Gauge apparatus for measuring liquid levels
First Claim
1. Gauge apparatus for measuring liquid levels comprising a buoyant device adapted to float in the liquid being measured, said buoyant device including a body which has an annular portion and is formed of magnetic material, an immersible elongated sensor adapted to be arranged in upright position and having an electrical characteristic which may be varied, means connecting said buoyant device to said sensor for movement with respect thereto for varying said electrical characteristic in response to variations in elevation of said buoyant device caused by changes in level of the aforesaid liquid, said connecting means including force-generating means for holding said buoyant device in operative engagement with said sensor, said force-generating means including a permanently magnetized device that provides a concentrated magnetic field along a path that extends longitudinally of said sensor, said buoyant device and said magnetized device including means for maintaining said buoyant device in aligned registry with said path while said annular portion is in rolling engagement with said sensor, and means for measuring said electrical characteristic thereby to provide an indication of such level.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention pertains to gauge apparatus for measuring liquid levels comprising an elongated electrical sensor adapted to be arranged in upright position while immersed so constructed as to have an electrical resistance which may be varied. A spherical float is magnetically attracted to the sensor for rolling movement with respect thereto for varying the resistance in response to variation in elevation of float caused by changes in the level of the liquid. The resistance is measured thereby to provide an indication of such level. The magnetic attraction holds the float and sensor in operative engagement at all times including those during which the float changes height in response to changes in the level of the liquid being measured. The presence of different liquid is also detected in a given vessel, such as gasoline and water, and an indication and alarm of vessel overfill during a filling operation is provided.
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Citations
44 Claims
- 1. Gauge apparatus for measuring liquid levels comprising a buoyant device adapted to float in the liquid being measured, said buoyant device including a body which has an annular portion and is formed of magnetic material, an immersible elongated sensor adapted to be arranged in upright position and having an electrical characteristic which may be varied, means connecting said buoyant device to said sensor for movement with respect thereto for varying said electrical characteristic in response to variations in elevation of said buoyant device caused by changes in level of the aforesaid liquid, said connecting means including force-generating means for holding said buoyant device in operative engagement with said sensor, said force-generating means including a permanently magnetized device that provides a concentrated magnetic field along a path that extends longitudinally of said sensor, said buoyant device and said magnetized device including means for maintaining said buoyant device in aligned registry with said path while said annular portion is in rolling engagement with said sensor, and means for measuring said electrical characteristic thereby to provide an indication of such level.
- 25. Gauge apparatus for measuring liquid levels comprising an immersible elongated sensor adapted to be arranged in an upright position and having electrical resistance which varies in response to changes of level of the liquid in which said sensor is immersed, said sensor including a continuous strip of resistive material, a plurality of discrete contacts connected at spaced intervals to said continuous resistive strip and thereby forming a plurality of series connected resistive elements, and a continuous flexible contactor strip normally spaced from said discrete contacts and selectably yieldably engageable therewith, said contactor strip responsive to pressure head of said liquid for contacting said discrete contacts beneath the level of liquid and thereby shorting those resistive elements beneath the level of said liquid, a source of voltage connected in series with said sensor which causes a flow of current therethrough, and means for maintaining said flow of current substantially constant with variations in the number of resistive elements which are shorted, whereby the potential drop due to said current across each of said resistive elements remains constant irrespective of the number of said elements which may be shorted.
- 36. Gauge apparatus for measuring liquid levels comprising a buoyant device adapted to float in liquid being measured, said buoyant device including a body having an annular portion and being formed of magnetic material, said body being of a buoyancy in a given liquid which provides for maximum buoyancy force for an incremental change in degree of submergence of said body in said liquid, an immersible elongated sensor adapted to be arranged in upright position and having an electrical characteristic which may be varied, said sensor including an elongated resistance and an elongated conductive contact speced therefrom in parallel overlying relation but which may be conductively contacted therewith, said buoyant device being operatively engageable with said elongated contact thereby to force the latter in the region of such operative engagement into electrical contact with said resistance, the level of said liquid determining the vertical position of such region, said sensor including a plurality of electrical contacts on said resistance spaced apart longitudinally of the latter, said contacts being raised relative to said resistance, said buoyant device having rolling engagement with said contacts, means connecting said buoyant device to said sensor for movement with respect thereto for varying said electrical characteristic in response to variations in elevation of said buoyant device caused by changes in level of the aforesaid liquid, said connecting means including magnetic force-generating means for holding said buoyant device in operative engagement with said sensor, said magnetic force-generating means providing a field which permeates the spaces between contacts but is shunted thereby whereby said buoyant device tends to remain at rest while in registry between and in operative engagement with adjacent contacts but is unstable when operatively engaged with only a single contact, and means for measuring said electrical characteristics thereby to provide an indication of such level.
- 41. Gauge apparatus for measuring liquid levels comprising an elongated sensor adapted to be arranged in an upright position within a body of liquid to be measured, said sensor having an electrical characteristic which may be varied in response to changes in level of said body of liquid, means responsive to pressure head of said liquid for varying said electrical characteristic beneath the level of said liquid, and a buoyant device which floats in said liquid at a position corresponding to said liquid level and which movably engages said sensor, and means for magnetically attracting and holding said buoyant device engaged with said sensor whereby said electrical characteristic is further varied by said buoyant means to correspond substantially precisely to said liquid level.
Specification