US4019489A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Safety apparatus for engines
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1975-12-08
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Granted: 1977-04-26
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Expires: 1995-12-08
Abstract
Abstract A monitoring and control apparatus for an engine, particularly a water-cooled internal combustion marine engine, which includes devices for monitoring the temperature and/or flow of the coolant liquid and/or of the lubricant, the monitoring devices being included in an alarm system adapted to give visual and/or audible warning of an abnormal condition and to reduce automatically the speed of the engine, in order to prevent or minimize the danger of damage thereto.
Inventors
- 👤 George Bowen Cartmill
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 13:10
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02B; F02B77/00; F02B77/08; F02D; F02D17/00; F02D17/04; F02B1/00; F02B1/02; F02B1/04; F02B3/00; F02B3/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
179 words
Monitoring and control apparatus in combination with a marine engine including: a. flow detection means for monitoring the engine's coolant flow; b. temperature detecting means for monitoring the engine temperature; c. signal means associated with said flow detecting means and said temperature detecting means and adapted to transmit a signal upon detecting an abnormal operating condition of said coolant flow or said temperature; d. alarm means associated with said signal means and activated upon receipt of a signal for said signal means; e. automatic engine speed control assembly for reducing the speed of said marine engine upon receiving an operative signal from said signal means; f. time delay means interposed between said signal means and said speed control assembly and arranged so that an operative signal will not be transmitted to said speed control assembly until said abnormal operating condition continues for a predetermined period of time, and g. manually operable override means operable to prevent actuation of said speed control assembly upon existence of said abnormal operating condition for a period longer than said predetermined period of time.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
179 words
Monitoring and control apparatus in combination with a marine engine including: a. flow detection means for monitoring the engine's coolant flow; b. temperature detecting means for monitoring the engine temperature; c. signal means associated with said flow detecting means and said temperature detecting means and adapted to transmit a signal upon detecting an abnormal operating condition of said coolant flow or said temperature; d. alarm means associated with said signal means and activated upon receipt of a signal for said signal means; e. automatic engine speed control assembly for reducing the speed of said marine engine upon receiving an operative signal from said signal means; f. time delay means interposed between said signal means and said speed control assembly and arranged so that an operative signal will not be transmitted to said speed control assembly until said abnormal operating condition continues for a predetermined period of time, and g. manually operable override means operable to prevent actuation of said speed control assembly upon existence of said abnormal operating condition for a period longer than said predetermined period of time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
Monitoring and control apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said over-ride means is operable in a first mode of operation to prevent actuation of said speed control assembly due to abnormally low coolant flow and operable in a subsequent mode of operation to prevent actuation of said speed control assembly due to abnormally high engine temperature.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
Monitoring and control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said over-ride means is operable in said first mode by depressing and releasing a press button switch and is operable in said subsequent mode of operation by depressing and maintaining a press button switch in its depressed attitude.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
Monitoring and control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the time delay between the actuation of said alarm means and said speed control means is in the range of five to thirty seconds.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
Monitoring and control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control assembly is operable to reduce the speed of the engine to zero.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
Monitoring and control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said flow sensitive device comprises a pressure switch adapted to be operatively connected into the coolant flow passage of said engine.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
78 words
Monitoring and control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control assembly is an assembly of electrical components in the form of a logic circuit operatively connected to actuate a solenoid assembly for operating said speed control means and wherein said control assembly includes a clock and a counter adapted to count pulses from said clock and to provide time spaced signals for controlling said speed control means, said clock and binary counter constituting said time delay means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
Monitoring and control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said counter provides a first output time-spaced from the signal from said sensing assembly for actuation of said speed control means and a second output time-spaced from said first output for deactivating said control assembly.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
Monitoring and control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said engine is an internal-combustion engine and said speed control means comprises the electrical system of the engine.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
89 words
Monitoring and control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said pressure switch includes a housing and a diaphragm dividing said housing into a first sealed chamber adapted to communicate with the engine coolant and a second chamber in which there is supported a microswitch operatively positioned for actuation by movement of said diaphragm and spring return means associated with said diaphragm to counteract the coolant pressure and said spring return means being selectively adjustable to enable said pressure switch to be adjusted for switching at a preselected coolant pressure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
Monitoring and control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said coolant flow sensitive device is in the form of a flow switch adapted to be operatively disposed in the coolant for actuation by same.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-04-25 | 1980-10-25 | 1981-04-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-04-25 | 1984-10-25 | 1985-04-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-04-25 | 1988-10-25 | 1989-04-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |