Abstract: A system for sensing the surface level of flowable material within a container, comprises a drop weight secured to a cable through a pulley for being disposed above the material and brought into contact with the surface level of the material. The cable is wound and anchored to a spool driven by a reversible motor. A transducer operably secured to the pulley provides an output responsive to the strain on the cable exerted by drop weight. A signal processor connected to the transducer generates an output signal responsive to the drop weight being supported by the material. A pulse generator for generating a plurality of pulses the number of which is proportional to the amount of rotation of the spool.

Abstract: It is object of the present invention to provide a car-carried indicating device which provides a clear indication by the needle and a good readability are secured, and which looks larger than the actual one, leading to improvement of the valid of commodity. In a car-carried indicating device, a character plate 1 includes a substantially circular transparent portion 2 at the indicating position, transparent numerals 3a and a scale 3b being circularly arrayed around the transparent portion 2. A disk-like needle plate 8, which is driven to turn in accordance with given measuring quantities, is made of light diffusion base material. The needle plate 8 is disposed on the front side of the character plate 1. A transparent slit 9 as a needle shining when it receives back-light, which is formed on the needle plate, is extended up to the circumferential outer end of the needle plate 8.

Abstract: An improved liquid level measuring device with an armless float which is equipped with a pair of symmetric multi-point contact arms hidden inside the armless float so as to protect the same from being damaged in mounting. The present liquid level measuring device has a circuit including two portions each of which is disposed on one side of the sliding pole of the liquid level measuring device, permitting the reduction of the size of the same. A plurality of liquid discharge ditches which can be defined in any form are disposed on each portion of the circuit path for easy expelling of liquid particles adhered on the surface thereof. The multi-point contact arms can scrape off insulating oxydized coatings on the circuit paths in repeated sliding operation thereof so as to permit the contact between the arms and the paths constantly in an effective manner.

Abstract: Disclosed is a diagnostic system for measuring and monitoring selected operating parameters of a solenoid operated valve. The valve assembly, comprised of a valve body, a valve plug attached to a valve stem is actuated or operated by a solenoid. The valve assembly is provided with one or more sensors attached to or positioned adjacent to the valve assembly to measure and monitor selected operating parameters of the valve assembly and provide electrical output signals indicative of the measurements to a signal conditioning, processing and data collection apparatus used to receive and record the electrical output signals. The diagnostic system allows the user of the valve to measure and monitor the various electrical and mechanical activities of the valve during its operation while in service and to see if the valve is operating within its design parameters.

Abstract: An apparatus for preventing flag banners from folding is provided. The apparatus comprises a flag pole having an upper portion with an annular recess formed therein, a lower base with an annular recess and two connecting buttons rotatably coupled within the respective annular recesses. The flag banner is connected to the flag pole by two button holes engaged by the two connecting buttons. The connecting buttons rotate within the annular recesses so that when the wind blows in a different direction, the flag banner can change direction accordingly, without wrapping the flag around the pole.

Abstract: A bookmark (10) includes a head member (11) connected to an elongated, flexible tail member (13). Removable adhesive (12) is disposed on the head member for attaching the bookmark to the spine (15) of a book (16). The tail member is draped over the top of the book and positioned between two selected pages. A removable adhesive dot (14) disposed on the tail member allows it to be removably attached to one of the pages, thereby marking a specific piece of information and directing the attention of the reader thereto. In another embodiment, the head member (21) is U-shaped so that the title (27) of the book (26) is visible between the arms of the head. In yet another embodiment, the tail (55) includes several adhesive markers (56) that can each be independently attached to a different location on page. In still another embodiment, the tail (34) is separable along lines of perforations (33) into multiple tails (35) for marking different pages in the same book.

Abstract: A monitoring device for indicating relative motion between first and second structural members. The motion monitoring device includes a first component with a base and a markable indicator member. The markable indicator is disposed on the top surface of the base, and the bottom surface of the base is fixedly mounted to the first structural member. The second component includes a base, a support arm and a marking indicator member. The second component base, which is fixedly mounted to the second structural member, is connected to one end of the support arm. The other end of the support arm is connected to the marking indicator member. The first component and the second component are operationally alignable upon mounting to the respective first and second structural members such that the markable indicator member and the marking indicator member achieve contact therebetween.

Abstract: A shield that is substantially planar and pliant, and includes at least two substantially parallel slits provided in the shield into which the fingers of one hand of the user may be inserted so as to wrap around the portion of the shield between those slits and retain the shield in a position to obscure visual access to the information the user wants to shield from view.

Abstract: This clearance indicating device has a pivotal rod for contacting an automobile when the latter is driven close to a wall surface. The pivotal rod causes a sliding rod to slide upwards from a support frame. The closer the automobile is positioned to the wall surface the higher the sliding rod will extend upwards from the support frame. Two pivotally mounted cantilever arms are mounted on the support frame. The arms are connected to two ends of a sliding cord coupled to the sliding rod such that the arms will swing upwards in various degrees to indicate the closeness of the automobile to the vertical wall surface.

Abstract: A non-intrusive mounting system and method for coupling microwave instruments to a container flange having an opening into a container. The mounting system includes a microwave transparent window and a mounting flange having a window recess for accommodating the microwave transparent window. The microwave transparent window is compressively fastened over the container opening between the mounting flange and the container flange. Microwave instruments such as radar level sensing apparatus can be mounted on and removed from the mounting flange without breaking the seal to the container.

