Axial flow oil filter having sealing means

Claim 1

AN OIL FILTER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: (A) A TUBULAR FILTER ELEMENT HAVING A PLURALITY OF LAYERS OF THIN, TIGHTLY-PACKED FIBROUS MATERIAL ARRANGED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY OF A HOLLOW TUBE AND ADAPTED TO FILTER OIL PASSING AXIALLY THROUGH SAID LAYERS; (B) A RIGID CONTAINER ENCLOSING SAID ELEMENT HAVING A CYLINDRICAL SIDEWALL AND ONE ENDWALL INTEGRAL WITH SAID SIDEWALL AND THE OTHER ENDWALL IN SEALED ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SIDEALL AT THE PERIPHERY THEREOF; (C) MEANS FOR CONDUCTING OIL AXIALLY FROM ONE END OF SAID FILTER ELEMENT ADJACENT SAID ONE ENDWALL OF SAID CONTAINER THROUGH SAID LAYERS OF FIBROUS MATERIAL TO THE OTHER END OF SAID FILTER ELEMENT ADJACENT SAID OTHER ENDWALL OF SAID CONTAINER, INCLUDING, (1) A HOLLOW, CYLINDRICAL CORE EXTENDING AXIALLY THROUGH SAID TUBE FROM SAID OTHER ENDWALL TO AN OPEN END ADJACENT SAID ONE ENDWALL; (D) SEALING MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID OTHER ENDWALL AND SAID OTHER END OF SAID FILTER ELEMENT AND EXTENDING AROUND AND IN FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CORE TO PROVIDE AN OIL-TIGHT SEAL AT THE OTHER END OF SAID TUBE, INCLUDING, (1) A RIGID BACKING WASHER HAVING AN UPWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY INCLINED PERIPHERAL PORTION; AND, (2) AN ELASTIC SERALING WASHER DISPOSED ON THE UPPER SIDE OF SAID BACKING WASHER AND AROUND SAID CORE IN SEALING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH AND ADAPTED TO CONFORM TO SAID BACKING WASHER WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED THERETO, THEREBY INCREASING THE SEALING PRESSURE OF SAID SEALING WASHER AGAINST SAID CORE.