US3192970A - Draining device for oil cans - Google Patents

Description

July 6, 1965 s. E. ALLEN 3,192,970

DRAINING DEVICE FOR on, CANS Filed March 1, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR SCOTT E. ALLEN ATTOR N EYS July 6, 1965 s. E. ALLEN 3,

DRAINING DEVICE FOR OIL CANS Filed March 1, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvEhiToR sco'r'r E. ALLEN ATTORNEYS y 1955 s. E. ALLEN 3,192,970

DRAINING DEVICE FOR OIL CANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 1, 1962 &

INVENTOR SCOTT E. ALLEN ATTORN EYS V of oil cans.

United States Patent 3,192,970. DRAINHNG DEVICE Ffiik GE. QANS Scott E. Allen, Los Angeies, Calif assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Hniiman Manufacturing Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Mar. 1, 1362, Ser. No. 176,660

8 (Iiaims. (Cl. 141-106) This invention relates to devices for draining oil cans. In automobile service stations the lubricating oil for use in automotive engines is largely sold in metal cans,

mostly of the l-quart and the S-quart sizes. In refilling the engine crank case after draining the oil therefrom or in replenishing oil which has been used up by the engine,

the oil is dispensed from these cans directly into the filling opening of the engine. A 'small amount of oil necessarily adheres'to the inner surfaces of the can, and

the purpose of the present invention is to facilitate recovery of such oil by providing a rack upon which one or more oil cans may be rested in proper position for the oil remaining in the can to drain therefrom by gravity. r

In dispensing the oil to automotive engines one end of a sealed can is punctured near the head or rim of the can, and a portion of the can head out and bent inwardly, leaving an opening through which the oil may fiow. Customarily a tool is employed for this purpose which will produce an opening large enough to permit space,.the cans are crushed and thrown into a suitable receptacle until called for. In the latter case, to prevent scattering of the oil, it is particularly desirable to have the oil drained as completely as possible from the empty cans before crushing. In any case, it is desirable to collect and save for appropriate use the oil which remains in the cans.

By means of the present invention I have provided a draining device which simultaneously drains a number This device comprises a rack arranged to hold a quantity of the cans at individual draining positions thereon, the individual cans being supported in an inclined position and with the opening in the head of the can at the lowest point so that complete emptying of the can will take place by gravity after the can has rested on the rack for a suitable length of time. The can may be supported either in an approximately horizontal position but with one end pitched downwardly, or it may be supported in an upright position but tilted somewhat from the vertical- In order to insure, or at least to facilitate, the placing of the can on the rack with the opening in the end of the can at the lowermost position, I provide a finger on the draining device which is fixed in position and pointed towards the can as it is placed on the device. One of these fingers is provided for each of the draining positions, and in order for the can to be supported properly the station attendant sees that this finger enters thedraining'opening as he places the can on the rack.

oil will readily flow out of the can and on to the surface.

of the draining device.

i6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is also a view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating a ,further modification;

\ l-quart :oil can.

"Ice

Patented July 6, 1965 The forms of the draining device which are made with the object of saving space in the service station, are arranged with one or more draining channels along which the oil from each of the cans on the rack may flow by gravityand be discharged into a suitable container. In another form of the rack which may be used where space is not at a premium, the rackis placed directly on top of the collecting container and forms in a sense a cover for it, the cans being supported in such a way as to drain into the container:

Anumber of embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawingsandthe invention will be further explained in the following description withireference to such drawings. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the invention arranged to be supported on a vertical wall;

I FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

of FIG..1; ,j FIG. 4 is. a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 1 showing a modification; FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing another modification; j

FIG. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line FIG. 8 is a transverse section taken on line 8+8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a still further modified form of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a partial end view of the device shown i FIG. 9 looking in the direction of the arrows 10-10;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of still another modifica- -tion;- and an elongated rack 15 of sheet metal having a plurality of "outwardlyprojecting shelves 16 arranged in spaced rela- .-tion from the top to the bottom of the rack and fixed thereto. Asshown, the shelves 16 are six innumber and are of; appropriate dimensions to receive and support a The lowermost shelf or support 17 is somewhat larger, particularly in length,- so as to support alarger oil'can-such as one containing 5 quarts of oil.

