Method and means for installing a by-pass filter

Adapter for connecting a by-pass oil filter to an internal combustion engine equipped with a full-flow, throw-away, replaceable oil filter. Adapter would form an adjustable clamp band around the annular surface of the full-flow filter and would embody an appropriate penetrating device consisting of a sharpened hollow needle or penetrating pin which would automatically penetrate the annular surface of the full-flow filter when the adapter band is securely tightened, opening up access to a small supply of engine oil to be transferred to the by-pass filter via appropriate connections.

This invention relates to oil filter systems in a mechanism requiring a 
high pressure lubricant (usually about 45 lb. per sq. in.) to lubricate 
the bearings and other sliding parts therein. The invention applies to any 
machine requiring high pressure lubrication, but finds its particular 
application in the internal combustion engines of the type used to power 
an automobile, bus, tractor, etc. In such engine it is conventional to 
employ an engine driven high pressure lubricant pump delivering first to a 
high performance full flow filter, and from there to the bearings, the 
passage of the lubricant through the filter causing a relatively small 
pressure drop. 
The higher quality full flow filters remove all particles above 30 microns, 
while the lower quality filters remove all particles above 40 microns. 
However, even 20 micron particles in the oil will score the surfaces of 
closely fitted bearings and other relatively movable parts, and materially 
shorten the life of the engine. Frequent lubricant and filter changing 
will minimize this effect, but will not eradicate it, and such procedure 
is both costly and inconvenient. 
It has been proposed to install, in addition to the full flow filter, a 
by-pass filter which will filter all particles above 0.1 micron. Such 
by-pass filter handles a relatively small flow, but is continuously acting 
so that virtually all particles above 1/10 (or sometimes 1) microns are 
removed. Particles of this small size remaining (1 to 1/10 microns) 
readily pass between the bearing and journal of an automobile, or other 
engine, with the oil, and will merely float in the oil and not scour or 
abrade the surfaces. This elimination of abrasion will double the life 
expectancy of an engine in some cases and materially lengthen the engine 
life in all cases. 
However, it is usually difficult to obtain oil under pressure from a modern 
automobile engine. There are, at present, three principal ways to obtain 
this oil: 
1. "Teeing off" an oil pressure sending unit, which consists in unscrewing 
the unit from its threaded post, installing a "T" fitting, the straight 
branch going to the re-installed unit, the side branch to the bypass 
filter. In at least 90% of the cases, this is impractical because (a) most 
sender switches are virtually inaccessable for removal and reinstallation, 
and (b) the oil under pressure from this source is taken from the oil 
gallery (or discharge side of the full flow filter) thus throwing an 
additional load on that filter and at the same time dropping the oil 
gallery pressure by a small amount--2 to 3 p.s.i. 
2. Removal of an oil gallery plug for the pressure source of oil for the 
by-pass filter. This plug is also not readily accessable, and drops the 
oil pressure to the bearings, as in "1" above. 
3. Installing a special adaptor plate (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,784 to 
Cochran, element 10) between the spin-on, full flow filter and the engine 
filter mounting boss. The adaptor is equipped with a threaded opening to 
afford access to the oil under pressure. The adaptor plate entails, at 
present, the stocking of nine adaptor plate retainer nuts of different 
thread sizes and configurations and five adaptor plates. Even with this 
elaborate and expensive array, only about 80% of the vehicles on the 
market can be fitted. However, when fitted, the adaptor plate is reliable 
and effective. 
In "3" above, the oil pressure is obtained directly from the engine oil 
pump side of the full flow filter media, thereby not reducing the oil 
pressure in the oil galleries, or adding additional oil filtration volume 
to the full flow filter media. 
The purpose of this invention is to provide an oil pressure take-off 
directly from the body of the spin-on full flow filter as regularly 
supplied to the trade, the pressure oil then being transmitted to the 
by-pass filter, and thence to the engine oil sump. Thus there is no 
overloading of the full flow media, or loss of pressure in the oil 
galleries (or the bearings). Also, the take-off of the invention is 
economical, fits virtually every full flow filter now on the market, 
requires only one design, in one embodiment to fit all filters (or two 
designs, in a second embodiment to fit all full flow filters), is very 
reliable, readily and conveniently installed or removed and installed on a 
further replacement filter, and can be conveniently oriented on the filter 
to accomodate the best routing of the oil line to the by-pass filter. 
