Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
59~
My invention relates to a device for mixing a
lubricant with gasoline to provide fuel for outboard motors
and the like.
There are a number of gasoline-powered motors
which burn a fuel containing some lubricating oil. Such
two-cycle motors are commonly used to power small boats,
lawn mowers, chain saws, snowmobiles and the like~ The
owner of a small boat, for example, usually has an extra
container for storing a supply of fuel mixed beforehand to
the proportions set down by the engine manufacturer. Such
an additional tank adds to the equipment cost involved in
operating an outboard motor boat and there is a problem of
storing the container aboard the small boat where space
often is at a premium.
Some boat operators avoid the need for an addi-
tional storage container by attempting to top up the fuel
tank by guessing at the proportions of gasoline and oil.
When refilling a partially full fuel tank, the quantity of
oil required is unknown. Often the operator simply pours in
a quantity of oil which appears to be a reasonable amount
before filling the tank with gasoline and the resulting
mixture is uncontrolled.
The present invention, generally speaking, is a
measuring tube which can be used to indicate the exact level
of fuel which remains in the tank and also to indicate the
amount of oil which must be added to the tank to provide the
ratio recommended by the manufacturer when the tank is
topped up with gasoline. More specifically, a fuel propor-
tioning device for adding a first fluid to a second fluid
contained in a tank at a prescribed ratio comprises a tube
-1-
~73LS~
having a pouring end and an opposite end, said tube having avolumetric capacity directly proportional to the volumetric
capacity of the tank and substantially equal to the pres-
cribed ratio, and one-way valve means on the opposite end
for admitting the second fluid into the tube when said tube
is inserted into the tank to a level equal to the level
remaining in said tank whereby the space remaining in the
tube is a measure of the quantity of the first fluid needed
to achieve the prescribed ratio.
In drawings which illustrate a preferred embodi-
ment of the invention,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fuel propor-
tioning device with parts broken away and shown in section,
Figure 2 is a elevation of a side of the device
opposite the side illustrated in Figure 1,
Figure 3 is a plan view of the device,
Figure 4 is a schematic view showing the device
being used to measure the quantity of fuel mixture remaining
in a fuel tank,
Figure 5 is a schematic view showing oil being
added to the device containing a measured quantity of fuel
mixture,
Figures 6 and 7 are schematic views showing sequen-
tial steps of the mixture procedure followed to arrive at a
prescribed gasoline-oil ratioO
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings,
the numeral 10 indicates generally a fuel proportioning
device constructed in accordance with the present invention.
This device comprises a tube 12 which preferably is in-
jection molded using a suitable transparent or translucentplastic material. Tube 12 has a thin, cylindrical, side
` -2-
,f .~ ,,,
~73L5g~
,
wall 14 and a bottom wall 15. A thickened rim 16 stiffens
an open pouring end 17 of the tube and a spout 18 is molded
into this end so that the contents of the tube can readily
be discharged. The side wall 14 preferably extends below
the bottom wall 15 in the form of four circumferentially
spaced feet 20.
In Figure 1, the tube 12 is shown to be provided
with valve means generally indicated at 24. Preferably, the
means 24 comprises a concentric inlet opening 26 formed in
the bottom wall 15. A circular valve disc 27 is mounted
within the tube to use the wall 15 as a seat whereby to open
and close the inlet opening 26. Inwardly projecting lugs 28
on the inner surface of the tube 12 limit upward movement of
the disc 27, the assembly providing a one-way valve arrange-
ment which will allow fluid to enter the tube through theinlet but will prevent fluid contained in the tube from
discharging through that inlet.
The tube 12 is intended for use when filling a
tank 30 such as is shown in Figures 6, and 7. Such a tank
is stored aboard a small boat, for example, in a safe loca-
tion remote from the two cycle outboard motor which powers
the boat and the tank is connected to the fuel pump of the
motor by the usual fuel lines. One widely used tank holds a
maximum of five Imperial gallons of gasoline, that is, six
United States gallons or 22.7 liters. The tank 30 shown in
the drawings is assumed to have such a capacity and, in
Figure 7, the tank is shown full at which time the level of
liquid is at the lower end of the filler spout 31 which is
fitted with a cap 32.
For use with the tank 30, the physical dimensions
~7~L5~4
of the tube 10 are mathematically related to the corres-
ponding dimensions of the tank as follows; the length of the
tube is greater than the height of the tank so that the
pouring end 17 will project through the spout 31 with the
cap 32 removed and when the legs 20 are resting on the
bottom of the tank as shown in Figure 4, and the maximum
capacity of the tube is l/lOOth of the tank capacity.
Assuming that the tank is entirely empty of fuel; if oil
equal in volume to that of the tube is added to the tank,
and the tank is then filled with gasoline, the resulting
mixture will have a ratio of 100 parts of gasoline to 1 part
of oil.
