Abstract: An automatic, ultrasonic system for controlling the filling of different sizes of beverage containers which may or may not contain various quantities of ice. The system includes a transducer assembly and a control module, both preferably connected to a beverage dispenser valve assembly. The transducer assembly includes a pair of piezo-electric crystals for separately transmitting and receiving ultrasonic wave energy from the grate, the cup lip, the top of any ice in the cup, and the rising liquid level. The control module includes a microcomputer and associated circuitry.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus for accurately measuring the alteration of a liquid quantity, especially the quantity of oil in an internal combustion engine, in a reservoir containing said liquid, especially the oil pan of the internal combustion engine, comprises a measuring chamber which is separate from the reservoir and communicated thereto via a liquid compensator conduit. The liquid compensator conduit and the measuring chamber are heated to a constant temperature by heater. A level sensor for measuring the propagation of a sonic signal is disposed within the measuring chamber above the liquid level. Any temperature variations in the measuring chamber above the liquid level are detected by a gas thermometer and are utilized in an evaluator unit for correcting the measured level signal.

Abstract: The level of a stack of coins in a stack tube is monitored by an ultrasonic transducer disposed above the stack tube. The transducer directs a train of ultrasonic pulses down towards the top of the stack and measures the transit time between the emitted and reflected pulses. The monitoring apparatus is particularly suitable for use in a gaming, amusement, vending or change machine which has a number of stack tubes from which coins are payed out by a payout device under the control of a control unit.

Abstract: An ultrasonic depth gauge 20 for liquids under high pressure is comprised of a transducer assembly 21 and a supporting electronics unit 22. The transducer assembly is mounted into the bottom wall of a storage vessel 12 with its resonating surface directly exposed to the highly pressurized liquid 13 in the vessel. The transducer assembly consists of a conventional transducer element 38 rigidly bonded to the inside wall of a bored out conventional high-pressure plug 30 thereby forming a composite resonator 50. The element and the plug wall resonate as one upon electrical excitation of the element while the transducer element is completely shielded from any exposure to the liquid under high pressure. The composite resonator sends a vibration up to the surface of the liquid where it is reflected back to the composite resonator. The supporting electronics unit measures the vibration round-trip transit time which is proportional to the depth 15 of the liquid.

Abstract: The liquid level detector using guided waves, comprises a first transducer situated out of the liquid for sending an incident elastic pulse which propagates in an elongated guide of which the lower part is immersed in the liquid, a second transducer situated out of the liquid and receiving the elastic pulse sent by the first transducer and transmitted by the guide, and electronic circuits for measuring the time elapsing between the transmission of an incident elastic pulse by the first transducer and the subsequent reception of the same elastic wave by the second transducer.

Abstract: A drink dispenser assembly used for filling receptacles when placed into a position to receive liquid dispensed from a nozzle comprises a valve which is controlled by a solenoid connected to an electric circuit, a switch operated at the will of the operator to actuate the electric circuit and the solenoid to open the valve and initiate a filling cycle, an assembly operative to suspend the receptacle below the nozzle, and an arm positioned proximate the receptacle when the receptacle is placed into a position to receive liquid, the arm operative to sense the filled condition of the receptacle and deactuate the electric circuit and the solenoid to close the valve and terminate the filling cycle.

Abstract: An ultrasonic echo sounding apparatus disposed at a measuring location transmits ultrasonic pulses in successive transmission periods. The echo pulses received after reflection at a target are converted to electrical envelope signals which represent the envelope curves of the echo pulses. The envelope signals are transmitted via a connecting line to an evaluation apparatus disposed at an evaluation station remote from the measuring location. In the evaluation apparatus the envelope signals are evaluated for determining the target distance from the travel time of the ultrasonic pulses. The transmission of envelope signals results in the advantage that the information contained in the pulse shape of the echo pulses is available in the evaluation station, although it is not necessary to transmit signals having the high frequency of the ultrasonic pulses via the connecting line.

