Separate lubricating system for marine propulsion device

Abstract

Several embodiments of separate lubricating systems for two-cycle internal combustion engines and particularly those of outboard motors. In each embodiment, the lubricating system includes a relatively large lubricant storage tank that is adapted to be carried in the hull of the associated watercraft and a relatively small lubricant delivery tank carried by the engine of the outboard motor. A pump is provided for transferring lubricant from the storage tank to the delivery tank and warning devices are incorporated to indicate when the level in each of the tanks falls below a predetermined value. Furthermore, the transfer pump is disabled upon the falling of the level of the liquid in the storage tank below a predetermined value. The pump is positioned in proximity to this storage tank and is juxtaposed and plumbed in such a way that it will not pick up foreign particles from the bottom of the tank, but will always have its inlet and outlet subject to liquid so that the pump will not run dry. A system is provided for disabling the pump if the motor is tilted up and the delivery tank is vented in such a way that lubricant will not be spilled when the engine is tilted up and regardless of its angular position. Several embodiments of arrangements are disclosed for delivering lubricant from the delivery tank to the various components of the engine.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a lubricating system for a two-cycle internal combustion engine comprising a relatively large remotely positioned lubricant storage tank, a relatively small lubricant delivery tank positioned in proximity to the engine for delivering lubricant to its lubricating system and means responsive to the level of lubricant in said delivery tank for transferring lubricant from said storage tank to said delivery tank to maintain a predetermined level of lubricant in said delivery tank, the improvement comprising means for providing a warning signal when the level of lubricant in said storage tank falls below a predetermined amount, said means for providing said warning signal being further operative to discontinue the transfer of lubricant from the storage tank to the delivery tank, and manual override meansd for operating the means for transferring lubricant from the storage tank to the delivery tank under operator control even when the warning signal has been activated. 
     
     
       2. A lubricating system as described in claim 1 wherein the means for maintaining the predetermined level of lubricant in the delivery tank comprises a pump, means for operating said pump when the level of lubricant in the delivery tank falls below the predetermined level, and means for discontinuing the operation of the pump when the level of lubricant in the delivery tank reaches a predetermined high level. 
     
     
       3. A lubricating system as described in claim 2 further including means for providing a caution signal when the level of lubricant in the delivery tank falls a predetermined amount below the predetermined level. 
     
     
       4. A lubricating system as described in claim 3 further including means for providing a signal when the level of lubricant in the delivery tank falls the predetermined amount below the predetermined level and the level of lubricant in the storage tank is above the predetermined amount to indicate a failure in the means for transferring the lubricant from the storage tank to the delivery tank. 
     
     
       5. A lubricating system as described in claim 3 further including means for decreasing the speed of the engine to reduce lubricant consumption upon the generation of a caution signal. 
     
     
       6. A lubricating system as described in claim 1 further including means for decreasing the speed of the engine to reduce lubricant consumption upon the generation of a caution signal. 
     
     
       7. A lubricating system as described in claim 1 wherein the means for transferring lubricant from the storage tank to the delivery tank comprises a pump juxtaposed to the storage tank. 
     
     
       8. A lubricating system as described in claim 7 wherein the pump is positioned with its inlet above the lower level of the storage tank. 
     
     
       9. A lubricating system as described in claim 8 wherein the pump is a positive displacement pump and has an outlet conduit extending from its outlet side to the delivery tank, and for further including a trap in said outlet conduit for insuring the presence of lubricant on the inlet and outlet sides of the pump at all times. 
     
     
       10. A lubricating system as described in claim 1 wherein the lubricating system of the engine comprises first lubricating means for delivering lubricant from the delivery tank to the induction system of the engine for induction into the engine induction system to lubricate at least some of the engine components and second lubricating means for delivering lubricant from said delivery tank to other components of said engine independent of said induction system. 
     
     
       11. A lubricating system as described in claim 10 wherein at least one of the lubricating means comprises a lubricant pump driven by the engine. 
     
     
       12. A lubricating system as described in claim 11 wherein both of the lubricating means comprises the lubricant pump and further including a first conduit extending from the lubricant pump to the induction system and a second conduit extending to the other components of the engine from the lubricant pump. 
     
     
       13. A lubricating system as described in claim 10 wherein one of the lubricating means comprises a lubricant pump for delivering pressurized lubricant and the other of the lubricating means comprises means for delivering lubricant directly from the delivery tank to the engine. 
     
