Automatic prestart or post shutoff engine lubricator

Claim 1

A system for injecting lubricating oil into an engine prior to startup of the engine, comprising: (a) a substantially cylindrical housing having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof, said housing defining an interior chamber of preselected variable volumetric size for containing a quantity of lubricating oil; (b) conduit means for operatively interconnecting said inlet with the engine; (c) a piston slideably disposed within said housing and including a surface thereon further defining said interior chamber; (d) spring means interposed between said piston and the second end of said housing and biasing said piston toward a first axial position near said first end of said housing; (e) latch means for selectively holding said piston in a second position near said second end of said housing; (f) a solenoid having the plunger thereof operatively connected to said latch means for selectively releasing said latch means; (g) electrical means for operatively interconnecting said solenoid and the ignition switch of said engine for selectively energizing said solenoid in response to operation of said ignition switch; and (h) a time delay switching means operatively interconnecting said solenoid and said electrical means for selectively delaying the energizing of said solenoid in response to operation of said ignition switch.

Claim 2

A system for injecting lubricating oil into an engine prior to startup of the engine, comprising: (a) a substantially cylindrical housing having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof, said housing defining an interior chamber of preselected variable volumetric size for containing a quantity of lubricating oil; (b) conduit means for operatively interconnecting said inlet with the engine; (c) a piston slideably disposed within said housing and including a surface thereon further defining said interior chamber; (d) spring means interposed between said piston and the second end of said housing and biasing said piston toward a first axial position near said first end of said housing; (e) latch means for selectively holding said piston in a second position near said second end of said housing; (f) a solenoid having the plunger thereof operatively connected to said latch means for selectively releasing said latch means; (g) electrical means for operatively interconnecting said solenoid and the ignition switch of said engine for selectively energizing said solenoid in response to operation of said ignition switch; and (h) a time delay switching means operatively interconnecting said solenoid and said electrical means for selectively delaying the energizing of said solenoid in response to operation of said ignition switch.

Claim 4

The system for injecting lubricating oil into an engine prior to startup of the engine, comprising: (a) a first housing portion having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof and an outlet at a second end thereof; (b) a solenoid including a coil and plunger disposed within said first housing portion and defining a central passageway through said coil from said inlet to said outlet, said plunger disposed for axial movement within said passageway between an extended position and a retracted position in response to energization of said coil of said solenoid; (c) conduit means for operatively interconnecting said inlet of said first housing portion with the crankcase of the engine; (d) a spring loaded check valve disposed at the outlet of said first housing portion, said check valve having a closed position and an open position; (e) means on said plunger for engaging said check valve whereby said check valve is moved between said closed position and said open position in response to movement of said plunger; (f) a substantially cylindrical second housing portion having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof, said second housing portion defining an interior chamber of preselected variable volumetric size for containing a quantity of lubricating oil; (g) a piston slideably disposed within said second housing portion and including a surface thereon further defining said interior chamber; (h) spring means interposed between said piston and the second end of said second housing portion and biasing said piston toward a first axial position near said first end of said second housing portion; (i) electrical means for operatively interconnecting said solenoid and the ignition switch of said engine for selectively energizing said solenoid in response to operation of said ignition switch; and (j) a time delay switching means operatively interconnecting said solenoid and said electrical means for selectively delaying the energizing of said solenoid in response to operation of said ignition switch.

Claim 5

The system for injecting lubricating oil into an engine prior to startup of the engine, comprising: (a) a first housing portion having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof and an outlet at a second end thereof; (b) a solenoid including a coil and plunger disposed within said first housing portion and defining a central passageway through said coil from said inlet to said outlet, said plunger disposed for axial movement within said passageway between an extended position and a retracted position in response to energization of said coil of said solenoid; (c) conduit means for operatively interconnecting said inlet of said first housing portion with the crankcase of the engine; (d) a spring loaded check valve disposed at the outlet of said first housing portion, said check valve having a closed position and an open position; (e) means on said plunger for engaging said check valve whereby said check valve is moved between said closed position and said open position in response to movement of said plunger; (f) a substantially cylindrical second housing portion having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof, said second housing portion defining an interior chamber of preselected variable volumetric size for containing a quantity of lubricating oil; (g) a piston slideably disposed within said second housing portion and including a surface thereon further defining said interior chamber; (h) spring means interposed between said piston and the second end of said second housing portion and biasing said piston toward a first axial position near said first end of said second housing portion; (i) electrical means for operatively interconnecting said solenoid and the ignition switch of said engine for selectively energizing said solenoid in response to operation of said ignition switch; and (j) a time delay switching means operatively interconnecting said solenoid and said electrical means for selectively delaying the energizing of said solenoid in response to operation of said ignition switch.

