US1775557A

US1775557A - Breather cap eor crank casings

Info

Publication number: US1775557A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1930-09-09
Anticipated expiration: 1947-09-09

Description

Sept 9, 1930. c. w. HOLLINGSWORTH 1,775,557

I BREATHER CAF FOR CRANK CSINGS Filed April 5, 1930 @M m 5w f I 0o 3 'l 1, x. Z.. wm L@ 3 5 Mr `a leakage.

i UNITED VSTATI-:S PATENToI-Flcl-:n

CARL W. HOLLINGSWORTH, or MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA RRATRR CAP UroR CRANK cAsINes `Application'ieiipfir 5, 1930. Vserial No. 441,984.

` Thisinvention relates to internal-combustion engines, and more particularlyv tothe breather cap that closes the inlet pipe through `Which oil is poured, tolill the crank casing.`

The primary object of the invention is to provide a breather cap having aninterna'l baffle so constructed that oil will be trapped and returned tothe crank casing, eliminating any possibility-of the air passing into and out of the crank casing, blowing the oil to cause Another object of the invention is yto provide a breather cap of this character which may be constructed at comparatively small cost, due L consideration being given'to the strengthand durability of y the device.

A further object of the invention istol provide a breather cap'which'may be readily and easily inserted inthe open end of va crank casing filling pipe, eliminating the necessity of making changes in the construction to inrstall the device. Y

Withthe foregoing and votherobjects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention residesin the combination and arrangementsofparts andin the details of construction vhereinafter de- Y scribed andclaimed, itbeing'understood that changes in the precise embodiment ofthe invention herein disclosed, may be .made within thescope of what is claimed without departinv from the spirit of the invention.

eferring to the drawing: 4 Y F'gure 1 illustrates a vertical sectional view through a breather cap constructed in accordance with the invention. p

Figure 2 isl transverse' sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1. i v

Referring to the drawing in detail, the

breather cap includes a body Vportion comprising a straight rim 5 and a tapered lower portion indicated by the reference'character 51, the same being substantially funnel shaped. Y The lower end of the body portion is formed with a depending straight wall 6 so that the device may be readily positioned in a filling opening or pipe, to take the place of the usual cover now employed. A slot 7 is formedin thelowerportionof where they Aare bent overv the guarding ,the 4Open @11d Of' the devicevand lends resiliency to the device so that the device will be securelyrheld'in position by frictional contact with the pipe or opening in which the extension 6 is positioned. i

Extending upwardly from the rim 5 :of the body portion, are arms 8 that arearranged in spaced relation with respect to each other,

the arms being provided with tapered or( reduced extremities 9, see at the rightlofFig- Vurell, that pass through slot 91'in the cap 10, y cap to secure the cap to the body portion. Duetothe con- Vstruction of thearms 8, it :will be seen that the cap is supported in spaced relation with the upperedge of the body portion` to allow a free passage of air into and out of the body portion, under the cap. v i The lower edge of the cap` extends downwardly and terminates ata pointvbelow the upper edge of the rim 5 of the body portion, t the body` portion againstthe entrance of foreign matter from entering the `crank casing through the body 7 portion. Y

Positioned within the cap, "and secured thereto by means of the bolt 11, is a central inverted cap-shaped member 12,V formed with downwardly and outwardly extended spaced ngers or baffles 13, which are of suficient length to approach and preferably engage the shoulder 14 formed on the bodyportion 5,1:0 direct the oil collected on the fingers to the inclined wall of the body portion. These fingers 13 are spaced apart in such a way that suiiicient spaces are formed between them to permit the passageof air to 'and from' the crankcasing, and are attenuated orv pointed at the ends. Y

From the foregoing, it will be seen that due to the construction shown and described, oil which will be thrown or splashedwithin the crank casing, and which would automatically be forced from the crank casing by the motor breathing, vwill be splashed against the inverted cup-shaped member l2 and collected by the fingers 13, from where it will be returned to the crank casing, by flowing down the inclinedwall of the bodyportion. t

I will now explain a little more fully the operation of my breather cap. The crank cases of automobiles are provided with outlets or breather tubes. The reason for this is that some compressed gases escape past the pistons into the crank case and a pressure tends to be built up in the crank case unless some suitable outlet is provided.

