Patent ID: 7516729

Claim:
A method of providing a supply of lubricant to working components of an engine, the engine including a reservoir for lubricant to which the lubricant returns after use, under gravity, at least when the engine is in a normal operating orientation, the method comprising the steps of providing a pumping apparatus, the pumping apparatus including a pump housing having main and auxiliary pumps and a control valve, the main pump including a main pumping chamber and a main pumping device, and the auxiliary pump including an auxiliary pumping chamber and an auxiliary pumping device, the main and auxiliary pumping devices being driven simultaneously by a common drive shaft, by the engine, and the pumping apparatus further including a main inlet extending from a regular location in the lubricant reservoir to the main pumping chamber and an auxiliary inlet which extends from an alternative location to which lubricant may pass in the event that the engine is at an extreme attitude, to the auxiliary pumping chamber, and the control valve including a valve member; and moving the valve member between a first position in which lubricant pumped from the regular location by the main pump is delivered to a pumping apparatus outlet for supply to the working components of the engine when the engine is in a normal operating orientation, and a second position in which lubricant pumped from the alternative location by the auxiliary pump is delivered to the pumping apparatus outlet when the engine is at an extreme attitude.