GB1269589A - Viscosity gauging device - Google Patents

Abstract

1,269,589. Measuring viscosity. F. L. GERIN. Sept. 17, 1970, No. 44479/70. Heading G1S. The present Specification relates to an improvement in the device described in Specification 985,494 for measuring the viscosity of a liquid particularly the crank case oil of an engine in situ. In that device engine oil under pressure passes through a pipe 5 into a lower part of the casing of the device where the pressure of the oil pushes two weighted pistons 10A and 11A into cylinders 10 and 11. The oil passes from the lower part of the casing to an upper part where it communicates through an orifice with cylinder 11. Cylinder 10 communicates through an orifice with a reservoir of unused oil. When pressure of oil introduced to the device is stopped, the pistons 10 and 11 fall at rates controlled by the viscosities of the unused and used oils respectively. If the viscosities are equal the pistons fall at similar rates and are arrested at the same height by a balance arm 15 journalled at 16 and magnetically coupled to pointer 17. If the used oil has a viscosity different to the unused oil the pistons are arrested by the balance arm 15 at different heights. According to the improvement of the present Specification, if the pistons are arrested at different heights, one of the pistons will contact a resilient wire 24 to activate a lamp 34 or auditory signal to show that the oils viscosity is not acceptable. Signals 30a and 31a may be provided to indicate whether the oil is too thick or too thin respectively. The device functions automatically when the engine stops or may be caused to function by closing valve 7 manually or by closing solenoid valve 40.