In instances Where the breather tube has been closed up, it has been f-ound that the pressure forces the gases out at the rear of the crank case assembly and that oil is likewise forced out so that there is a very rapid loss of oil in the crank case.

Even where the breather tube` is provided, it becomes important to provide a breather cap which will prevent the passage of fine oil mist out of the crank case with the air passing through the breather tube.

Where a cap like mine is provided, nearly all of the fine particles of oil carried upwardly with the moving current of air are saved. The air and oil impinge upon the under face of the bafile device and upon the inner surfaces of the fingers 13. Generally speaking, the oil is deposited in such line particles that it will adhere to the metal, but will not flow downwardly until additional oil is deposited. The oil tends to adhere to and iiow down the wall of the inverted cup-shaped member 12 and directed to the fingers 13 and to the interior wall of the body 5 of the breather cap, rather than to drop straight down the passage through the outgoing air current forced through the breather.

For accomplishing this saving of the oil, the provision ofthe outwardly inclined baffle fingers is of importance as affording a means along which the oil may conveniently` travel. These fingers are made preferably to contact with the inner face of the bodyl portion 5 because the oil then travels more freely from the fingers to the wall of the body portion 5. The attenuated shape of the lower ends of the fingers also contributes to this desirable result.

Another feature of the present structure which is of importance for` saving oil is the arrangement of the breather cap` with the enlarged portion of the body 5 at its upper end of the restricted str aight wall portion 6. Because of the provision of this enlarged portion, there is provided a dead air space in which the oil cancollect on the metal outside of the path of the pressure and from which it will not be blown back by the pressure passing through the breather cap. If the breather body were of the same diameter for its entire length from top to` bottom the passing current of air would prevent the down-flow of oil on the inner surface of the body and blow out a considerable portion of it to atmosphere. In the dead air space, the oil accumulates into large enough film-like quantities to flow down the portion 6 without again being blown outer carriedoutby the outwardly moving air current. The oil adheres to the wall of the portion 51 and travels around the shoulder at the lower end thereof and forms a film around the inner wall of the reduced neck of the body of the cap. Thus I have provided a breather cap, of such construction as to allow free outflow of air, so that no pressure is built up in the crank case. Other caps are provided with baffles to catch the oil, but which obstruct the free passage of air. But I have provided a structure with a storage or dead air space outside of the main path of air travel through the cap, in which oil can accumulate.

What I claim is:

1. A breather cap comprising a body portion open at its ends, a cap section supported above the body portion and an inverted cupshaped baffle device secured to the cap section and having a plurality of spaced fingers extending downwardly and outwardly within the cap section and having their ends arn ranged in close proximity to the inner surface of the body portion for causing oil to flow back to the crank casing.

2. A breather cap comprising a body portion open at its ends, a cap section supported above the Ibody portion, and an inverted cupshaped baffle device, secured to the under side of the cap section, having a plurality of spaced ngers extending downwardly and outwardly within the cap section and having their ends pointed Vand arranged in close proximity to the inner surface of the body portion for causing oil` to flow back to the crank casing. f

3. A breather cap comprising a body portion open at its ends, a cap section supported above the body portion, and a baffle device having a central member fixed to the innen surface of said cap section and also having a plurality of spaced fingers formed on and radiating from said central member, said fingers extending.v downwardly and outwardly within the cap section and having their ends contacting the inner surface of the body portion for causing oil to flow back toward the crank casing.

t. A breather cap comprising a body portion open at its ends, a cap section supported above the body portion and a baffle device having a central member fixed to the inner surface of said cap section and also having a plurality of spaced fingers formed on and radiating fromsaid central member, said fingers extending downwardly and outwardly within the cap section and having their ends pointed and contacting the inner surface of the body portion for causing oil to flow back to the crank casing.

5. In a breather cap a lower cylindrical portion adapted to be supported by a breather tube, a portion thereabove of greater diameter than said first portion, a cap spaced substantially above said, second portion having a ter toward its upper end and afording an' inclined wall, a cap spaced above said second portion having a down-turned peripheral flange of greater diameter than and overlapping the upper end of said second portion, an inverted cup-shaped bai'le member fixed in the upper interior of said cap and comprising a down-turned flange provided with downwardly and outwardly inclined fingers, having their ends terminating in close proximity to the inclined wall of the second y mentioned body portion. v

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto'aixed my signature.

CARL W. HOLLINGSWORTH.