Pneumatic material alarm

• US 5,054,653 A
• Filed: 05/04/1990
• Issued: 10/08/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Graves Spray Supply Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Graves Spray Supply Incorporated
• Inventors: McNab, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huppert, Michael S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory L.
• Application Number:
  US07/519,154
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 222/25, 222/28, 222/31, 222/39, 222/55, 222/638, 222/148, 222/251, 222/333, 116/4, 116/62.4, 116/271, 116/292, 340/406
• US Class Current: 222/28
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/44 using jets of fluid

Abstract

A system including a nonelectrical sensor for sensing the position of a needle of a gauge as it moves along a path and providing the sensed nonelectrical signal to a nonelectrical annunciator for annunciating when the needle is not at a predetermined position. The sensor is adjustably mounted with respect to the path of the needle by mounting the sensor to an adjustable transparent face plate of the gauge. A range portion is provided on a standard needle. A nonelectrical flush alarm includes a sensor to sense that the pump of a spraying or dispensing system is operating. If this sensor does not provide a signal to a timer for a preset period, the timer will produce a timed out signal which will be annunciated by an annunciator. .3

Claims

1. A non-electrical gauge alarm comprising:

a gauge having a needle movable along a path in response to an input;

a non-electric sensor means for sensing a predetermined position of said needle;

adjustment means for variably adjusting a mounting of said sensor means relative to said path of said needle to determine said predetermined position; and

annunciator means for annunciating when said needle is not at said predetermined position as sensed by said sensor means.

2. An alarm according to claim 1, wherein said sensor means and said annunciator means are pneumatic.

3. An alarm according to claim 1, wherein said needle includes a range portion whose length along said path defines a range of predetermined positions and said sensor means is positioned to sense said range portion.

4. An alarm according to claim 3, wherein said range portion is adjustable in length to vary the range of predetermined positions.

5. An alarm according to claim 1, wherein:

said gauge includes a transparent face plate mounted to a gauge housing;

said sensor means is mounted to said face plate; and

said adjustment means adjustably mounts said face plate to said housing to adjust the position of said sensor means.

6. An alarm according to claim 5, wherein said sensor means is pneumatic and is mounted in an orifice in said face plate.

7. An alarm according to claim 5, wherein:

said housing includes a recess receiving said face plate; and

said adjustment means secures said face plate fixed in said recess at said predetermined position and unsecures said face plate to allow adjustment to a new predetermined position before resecuring said face plate in said recess.

8. An alarm according to claim 7, wherein said recess and said adjustment means include and engage at complementary threaded portions.

9. An alarm according to claim 7, wherein said path is a portion of a circle;

and said recess and said face plate are circular and have a center coaxial with the center of said path.

10. A non-electrical material alarm comprising:

a gauge having a needle movable along a path in response to an input indicating material flow rate from a dispensing system;

first non-electric sensor means for sensing a predetermined position of said needle;

adjustment means for variably adjusting a mounting of said first sensor means relative to said path of said needle to determine said predetermined position; and

first annunciator means for annunciating when said needle is not at said predetermined position as sensed by said first sensor means.

11. An alarm according to claim 10, wherein said first sensor means and said first annunciator means are pneumatic.

12. An alarm according to claim 10, wherein:

said gauge includes a face plate mounted to a gauge housing;

said first sensor means is mounted to said face plate; and

said adjustment means adjustably mounts said face plate to said housing to adjust the position of said first sensor means.

13. An alarm according to claim 10, wherein said needle includes a range portion whose length along said path defines a range of predetermined positions and said first sensor means is positioned to sense said range portion.

14. An alarm according to claim 13, wherein said range portion is adjustable in length to vary the range of predetermined positions.

15. An alarm according to claim 10, including:

second sensor for sensing that material is being dispensed by said dispensing system;

timer means for providing a timed-out signal when a predetermined period of time has expired since said dispensing system has stopped dispensing material as sensed by said second sensor means; and

second annunciator means for annunciating said timed-out signal.

16. An alarm according to claim 15, wherein said second sensor means senses mechanical motion of a pump of said dispensing system.

17. An alarm according to claim 15, wherein said first and second sensor means, said timer means and said first and second annunciator means are pneumatic.

18. An alarm according to claim 15, wherein said second sensor means resets said timer means for any sensed dispensing before said timer means provides said timed-out signal.

19. An alarm according to claim 15, wherein said predetermined period of said timer means is set to the set time of the material being dispensed.

20. A non-electrical material alarm comprising:

a gauge having a needle movable along a path in response to an input of material flow rate of a dispensing system;

first non-electric sensor means for sensing a predetermined position of said needle;

second sensor means for sensing that material is being dispensed by said dispensing system;

timer means for providing a timed-out signal when a predetermined period of time has expired since said dispensing system has stopped dispensing material as sensed by said second sensor means; and

first annunciator means for annunciating when said needle is not at said predetermined position as sensed by said first sensor means or occurrence of said timed-out signal.

21. An alarm according to claim 20, wherein said second sensor means senses mechanical motion of a pump of said dispensing system.

22. An alarm according to claim 20, wherein said first and second sensor means, said timer means and said first annunciator means are pneumatic.

23. An alarm according to claim 20, including:

second annunciator means for only annunciating when said needle is not at said predetermined position as sensed by said first sensor means; and

third annunciator means for only annunciating said timed-out signal.

24. An alarm according to claim 23, wherein said first and second sensor means, said timer means and said first, second and third annunciator means are pneumatic.

25. An alarm according to claim 23, wherein said first annunciator means is audible and said second and third annunciator means are visual.

26. A non-electrical flush alarm comprising:

a non-electric sensor means for sensing that material is being dispensed by a dispensing system;

non-electric timer means for providing a timed-out signal when a predetermined period of time has expired since said dispensing system has stopped dispensing material as sensed by said sensor means; and

annunciator means for annunciating said timed-out signal.

27. An alarm according to claim 26, wherein said sensor means senses mechanical motion of a pump of said dispensing system.

28. An alarm according to claim 26, wherein said sensor means, said timer means and said annunciator means are pneumatic.

29. An alarm according to claim 26, wherein said sensor means resets said timer means for any sensed dispensing of material before said timer means provides said timed-out signal.

30. An alarm according to claim 26, wherein said predetermined period of said timer means is set in response to the material being dispensed.