Twin lubrication tank filling system

Abstract

A twin lubrication oil tank filling system with a single oil fill port that prevents overfilling of both a primary oil tank and a secondary oil with a gravity fill system by directing oil primarily into the secondary oil tank by means of a special oil diverter, a float valve for the secondary oil tank that closes when the oil level in the secondary tank reaches a full level to cause additional oil flow to pour into the primary oil tank and a float valve for the primary oil tank that closes when the oil level in the primary tank reaches a full level.

1 . A twin lubrication oil tank filling system with a single oil fill port that prevents overfilling of both a primary oil tank and a secondary oil tank, comprising: a gravity fill system comprising an oil diverter that directs lubrication oil primarily into the secondary oil tank; 
 a float valve for the secondary oil tank to close oil flow into the secondary tank when the lubrication oil reaches a full level in the secondary tank and causes additional oil flow to pour into the primary oil tank; and    a float valve for the primary oil tank to close oil flow into the secondary oil tank when the lubrication oil reaches a full level in the primary oil tank.    
   
   
       2 . The twin lubrication oil tank filling system of  claim 1 , wherein the oil diverter comprises an aperture positioned over the float valve for the secondary oil tank.  
   
   
       3 . The twin lubrication oil tank filling system of  claim 1 , wherein the oil diverter comprises an inclined surface and a spout positioned over the float valve for the secondary oil tank.  
   
   
       4 . The twin lubrication oil tank filling system of  claim 1 , wherein the float valves are mounted on a baffle plate that covers the primary and secondary oil tanks.  
   
   
       5 . The twin lubrication oil tank filling system of  claim 4 , wherein the gravity fill system further comprises an oil hurdle mounted on the baffle plate between the float valve for the secondary oil tank and the float valve for the primary oil tank such that flow of oil after the float valve for the secondary oil tank closes must spill over the oil hurdle to reach the primary oil tank.  
   
   
       6 . The twin oil tank filling system of  claim 1 , wherein the gravity fill system comprises an oil inlet and the oil diverter is located underside the oil inlet.  
   
   
       7 . The twin oil tank filling system of  claim 6 , further comprising an oil chamber formed between the baffle plate and the oil diverter to retain excess lubrication oil poured into the oil inlet.  
   
   
       8 . The twin oil tank filling system of  claim 1 , wherein each float valve comprises an external float.  
   
   
       9 . The twin oil tank filling system of  claim 8 , wherein each float valve comprises a generally cylindrical support member comprising at least one aperture along an upper end of the support member that communicates with an inlet port of the float valve and the external float comprises a generally annular float that slides along the support member, wherein the external float covers the support member aperture as it rises toward the float valve inlet port to shut the float valve.  
   
   
       10 . The twin oil tank filling system of  claim 1 , in combination with a primary oil tank and a secondary oil tank.  
   
   
       11 . A twin lubrication oil tank filling system with a single oil fill port that prevents overfilling of both a primary oil tank and a secondary oil tank, comprising: 
 a gravity fill system comprising an oil inlet with an oil diverter that directs lubrication oil primarily into the secondary oil tank and an oil chamber between the oil inlet and the primary and secondary oil tanks for retaining excess lubrication oil poured into the oil inlet;    an external float valve for the secondary oil tank to close oil flow into the secondary tank when the lubrication oil reaches a full level in the secondary tank and causes additional oil flow to pour through an oil chamber into the primary oil tank; and    an external float valve for the primary oil tank to close oil flow into the secondary tank when the lubrication oil reaches a full level in the primary oil tank.    
   
   
       12 . The twin lubrication oil tank filling system of  claim 11 , wherein the oil diverter comprises an aperture positioned over the float valve for the secondary oil tank.  
   
   
       13 . The twin lubrication oil tank filling system of  claim 11 , wherein the oil diverter comprises an inclined surface and a spout positioned over the float valve for the secondary oil tank.  
   
   
       14 . The twin lubrication oil tank filling system of  claim 11 , wherein the float valves are mounted on a baffle plate that covers the primary and secondary oil tanks.  
   
   
       15 . The twin lubrication oil tank filling system of  claim 14 , wherein the gravity fill system further comprises an oil hurdle mounted in the oil chamber on the baffle plate between the float valve for the secondary oil tank and the float valve for the primary oil tank such that flow of oil after the float valve for the secondary oil tank closes must spill over the oil hurdle to reach the primary oil tank.  
   
   
       16 . The twin oil tank filling system of  claim 11 , wherein each external float valve comprises a generally cylindrical support member with at least one aperture that communicates with an inlet port of the float valve and a generally annular external float that slides along the support member, wherein the external float covers the support member aperture as it rises toward the float valve inlet port to shut the float valve.  
   
   
       17 . The twin oil tank filling system of  claim 11 , in combination with a primary oil tank and a secondary oil tank.  
   
   
       18 . An external float valve, comprising: 
 a generally cylindrical support member comprising at least one aperture along an upper end of the support member that communicates with an inlet port of the float valve; and    a generally annular external float that slides along the support member, wherein the external float covers the support member aperture as it rises toward the float valve inlet port to shut the float valve.    
   
   
       19 . The external float valve of  claim 18 , further comprising a mounting flange on an upper end of the float valve.  
   
   
       20 . The external float valve of  claim 19 , wherein the float valve inlet port passes through the mounting flange.  
   
   
       21 . The external float valve of  claim 18 , wherein the support member further comprises a float stop that protrudes from a lower end of the support member to limit travel of the external float beyond the lower end of the support member.  
   
   
       22 . The external float valve of  claim 21 , wherein the float stop comprises a retaining ring attached to the support member.  
   
   
       23 . The external float valve of  claim 18 , wherein the support member comprises three apertures along its upper end that communicate with the float valve inlet port.  
   
   
       24 . An external float valve, comprising: 
 a mounting flange on an upper end of the float valve;    an inlet port for the float valve that passes through the mounting flange;    a generally cylindrical support member comprising at least one aperture along an upper end of the support member that communicates with the inlet port of the float valve and a float stop that protrudes form a lower end of the support member; and    a generally annular external float that slides along the support member between the mounting flange and the float stop, wherein the external float covers the support member aperture as it rises toward the float valve inlet port to shut the float valve.    
   
   
       25 . The external float valve of  claim 24 , wherein the float stop comprises a retaining ring attached to the support member.  
   
   
       26 . The external float valve of  claim 24 , wherein the support member comprises three apertures along its upper end that communicate with the float valve inlet port.