Automatic oil level regulator

Claim 1

In a system for automatically replenishing vehicle engine crankcase oil, an airtight oil reservoir comprising an oil carrying lower portion and an air containing upper portion, means mounting said reservoir adjacent to and above said engine, conduit means providing an oil feed path leading from the underside of said reservoir downwardly to said engine whereby oil flowing from the lower portion of the reservoir through the feed line will add oil to the crankcase, an oil level sensing tube leading from the upper portion of the reservoir downwardly to the crankcase, the lower end of this tube being substantially open at the desired crankcase oil level, a removable filler closure for said reservoir, and valve means for automatically shutting off oil flow from the reservoir to the crankcase upon removal of said filler closure, said last-named means comprising a downspout on said reservoir forming a part of said feed path, a cup-shaped valve member opening upwardly and telescopically surrounding the bottom portion of said downspout and the space between it and the downspout forming a reversely directed part of said oil feed path, a rod secured to said valve member and extending upwardly through said reservoir, and resilient means urging said cupshaped valve member against the bottom of said downspout to cut off oil flow from the reservoir to the feed path when said filler closure is removed, said rod being of such length that mounting of said filler closure on said reservoir will force said valve member away from said downspout against the action of said resilient means, said valve member retaining oil in the space between it and said downspout after flow to said oil feed line has stopped, to act as an air trap in said oil feed path.