The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 13, 1997
Filed:
Aug. 31, 1995
Andrew K Logan, Stillwater, OK (US);
Matthew W Jaeger, Fond du Lac., WI (US);
Terry D Axton, Stillwater, OK (US);
William E Hughes, Stillwater, OK (US);
David J Gruenwald, Butle des Monts, WI (US);
James E Erickson, Stillwater, OK (US);
Brunswick Corporation, Lake Forest, IL (US);
Abstract
A drain valve assembly for automatically draining water from a cooling system of an inboard marine engine when the ambient temperature drops to a preselected value. The drain valve includes a cup-shaped base having a group of inlets connected to portions of a cooling system of the engine to be drained, and the open end of the base is enclosed by a cover. Each inlet defines a valve seat and a sealing piston is mounted for movement in the base and includes a series of valve members that are adapted to engage the valve seats. An outlet is provided in the sidewall of the cup-shaped base. The valve members on the sealing piston are biased to a closed position by a coil spring and a temperature responsive element interconnects the sealing piston with the cover. The temperature responsive element is characterized by the ability to exert a force in excess of the spring force of the coil spring when the ambient temperature is above about 50.degree. F., to thereby maintain the valve members in the closed position. When the temperature falls below the selected temperature, the temperature responsive element will retract, thereby permitting the valve members to be opened under the influence of the spring to automatically drain water from the cooling system of the engine.