. Rack '15 in cross-s ection is dish or trough shaped as shown in FIG. 3 with parallel flanges 18 along the edges of the opposite sides, and with a collection. channel 19 extending from end-to-end of the racks for receiving the oil from each ofthe shelves16 and conveying it tothe lower end of the rack. Channel 19 may be rectangular in cross-section as shown in FIG. 3, or it may be of any desired shape. The rack is mounted on a vertical surface, such as a wall of the service station in any suitable manner, aneye 20 being provided at the topfor this purpose. I

The bottom of the rack is held out from the wall sev eral inches by meansv of a bracket 21' which is hinged at 22 to side flanges 18 and which may be secured to the wall in any convenient manner. The purpose of supporting the lower end of the rack away from thewall is to facilitate the'placin g of an oil collection receptacle beneath the rack, the: draining oil being collected in this receptacle from the lower end of channel 19.

Each of the shelves16; is made of sheet metal and is trough-shaped having two flaring sides 23 extending outwardly and upwardly. from a central narrow panel amnio S-quart can, the same as racks 15 and 15a.

24. The shelves are individually mounted on rack member 15 in any suitable way, such for example as by bending the flaring sides 23 of each shelf to form triangular portions 25' which are spot weldedto the flaring sides of the rack. In bending the triangular portions 25 the arrangement is such that the shelf 15 is supported at an angle of about 60 degrees to the lengthwise surface of rack 15. This positions the can, such as can 26,. with its axis pitched downwardly at a good draining angle towards the rack 15.

Can 26 is typical of the oil cans currently used, and the conventional tool or instrument by which cans are opened and emptied into the engine is so constructed that when inserted adjacent the bead of the can it cuts an aperture such as indicated at 27 in FIG. 8 (see also FIGS. 2, 8 and 12). Opening 27 has two side edges approximately parallel or slightly curved and which are joined by a curved edge 28 which is tangent to the interior surface of the can wall 29. Opposite the curved edge 28 aperture 27 has a straight linear edge 30 which .is formed by bending inwardly the metal of the can head 31 within aperture 27 to form an inwardly projecting tang 32 shown in FIGS. 2, 6 and 12.

It is important to have aperture 27 located on the bottom side of the draining can 26 because otherwise the oil will be prevented from draining out. To insure that each can placed on one of the shelves 16 is so positioned, a finger such as finger 33 is mounted in fixed position and associated with each of the draining positions, or, in other words, with each of the shelves 16. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a finger 33 is fixed to each of the shelves 17 at a sufiicient distance from the rack 15 to prevent the top edge of the can from striking the rack.

Each of the fingers 33 has a horizontal portion directed to be received'within the aperture 27 of the can and spaced sufliciently above the surface of the central Shelf 17, which is the lowermost shelf, shown in FIG.

1, is similar to shelves 16 except that it is somewhat longer in order to accommodate a S-quart can. Its finger 33, however, is the same size as the fingers mounted on the shelves 16 because the same size tool is used in making the pouring aperture 27 in the larger can as in the.

one-quart cans. To facilitate packing this device for shipment shelf 17 is pivotally mounted so that it can be swung against the rack. It pivots on the. same hinge pin 22 as bracket 21..

Referring now to FIG. 4 the modified draining device shown here is similar to that of FIG. 1 except that shelves 16a as well as the single shelf 17a are arranged to be folded into parallel relation to the rack member 15a. They fold between the side flanges 18a. For such mounting the inner corners of the sides 23a of each shelf are provided with ears 37 which are bent into parallel relation and perforated to receive a pivot rod 38 which is fixed in suitable apertures in flanges 18a. The shelves 16a and 17a are each provided with a positioning finger 33a which is similar to finger 33 and similarly mounted or fixed to the shelves.

