Abstract: A probe and sump drain assembly (128) includes a fitting (136) secured to the wall of a sump (98) to which a probe housing 146 is threadedly engaged. The fitting is provided with a stepped bore having larger (142) and smaller (140) diameter portions. Seals (154, 156) carried on the housing (146) control fluid communication through passages (160, 162) communicated with the larger portion (142). A ring terminal assembly (170) provides an electrical connection with the fitting (136) and with a transversely projecting portion (166) of the probe (144) regardless of the angular orientation of the portion (166) of the probe (144).

Abstract: A pleated paper filter element (10) has a fluid-permeable foamed-plastic shield (16) formed on one of its faces to firmly and accurately position the adjacent folds of filter media. The shield (16) is formed in situ and bonds to the filter media without the use of an intermediate adhesive so as to form a unitary structure. A method of making such a filter involves disposing a foamable liquid plastic (34) near a pleated paper filter unit and foaming the plastic. Prior to solidification, the plastic is effective to bond directly to the filter media. A mold (22) for making such a filter element includes a receptacle (28) for receiving a quantity of liquid plastic and a filter unit and for holding them in the proper relation while the plastic is foamed. The mold receptacle includes projections (30) which form perforations (18) in the solidified plastic and which provide for fluid flow communication through the filter element.

Abstract: Separating device for separating the liquid components of a liquid mixture comprising an annular coalescing medium (84) for causing the liquid component to be removed from the mixture to coalesce into droplets, and a conical separating medium (102) tapering toward a liquid collecting sump (98). A heating element (46) heats the liquid mixture when the temperature of the mixture is below a predetermined temperature. An open, fibrous batt of filtering material (100) circumscribes the coalescing medium (84) to collect wax crystals which form during cold temperature conditions. A relief valve (108) permits liquid to bypass the separating medium (102) when the pressure differential across the separating medium (102) exceeds a predetermined amount. Accordingly, initial flow through the separating device is established, permitting the heater to heat the liquid to a temperature above that at which wax crystals form.

Abstract: A fluid filter of the disposable automotive spin-on type has a cup-shaped member and a closure member which together form a chamber for receiving a filtering media. The cup-shaped member has a relatively thin side wall and an open end defined by a marginal edge including a bead. The closure member is a one-piece stamping of uniform thickness and substantially thicker than the cup-shaped member. The closure member closes the open end of the cup-shaped member and includes an annular rim which extends perpendicularly to the plane of the closure member and generally parallel to the side wall of the cup-shaped member. A channel defined by the rim receives the bead of the cup-shaped member and the rim is crimped to form a fluid-tight connection between the members.

Abstract: A fluid filter (10) of the spin-on automotive type has a housing with a unitary closure member (18). The unitary, or one-piece, closure member (18) includes provision for mounting of the filter and for fluid flow therethrough. Two opposed annular flanges (78, 80) of the closure member receive between them the marginal edge (72) of the filter shell in a fluid-tight crimped engagement. This arrangement facilitates manufacture of the filter by providing support to the shell wall (68) during the crimping operation and also provides an exceptionally strong joint between the shell (12) and closure member (18). Another embodiment of the filter has a closure member (18) with a marginal edge (76) having a portion of reduced thickness which facilitates its crimped engagement with the filter shell (12). Methods of making such closure members attain a unitary closure member without welding operations.

Abstract: A filter assembly includes a housing for releasably locking to a base for enclosing a replaceable filter element. The base includes a support over which the housing is positioned. The support includes a plurality of radially extending guide pins. A plurality of radially movable jaws are mounted on the guide pins to releasably lock the housing to the base. A rotatable cam ring is coaxially mounted on the support and includes cam slots for receiving corresponding axially extending cam engaging portions of the jaws. The jaws move radially inwardly and outwardly to lock and unlock the housing from the base in response to rotation of the cam ring.