Abstract: A mouth blown sports whistle includes a mouthpiece that communicates with a sound chamber and emits an audio signal when pressurized air is blown into the mouthpiece and a second chamber that communicates via a passageway with the sound chamber. A visual member is housed in the second chamber in a retracted position so as to be capable of extending through an opening therein to an extended position when pressurized air enters the second chamber from said sound chamber to thereby render a visual signal of the blowing of the whistle. The whistle may further include a check valve associated with the second chamber to temporally hold the visual member in its extended position after the extension thereof and also a release valve associated with the second chamber to permit the visual member to return to its retracted position to ready the whistle for another combined audio and visual signalling.

Abstract: An audible push-up detector produces a sound when the device is compressed between the chest of a user and the underlying floor or surface, thus alerting an instructor or supervisor, as well as the user of the device, that the exercise has been performed properly. The device comprises a hollow, air filled flexible, pliable, resilient container having a reed valve or the like installed in one side. When the device is compressed, as between the chest and the underlying surface when a person is performing push-ups, air within the device pneumatically actuates the reed valve to produce a sound. Thus, the device is most useful in group exercise or physical training sessions, where a single supervisor or at most a relatively few supervisory personnel must monitor a large number of persons performing push-up exercises. The device includes a spacer disposed therebeneath, to position the pneumatic device at the proper height.

Abstract: A floatless liquid level gauge assembly utilizing polymeric resistive/conductive elements is provided which measures the liquid level of partially conductive or conductive liquids in a tank using a three terminal voltage divider network or a two terminal voltage or current network. The polymeric resistive/conductive element(s) extending into the tank and the liquid in the tank provide an electrical path which provides a signal proportional to the liquid level in the tank.

Abstract: A device for measuring the moisture content of a moisture-containing sample, which includes an electronic balance for measuring the weight of an airtight sample holder containing the sample and placed on a receiver thereof. The sample holder has a side wall provided with a gas discharge pipe extending horizontally outwardly from therefrom. A gas feed tube having a front portion inserted into the gas discharge pipe of the sample holder is held without contacting with the inside wall of the discharge pipe. An infrared lamp is disposed above the electronic balance to heat the sample in the sample holder and to remove the moisture from the sample. By feeding an inert gas through the feed tube into the sample holder, the heating of the sample with the lamp is performed in an inert gas atmosphere.

Abstract: A device for providing visual indication and record of the actuation of a tank vent opening the comprising a rod contacting a tank vent pallet at one end and a magnet affixed to another end of said rod, which moves in a chamber adjacent to a set of vertically positioned rotationally mounted magnetic wafers with visually distinguishable sides. The magnets all have the same polarity then the rising magnet occasioned by the opening tank vent will flip the wafers as far as the magnet travels, but will not affect the wafers when it goes down after the vent closes.

Abstract: An anti-fouling device for tethering a flag or banner to a supporting member, mainly a small, house-mounted flag pole. This device includes an externally radiused, tapered housing, mounted on top end of flag pole, with a hole through apex leading into a recessed area of the housing, and a tether, with one end secured into the recessed area by way of the apex hole, and with opposite end of the tether secured to top grommet of the flag or banner. By this tether from the flag to the top of the pole, with nothing to obstruct the movement, and with freedom for the flag to move up and down and around in a 360-degree circle, and the effect of the weight of the flag being reduced by not being cantilevered from the top of the pole, binding cannot occur. This device also includes an additional tether connecting lower grommet of the flag to a floating link which surrounds a pair of guides that are positioned and secured onto flagpole adjacent to the lower grommet of flag.

Abstract: An easy open beverage container has a lever tab for breaking open a scored panel portion of the end wall by lifting up the distal lift end. The tab is held rotatably to the end wall by a rivet, which acts as a fulcrum forcing the proximal end of the tab downward to break open the scored panel portion. A plurality of spaced apart, unique indicia are disposed in an arc on the panel wall around the rivet. The distal lift end, after opening the can is lowered to lie against the end wall and is rotated to point to one of said indicia to thereby uniquely identify that opened container so that it will not be inadvertently used by another.

Abstract: Thermal, optical, physical and chemical characteristics of a substrate (11) surface are determined with non-contact optical techniques that include illuminating (23) the surface with radiation having a ripple intensity characteristic (51), and then measuring the combined intensities (53) of that radiation after modification by the substrate surface and radiation emitted from the surface. Precise determinations of emissivity, reflectivity, temperature, changing surface composition, the existence of any layer formed on the surface and its thickness are all possible from this measurement. They may be made in situ and substantially in real time, thus allowing the measurement to control (39, 41) various processes of treating a substrate surface. This has significant applicability to semiconductor wafer processing and metal processing.

Abstract: Apparatus for determining the position of a piston in a hydraulically or pneumatically operated actuator including a fixed position, rotatable shaft having a pair of attached pins, each pin off-set from the center of the shaft. The pins are positioned on either side of a drive ring located about the circumference of the piston. When the piston moves in either direction, one of the pair of pins will remain in contact with the drive ring and cause uni-directional rotation of the shaft. In order to detect piston position, a sensor is mounted to detect shaft rotation.

Abstract: A digital liquid level measuring device determines the liquid level by reading a scale of a vertical series of horizontal binary coded numbers representing linear divisions. The measurement is direct rather than inferential and provides more accurate reading than existing methods. The digital measuring system does not suffer from the disadvantages of signal stability, drift, accuracy, calibration, error detection and size of range. The device has a fixed vertical scale, a float movable in a substantially vertical path maintaining a controlled distance from the fixed scale, a reading head on the float to read each of the horizontal binary coded numbers individually on the scale representing liquid level and a connection from the reading level to a display which provides an indication of liquid level.