CA1094983A - Capped fuel tank funnel - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A funnel adapted to be screwed to the filling opening Or the fuel tank of snowblowers, lawn-mowers, outboard motors and the like engine-operated equipment. The funnel is provided with a cap, in turn having an air intake opening with an air filter. The funnel is thus always accessible for filling the tank.

Description

10~9~3 This invention has to do w.Lth a new type of funnel for fillln2 the ~uel tanks of combustion driven machinery such as, ~or e~ample, snow-mobiles, snowblowers~ gardon eqllipment, lawn-mowerq and ou-tboard motors.
The tanks of such machines can be o~ very small capacity and, thus, tha opening is al.so small, necessitating a funnel.
~ unnels are easily displaced objects and may not always be available when required as they might be used elsewhere or might ~imply be misplaced or flven lost. The presQnt invention deals with ths inconvenience of regular funnels and small capacity fuel tanks by combin- -ing the funnel concept with a tank cap in an original way.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a funnel adaptable to all mobile machinery fuel tanks which screws on to the tank opening permanently and which includes a CBp to pre~ent loss of fuel.
It is a second ob~ect of the pres~nt invention to provi~e a capped funnel which can be easily screwed on to any sized fuel tank opening by means of an interna~ly and externally threadad insert.
These objects are acoo~pli3hed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention my means of a funnel including an internally threaded extended base and a detachable cap. The extended integral base of the funnel i~ sdapted to receive, by mean~ oP its thread-ing, screw-on inserts which fit onto fuel tank openings of various sizes.
The preferred ~mbodiment of the invention iY illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:
FiO~lre 1 is a peræpective view of the fu~nel with the cap attachRd;
FiO~ure 2 is a side view, partially in section, of the capped funnel . . in positio~ over the opening of a fuel tank;
Figure 3 is an e~ploded perspectivo ~iew of the top of the cap and of the air plug;
Fi~ure ~ is a bottom view of the funnel; and ~'

- 2 _ 109~9~3 ~igure 5 is a cross~sectional view of tho cap looking up and taken alon~ line 5-5 o~ F`ig. 2 includiag a partial cut-away vlew of the air filter.
In the drawings~ lilce elem~nts are designated by like reference numerals. Tha capped fuel tank funnel of the present invention includes a funnel 1 having an integrally moulded cylindrical extension 3 oxtending downward from the smaller circumferRnce opening of ssid funnel 1, a cap 2 provided with detachable mean~ therewith~ and a r~movable air inlet plug ~ which fits into a tapered holo 5 of cap 2, as show~
in Figurs 3. The cap 2 has a vertical flange 7~ the outside perimeter of which is equipped with integrally moulded raised ribs 6 in parallel spaced-apart relationship in order to assure a good grip when detaching said cap 2. The inside surface of said flange 7 is providsd with thread-ing 8, which meshes snugly with the complementary thread 9 integrally moulded on the outside surface of the top vertical cylun-~ical section 10 of said funnel 1. Cap 2 attaches to thY larger circumference opening of funnel 1 at the top of said funnel 1.
Cap 2 is provi~d inside its round top projection 11, with an air filter 12 composed of open-cell foam or ot~er ~uitsble material.
To keep said filter 12 in place, a r~taining round wafer 13) of s~itsble material, i~ push-fitted into place und~rneath said air filter 12; wafer 13 also serves to protect the air filter`from upwardly spraying fuel. Said wafer 13 has small perforations 14 to permit air passago. Im~ediately above said air filter 12, the air plug 4 ~naps into place in the hole 5 by mean3 of a lip 15, which engages the bottom edge of said hole 5.
Ssid plug 5 is provid~d with a slit 16, thus allowing easy air intake.
A hat 18 on said plug ensures that no water or foreign ~atter will enter the funnel. Hat 18 re~t~ on buttons 23 protruding from projection 11 to further ensure a free air passage.
m e lower or smaller circumference end of said funnel 1 ,, 10~^~983 is provided with an integrally moulded or wire-mesh l9 wh;.ch acts thereln as a cQ~rse fuel filter. An ar~u:Lar gasket 17, of suitable material, is located inside the C~lp at the top of said vertical flange 7 to prevent fuel spillage.
Underneath s~id mesh 19, and ad~acent thereto, is a second annular gasket 23 provided for leak-proof installation of the invention on a fuel tank opening.
The cylinllrical axtension 3 of funnel 1 is provided with internal threading 21 to detachably secure said funnel onto the externally th~eaded cylindrical neck 22 of a fuel tank filling opening~ as shown in Figure 2.
To fill the fuel tank, only cap 2 needs to be removed; it is then screwed back to prevent fu61 spilling.

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Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed, are defined as follows:

l. A funnel for attachment to the externally threaded beck of the filling opening of the fuel tank of an engine-operated machine, such as a lawn-mower, snowblower or the like, such funnel comprising a funnel body, made of molded plastic and having a large circumference upper end and a small circumference lower end, said lower end being provided with an integrally formed first cylindrical extension having internal threads and a sealing gasket for fluid-tight fitting and detachably securing said funnel body onto the externally threaded cylindrical neck of the fuel tank filling opening, said upper end being provided with an integral second cylindrical extension having external threads, a detachable cap provided with a depending cylindrical skirt having a sealing gasket and internal threads comple-mentary to the threads of said second cylindrical extension for fluid-tight and detachable connection of said cap to said funnel body, said cap having a central round top projection forming an upper external surface and having a tapered air inlet hole, said projection having buttons at its top external surface closely surrounding said hole, an air inlet hole plug having a tapered body fitted within said hole having a hat-shape top forming a rigidly protruding flange resting on said buttons and maintained spaced from said top external surface, said tapered body being provided with a slit permitting air intake into said funnel body, said plug body being further provided with a lip at its inner smaller diameter end engaging the inner surface of said projection and maintaining said air inlet plug in position within said tapered hole, said plug allowing air to enter within said funnel body while substan-tially excluding water from entrance within said funnel body, an air filter, of open-cell foam, located within said projection below said plug and a perforated wafer located at the base of said projection below said air filter supporting the same and preventing upwardly splashing fuel from reaching said air filter.