Abstract: A fluid filter (10) of the spin-on automotive type has a housing with a unitary closure member (18). The unitary, or one-piece, closure member (18) includes provision for mounting of the filter and for fluid flow therethrough. Two opposed annular flanges (78, 80) of the closure member receive between them the marginal edge (72) of the filter shell in a fluid-tight crimped engagement. This arrangement facilitates manufacture of the filter by providing support to the shell wall (68) during the crimping operation and also provides an exceptionally strong joint between the shell (12) and closure member (18). Another embodiment of the filter has a closure member (18) with a marginal edge (76) having a portion of reduced thickness which facilitates its crimped engagement with the filter shell (12). Methods of making such closure members attain a unitary closure member without welding operations.

Abstract: A heavy duty automotive air cleaner for use in environments having high contaminant concentrations includes a housing carrying a vane-type centrifugal separator and a removable filter cartridge. The removable filter cartridge includes a pleated paper filtering medium and a fibrous, depth-type filtering medium. A pair of flow paths are defined through the housing between the inlet and outlet thereof. One of the flow paths extends through the depth-type media and the pleated paper medium, and the other flow path extends through the centrifugal vane-type separator and the pleated paper medium. The depth-type fibrous medium is placed upstream from the pleated paper medium, and is adapted to remove relatively fine particles from the incoming air stream as the heavier particles are centrifuged outwardly by the vane-type separator.

Abstract: A refill filter cartridge for a liquid fuel filter includes a semi-rigid plastic "blister" having an open end closed by a cover member to define a fluid receiving compartment. A pleated paper filter medium in the compartment divides the latter into inlet and outlet portions which communicate with openings in the cover member. The filter housing includes a base and a cup-shaped glass housing that cooperates with the base to define a chamber which receives the plastic blister when the refill cartridge is installed in the filter. The cover member defines cooperating surfaces which engage the base and the glass housing so that the glass housing clamps the cover member between the glass housing and the filter base. The plastic blister is shaped to conform to the inner walls of the housing so that the housing engages the walls of the blister throughout their entire area.

Abstract: An air cleaner for a heavy duty vehicle comprises a container having an open end for receiving a filter cartridge, and a removable closure for the open end. The closure includes a first portion which defines a central opening which is removably secured to the open end by circumferentially spaced bolts and a second portion comprising an air valve housing which is mounted on the first portion through a swivel connection to permit the air valve housing to pivot relative to the container without removal of the bolts. The air valve housing includes a pair of inlets connected to different air sources, such as to ambient outside air and to heated engine air respectively, and a valve mechanism which opens one of the inlets while the other is closed. Air communicating through the open inlet is communicated through the central opening into the container.

Abstract: The combination with a flexible bladed fan of a vibration isolator coaxially attached to the fan. The isolator comprises a first rigid support attached to the fan, a second rigid support adapted for connection to the fan driver, and a resilient member intermediate and arranged to transmit torque between the first and second supports while dampening vibrations. The second support includes means for aligning the isolator coaxially with the fan and fan driver and the first and second supports are positioned coaxially with respect to each other.

Abstract: A pressure distributing superstructure for a windshield wiper, comprising a plastic primary yoke having at each end oppositely extending, coaxial pins and a lobe beyond the pins, and two plastic secondary yokes, each having a pair of ears spaced apart along the axis of the pins, the ears of each pair having opposing openings for receiving the pins of one end of the primary yoke, a shoulder above each opening to retain the pins therein, and a downwardly and inwardly sloping ramp above each shoulder, the ends of said pins of a pair being separated by more than the minimum spacing of the ramps, the ears being sufficiently resilient so that when the pins are forced between the ramps the ears will temporarily be flexed apart to allow the pins to snap into the openings.

Abstract: An automotive cooling fan having flexible, resilient blades which decamber with increasing rotational speed of the fan, the general curvature of the blades being formed by a multiplicity of spaced, generally radially extending bends in the blades; in preferred embodiments the blades have configuration resulting from said bends in which the general radius of blade curvature of the blades increases and the chord angle of the blades decreases from the blade roots to the blade tips.