     
       14. A lubricating system as described in claim 1 further including means for providing a signal when the level of lubricant in the delivery tank falls the predetermined amount below the predetermined level and the level of lubricant in the storage tank is above the predetermined amount to indicate a failure in the means for transferring the lubricant from the storage tank to the delivery tank. 
     
     
       15. In a lubricating system for a two-cycle internal combustion engine comprising an ignition circuit, a lubricant supply system having at least one tank for delivering lubricant to the engine lubricating system, the improvement comprising means for reducing the speed of the engine when the level of lubricant in the tank falls below a predetermined value wherein the speed of the engine is reduced by periodically interrupting its ignition circuit. 
     
     
       16. In a lubricating system as described in claim 15 wherein the lubricant supply system comprises a relatively large remotely positioned lubricant storage tank, a relatively small lubricant delivery tank positioned in proximity to the engine and means for transferring lubricant from said storage tank to said delivery tank, the means for reducing the engine speed being responsive to the level in one of said tanks. 
     
     
       17. A lubricating system as described in claim 16 wherein the speed of the engine is reduced when the level of lubricant in the delivery tank falls below the predetermined value. 
     
     
       18. A lubricating system as described in claim 16 further including means for providing a warning when the level of lubricant falls below the predetermined value. 
     
     
       19. In a lubricating system for a two-cycle internal combustion engine comprising a relatively large remotely positioned lubricant storage tank, a relatively small lubricant delivery tank positioned in proximity to the engine for delivering lubricant to its lubrication system, and means for transferring lubricant from said storage tank to said delivery tank, the improvement comprising means for providing a first signal when the level of lubricant in one of the tanks falls below a predetermined level, and means for providing a second signal when the level of lubricant in the other of said tanks falls below a predetermined level and means responsive to one of the signal means for terminating the transfer of lubricant from the storage tank to the delivery tank. 
     
     
       20. A lubricating system as described in claim 19 further including means for reducing the speed of the engine when the level of the lubricant in one of the tanks falls below the predetermined level. 
     
     
       21. A lubricating system as described in claim 20 wherein the means for reducing the speed of the engine comprises means for periodically interrupting its ignition. 
     
     
       22. A lubricating system as described in claim 19 wherein at least one of the signals comprises a visual signal and an audible signal. 
     
     
       23. A lubricating system as described in claim 19 further including means for providing a third signal when the level of lubricant in the delivery tank falls below the predetermined level and the level of lubricant in the storage tank does not fall below the predetermined level. 
     
     
       24. In a lubricating system for a two-cycle internal combustion engine of an outboard motor adapted to be supported for tilting movement about a generally horizontally extending axis, said lubricating system comprising a relatively large lubricant storage tank adapted to be positioned remotely from said outboard motor, a relatively small lubricant delivery tank carried by said outboard motor and tiltable therewith, means for delivering lubricant from said delivery tank to a lubricating system of said engine, and means for transferring lubricant from said storage tank to said delivery tank, the improvement comprising means for precluding the transfer of lubricant from said storage tank to said delivery tank when said outboard motor is tilted up. 
     
     
       25. A lubricating system as described in claim 24 wherein the means for transferring lubricant comprises a driven pump and the means for precluding transfer comprises means for disabling the pump when the outboard motor is tilted up. 
     
     
       26. A lubricating system as described in claim 25 wherein the means for disabling comprises a position responsive switch carried by the outboard motor. 
     
     
       27. A lubricating system as described in claim 24 further including means for providing a warning signal when the level of lubricant in the storage tank falls below a predetermined amount. 
     
     
       28. A lubricating system as described in claim 27 wherein the means of transferring lubricant from the storage tank to the delivery tank is operative to maintain a predetermined level of lubricant in the delivery tank. 
     
     
       29. A lubricating system as described in claim 28 wherein the means for providing the warning signal is further operative to discontinue the transfer of lubricant from the storage tank to the delivery tank. 
     
     
       30. A lubricating system as described in claim 29 further including manual override means for operating the means for transferring lubricant from the storage tank to the delivery tank under operator control. 
     
     
       31. A lubricating system as described in claim 28 wherein the means for maintaining the predetermined level of lubricant in the delivery tank comprises a pump, means for operating said pump when the level of lubricant in the delivery tank falls below the predetermined level, and means for discontinuing the operation of the pump when the level of lubricant in the delivery tank reaches a predetermined high level. 
     
     
       32. A lubricating system as described in claim 31 further including means for providing a caution signal when the level of lubricant in the delivery tank falls a predetermined amount below the predetermined level. 
     