In the modified form of draining device shown in FIGS. and 6 the construction is similar to that of FIG. 1 except for. the cross-sectional form of the rack member 15b, and the means by which the cans are held in draining position. Rack member 15b is made to accommodate a plurality of one-quart cans and a single In crosssection, however, the rack member 15b does not have the edge flanges 18 or 18a, but the member may be made somewhat wider, if desired. Rack member 15b is supported in the same way as the previously described All racks and provided with a bracket 21b to hold the lower end of the rack away from the wall on which it is supported.

In this form of the draining device the cans 26 are supported with their axes parallel with the lengthwise direction of rack 15b and each can is supported at the bottom by a finger member 3312, the foot portion 36b of which is welded to the bottom fiat surface of channel 19, which in this instance is rectangular. Therefore in placing a can on this rack the dispensing opening 27 is impaled on one of the fingers 33b and the upper end of the can is then swung flat against rack 15b.

In so doing, a spring catch 39 engages the bead 34 at the opposite end of the can and holds the can in position. The tail 4% of spring catch 39 is welded or otherwise secured to the central fiat surface of channel 19. From this description it will be understood that instead of shelves 16 and 17 for holding the draining cans, cooperating sets of fingers 33b and spring catches 39 are mounted lengthwise of rack 15b.

In the form of the draining device shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 the construction is similar to that just described except for the device for holding the upward portion of each can. That is to say, rack 15c is provided with a series of equally spaced fingers 33b exactly as shown and described in connection with FIG. 6 but not visible in FIG. 7, these fingers serving both to locate the drainage opening 27 at the lowermost part of the can and also to partially support the can.

Associated with each of fingers 3312 on rack 15c and spaced somewhat above each of them is a spring clasp member 41 the arms of which are appropriately spaced apart to receive the exterior surface of a can so that when a can is placed on one of the fingers 33b as previously described, and its upper portion swung toward the rack, the spring clasp 41 will frictionally hold the can in position. The central portion 42 of each of the spring clasps 41 is welded or otherwise secured to the margins of rack 15c on the opposite sides of rectangular channel 19. As in the other forms of the draining device, it will be understood that rack is arranged to provide for a S-quart can, preferably at the bottom of the rack. The form of the invention shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is somewhat preferable to that shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 because the spring claspA-l will accommodate cans of varying length, whereas the spring catch 39 will accommodate only one length of can.

In each of the forms of the draining device previously described the arrangement is such that surface tension caprllarity will aid in the flow of the oil out of the can 'under the forces mentioned, the side edges. of offset portion 35 from the lowermost inner surface of the can wall 29 to the flat central panel 24 of the shelf and thence will flow over the inner end of the shelf into channel 19. In the form shown in FIG. 4 the path of the oil will be sub- 'stantially the same as just described. In the form shown in FIGS. 5-8 the oil will also flow down the surface and edges of offset portion 35b of the supporting finger 33b and will follow these to the bottom of channel 19.

In FIGS. 9 and 10 there is shown a form of the draining device which is generally horizontal instead of vertical. In this form the rack member 15d is formed of sheet metal and has a fiat upright portion 43 which is secured to a vertical support such as one of the walls of the service station, apertures 44 being provided for this purpose. It also has an outwardly extending flat portion 45 which serves to support a plurality of cans, such as can 46. For this reason, and in order to pitch the can so that the inner end thereof will be adjacent upright portion 43, the portion 45 is placed at an angle which is less than a right angle with respect to portion 43 as shown in FIG. 10.

Spaced along member 45 are a series of locating fingers 33d to receive a draining opening 27 of one of the cans 46. Fingers 33d aremounted on the inner margin of member 45 and are welded thereto. While the upper edge of member 43 is mounted in horizontal position, the lower edge of this member, or the corner line 47 between members 43 and 45 is disposed at an angle which slopes downwardly to the left so as to drain the oil from the several cans in that direction. This oil flows along the inner margin of'member 45 which constitutes a collection channel and is received in an outwardly angled channel 48 formed in member 45 at its left hand end. This channel directs the flow away from the member 43 and the wall of thebuilding so that it can be collected in a suitable receptacle. 7

In order to provide each can with support in addition to that afiorded by the finger 33d a series of upright posts 49 are arranged to engage the lower side of each can which has been received on one of the fingers and keep it aligned with the finger. It will be understood that, as in the previously described forms of the invention, this form also provides for the drainage of one S-quart can. As shown in FIG. 9 this is provided for at the left end of rack 15d.

