Crankcase-supported oil drip receiver

Claim 1

A device that is removably securable in a depending position from the exterior surface of the lowermost portion of a ferrous automotive crankcase of an internal combustion engine to receive oil that drips downwardly therefrom by force of gravity, said device including: a. an oil-receiving container that includes a bottom from which a cylindrical side wall having an exterior surface extends upwardly to develop into an inwardly extending lip, with said side wall being adjacent said lip and having a pouring spout defined therein, with said pouring spout being in radial alignment with an opening formed in said lip; b. a plurality of circumferentially spaced clips secured to said exterior surface of said side wall; c. a plurality of elongate permanent magnets having first end portions, with at least one of said magnets being disposed within each of said clips; d. a plurality of pressure plates disposed within said clips; and e. first manually operable means for moving said plates towards said clips to frictionally engage said magnets and maintain said first end portions thereof sufficiently above said lip that said first end portions contact and cling to said exterior surface of said lowermost portion, said lip being spaced from said exterior surface of said lowermost portion a sufficient distance to permit oil that leaks from said internal combustion engine or from an elevated position on said crankcase to flow downwardly by force of gravity on said external surface through said space between said external surface and said lip to drip into said container, with said lip preventing the discharge of oil from said container when said automotive vehicle on which it is mounted starts and stops, and with said device being manually removable from said crankcase when said vehicle on which it is mounted is stationary to permit oil collected in said container to be poured therefrom through said spout.

Claim 2

A device that is removably securable in a depending position from the exterior surface of the lowermost portion of a ferrous automotive crankcase of an internal combustion engine to receive oil that drips downwardly therefrom by force of gravity, said device including: a. an oil-receiving container that includes a bottom from which a cylindrical side wall having an exterior surface extends upwardly to develop into an inwardly extending lip, with said side wall being adjacent said lip and having a pouring spout defined therein, with said pouring spout being in radial alignment with an opening formed in said lip; b. a plurality of circumferentially spaced clips secured to said exterior surface of said side wall; c. a plurality of elongate permanent magnets having first end portions, with at least one of said magnets being disposed within each of said clips; d. a plurality of pressure plates disposed within said clips; and e. first manually operable means for moving said plates towards said clips to frictionally engage said magnets and maintain said first end portions thereof sufficiently above said lip that said first end portions contact and cling to said exterior surface of said lowermost portion, said lip being spaced from said exterior surface of said lowermost portion a sufficient distance to permit oil that leaks from said internal combustion engine or from an elevated position on said crankcase to flow downwardly by force of gravity on said external surface through said space between said external surface and said lip to drip into said container, with said lip preventing the discharge of oil from said container when said automotive vehicle on which it is mounted starts and stops, and with said device being manually removable from said crankcase when said vehicle on which it is mounted is stationary to permit oil collected in said container to be poured therefrom through said spout.