Abstract: The sonic or ultrasonic distance measuring device used for example to measure the filling level in a container comprises an electroacoustic transducer which operates alternately as transmission transducer for the transmission of sonic or ultrasonic pulses and as reception transducer for the reception of the reflected echo pulses. Connected to the transducer is a signal processing circuit which includes an amplifier with controllable gain and a threshold value discriminator. A gain control circuit controls the gain of the amplifier during a predetermined period after the start of each transmission pulse in accordance with a stored function which is fixed in accordance with the dying-down behaviour of the transducer so that the electrical signals originating from the dying-down of the transducer after amplification are smaller than the threshold value of the threshold value discriminator but are as close as possible to said threshold value.

Abstract: Procedure to measure the level (14) of a liquid (13) by means of elastic waves, such liquid (13) being contained within an axially moving tube (11) and cooperating with a filler tube (12), the filler tube (12) being used as an element in the transmission of elastic waves to the liquid (13), such elastic waves being picked up (16) outside the axially moving tube (11).Device (10) to carry out the above procedure, which device (10) cooperates with a filler tube (12) and comprises:at least one transducer (15) to transmit energization of the vibration of the filler tube (12), andat least one receiver transducer (16) located outside the axially moving tube (11).

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting and controlling the presence of a gaseous fluid in relation to a predetermined level of liquid in a vessel, being of the ultrasonic type and comprising a pair of piezoelectric transducers, namely a transmitter and a receiver, capable of being disposed on opposite walls of the vessel. An oscillator provides an electric ultrasonic frequency signal to the transmitter transducer and a comparator compares the electric signal supplied by the receiver transducer with a reference signal for triggering an alarm signal when the disparity between the signals being compared exceeds a predetermined value.The apparatus moreover comprises processing means which periodically interrupt the electric signal sent to the transmitter transducer and which check the presence of an alarm at the output of the above mentioned comparator.

Abstract: A device for detecting the presence of a gaseous fluid in relation to a predetermined level of liquid in an elastically deformable vessel comprises a U-shaped body capable of accommodating within it a portion of the vessel at a predetermined liquid level. A pair of piezoelectric transducers in the body, used as transmitter and receiver, is fixed face-to-face on opposite arms of the U-shaped body. The device moreover comprises a cover capable of confining the portion of the vessel inside the U-shaped body, and an elastic device disposed between the cover and the U-shaped body and capable of producing an elastic deformation of the vessel and causing the contact surfaces of transducers to contact intimately the said portion of the vessel without entrapment of air.

Abstract: An echo ranging gun (10) is disclosed which is useable with high pressure gas wells having gas pressure exceeding 15,000 psi. The gun (10) is connected to the needle valve (30) typically encountered on a well having high pressure. The needle valve can have a diameter as small as approximately 1/8 inch. The gun (10) has a passage (38) which is exposed to the gas in the wellbore (14) and a volume chamber (46). A poppet valve (56) is movable between open and closed positions in the volume chamber by rotating a wing handle (88) connected to a head (78) within the volume chamber (46) which has a ramp (80) to contact the poppet valve (56) to move the valve to the closed position. A bleed valve (112) is used to bleed the wellbore gas from the volume chamber to create a predetermined pressure differential between the passage (38) and volume chamber (46). Further rotation of the wing handle (88) causes the poppet valve (56) to be released from the ramp at a down step (86).

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting the position of an object with an ultrasonic wave includes a timing control circuit generating first and second timing signal trains, the interval of the first timing signal trains being set to be shorter than that of the second; an ultrasonic wave pulse generator circuit generating first and second ultrasonic wave pulses in synchronism with the first and second timing signal trains, the first ultrasonic wave pulses covering a short distance range to the object and the second ultrasonic wave pulses covering a long distance range to the object, the width of the first ultrasonic wave pulse being set to be shorter than that of the second. An ultrasonic wave pulse transmitter transmits alternately the first and second ultrasonic wave pulses; a receiver receives the reflected first and second ultrasonic wave pulses from the object; and a discriminator circuit discriminates the reflected first and second ultrasonic wave pulses from the receiver.