As in the present forms of the invention the forces of surface tension and capillarity also come into play in this form in assisting complete drainage of the cans. The offset portions 35d of each of the fingers 33d are in contact with the edges of the cans and lead the oil down onto the surface of member 45 adjacent the corner line 47.

In the form of draining device shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 the rack 15e is of circular form and arranged to rest upon the top of and form a cover of a circular oil receptacle 50. For this reason it is provided with a downwardly extending flange 51 which fits the outer periphery of this receptacle. The rack and receptacle may be rectangular, if desired. Rack 15e is also of sheet metal and is provided with a series of 6 semi-circular cuts 52 each of appropriate size to partially surround the exterior of a 1- quart can, and with a further semi-circular cut 53 of an appropriate size for a S-quart can.

The semi-circular metal sections 54 within each of these semi-circular cuts is then bent downwardly along its straight base line 55 which joins the ends of the respective semi-circular cuts to form a support for a can 56 to --.be drained. This tilts the can from the vertical sufiicient- 1y to provide proper drainageof the oil therefrom when the drainage opening 27 of the can is placed adjacent the lower edge of one of the supports 54. In order to locate opening 27 at this point a locating finger 33e is formed in each support 54 by bending up the central edge portion of the metal forming each of these supports.

When cans are placed on supports 54 of rack 15e with their openings 27 impaled on the respective fingers 33e, the oil remaining in the can flows out of this opening in contact with the bead 34 and onto the surface, of one of the supports 54 from which it drains into the receptacle 50.

I claim:

1. A device for simultaneously draining a plurality of oil cans each having a dispensing opening in one end adjacent the peripheral edge thereof, said draining device comprising an approximately upright rack comprising an open elongated troughlike member, having a sharply defined collection channel extending from end-to-end thereof, a plurality of fingers fixed thereon in vertically spaced relation and each projecting upwardly from the bottom of the collection channel for receiving the dispensing opening of a can, a friction device fixed to the rack above each finger for engaging the upper portion of the can and thereby cooperating with the finger in supporting the can with its axis parallel with the troughlike member, said member being disposed at an acute angle to the vertical so that the cans tilt towards the fingers thereby causing the oil remnant in each can to flow along the finger to the channel, such flow being discharged at the lower end of the rack. 1

2. A device for simultaneously draining a plurality-of oil cans as set forth in claim 1 wherein the friction device has the form. of a spring catch adapted toengage the head of the upper end of the can which is impaled on the cooperatingfinger below it.

3. A device for simultaneously draining a plurality of oil cans as set forth in claim 1 wherein the friction device comprises a spring clasp fixed centrally on the rack and tion device.

4. A device for simultaneously draining a plurality of oil cans each having a dispensing opening in one end adjacent the peripheral edge thereof said draining device comprising a rack disposed in generally horizontal position and including a shelf having a flat surface pitched downwardly to a slight extent both laterally towards the rear edge thereof and lengthwise towards one end, means for supporting said shelf, means forming an oil collection channel along the rear edge of the shelf, a plurality of projecting fingers for receiving the dispensing opening of a can, the fingers-being fixed to the shelf in spaced relation lengthwise thereof and projecting in parallel relation to each other towards the front edge of the shelf, and means associated with each of the fingers for providing side support to the can to maintain the axis of the can substantially at right angles to the lengthwise direction of the shelf.

5. A device for simultaneously draining a plurality of oil cans each having a dispensing opening in one end adjacent the peripheral edge thereof, said draining device comprising a rack in the form of a plate-like member supported on and forming a cover for an oil collection receptacle, a plurality of semi-circular cuts in the platelike member, the material within each of these cuts being bent downwardly along the diameter joining the such opening as the lowest point of the can and thus facilitate complete emptying.

