US1431347A

US1431347A - Oil-purifying apparatus for hydrocarbon engines

Info

Publication number: US1431347A
Application number: US417478A
Authority: US
Inventors: James A Watson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1920-10-16
Filing date: 1920-10-16
Publication date: 1922-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 1939-10-10

Description

J.A. WATSON. OIL PURIFYING APPARATUS FOR HYDROCARBON ENGINES. I 1,431,347.

APPLICATION FILED OCT I6, |92()vl Patented' oct. 110,1922.

Patented @et 10, i922.

sra

JAMES A. WATSON, OF SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND.

OIL-PURIFYING A PPARATUs, Fon HYDRocARBoN ENGINES.

Application led Octobre-1F16, 1920. Serial No. 417,478.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES A. WATSON, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Silver Spring, Montgomery County, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil-Purifying Ap' paratus for Hydrocarbon Engines, of which the following is a specification.

It is commonly known that the lubricating oil of hydrocarbon engines rapidly deteriorates by reason of the admixture of gasoline and water which leaks by the pistons from the combustion chambers. The water is chiefly produced by condensation of the burned ases, especially when the er;v gine is cold. 'Ihe gasoline is sometimes entrained with the explosive mixture and carried in liquid condition into the c linders yand sometimes it condenses out of t e mixture when the engine is cold in starting. Vhen a cylinder is not firing a part of the gasoline passing. through runs down its walls by the piston into the crank case. The result of the mixture of gasoline and water with lubricating oil is tliatwthe oil becomes' too thin for lubricating purposes and if not frequently replaced with newv oil injury to 'the bearings is likely to result.

The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which will continuously tend to remove water, gasoline, or other more or less volatile fluids from the oil, and preferably an apparatus which will operate automatically and continuously at all times when the engine is running. It is well known that Water and gasoline will evaporate rapidly when exposed to a vacuum or to reduced atmospheric pressure, and in the apparatus embodying the present invention the oil, preferably in the form of spray, is subjected to a vacuum or to reduced pressure, which causes the more volatile portions to evaporate and pass to the pump or other means for creating the vacuum, the heavy oil being returned to the crank case or other reservoir or directly to the bearings of the engine, as may be desired.

In the accompanying drawingl I have illustrated an embodiment of the invention, but it will be understood that the details of construction may be changed in various respects.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a diagram of a hydrocarbon v the plates 19.

engine with the thereto; 7

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the tank in which the separation of the volatile impurities from the lubricating oil is effected;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the twoway valve illustrated in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a detail of the valve operating lever.

In the drawing 10 indicates a hydrocarbon engine 11 the exhaust pipe, 12 the intake pipe or manifold. 13 the throttle valve, 14 the carbureter and 15 the crank case.

The separating tank A, in which the vola'- tile impurities are withdrawn from the oil, should be air-tight but may be of any de sired size and shape and located lat any convenient point with respect to the engine. It `is preferably located above or higher than the crank case so that .the purified oil may return to theoiling system by gravity The tank A, as shown comprises upper and lower sections 16, 17 separably connected at 18. Within the upper section are a series of perforated plates 19 through which the oil percolates while subjected to a vacuum or reduced pressure. Any other present apparatus applied suitable means for exposing a irge surface.

of oil to the vacuum may be substituted for The oil coming from the crank case or other part of the oiling system through the pipe 20 is discharged from the nozzlel 21 on to the plates 19 and percolates through to the oat compartment 22 from which it is periodically returned to the oiling system.

In the operation of the apparatus the oil passing through the separating chamber A is alternately subjected to atmospheric and subatmospheric pressure. Subatmospheric pressure or partial vacuum is most conveniently created by connecting the chamber A with the intake 12 of the engine above the throttle valve, as by means of the conduit 23. Air is periodically admitted to the chamber-A through a conduit 24 and the air is lpreferably heated which is conveniently effected by connecting the conduit 24 with a stove7 or casing 25 associated with the exhaust pipe 11. The conduits 23 and 24, as shown, are alternately placed in communication with the interior of the. chamber A by means of a three-way valve 26 and a common upturned branch pipe 27 opening into the upper part of the chamber to prevent oil from being sucked intoy the intake ofthe engine. The valve may be constructed as shown in Figure 3, and operated by the arm 28 as shown in Figure 2. The arm is in

linewith projections

29, 30, on the stem of a ioat 31 so that when the float rises air Will be' admitted and When it falls the air will be cut off and the chamber will be put in communication with the intake' and the air will be rapidly exhausted and a partial vacuum created in the chamber.

The chamber A has an outlet 32 provided with a suitable check valve 33. When the valve is open the oil in the chamber A Will flow back to the oiling system through the return pipe 34.

