Antifreeze delivery system with a cap assembly

A cap assembly for an antifreeze delivery system having a container defining a chamber for containing a volume of an antifreeze, and the antifreeze delivery system further including a conduit having an upstream end and a downstream end, with the upstream end being fluidly connected to the container to receive the volume of the antifreeze from the container, the cap assembly comprising:

• a lid fluidly connecting the downstream end of the conduit to an inlet opening defined by a top rim of a sea strainer, with the lid including a planar wall with top and bottom surfaces and a thickness between the top and bottom surfaces, and the lid defines a channel extending between the top and bottom surfaces, with the channel receiving the downstream end of the conduit, and the bottom surface defining an annular surface area;
• a seal attached to the annular surface area of the lid;
• and
• at least one fastener for attaching the lid to the sea strainer such that the seal is sandwiched between the annular surface portion of the lid and the top rim of the sea strainer,
• wherein the at least one fastener comprises:
• first and second elongated shafts pivotably attached to an associated one of first and second portions of the sea strainer;
• and
• first and second nuts threadably attached to an associated one of the first and second elongated shafts and engaging the lid, where the at least one fastener attaches the lid to the sea strainer in response to the first and second nuts engaging the lid;
• wherein the lid comprises first and second abutments extending radially outward from the planar wall, with the first and second nuts engaging an associated one of the first and second abutments,
• wherein each of the first and second abutments has an upper surface that is positioned coplanar with the top surface of the planar wall and a lower surface that is positioned coplanar with the bottom surface of the planar wall, and the first and second abutments are disposed diametrically opposite to one another relative to the planar wall,
• wherein the first abutment defines a first peripheral edge, the first abutment further including a through hole that is spaced from the first peripheral edge and extending between the upper and lower surfaces, and the second abutment defines a second peripheral edge and an open-ended slot, with the open ended slot extending radially outward and terminating at the second peripheral edge, with the open-ended slot further extending between the upper and lower surfaces,
• wherein the container comprises an open-topped vessel having an annular wall defining the chamber, with the upstream end of the conduit being fluidly connected to the annular wall of the open-topped vessel via a stop valve movable between an open position and a closed position, and
• wherein the annular wall terminates at an upper rim, and the container further comprises a cover releasably attached to the upper rim and defining an aperture, with the container further comprising a one-way air relief valve attached to the cover and disposed in the aperture, such that air flows through the one-way air relief valve into the chamber in response to the antifreeze being drawn from the chamber and into the upstream end of the conduit.

A method of operating a cap assembly for an antifreeze delivery system having a container defining a chamber for containing a volume of an antifreeze, and the antifreeze delivery system further including a conduit having an upstream end and a downstream end, with the upstream end being fluidly connected to the container to receive the volume of the antifreeze from the container, the method comprising:

• connecting, using at least one fastener, the lid to the sea strainer;
• sandwiching the seal between an annular surface portion of the lid and a top rim of the sea strainer in response to the at least one fastener connecting the lid to the sea strainer;
• fluidly connecting, using a lid, the downstream end of the conduit to an inlet opening defined by the top rim of the sea strainer, with the lid including a planar wall having top and bottom surfaces and a thickness between the top and bottom surfaces, and the lid defining a channel that extends between the top and bottom surfaces, and the channel receiving the downstream end of the conduit;
• disposing the container at a position above the sea strainer;
• pouring a volume of the antifreeze in the container;
• starting a marine engine fluidly connected to the sea strainer and disposed downstream of the sea strainer;
• moving a stop valve from a closed position to an open position, with the stop valve fluidly connecting the upstream end of the conduit to the annular wall of the open-topped vessel;
• flowing the volume of antifreeze from the chamber of the container to the sea strainer;
• flowing the volume of antifreeze from the sea strainer to the marine engine;
• flowing a portion of the volume of antifreeze from the marine engine to an exhaust port fluidly connected to the marine engine and disposed downstream of the marine engine;
• and
• stopping the marine engine in response to the portion of the volume of antifreeze being discharged from the exhaust port.

A cap assembly for an antifreeze delivery system having a container defining a chamber for containing a volume of an antifreeze, and the antifreeze delivery system further including a conduit having an upstream end and a downstream end, with the upstream end being fluidly connected to the container to receive the volume of the antifreeze from the container, the cap assembly comprising:

• a lid fluidly connecting the downstream end of the conduit to an inlet opening defined by a top rim of a sea strainer, with the lid including a planar wall with top and bottom surfaces and a thickness between the top and bottom surfaces, and the lid defines a channel extending between the top and bottom surfaces, with the channel receiving the downstream end of the conduit, and the bottom surface defining an annular surface area, the downstream end abutting the top surface and extending through the channel past the bottom surface;
• a seal attached to and extending across the annular surface area of the bottom surface of the lid, the downstream end extending through and past the seal;
• and
• at least one fastener for attaching the lid to the sea strainer such that the seal is sandwiched between the annular surface portion of the lid and the top rim of the sea strainer.