Moisture alarm

• US 4,264,902 A
• Filed: 02/07/1980
• Issued: 04/28/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kitco Corp.
• Original Assignee: James W. Miller
• Inventors: Miller, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brigance, Gerald L.
• Application Number:
  US06/119,537
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 340/604, 340/602, 340/603, 340/620, 340/605, 324/448, 73/304 R, 73/307, 73/308, 73/322.5
• US Class Current: 340/604
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/18 Indicating, recording or alarm devices actuated electrically
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/20 responsive to moisture

Abstract

A moisture alarm comprises a watertight system with three probes extending down as supportive legs and as ballast from a floatable body or case containing audible and/or RF pulsing-alarm circuitry responsive to moisture detected by any or all of the probes; the case is upwardly convex on top to slip from beneath fixed obstacles in rising water; a provision prevents the probe from shorting out when the unit is set on a metal deck; the free ends of the probes, each of which has a set of outer and inner coaxial electrodes, are apertured, providing access for moisture to reach the inner electrode; a mercury switch sounds the alarm when the unit is tipped over in position lifting inner electrodes from the floor but can be over-ridden by a shunt which permits the unit to be operated inverted as a randdrop alarm; a dual ring conductor embodiment is also disclosed.

Claims

1. In a system having means for sensing the presence of moisture and sounding an alarm, the improvement comprising:

a case, a plurality of probes extending downwardly from the case as legs supporting the case;

each probe including first and second electrodes, means spacing apart the first and second electrodes, and circuit means in said case responsive to the first and second electrodes for sounding an alarm in the presence of moisture forming a conductive path across the first and second electrodes, said case and probes being watertight and said system being floatative, said probes being sufficiently heavy relative to the case for causing the case to float above the probes with the upper portion of the case above water level when floating in water.

2. In a system as recited in claim 1, the case being circular with the upper portion thereof having upwardly convex shape for preventing the case from hanging on obstacles when floating.

3. In a system as recited in claim 2, the probes being three in number for stability when resting on uneven surfaces, and the probes being substantially parallel and coextensive.

4. In a system as recited in claim 1, each first electrode being tubular and coaxially disposed about each respective second electrode.

5. In a system as recited in claim 4, each first electrode having a radial aperture therein for admitting moisture to the respective said second electrode.

6. In a system as recited in claim 4, all said first and second electrodes being substantially coextensive.

7. In a system as recited in claim 5, means for preventing shorting between first and second electrodes when resting on conductive surfaces such as metal floors, comprising an insulative spacer over the lower end of each probe.

8. In a system as recited in claim 5, said system being invertible for use as a raindrop detector, means insulatively separating each first electrode from the respective second electrode, and each radial aperture reaching to the means insulatively separating for draining rainwater out of each probe when said system is inverted for use as a raindrop detector.

9. In a system as recited in claim 2, a first ring-shaped conductor connecting all said first electrodes and a second ring shaped conductor spaced in-plane from the first ring-shaped conductor and connecting all said second electrodes.

10. In a system as recited in claim 9, the diameter of the case being substantially greater than the length of the probe.

11. In a system as recited in claim 9, the first and second ring-shaped electrodes having arched clearances for liquid to flow therepast.