This purpose is achieved by a suitable peripherally adjustable (in one 
embodiment) clamp band, with a tightening means, which carries a "tap," or 
alternatively, a saddle valve of appropriate size and design, which when 
properly installed on a spin-on replaceable full flow engine filter will 
afford a sealed opening into said filter through which oil under pressure 
could be directed to a by-pass filter, or, broadly, other uses.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 the clamp band 1 surrounds full flow filter 2 of the type 
where the outside of the body carries the full pump pressure, the oil 
passing inwardly through the filtering media to the center, from whence it 
passes to the oil gallery and to the sliding parts of the engine. The band 
1 carries a penetrating take off fitting 31, which by threads (shown in 
other Figs) connects to an oil line 21 leading to a by-pass filter 22, and 
from there to the engine oil sump 25 by oil line 23 and fitting 24. 
The band 1 is shown as being adjustable in length, to fit any filter size 
now on the market, by means of selectively engageable hooks 3 and slots 4, 
combined with adjusting and tightening thumb nut 5 and T bolt 6 attached 
to the band as shown. Alternatively, the band could be in a single piece, 
wherein the thumb nut would make the entire adjustment. In this 
embodiment, two sizes of bands would accomodate any filter size on the 
present market. The self-tapping element 31 is shown attached to the side 
of full flow filter 2 by band 1, the element being threaded to attach a 
pressure oil hose. 
The full flow filter 1 is attached and connected to the engine 26 in the 
manner provided by the engine maker. The by-pass filter 22 will be mounted 
by an installer in any suitable manner, such as "U" shaped bracket 
attached at any convenient place in the engine compartment. Fully filtered 
oil, containing no abrasive particles above 1 micron, or in some cases 
1/10 micron, passes to the oil sump of the engine. By-pass filters of this 
type are well known, and may be as manufactured by the Frantz Oil Filter 
Col. 
FIGS. 3, 4, 4a, 4b, 5, 5a and 5b show a self penetrating and oil tapping 
device in detail. The device includes a tube 32 of hardened material 
having an angular cutting tip 33 (or 33') and a heel 34 (or 34'). The 
device 31 also has threads 38 whereby the oil line 21 may be attached. The 
band 1 is secured to the body of device 31 in any desirable way, such as 
welding or brazing. A washer 37 seals the device against leakage of the 
pressure oil. 
When the band 1 is placed around the filter 2 at the desired location, the 
thumb bolt 5 is tightened, which causes the tip 33 to press against the 
side wall of filter 1 and cut an opening in this wall, the curled cut out 
piece being shown at 36. When full tightened, the seal 37 presses firmly 
against the side wall so that no leakage occurs and the parts will have no 
further relative movement. When installing this band, the full flow filter 
must first be fully tightened on its seat, or other mounting means, and 
the outlet 31 then oriented both longitudinally and peripherally so that 
the oil line 21 may be conveniently attached and properly routed to the 
filter 22. 
In FIGS. 4, 4a and 4b, the tube 32 is shown as having an elliptical cutting 
edge. In FIGS. 5, 5a and 5b, the tube is shown as having an elliptical 
cutting edge 41, with a recessed, ground surface 51. This latter cutter is 
somewhat sharper. 
FIG. 6 is a side view of a penetrating device permanently attached to band 
1. 
FIG. 7 shows a representative tap valve with body 71, coupling 72 fixed to 
band 1, threads 73 mounting body 71, tip seal 74, piercing tip 75, 
threaded exit orifice 76 and valve operating wheel 77. This is a known tap 
valve and may be of the general type shown by Tannery in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,140,155. 
In this version the band is placed around the installed full flow filter 
with the needle 75 fully retracted. When properly oriented for the most 
convenient attachment and routing of outlet hose 21, the band is then 
fully tightened so that seal 74 firmly engages the side wall of the filter 
2. The wheel 77 is then rotated so that the needle 75 moves downwardly to 
pierce the side wall of the filter 2 and establish communication with 
outlet 76 and hose 21. 
Thus there is provided an oil take off device for a full flow filter, that 
does not impose an extra load on the filter media of that filter, does not 
reduce the oil pressure to the oil pressure galleries of the engine, is 
economical, may readily be attached to or disattached from any full flow 
filter on the market and permits placement of the take off element at any 
desired location on the filter for proper attachment and routing of the 
outlet hose. Also, at 50 lb. per sq. in. oil pressure (a higher pressure 
than most automobile engines) the clamp must supply only 10.2 oz. plus a 
desired sealing pressure against the filter side wall to be operative.