# US 5,706,873 A · Automotive fluid recovery apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,706,873 A - Document ID: US5706873A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/611,216 - Filed: 1996-03-05 - Granted: 1998-01-13 - Earliest claimed: 1996-03-05 - Inventors: Come Benoit; Benoit Rioux - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5706873A ## CPC - F16N 31/002: {Drain pans} - F16N 33/00: Mechanical arrangements for cleaning lubricating equipment; Special racks or the like for use in draining lubricant from machine parts - Y10T 137/7849: Bypass in valve casing - F16N: LUBRICATING - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An apparatus for use in a service station to recover automotive fluids. The apparatus comprises a reservoir attachable to a floor surface and a catch pan for receiving automotive fluids flowing from under a vehicle being serviced. The apparatus also comprises a hollow extensible arm means between the catch pan and the reservoir forming a conduit therebetween, and an articulated joint between the extensible arm means and the reservoir. This articulated joint is flexible in a vertical plane as well as in a horizontal plane. Thus the catch pan and the extensible arm means are movable between a first horizontal fluid recovery position and a second vertical compactly stowed position above the reservoir. The reservoir of the apparatus also has a first drain valve and a second drain valve located above the first drain valve. When the apparatus is used to recover several types of automotive fluids, those aqueous fluids such as radiator coolant may be firstly emptied from the reservoir through the first drain valve. Then the petroleum based fluids can be emptied through the second drain valve even if a nominal volume of aqueous fluid remains in a lower portion of the reservoir below the second drain valve. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for use in a service station for recovering automotive fluids, comprising: a catch pan having a bottom portion and a contour wall around said bottom portion forming with said bottom portion a basin for receiving automotive fluids flowing from a vehicle when said vehicle is being serviced; said catch pan also having an opening in said bottom portion; a reservoir for storing used automotive fluids; a hollow extensible arm means connected to said reservoir and to said opening in said bottom portion of said catch pan, forming a conduit between said catch pan and said reservoir; said hollow extensible arm means having an articulated joint near said reservoir, said articulated joint being flexible in a vertical plane and in a horizontal plane for allowing movement of said catch pan and said hollow extensible arm means between a first horizontal fluid recovery position and a second vertical stowed position; said catch pan further having a perforated basket therein above said bottom portion, said perforated basket having an apertured sector and a closed surface sector, said closed surface sector being positioned on a normally lowermost segment of said catch pan when said catch pan is in said vertical stowed position, said closed surface sector defining with said contour wall and said bottom portion a first receptacle within said basin for receiving remnant automotive fluids adhering to said catch pan and inside said hollow extensible arm means during use of said catch pan for recovering automotive fluids, when said hollow extensible arm means and said catch pan are in said vertical stowed position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said articulated joint comprises gas spring means to assist in the raising and lowering of said hollow extensible arm means between said fluid recovery position and said stowed position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hollow extensible arm means comprises a first arm member and a second arm member; said first arm member having a first end and a second end, and said second arm member having a first extremity and a second extremity; said first end being connected to said opening in said catch pan by means of a first hollow articulation; said second end being connected to said first extremity by means of a second hollow articulation, and said second extremity being connected to said articulated joint; said first hollow articulation and said second hollow articulation being flexible in respectively parallel planes. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said first hollow articulation, said second hollow articulation and said articulated joint are oriented to cooperatively form with said first and second arm members a downwardly sloping course between said catch pan and said reservoir. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first hollow articulation comprises a latch means for restricting a movement of said catch pan relative to said first arm member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein an upper edge of said contour wall near said normally lowermost segment of said catch pan has a lip forming with said contour wall a second receptacle within said basin for receiving said remnant automotive fluids adhered to a surface of said basket, when said hollow extensible arm means and said catch pan are in said vertical stowed position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said basket has a flat central section and a peripheral section making an obtuse angle with said flat central section whereby when said catch pan is in said fluid recovery position and when an oil filter full of used oil is supported upside down on said peripheral section, said oil filter is efficiently emptied from its used oil content. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said peripheral section forms an angle of about 160.degree. with said flat central section. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reservoir has an apertured flange which is attachable to a floor surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said reservoir comprises a sight glass for monitoring a level of said automotive fluids inside said reservoir. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said reservoir is a vertical cylindrical reservoir having a volume of about 75 liters. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said reservoir has an air intake valve, a check valve in said conduit and at least one drain valve, whereby a content of said reservoir may be purged through said drain valve, upon an application of an air pressure to said air intake valve. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein said reservoir further comprises a pressure regulator on said air intake valve and a pressure relief valve to limit the possible structural stresses applied therein from said air pressure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein a height of an upper edge of said catch pan when said catch pan is in said fluid recovery position is about 152 cm from said floor surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said articulated joint comprises a vent hole for evacuating air from said conduit and inside said reservoir during a recovery of an automotive fluid. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said apertured sector of said basket has a plurality of holes there-through and a common size of said holes is between about 3 mm and about 5 mm. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said catch pan has a bracket extending perpendicularly from said bottom portion above said opening, and said basket is removably retained inside said catch pan by means of a wing bolt threadably engaged in said bracket. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said catch pan has a rectangular conformation having a widthwise dimension of about 40 cm and a lengthwise dimension of about 50 cm. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reservoir comprises an air pressure intake valve, drain valve means and a check valve communicating with said conduit for blocking said conduit and for enhancing a purging of said automotive fluids from said reservoir through said drain valve means when air pressure is applied to said air pressure intake valve; said check valve having a seep hole communicating between said reservoir and a checked portion of said check valve, for allowing said check valve to open following said purging of said automotive fluids from said reservoir. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) An apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein said reservoir further has a sight glass and said drain valve means comprises a first drain valve and a second drain valve located above said first drain valve whereby aqueous fluids and petroleum based fluids may be independently emptied from said reservoir when said apparatus is used for recovering several types of automotive fluids.