Oil purifying device for internal combustion engines

Claim 1

FOR USE IN THE OIL CIRCULATION SYSTEM OF AN ENGINE, AN OIL PURIFYING DEVICE COMPRISING, A VESSEL CONTAINING AN OIL FILTER, A SETTLING RESERVOIR HAVING A WALL WITHIN THE VESSEL AND AN OUTLET THEREIN SPACED SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE BOTTOM THEREOF AND DEFINING A FLOW ESCAPE LEVEL AND AN OIL LEVEL IN SAID RESERVOIR AT SAID FLOW ESCAPE LEVEL, A HEATER ELEMENT POSITIONED WITHIN THE RESERVOIR, SAID HEATER ELEMENT HAVING A PORTION POSITIONED BELOW THE RESERVOIR FLOW ESCAPE LEVEL AND HAVING A SURFACE ELEVATED ABOVE ITS FLOW ESCAPE LEVEL, MEANS TO ADMIT OIL FROM THE CIRCULATION SYSTEM AT A CONTROLLED FLOW RATE TO DIRECT IT IN FILM FLOW OVER THE ELEVATED SURFACE OF THE HEATER ELEMENT AND THEN INTO THE RESERVOIR, MEANS TO RETURN OIL, ESCAPING AT THE FLOW ESCAPE LEVEL OF THE RESERVOIR, TO THE CIRCULATION SYSTEM, AND MEANS TO MAINTAIN A FLOW OF OUTSIDE AIR THROUGH THE VESSEL ABOVE THE ELEVATED SURFACE OF THE HEATER ELEMENT AND FLOW ESCAPE LEVEL OF THE RESERVOIR, WHEREBY TO PURGE IT CONTINUOUSLY OF HEATED VAPORS AND THEREBY ACCELERATE THE VAPORIZATION OF WATER AND VOLATILE HYDROCARBONS FROM THE OIL INTO SUCH FLOWING AIR.