturbing the diaphragm-actuated valve, or in fact any of the other parts of the device. With these objects in mind, the invention comprises further details of construction and operation, which are fully brought out in the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which (Cl. 12S-196) Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the same; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the cover per se. a

Referring to the drawing, the embodiment of the invention here illustrated comprises a substantially cylindrical body portion 1, provided with a preferably integral partition, dividing the interior of said body portion into normally l upper and lower chambers 3 and 4, respectively. Extending laterally and integrally from one side of the upper marginal portion of said body is a bracket 5, terminating in an angularly extending portion 6, thru which any desired number of bolts or other securing means 7 normally extend, to removably attach the device to a support conveniently located with respect to the internal combustion engine, with which said device is cooperatively associated for lubrication purposes. Said bolts or the like also extend thru an angularly disposed portion 8 of a substantially planular sheet metal cover 9, the forward marginal portion of which is turned downwardly, to provide a flange 10 normally 25 overhanging the adjacent portion of said body l, said cover comprising a removable closure for the upper chamber 3 and being provided centrally with a preferably concave raised portion 11, having an aperture 12, said raised portion being provided in order to permit unrestrained movement of the diaphragm and attached parts, as hereinafter described, while said aperture serves as an inlet port for air to enter said upper chamber.

The peripheral wall of said last-named chamber is characterized by a suitably shaped shoulder 13, upon which is adapted to rest any desired form of rubber or other yielding type of gasket 14 (formed either of a single or a. plurality of 40 sections), which gasket supports the periphery of a preferably concave or slightly conical metallic gasket l5 in spaced relation with the adjacent portions of said body 1, said gasket being maintained in operative position by means of a suitably shaped ring 16, which may be secured within the upper portion of the chamber 3 by any desired means, such for instance as being in binding frictional engagement with the walls 17 of a diametrically enlarged portion of said last-named y chamber. Centrally said gasket is provided with an aperture 18, thru which extends a screw l'19, or other suitable form of adjustable means provided with an axial bore 20, and its lower end terminating in a conically shaped recess 21, while 55 the position of said screw or the like is adjustably set and maintained xedly with respect to said diaphragm by means of nuts 22, in threaded engagement with the same upon the opposite sides of the diaphragm.

The partition 2 is provided centrally with a downwardly extending cylindrical collar 23 in which issecured a stud 24, by any suitable means, such that said stud may be removable from said partition, or may be unitarily secured therein (as indicated in Fig. 2) by die-casting one part with respect to the other. In any case said stud is provided with a centrally upwardly extending conical projection 25 adapted to normally enter the correspondingly shaped recess in the screw 19, while laterally of said projection a relatively cylindrical bore 26 extends downwardly thru said stud, and at its lower end opens into a relatively larger axially positioned bore 27, into which is secured in any suitable manner the upper end portion of a metallic tube 28.

Said tube is provided in its lowermost extremity, or elsewhere as may be desired, with a relatively restricted aperture or plurality of apertures 29 of any desired shape and arrangement, such that intermittent pulsations of air flowing downwardly thru said tube and emerging therefrom will cause an agitation and intermingling of the dust, comprising a surrounding body 30 of finely divided graphite, or other suitable lubricant, with the air in the upper portion 3l of a suitably shaped reservoir 32, which in this case comprises an inverted conical member of glass or the like, in order that the level and condition of the lubricant contained therein can be readily seen at all times from the exterior of the device. The upper peripheral portion of said reservoir comprises a relatively outwardly extending flange 33, which is positioned within a downwardly extending ange 34, comprising an integral projection of the body 1 and externally threaded to receive a removable nut 35, which also comprises a radially inwardly extending flange 36, which flange cooperates with and securesthe adjacent reservoir flange 33, to said body in operative position, thru the medium of a suitable form of rubber or similar gasket 37, said reservoir flange being separated from direct contact with the positioning shoulder 38 of said body by means of a cork or other form of gasket 39.