6. A device for simultaneously draining a plurality of oil cans each having a dispensing opening in one end adjacent the peripheral edge thereof, said draining device comprising a sheet metal member approximately L-shaped in cross-section, the upright portion of which is adapted to be secured to a support, the arrangement being such that the device pitches downwardly lengthwise, and the lateral portion of such member having a flat upper surface and being disposed at less than a right angle to the upright portion so as to pitch the flat surface thereof inwardly towards the rear, a plurality of projecting fingers for receiving the disposing opening of a can, the fingers being fixed to the shelf in spaced relation lengthwise thereof and projecting in parallel relation to each other towards the front edge of the shelf portion, and means associated with each of the fingers for providing side support to the can to maintain the axis of the can substantially at right angles to the lengthwise direction of the shelf.

7. A device for simultaneously draining a plurality of oil cans each having a dispensing opening in one end adjacent the peripheral edge thereof, said draining device comprising a rack disposed in approximately upright position, said rack comprising an elongated member troughshaped in cross-section having a central lengthwise drainage channel and flaring flat surfaces on the respective opposite sides thereof and having parallel flanges projecting forwardly from the side margins of the flat surfaces, a plurality of shelve in spaced relation lengthwise of the trough member for supporting individual cans on their sides, each shelf being trough-shaped in cross-section and having flaring flat side surfaces, each shelf having ears projecting respectively from the opposite edges of the flaring surfaces near one end, said ears being disposed parallel to one another and having aligned apertures therethrough, said ears being disposed between and in contact with the inner surfaces of the trough member flanges and pivoted thereto through said respective apertures, shelves being folda'ble about their respective pivots into intimate contact with the trough member, and being swingable outwardly therefrom into can-draining position, the inner edges of their flaring side portions engaging the flaring flat surfaces of the trough member to CO- operate with said pivots in supporting the shelves.

8 3. A device-for simultaneously draining a plurality of oil-cans as set forth in claim 7 wherein the lowermost shelf is longer than the upper shelves and is spaced from said shelf a greater distance than the spacing of the upper shelves.

References Cited by the Examiner UNiTED STATES PATENTS 1,275,983 8/18 Rasmussen 211-150 2,071,944 2/37 Hoffman .s 141106 XR 2,250,910 7/41 Heitt 141106 2,365,533 12/44 Elsebusch 141-406 2,366,529 1/45 Hoff 141-106 2,587,779 3/52 Smith 141106 2,728,488 12/55 Hankins 141106 2,743,039 4/56 Smith 141-106 XR LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 7. A DEVICE FOE SIMULTANEOUSLY DRAINING A PLURALITY OF OIL CAMS EACH HAVING A DISPENSING OPENING IN ONE END ADJACENT THE PERIPHERAL EDGE THEREOF, SAID DRAINING DEVICE COMPRISING A RACK DISPOSED IN APPROXIMATELY UPRIGHT POSITION, SAID RACK COMPRISING AN ELONGATED MEMBER TROUGHSHAPED IN CROSS-SECTION HAVING A CENTRAL LENGTHWISE DRAINAGE CHANNEL AND FLARING FLAT SURFACES ON THE RESPECTIVE OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF AND HAVING PARALLEL FLANGES PROJECTING FORWARDLY FROM THE SIDE MARGINS OF THE FLAT SURFACES, A PLURALITY OF SHELVES IN SPACED RELATION LENGTHWISE OF THE TROUGH MEMBER FOR SUPPORTING INDIVIDUAL CANS ON THEIR SIDES, EACH SHELF BEING TROUGH-SHAPED IN CROSS-SECTION AND HAVING FLARING FLAT SIDE SURFACES, EACH SHELF HAVING EARS PROJECTING RESPECTIVELY FROM THE OPPOSITE EDGES OF THE FLARING SURFACES NEAR ONE END, SAID EARS BEING DISPOSED PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER AND HAVING ALIGNED APERTURES THERETHROUGH, SAID EARS BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN AND IN CONTACT WITH THE INNER SURFACES OF THE TROUGH MEMBER FLANGES AND PIVOTED THERETO THROUGH SAID RESPECTIVE APERTURES, SHELVES BEING FOLDABE ABOUT THEIR RESPECTIVE PIVOTS

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