Abstract: An air control valve for a vehicle emissions control system has an inlet connected to the output of the vehicle air pump, a first outlet connected to exhaust injection passages in cylinder head, and a second outlet connected downstream into the exhaust manifold. A vacuum actuated valve element is responsive to engine manifold vacuum to divert the output of the air pump from the downstream injection point to the upstream injection point during cold engine operation. However, the air supply from the air pump is diverted from the upstream injection point to the downsteam injection point for a few seconds when a sudden increase in manifold vacuum occurs, such as during engine deceleration when the engine is cold. After the engine warms up, the air supply from the air pump is continuously communicated to the downstream injection point.

Abstract: A precleaner assembly for the air intake system of a heavy duty vehicle ejects duct particles and other heavy material from the incoming air stream so that the heavy particles will not clog the normal vehicle air cleaner, thereby greatly increasing its life. The precleaner assembly includes an inlet which faces the direction of vehicle movement, so ambient air is rammed into the inlet of the precleaner. The rammed air is directed through turning vanes located in a diverging portion of the assembly to induce a vortex or spiral flow component to the fluid. Centrifugal force generated by movement of the dust particles in the spiral path causes the latter to be centrifuged radially outwardly with respect to the direction of movement of the flow stream. These heavy particles therefore are concentrated in the radial outermost portion of the flow stream, which is ejected from the assembly, so that the remaining portion of the flow stream will be relatively free of the heavy particles.

Abstract: A flexible bladed automotive cooling fan comprising biasing members biasing both the upstream and downstream sides of th blades including a root portion of the upstream biasing member extending beyond the remainder of both biasing members, the blade thereby having a substantially increased natural frequency and a reduced amplitude of vibration at resonance as well as an improved airfoil configuration.

Abstract: A fluid filter, such as that used to filter engine oil in an automotive vehicle, is provided with a combination anti-drainback and relief valve. The relief valve permits oil to bypass the filter if the latter should become clogged, and the anti-drainback valve prevents oil from leaking from the filter when the vehicle engine is not operated. The combination anti-drainback/relief valve includes a shoulder which is disposed between the filtering medium and a supporting flange therefor carried by the base of the filter, and also includes an inwardly extending annular portion which normally closes passages through the flange which permit communication between the inlet and outlet of the filter, and an outwardly extending portion which seals against the base of the filter to trap fluid within the filter when the vehicle engine is off. The valve element includes a spring steel member which is encapsulated in rubber sealing material.

Abstract: A rain hood for the air intake system of an internal combustion engine includes a body and a cover. The body includes a tubular portion which is received within the open end of an air intake tube and an outwardly flared conical portion which extends from the tubular portion and is provided with a lattice-work structure defining openings to permit substantially uninhibited flow of ambient air into the open end of the intake tube. The cover closes the open end of the flared portion of the body, and includes a closing portion closing the open end of the flared portion and a circumferentially extending portion which extends from the closing portion and circumscribes the flared portion. The cover and the body carry a locking mechanism which locks the body to the cover so that the cover cannot be removed from the body once it is installed thereon.

Abstract: An ambient pressure sensor generates an electrical signal which varies in response to changes in ambient pressure level. The sensor includes a sealed bellows or aneroid which varies in length as the ambient pressure varies. A fluid motor including a piston slidably mounted within the housing carries a tube which extends to a position adjacent one end of the aneroid. The end of the tube defines a valve seat which cooperates with a valve member carried on the end of the aneroid to control communication of atmospheric pressure through the tube and into the power chamber defined between the piston and the end of the housing. The power chamber is connected with a vacuum source, so the atmospheric pressure communicated through the tube varies the pressure level in the power chamber as a function of ambient atmospheric pressure, since the aneroid controls communication through the tube. Consequently, the piston and tube move relative to the housing as the ambient pressure changes.