Extending radially thru a side wall of the body 1 is a threaded aperture 40, in communication inwardly with the lower chamber 4, and adapted to receive in threaded engagement any suitable form of pipe or the like, for the purpose of operatively connecting the improved lubricant metering device to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. With the parts of the device assembled and thus. described, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and bearing in mind that the screw 19 is normally supported by the diaphragm in spaced relation with the stud projection 25, any increase in the vacuum in the intake manifold, when unrelieved by a partial or complete opening of the carburetor, will automatically cause air to be drawn inwardly thru the aperture l2, and thence by way of the bore 20, stud bore 26 and pipe 28 into the lower chamber 4, and thus into the intake manifold, before finally entering the cylinders of the engine during the fuel intake stroke of the respective pistons- As long as this inflow of air is at a certain predetermined rate, the intermittent pulsations of the air currents thru the powdered lubricant 30 will cause the latter to be agitated in such a way as to produce a dust laden atmosphere within said lower aperture 40, whence said lubricant is floated in air suspension into the intake manifold and respective cylinders. However, when the vacuum in said manifold increases-beyond a certain predetermined degree, vthe screw 19v is drawn downwardly against the yielding tension of the diaphragm 15, and until said screw binds against said stud projection 25 and closes the lower end of the bore 20, thereby shutting of! either partially or entirely the inflow of air thru the tube 28 and into the lower compartment 4, with the result that the flow of powdered lubricant into said manifold and cylinders is discontinued.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A lubricating device for internal-combustion engines, comprising a casing, a transversely extending partition having a fluid passage, a lubricant reservoir upon one side of said partition, a tube extending from said passage to a point below the normal level of lubricant in said reservoir, a. passageway to connect said reservoir to the intake manifold of an engine, and a yieldingly positioned diaphragm extending across said casing upon the opposite side of said partition, and having an aperture adapted to be closed by said partition at one position of said diaphragm.

2. A lubricating device for internal combustion engines, comprising a casing, a transversely extending partition having a fluid passage, a lubricant reservoir upon one side of said partition, a tube extending from said passage below the level of lubricant in said reservoir, a passageway to connect said reservoir to the intake manifold of an engine, and a yieldingly positioned diaphragm extending across said casing upon the opposite side of said partition, and having a restricted aperture of less diameter than that of said partition passage and adapted to be closed by said partition at one position of said diaphragm when the vacuum in the intake manifold of the engine is unrelieved thru the engines carbureter.

3. A lubricating device for internal combustion engines, comprising a casing, a transversely extending partition having a fluid passage, a lubricant reservoir upon one side of said partition, a tube extending from said passage below the level of lubricant in said reservoir, a passageway to connect said reservoir to the intake manifold of an engine, and a yieldingly positioned diaphragm extending across said casing upon the opposite side of said partition, and havinga restricted aperture adapted to be closed by said partition at one position of said diaphragm, and a detachable closure for the diaphragm side of said device having an inlet aperture.

4. A lubricating device for internal combustion engines, comprising a casing, a transversely extending partition having a uid passage and a valve extension, a lubricant reservoir upon one side of said partition, a tube extending from said passage below the level of lubricant in said reservoir, a passageway to connect said reservoir to the intake manifold of an engine, and a yieldingly positioned diaphragm extending across said casing, upon the opposite side of said partition. and having a restricted aperture adapted to be variably closed by said valve extension at various positions of said diaphragm, said diaphragm noi'- mally maintaining said aperture open.

- intake manifold of an engine, a yieldingly positioned diaphragm extending across said casing upon the opposite side of saidpartition, and an axially adjustable stud extending thru and supported by said diaphragm, and said stud being provided with a restricted axial bore adapted to be closed in varying degrees by said valve extension, with varying positions of said diaphragm in accordance with varying degrees of vacuum in the intake manifold of the engine.

6. A lubricating device for internal combustion engines, comprising a casing, a partition having a fluid passage, a lubricant reservoir upon one side of said partition, a tube extendingfrom said passage to a point below the normal level of lubricant in said reservoir, a passageway to connect said reservoir to the intake manifold of an engine, and a yieldingly positioned diaphragm extending across said uid passage upon the opposite side of said partition, and having an aperture adapted to be closed by cooperation with said partition at one position of said diaphragm.

7. A lubricating device for internal combustion engines, comprising a reservoir, a closure for said reservoir having a uid passage, a tube extending from said passage to a point below the normal level of lubricant in said reservoir, a passageway to connect said reservoir to the intake manifold of an engine, and a yieldingly positioned diaphragm extending across said uid passage upon the opposite side of said closure from said reservoir, and having an aperture adapted to be closed by said closure at one position of said diaphragm,

8. A lubricating device for internal combustion engines, comprising a reservoir, a closure for said reservoir having a uid passage, a tube extending from said passage to a point below the normal level of lubricant in said reservoir, a passageway to connect said reservoir to the intake manifold of an engine, and a yieldingly positioned diaphragm carried by a hollow annular extension of said closure and extending across said uid pas-s sage upon the opposite side of said closure from said reservoir, and having an aperture adapted to be closed by said closure at one position of said diaphragm.

OSCAR A. WILLIAMS.

Images