One side of the tube is provided with a level mark
A located near the rim 16 and it should be assumed that oil
is added to the tube at this level to achieve the afore-
mentioned 100 to 1 ratio.
In use, the operator of the boat may decide to top
up the tank 30 when the mixture level is as shown in Figures
4 and 6. The cap 32 normally fitted to the filler spout 31
is removed and the tube 12 is inserted into the tank through
the filler spout so that the legs 20 contact the bottom of
the tank as shown in Figure 4. The valve means 24 operates
automatically to admit some of the fuel mixture remaining in
the tank into the base of the tube, the liquid naturally
finding a common level within the tube and tank. Tube 12 is
then removed from the tank and is filled with oil as shown
in Figure 5 to the level mark A. The contents of the tube
are then poured into the tank, see Figure 6, which then
contains the required amount of lubricant. When the tank is
later topped up with gasoline to the level shown in Figure
" ~'7~594
7, the ratio of the gasoline and oil mixture in the tank is
the required 100 to 1.
Not all outboard motors are designed to operate on
a 100 to 1 mixture and some engine manufactures specify a
gasoline to oil ratio of 50 to 1, or even 32 to 1. These
ratios can be achieved by repeating the above described
mixing procedure a second time in the case of a 50 to 1
ratio, and a third time when a 32 to 1 ratio is required.
For example, after the first measure of oil is poured into
the tank as shown in Figure 6, the tube 12 is again placed
in the tank as shown in Figure 4 to measure the new level of
liquid in the tank. The Figure 5 step of the procedure is
repeated and this additional measure of oil is poured back
into the tank before it is topped up with gasoline. The
ratio of gasoline to oil is then 50 to 1. If the steps of
measuring the quantity of fuel in the tank (Figure 6) and
adding oil to the tube (Figure 5) are again repeated before
the tank is topped up with gasoline, a ratio of approxi-
mately 32 to 1 is achieved.
Some manufacturers also produce their own tanks
the dimensions of which may vary slightly from the one
described above although the volumetric capacity will remain
substantially the same. In order to make the present invention
more versatile in this respectj one side of the tube 30 is
additionally marked as shown in Figure 1. Spaced below the
level mark A, are level marks B and C, (see Figure 1). A
horizontal level mark 35 is located a selected distance
above the bottom wall 15 of the tube so as to indicate a
zone designated by the letter A on the tube. Another mark
36 is spaced above the mark 35 to indicate a zone B. Still
--5--
94
another zone C extends between the mark 36 and the level
mark C.
Thus, it is possible to arrive at a lO0 to l fuel
mixture even when the tank of one manufacture is, for
example, of greater height than the tank of another manu-
facturer although also designed to hold 22.7 liters. The
user of the device is instructed as to which zone is related
to a particular manufacturers tank. Tube 12 is placed in
the tank to extract a quantity of the fuel mixture as
previously described. Assuming the liquid level in tha tube
is in zone A, then oil is added to the level A of the
tube. If the level is found to be in zone B, oil is added
to mark B. The user may find the level of fuel in the tube
to be in zone C whereupon oil is poured into the tube to the
level C. The tank is topped up and is shaken well to mix
the gasoline and oil which is then proportioned at approxi-
mately lO0 to l regardless of which of the three possible
amounts of oil was added to the tank. The fuel-measuring
and oil-adding steps can be repeated a second and a third
time to provide the 50 to l and 32 to l ratios respectively.
There is a smaller fuel tank which is widely used
and that tank will hold a maximum of 3 U.S. gallons, or 2.5
Imperial gallons, or 11.3 liters. In order to use the
present device with a tank of this size, one side of the -
tube 12 is provided with the markings shown in Figure 2.
These level marks consist of marks X and Y located just
below the middle portion of the tube, plus a mark 38 nearer
to the bottom wall 15, the latter level mark separating
zones designated X and XY. -
The boat owner's instructions for using the Figure
~7~5i9~
2 markings are as follows;
l. Insert tube into the tank so that is rests on
the bottom and allow two seconds to fill before removing.
2. Note level retained in tube and add oil to the
contents of the tube to level mark X if the fuel level is in
zone X
or (a) if the level is in zone XY, add oil to
level mark X if the tank is one (identified
by name) maufacturer's tank,
or (b) if the level is in zone XY, add oil
to level mark Y of the tank is another
(identified by name) manufacturer's tank.
3. Pour contents by tube into tank, fill with
gasoline, shake and 100 to 1 fuel mixture is ready to use.
4. Repeat steps l to 3 if 50 to 1 ratio is re-
quired.
5. Repeat steps 1 to 3 a third time if 32 to 1
ratio is required.
From the foregoing, it will be apparent a device
is provided which will enable oil and gasoline to be pro-
portioned in a ~uel tank not only quickly and easily but an
acceptable degree of accuracy so that the motor burns a
controlled mixture and operates more effectively as a result.
--7--