     
       33. A lubricating system as described in claim 32 further including means for providing a signal when the level of lubricant in the delivery tank falls the predetermined amount below the predetermined level and the level of lubricant in the storage tank is above the predetermined amount to indicate a failure in the means for transferring the lubricant from the storage tank to the delivery tank. 
     
     
       34. A lubricating system as described in claim 32 further including means for decreasing the speed of the engine to reduce lubricant consumption upon the generation of a caution signal. 
     
     
       35. A lubricating system as described in claim 32 wherein the means for providing the warning signal is further operative to discontinue the transfer of lubricant from the storage tank to the delivery tank. 
     
     
       36. A lubricating system as described in claim 35 further including manual override means for operating the means for transferring lubricant from the storage tank to the delivery tank under operator control. 
     
     
       37. A lubricating system as described in claim 36 further including means for decreasing the speed of the engine to reduce lubricant consumption upon the generation of a caution signal. 
     
     
       38. A lubricating system as described in claim 27 wherein the means for transferring lubricant from the storage tank to the delivery tank comprises a pump juxtaposed to the storage tank. 
     
     
       39. A lubricating system as described in claim 38 wherein the pump is positioned with its inlet above the lower level of the storage tank. 
     
     
       40. A lubricating system as described in claim 39 wherein the pump is a positive displacement pump and has an outlet conduit extending from its outlet side to the delivery tank, and further including a trap in said outlet conduit for insuring the presence of lubricant on the inlet and outlet sides of the pump at all times. 
     
     
       41. A lubricating system as described in claim 27 wherein the lubricating system of the engine comprises first lubricating means for delivering lubricant from the delivery tank to the induction system of the engine for induction into the engine induction system to lubricate at least some of the engine components and second lubricating means for delivering lubricant from said delivery tank to other components of said engine independent of said induction system. 
     
     
       42. A lubricating system as described in claim 41 wherein at least one of the lubricating means comprises a lubricant pump driven by the engine. 
     
     
       43. A lubricating system as described in claim 42 wherein both of the lubricating means comprises the lubricating pump and further including a first conduit extending from the lubricant pump to the induction system and a secod conduit extending to the other components of the engine from the lubricant pump. 
     
     
       44. A lubricating system as described in claim 41 wherein one of the lubricating means comprises a lubricant pump for delivering pressurized lubricant and the other of the lubricating means comprises means for delivering lubricant directly from the delivery tank to the engine. 
     
     
       45. A lubricating system as described in claim 27 further including venting means in the delivery tank for admitting and discharging air from the area above the level of lubricant therein. 
     
     
       46. A lubricating system as described in claim 45 wherein the venting means is positioned above the level of lubricant in the delivery tank regardless of the tilted or steered position of the outboard motor. 
     
     
       47. A lubricating system for a two-cycle internal combustion engine comprising a relatively large remotely positioned lubricant storage tank, a relatively small lubricant delivery tank positioned in proximity to the engine for delivering lubricant to its lubricating system, and means for transferring lubricant from said storage tank to said delivery tank, the improvement comprising means for providing a signal when the level of lubricant in said delivery tank falls below a predetermined level and the level of lubricant in said storage tank is above a predetermined level to indicate a failure in said means for transferring lubricant from said storage tank to said delivery tank. .Iadd. 
     
     
       48.  In a lubricating system for a two-cycle internal combustion engine comprising an ignition circuit, a lubricant supply system having at least one tank for delivering lubricant to the engine lubricating system, the improvement comprising means for reducing the speed of the engine when the lubricant supply for the engine falls below a predetermined value wherein the speed of the engine is reduced by periodically interrupting its ignition circuit. .Iaddend. .Iadd.49. In a lubricating system as described in claim 48 wherein the lubricant supply system comprises a relatively large remotely positioned lubricant storage tank, a relatively small lubricant delivery tank positioned in proximity to the engine and means for transferring lubricant from said storage tank to said delivery tank. .Iaddend. .Iadd.50. In a lubricating system as described in claim 49 wherein the means for reducing the engine speed is responsive to the level in one of the tanks. .Iaddend. .Iadd.51. A lubricating system as described in claim 50 wherein the speed of the engine is reduced when the level of lubricant in the delivery tank falls below the predetermined value. .Iaddend. .Iadd.52. A lubricating system as described in claim 48 further including means for providing a warning when the lubricant supply falls below the predetermined value. .Iaddend.