Claim 7

A system for injecting lubricating oil into an engine following shutdown of the engine, comprising: (a) a substantially cylindrical housing having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof, said housing defining an interior chamber of preselected variable volumetric size for containing a quantity of lubricating oil; (b) conduit means for operatively interconnecting said inlet with the engine; (c) a piston slidably disposed within said housing and including a surface thereon further defining said interior chamber; (d) spring means interposed between said piston and the second end of said housing and biasing said piston toward a first axial position near said first end of said housing; (e) latch means for selectively holding said piston in a second position near said second end of said housing; (f) a solenoid having the plunger thereof operatively connected to said latch means for selectively releasing said latch means; (g) electrical means for operatively interconnecting said solenoid and the ignition switch of said engine for selectively energizing said solenoid in response to operation of said ignition switch; and (h) a control circuit operatively interconnecting said solenoid and said electrical means and including a normally open time delay switching means and a normally closed electrical relay for selectively delaying the energizing of said solenoid in response to switchoff of said ignition switch upon shutdown of said engine.

Claim 8

A system for injecting lubricating oil into an engine following shutdown of the engine, comprising: (a) a substantially cylindrical housing having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof, said housing defining an interior chamber of preselected variable volumetric size for containing a quantity of lubricating oil; (b) conduit means for operatively interconnecting said inlet with the engine; (c) a piston slidably disposed within said housing and including a surface thereon further defining said interior chamber; (d) spring means interposed between said piston and the second end of said housing and biasing said piston toward a first axial position near said first end of said housing; (e) latch means for selectively holding said piston in a second position near said second end of said housing; (f) a solenoid having the plunger thereof operatively connected to said latch means for selectively releasing said latch means; (g) electrical means for operatively interconnecting said solenoid and the ignition switch of said engine for selectively energizing said solenoid in response to operation of said ignition switch; and (h) a control circuit operatively interconnecting said solenoid and said electrical means and including a normally open time delay switching means and a normally closed electrical relay for selectively delaying the energizing of said solenoid in response to switchoff of said ignition switch upon shutdown of said engine.

Claim 10

A system for injecting lubricating oil into an engine following shutdown of the engine, comprising: (a) a first housing portion having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof and an outlet at a second end thereof; (b) a solenoid including a coil and plunger disposed within said first housing portion and defining a central passageway through said coil from said inlet to said outlet, said plunger disposed for axial movement within said passageway between an extended position and a retracted position in response to energization of said coil of said solenoid; (c) conduit means for operatively interconnecting said inlet of said first housing portion with the crankcase of the engine; (d) a spring loaded check valve disposed at the outlet of said first housing portion, said check valve having a closed position and an open position; (e) means on said plunger for engaging said check valve whereby said check valve is moved between said closed position and said open position in response to movement of said plunger; (f) a substantially cylindrical second housing portion having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof, said second housing portion defining an interior chamber of preselected variable volumetric size for containing a quantity of lubricating oil; (g) a piston slideably disposed within said second housing portion and including a surface thereof further defining said interior chamber; (h) spring means interposed between said piston and the second end of said second housing portion and biasing said piston toward a first axial position near said first end of said second housing portion; (i) electrical means for operatively interconnecting said solenoid and the ignition switch of said engine for selectively energizing said solenoid in response to operation of said ignition switch; and (j) a control circuit operatively interconnecting said solenoid and said electrical means and including a normally open time delay switching means and a normally closed electrical relay for selectively delaying the energizing of said solenoid in response to switchoff of said ignition switch upon shutdown of said engine.

Claim 11

A system for injecting lubricating oil into an engine following shutdown of the engine, comprising: (a) a first housing portion having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof and an outlet at a second end thereof; (b) a solenoid including a coil and plunger disposed within said first housing portion and defining a central passageway through said coil from said inlet to said outlet, said plunger disposed for axial movement within said passageway between an extended position and a retracted position in response to energization of said coil of said solenoid; (c) conduit means for operatively interconnecting said inlet of said first housing portion with the crankcase of the engine; (d) a spring loaded check valve disposed at the outlet of said first housing portion, said check valve having a closed position and an open position; (e) means on said plunger for engaging said check valve whereby said check valve is moved between said closed position and said open position in response to movement of said plunger; (f) a substantially cylindrical second housing portion having means defining an inlet at a first end thereof, said second housing portion defining an interior chamber of preselected variable volumetric size for containing a quantity of lubricating oil; (g) a piston slideably disposed within said second housing portion and including a surface thereof further defining said interior chamber; (h) spring means interposed between said piston and the second end of said second housing portion and biasing said piston toward a first axial position near said first end of said second housing portion; (i) electrical means for operatively interconnecting said solenoid and the ignition switch of said engine for selectively energizing said solenoid in response to operation of said ignition switch; and (j) a control circuit operatively interconnecting said solenoid and said electrical means and including a normally open time delay switching means and a normally closed electrical relay for selectively delaying the energizing of said solenoid in response to switchoff of said ignition switch upon shutdown of said engine.