AUTOMATIC RECORDING RAIN GAUGE

• US 3,721,122 A
• Filed: 11/30/1970
• Issued: 03/20/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Colin Frank Lucas
• Original Assignee: Colin Frank Lucas
• Inventors: Lucas, Colin Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Myracle, Jerry W.
• Application Number:
  US05/093,716
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 73/171,227,232,223,224
• US Class Current: 73/170.21
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/241 for discrete levels
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/265 for discrete levels
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/14 Rainfall or precipitation gauges measuring volume in general G01F

Abstract

According to the present invention a rain gauge comprises a container for collecting rain, a pump operative to pump rain water from the container, an electrical sensor responsive to the level of rain water in the container and operative to make and break the supply of power to the pump and means responsive to the drive motion of the pump for affording a measure of rain water collected in and pumped from the container. In order that the amount of rain water pumped, during each revolution of the pump, is repeatable to a very high accuracy a peristaltic pump may be used. Indicator means, for example a revolution counter or an electronic counter, may be provided to record the drive motion of the pump.

Claims

1. A rain gauge comprising a rainwater-collection container, a positive-displacement pump connected to pump rainwater from the container, sensor means for detecting when the level of rainwater collected in the Container reaches an upper predetermined level and when the said level falls below a lower predetermined level, switching means controlled by the sensor means, for starting the pump whenever the collected rainwater reaches the upper predetermined level and for stopping the pump whenever the level of the collected rainwater falls below the lower predetermined level, and measuring means coupled to the pump for providing a representation of the number of cycles of operation of the pump and thereby affording a measure of the amount of rainwater collected in and pumped from the container.

2. A rain gauge as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the pump is a peristaltic pump.

3. A rain gauge as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pump comprises an electric motor and a positive-displacement pump mechanism connected to be driven by the electric motor and the measuring means comprises means for transmitting signals representing the number of cycles of operation of the pump to a remote indicator.

4. A rain gauge as claimed in claim 3 and in which the pump is a peristaltic pump.

5. A rain gauge as claimed in claim 3 and wherein the measuring means comprises an indicator coupled to the drive motion of the pump.

6. A rain gauge as claimed in claim 5 and in which the pump is a peristaltic pump.

7. A rain gauge comprising:

container means for collecting and containing rainwater, first and second electrical contacts disposed in said container means and separated from each other so that rainwater electrically connects said contacts together when the rainwater reaches a first predetermined level in said container means, circuit means electrically connected to said first and second contacts for producing a given signal whenever said first and second contacts are electrically connected together by said rainwater, a peristaltic pump connected to said circuit means for pumping rainwater from said container means when said circuit means produces said given signal, and means for detecting and indicating the number of cycles of operation of said peristaltic pump and, hence, the amount of rainwater collected.

8. A rain gauge comprising:

container means for collectind and containing rainwater, capacitor means disposed in said container means so that rainwater alters capacitance of said capacitor means from a first to second value when the rainwater reaches a first predetermined level in said container means, circuit means electrically connected to said capacitor means for producing a given signal whenever said capacitance of said capacitor means is altered by said rainwater to said second value, a peristaltic pump connected to said circuit means for pumping rainwater from said container means when said circuit means produces said given signal, and means for detecting and indicating the number of cycles of operation of said peristaltic pump, and, hence, the amount of rainwater collected.