The oil is preferably heated to promote rapid evaporation of the volatile impurities in the separating chamber and it may conveniently be heated by means of the engine exhaust,'as by the coil 35 forming part of the oil conduit 20. There is alsov preferably included in the conduit 20 a strainer 36 to take solid impurities from the oil and prevent them from clo ging the perforated plates 19, and a chec valve 37 to prevent the pipe 20 from emptying by gravity each time the vacuum is broken.

It is Well known that the lubricating oil in hydrocarbon engines becomes diluted through the admixt-ure of gasoline and water to such extent that it is often unfit for lubricating purposes and the engine bearings are sometimes destroyed for lack of proper lubrication While there is abundant fluid in the lubricating system. This deterioration of the oil in some engines is so marked that the makers recommend renewing the oil supply for every five hundred miles of travel. One of the objects of the present invention is to maintain the oil free from impurities and t-hus prolong its usefulness with resulting economy and protection to the engine bearings.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

vWhen the oil level in the float chamber 22 is 10W, the valve 26 will be turned so as to cut off the air connection 24 and open communication between the separating tank A and the exhaust pipe 23. The air in the separating chamber will be quickly exhausted and the atmospheric pressure on the oil in the oiling system will cause the oil to iow i through the pipe 2O on to the perforated plates 19. As shown in the drawing, it will be preferable to heat the oil to facilitate the evaporation of volatile impurities such as Water and gasoline and to strain the oil in its passage to the separating tank. Heating the oil before passing through the strainer will very much reduce its viscosity and facilitate straining out sediment. The oil will pei-colate through the perforated plates 19. thus exposing al large surface to th(l action of the vacuum and the volatile impurities will vaporize and be drawn up through the exhaust pipe 23. As shown the exhaust pipe leads to the intake of the engine above the throttle valve and the engine, acting as a pump Will produce the necessary partial vacuum. It is Well known of course that the vacuum in the receiving chamber Will cause the valve 33 to remain closed by virtue of atmospheric pressure on the outside of the valve and the oil will accumulate in the compartment 22 raising the float 31.

When the oil has accumulated to a certain amount the float will shift the lever 28 cutting off communication between the interior of the separating chamber and the exhaust pipe 32'and opening communication with the air pipe 24. Hot dry air from the air heating device 25 Will rush into the separating chamber and increase the pressure therein whereupon the valve 33 will open and the oil will flow out and back to the oiling system through pipe 34; quite rapidly. While the oil is discharging through pipe 34, the flow of oil through the pipe a0 will temporarily cease and the oil Will be held stationary in the pipe 20 by means of the check valve 3'?. Whenv the oil level falls suiiciently in compartment 22,'the valve 26 will be again shifted to cutoff the air and open communication with the exhaust pipe and the oil will again flow in through the pipe 20. The orifices and pipes may be so proportioned that the oil will flow into the apparatus slowly and flow out rapidly so L that the apparatus will function during a large proportion of the time in separating the volatile impurities from t-he oil.

It will be apparent that the apparatus will operate automatically and indefinitely without attention, and as the oiling system of the average automobile engine contains of but from one to two gallons of oil. the entire amount of oil present will pass through the apparatus during a few miles of travel and many times during a days ruiming. The oil will thus be kept free from Water, gasoline and other volatile impurities. The efficiency of the oil as a lubricating medium Will be maintained, thus protecting the bearings, and the life of the oil will he greatly prolonged with a proportionate saving of expense.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured Y by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a hydrocarbon engine of means for purifying the oil of the lubricating system of the engine comprising a separating chamber, a float in said chamber. means controlled by the iioat for creating alternately atmospheric and suhatmospheric pressure therein. a conduit for conducting oil from the lubricating system into said chamber. a check valve in said conduit. and

l a "valved outletor said chamber through which the oil is returned to the lubricating system. y

2. The combination with a hydrocarbon engine of means for purifying the oil-o the lubricating system of the engine comprising a separating chamber, means for heating air and alternately admitting heated air'to and exhausting air from said chamber, means for conducting oil from the lubricating system into said chamber, and a valved outlet for said chamber through which the oil is returned to the lubricating system.

3. The combination with a hydrocarbon engine of means for purifying the oil in the lubricating system of the engine-comprising a separating chamber, means for conducting -oil from the lubricating system into said chamber, means for heating the oi1, means for alternately admitting heated air to and exhausting the air from said chamber, and means for conducting the oil from said chamber back to the lubricating system.

4. The combination with a hydrocarbon engine of means for purifying the oil of the lubricating system of the engine comprising a separating chamber, means for passing the lubricating oil through said chamber and means for alternately admitting heated air to said chamber and exhausting the air therefrom, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I atl-ix my signature.

JAMES A. WATSON.