Lubricating oil supply system for industrial engines

• US 4,730,704 A
• Filed: 04/01/1986
• Issued: 03/15/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Ohno, Katsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Croyle, Carlton R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/847,070
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 184/6.1, 184/6.4, 184/108, 417/292, 417/295, 123/196 AB, 337/362-364, 137/551, 340/594, 340/606, 340/610, 374/205
• US Class Current: 184/6.4
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/061 Means for keeping lubricant level constant
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/10 Indicating devices; Other safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2275/34 Lateral camshaft position

Abstract

A lubricating oil supply system has a pump for automatically supplying lubricating oil from an oil tank to a crankcase of an engine through a passage. A bimetallic strip is cantilevered on a wall of the passage. The bimetallic strip is provided so as to reduce the cross-sectional area of the passage at the bimetallic strip when the temperature of the strip rises and to increase the cross-sectional area when the temperature lowers.

Claims

1. A lubricating oil supply system for an engine having a pump for automatically supplying lubricating oil from an oil tank to a crankcase of the engine through a passage, comprising:

a control member comprising a bimetallic strip cantilevered on a wall of the passage so as to reduce the cross-sectional area of the passage at the control member when the temperature of the control member rises and to increase the cross-sectional area at the control member when the temperature lowers; and

an electric circuit comprising said strip, a pair of contacts connected in said circuit, a warning lamp, and a battery, in series; and

said strip engages respective of said contacts when the strip bends with a change of temperature to respective predetermined upper limit and lower limit temperatures.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said contacts are connected in parallel in said circuit and constitute fixed contacts fixed in position in said passage,

said strip has a free end, constituting a movable contact, projecting between said fixed contacts, said movable contact engages respective of said fixed contacts when the strip bends with said change of temperature to said respective predetermined upper limit and lower limit temperatures.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said pump comprises

a spring-biased diaphragm, the latter defining on opposite sides thereof a pumping chamber communicating with said passage and a diaphragm actuating chamber communicating adjacent a bottom in said crankcase with the oil when the level of the oil in the bottom of the crankcase is above a minimum required level, and respectively communicating with ambient inside said crankcase when the level of the oil in the bottom of the crankcase is below said minimum required level such that said diaphragm fluctuates by communicating with said ambient, and

piston means connected to said diaphragm for pumping the oil via said pumping chamber into said crankcase when said diaphragm fluctuates.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein

said pump includes an O-ring disposed on a wall of said passage, said piston means is formed with flanges spaced apart, facing each other and operatively cooperating with said O-ring closing said passage and respectively opening said passage.

5. The system as set forth in claim 4, wherein

said pump further includes a check valve means disposed in said passage between said strip and said piston means for said opening and closing of said passage in response to pressure change in a chamber defined between said piston means and said check valve means,

said O-ring being movably disposed on said said wall of said passage and movable by actuation of said flanges of said piston means.

6. The system as set forth in claim 3, further comprising

at least one pipe communicating with said crankcase and with said passage for the supplying of the oil from the oil tank to said crankcase and communicating said crankcase with said diaphragm actuating chamber for introducing pulsations into said diaphragm actuating chamber when the oil level is below said minimum required level.

7. The system as set forth in claim 3, further comprising

a pulsation introducing pipe, having a free bottom end opening, projecting into said crankcase adjacent the bottom of said crankcase with said free bottom end opening at said minimum required level, said pipe communicating with said diaphragm actuating chamber.

8. The system as set forth in claim 7, further comprising

means for adjusting the amount of projection of said pipe into said crankcase, and

a fixed scale cooperating with said pipe.

9. A lubricating oil supply system for an engine having a pump for automatically supplying lubricating oil from an oil tank to a crankcase of the engine through a passage, comprising

a control member comprising a bimetallic strip cantilevered on a wall of the passage so as to reduce the cross-sectional area of the passage at the control member when the temperature of the control member rises and to increase the cross-sectional area at the control member when the temperature lowers;

and

an electric circuit comprising said strip, a pair of contacts connected in said circuit, a magneto ignition device having a primary winding, and a ground, in series; and

said strip engages respective of said contacts when the strip bends with a change of temperature to respective predetermined upper limit and lower limit temperatures.

10. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein

said contacts are connected in parallel in said circuit and constitute fixed contacts fixed in position in said passage,

said strip has a free end, constituting a movable contact, projecting between said fixed contacts, said movable contact engages respective of said fixed contacts when the strip bends with said change of temperature to said respective predetermined upper limit and lower limit temperatures.

11. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein

said magneto ignition device is operatively connected to said engine such that when said primary winding becomes grounded by said strip engaging respective of said contacts operation of said engine automatically stops.

12. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein

said pump comprises

a spring-biased diaphragm, the latter defining on opposite sides thereof a pumping chamber communicating with said passage and a diaphragm actuating chamber communicating adjacent a bottom in said crankcase with the oil when the level of the oil in the bottom of the crankcase is above a minimum required level, and respectively communicating with ambient inside said crankcase when the level of the oil in the bottom of the crankcase is below said minimum required level such that said diaphragm fluctuates by communicating with said ambient, and

piston means connected to said diaphragm for pumping the oil via said pumping chamber into said crankcase when said diaphragm fluctuates.

13. The system as set forth in claim 12, wherein

said pump includes an O-ring disposed on a wall of said passage, said piston means is formed with flanges spaced apart, facing each other and operatively cooperating with said O-ring closing said passage and respectively opening said passage.

14. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein

said pump further includes a check valve means disposed in said passage between said strip and said piston means for said opening and closing of said passage in response to pressure change in a chamber defined between said piston means and said check valve means,

said O-ring being movably disposed on said said wall of said passage and movable by actuation of said flanges of said piston means.