US1374635A - Automatic cut-off for gasolene-engines - Google Patents

Description

A. J. AND 0. I. CLEVELAND.

AUTOMATIC CUT-OFF FOR GASOLEN E ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV, 18, 1919.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

LI er 5 14- vawto w if/filli/ 2 Cecil lC/ y iami UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR J. CLEVELAND AND CECIL I. CLEVELAND, 0F SALINA, KANSAS.

AUTOMATIC CUT-OFF FOR GASOLENE-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

Application filed November 18, 1919. Serial No. 338,971.

T 0 all whomit may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR J. CLEVE- LAND and CECIL I. CLEVELAND, citizens of the United States, residing at Salina, in the county of Saline, State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Cut-Offs for Gasolene- Engines; and we do hereby declare the followin to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make, and use the same.

This invention relates to attachments for explosive engines and it has particularly to provide means for rendering the engine inactive upon failure of the lubricant supply.

The specific object of the invention is to provide in connection with an indicator for showing the supply of lubricating oil, of means for short circuiting the ignition system when the indicator shows an absence of lubricating oil.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of an indicator embodying the present invention, the barrel or body of the indicator being broken away to show the arrangement of the float through the medium of which the indicator is operated in response to varying oil level, the parts being in position with the short circuiting elements inactive under the infiuence of a proper lubricant supply.

Fig. 2 is a section taken vertically and centrally through the upper portion of the apparatus with the short circuiting contactsv held apart by means of an insulating block. as when the engine is at rest-and is to be started.

Fig. 3 is atop plan view.

Fig. 4 1s a side elevation of an explosive,

en ine equipped with the present invention.

eferrmg now to the drawings there is shown an apparatus comprisin a cylindrical body or barrel 5 having a threaded nippie 6 projecting from its lower end for connection of a pipe 7 that leads to the lubricat ing system of an explosive engine, in the usual manner and through which, when the engine. is operating, a quantity of the lubrieating oil is supplied to the barrel, the level of such lubricant within the barrel, varying in proportion to the quantity in the engine. as is usual. In the barrel 5 is disposed a float 8 that is freely movable within the barrel and floats upon the surface of the lubri-'- cant therein so that it rises and fails with upwardly the fluctuations of the latter. The float 8 carries a stem 9 that projects vertically and centrally from it and through a central opening 10 1n the upper end of the barrel and wlththe wall of which opening the stem is 1n sliding contact. The upper end of the stem, exterior to the barrel, is of hook shape. The bill of the hook as shown at 11 is directed downwardly and terminates in a contact polnt 12.

Upon the upper end of the barrel 5 is disposed an insulating disk 13, that supports an annular metallic plate 14, the plate, the disk, the stem 9 and the barrel 5 being coaxial. The plate- 14 has a central opening nular plate 14 for connection of a conduc-- tor 18 which in turn is connected with the positlve side of the lgmtion system, as distinguished from its grounded side, and in such position as to short circuit the source of electricity by way of the conductor 18, the plate 14, terminal 12, stem 8, barrel 5 and plpe 7 and thence through the engine in the usual manner, to which the source of electrlcity is ordinarily grounded, at such times as the point 12 may be in contact with the plate 14. Thus, when the oil supply fails, and the float 8 drops, the contact 12 being thenagamst the plate 14, the ignition systern is short circuited.

In an indicator of this character illustrated, the float sinks when the engine stops, and at such times, the ignition system will of course be short circuited unless some provision is made to prevent it. Hinged to the plate 14 is a plate 19 upon which is mounted an insulatin block 20, the plate 19 being so positioned that it may be swung down upon the plate 14 with the block 26 directly beneath the contact 12, where it will prevent engagement of it with the plate 14. A spring 21 is connected between the plate 19 and the disk 13 in position to swing the plate 19 and outwardly from the plate 14. The weight of the stem 8 with its float is suflicient to overcome the tendency of 'the sprinm21. W hen the engine is to be started, the p ate 19 is swung over onto the plate 14 and the stem 8 is raised to permit of rel thereof, the stem being ofi electro-conductive this action and then dropped with its contact 12 on the block 20. The engine is then started and the circulation of the lubricant being then established, the float immediately rises and lifts the stem to release the plate 19. The spring 21 then swings the plate 19 out of its active position so that when the stem next descends, it may engage its contact with the plate 14: for the purpose described.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings there is shown at 25 an explosive engine equipped with the present invention. As shown, the circuit wire 18 is connected with the terminal of the magneto 26 with which is connected the ordinary short circuiting wire 27 that leads to the usual switch 28 and thence to the negative side of the magneto through the engine base. It will thus be seen that when the insulating member 20 is inactive and the oil level has drop ed to a sullicient degree, the magneto will he short circuited and the engine will cease to operate.

What is claimed is:

1. An attachment of the class described comprising a barrel having means for connecting it with an oil system to receive oil therefrom, the barrel and connecting means beingl electro-conductive, a float in the baraving a stem extending exteriorly material and in electrical connection with the barrel and having a hook at its outer end,'a contact plate carried by and insulated from the barrel and having means for con nection of a conductor wire thereto, the contact plate being disposed for contact by the hook upon gravitation of the float to its maximum and an insulating member pivotally connected to the contact plate and movable into and out of position between the hook and the contact plate.

2. Anattachment of the class described comprising a barrel having means for connecting it with an oil system to receive oil therefrom, the barrel and connecting means being. electro-conductive, a float in the barrel having a stem extending exteriorly thereof, the stem being of electro-conductive material and in electrical connection with the barrel and having a hook at its outer end, a contact plate carried by and insulated from the barrel and having means for connection of a conductor wire thereto, the contact plate being disposed for contact by the hook upon gravitation of the float to its maximum, an insulating member movable into and out of position between the hook and contact plate, and means for swinging the insulating member from such position when the hook is raised. from it.

3. An attachment of the class described comprising a float chamber having a contact, a float in the chamber, a circuit closer carried by the float and in continual engagement with said contact, a second contact disposed for' engagement by the circuit closer in a predetermined position of the float, and an insulating plate mounted for movement into and out of the path of movement of the circuit closer into engagement with the second contact.

4;. An attachment of the class described comprising a float chamber having means for connecting it with a circulating oil system for maintenance of a supply of oil to the chamber, a float in the chamber, a circuit closer carried by the float, a contact in position for engagement by the circuit closer in response to its movement with the float, and permanently located means movablewinto and out of position to prevent engagement of the circuit closer with the contact at times.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR J. CLEVELAND. CECIL l. CLEVELAND.

l/Vitnesses:

A. L. Bnne'rson, MARTIN Anns'rnnr.

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