This invention relates to a fuel cock position indicator for a motor vehicle provided with a manually operable fuel cock and fuel cock position indicator mounted on the vehicle.

The fuel cock position indicator consists of metal contacts fixed on the fuel cock and a visual indicator on the instrument cluster panel of the vehicle.

Fuel stored in the fuel tank of a motor vehicle is generally connected to the carburetor through a fuel cock. A fuel cock is used to control the flow of fuel from the fuel tank to the carburetor. There are two types of fuel cock assembly that are commonly in use -manual fuel cock and auto fuel cock assemblies.

In the case of auto fuel cock, the user has no control over the fuel flow. The suction stroke in the engine causes the auto fuel cock valve to open due to the low pressure created and thereby allows the flow of fuel from the fuel tank to carburetor. This invention however relates to a manual fuel cock by which the user can manually control the flow of fuel at will.

The manual fuel cock has three positions, namely ON, OFF and RESERVE, The lever in the manual fuel cock can be rotated to change the position of the fuel cock. In the OFF condition, there will be no flow of fuel from the fuel tank to the carburetor. In the ON condition, when the level of fuel in the tank is above a predetermined level, there will be flow of fuel from the fuel tank to the carburetor. When the fuel level in the tank falls below a predetermined level, there will be no further flow of fuel from the tank to the carburetor in the ON condition. If the fuel cock position is, however, turned to RESERVE, fuel flows from the tank to the carburetor even if the fuel level is below the predetermined level. Fuel continues to flow until the tank becomes empty.

To avoid any leakage of fuel during parked condition of the vehicle, the user generally keeps the fuel cock in OFF condition after switching OFF the vehicle. While restarting the vehicle, the user normally has to check the position of the fuel cock and he/she has to set the fuel cock position to ON or RESERVE position depending on the fuel level. The fuel cock is generally positioned below the fuel tank which makes it difficult for the user to check its position when he/she is in driving position.

This invention has for its object to provide a visual indication to the user, on the instrument cluster panel, about the position of the fuel cock, so that he/she need not contort his/her body to look at the fuel cock for identifying its position. To provide a low cost and reliable solution to this problem is another object of this invention.

The accompanying drawings illustrate by way of example, and not by way of limitation, one of possible embodiments of this invention.

The fuel cock position indicator consists of two metallic terminals with insulated sleeves that are bent at right angles to be fixed on the fuel cock lever set plate. The profiles of the terminals are different to enable mounting beside the stopper. The metallic terminals are positioned such that the end (a) in the segment part of lever comes in contact with the metallic terminal end (bl) when the fuel cock lever is positioned in the RESERVE condition. The end (b) in the segment will come in contact with the metallic terminal end (b1) when the fuel cock lever is positioned in the ON condition. The stopper limits the rotation of the lever.

Electrical wires are soldered to the ends of the metallic terminals. There is also an electrical wire connected to the body of the fuel cock. The wires are connected to an electric or electronic circuit. The circuit is in turn connected to LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) mounted on the instrument cluster panel. According to one form, the circuit consists of four NOR gates connected to the wires from the fuel cock and the power supply.

When the fuel cock lever is positioned in the ON condition, the segment end (b) and the metallic terminal end (b1) come in contact with each other due to which there will be electrical continuity between the wire connected to the body of the fuel cock and the wire connected to terminal with end b1. When the lever is in ON condition the output from the 'ON GATE' will be high, due to which the ON LED will glow.

When the fuel cock lever is positioned in the RESERVE (RES) condition, the segment end (a) and the metallic terminal end (al) come in contact with each other due to which there will be electrical continuity between the wire connected to the body of the fuel cock and the wire connected to terminal with end a1. The output of 'RESERVE GATE' will be high due to which the RESERVE LED will glow.

When the fuel cock lever is neither in the ON condition nor in the RES condition, the output of the 'OFF GATE' will be high due to which the OFF LED will glow.

Whenever the ignition switch is turned ON, the fuel cock position is visually indicated by means of the LEDs that are preferably in different colours for easy identification. Every time the fuel cock position is changed by the user, the LED indication also changes.

The metallic terminal used is preferably copper. Other metals can also be used. The electronic circuit may consist of other logic gates like XOR gates or NAND gates instead of NOR gates. Instead of LEDs used to indicate the fuel cock position, LCDs or alphanumeric display can also be used.

It will be appreciated that various other embodiments of this invention are possible without departing from its scope and ambit.

We claim

1. A fuel cock position indicator for a motor vehicle provided with a manually
controllable fuel cock, comprising metal terminals positioned on the fuel cock,
said terminals being electrically connected to the body, such that whenever the fuel cock lever is manually turned to ON, OFF and RESERVE positions, a segment of the lever comes into contact with the terminals at each of said
positions to complete an electric circuit, thereby activating signal means for indicating the said positions of the lever, the said signal means being located on the vehicle within clear view of the user.

2. A fuel cock position indicator as claimed in Claim l wherein the electric circuit includes an electronic circuit.

3. A fuel cock position indicator as claimed In Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the signal means are located on the instrument cluster panel of the vehicle.

4. A fuel cock position indicator as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the signal means consist of light emitting diodes, alphanumeric displays or liquid crystal displays.

5. A fuel cock position indicator as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims
wherein the signal means consist of light emitting devices of different colours.

6. A fuel cock position indicator for a motor vehicle substantially as herein described
with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.