Oil separator arrangement for a refrigeration system

Claim 1

IN A REFRIGERANT SYSTEM INCLUDING A COMPRESSOR, CONDENSER AND EVAPORATOR, SAID REFRIGERATION SYSTEM HAVING AN ASSOCIATED OIL LUBRICATING SYSTEM, SAID LUBRICATING SYSTEM HAVING A FIXED VOLUME OF OIL, PORTIONS OF SAID OIL ENTERING SAID REFRIGERATION SYSEM AS THE RESULT OF THE LUBRICATING PROCESS, SAID EVAPORATOR BEING OF THE FLOODED TYPE OPERATIVE WITH A POOL OF LIQUID REFRIGERANT THEREIN, SAID POOL OF REFRIGERANT DESIRABLY HAVING AN AMOUNT OF OIL INTERMIXED THEREIN, AN OIL SEPARATOR ARRANGEMENT FOR SEPARATING OIL FROM THE REFRIGERANT WHILE STILL RETAINING THE DESIRED AMOUNT OF OIL IN SAID POOL, SAID OIL SEPARATOR COMPRISING A COMPARTMENT FOR RECEIVING LIQUID FROM SAID POOL FOR SUBSEQUENT SEPARATION OF THE OIL FROM THE REFRIGERANT, A PORTION OF SAID COMPARTMENT BEING POSITIONED ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE POOL AND A PORTION OF SAID COMPARTMENT BEING POSITIONED BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE POOL, MEANS CONNECTING SAID COMPARTMENT TO THE EVAPORATOR FOR GRAVITY FLOW OF LIQUID FROM THE POOL INTO THE COMPARTMENT WHEREBY FLOW WILL CEASE WHEN THE LEVEL OF LIQUID IN THE COMPARTMENT EQUALS THE LEVEL OF THE POOL IN THE EVAPORATOR, THE VOLUME OF THE PORTION OF SAID COMPARTMENT BENEATH THE LEVEL OF SAID POOL BEING PREDETERMINED WITH RESPECT TO THE TOTAL VOLUME OF OIL IN THE LUBRICATING SYSTEM TO ALWAYS MAINTAIN THE DESIRED VOLUME OF OIL IN THE EVAPORATOR.