Abstract: An ice detector to detect a lyaer of ice on a thin solid sheet 14, such as the skin of an aircraft wing, even in the presence of water, comprises two ultrasonic transducers attached to the sheet. The first transducer 10 is adapted to cause propagation of ultrasonic waves through the sheet 14 having their predominant component parallel to the surface of the sheet 14. Such waves will dissipate energy into an ice layer adhering to the surface, but not into air or a liquid layer. The second transducer 30 is adapted to detect the waves propagating in the sheet and to give a signal representative of their amplitude. A discriminator 34 responsive to the signal detects the presence of an ice layer on the surface.

Abstract: A parameter such as the depth (d) of a liquid (12) in a tank (10) is measured by use of an ultrasonic transducer (14) outside the tank (10). This is possible by choosing the ultrasonic frequency and the thickness of the tank wall such that a defined relationship is satisfied.

Abstract: An ultrasonic, echo-ranging instrument for measuring the level of liquid in an open channel or tank. The instrument includes a transducer disposed at a fixed position directly above the liquid surface, the nature of the gaseous environment therebetween determining the velocity of ultrasonic energy propagated therethrough. The transducer is excited to emit periodic pulses which are intercepted by the liquid surface and by a reference point a fixed distance from the transducer to produce both reference and liquid echo pulses that are returned to the transducer and detected thereby. The respective transit times of the reference echo and the liquid echo pulses are determined, and the ratio between these transit times is computed to provide an output representing the level of liquid independent of changes in the gaseous environment. To ensure accurate readings, the reference echo and liquid echo pulses from the transducer are fed to a single automatic gain control circuit whose operation is time shared.

Abstract: A level sensing system including ultrasonic sound wave transducer means for emitting ultrasonic sound waves and for receiving ultrasonic sound waves reflected from a receptacle whose content level is to be sensed; a content level detector, responsive to the reflected ultrasonic sound waves, for determining the level of the contents of the receptacle; a rim detector, responsive to the reflected ultrasonic sound waves, for determining the location of the rim of the receptacle; and a level comparator, responsive to the rim detector and the content level detector, for comparing the content level with the rim location for indicating when the content level and the rim location are a predetermined distance apart.

Abstract: A container of known volume, such as a fuel tank of an automotive vehicle, is provided with a loudspeaker-like membrane which can be energized to produce a pressure pulse in the gas space above the liquid in the container. The oscillations of this gas space are then converted into a signal via the diaphragm and the period of the signal is determined to provide the volume of the gas space. This is subtracted from the gas volume of the container automatically to indicate the liquid volume and the liquid volume can be displayed on the dashboard of the vehicle.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring acoustic transmission characteristics of at least one medium to be measured in which at least one elongated hollow chamber is immersed. The chamber is closed at its bottom end and is filled with an acoustic connecting liquid, and at least two separate movable transducers are immersed in the connecting liquid within the chamber in spaced relation to the wall thereof, the chamber having a cross-sectional shape such that a directional acoustic path between opposite emitter and collector transducers passes through the medium to be measured, the medium being out of direct contact with the transducers.

Abstract: An acoustic system is provided for measuring the fluid level in oil, gas or water wells under pressure conditions that does not require an electrical link to the surface for level detection. A battery powered sound transmitter is integrated with a liquid sensor in the form of a conductivity probe, enclosed in a sealed housing which is lowered into a well by means of a wire line reel assembly. The sound transmitter generates an intense identifiable acoustic emission when the sensor contacts liquid in the well. The acoustic emissions propagate up the well which functions as a waveguide and are detected by an acoustic transducer. The output signal from the transducer is filtered to provide noise rejection outside of the acoustic signal spectrum. The filtered signal is used to indicate to an operator the liquid level in the well has been reached and the depth is read from a footage counter coupled with the wire line reel assembly at the instant the sound signal is received.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring and indicating the settlement of the floor of a large liquid containing vessel such as an oil storage tank. The apparatus comprises sonic echo sounding means positioned at or movable between each of a multiplicity of spaced points disposed within the vessel and above its floor in known relationship one with another, and ranging means for furnishing for each point, and upon the basis of the echo sounding means output, a measure of the distance from the point to the vessel floor and an indicator (preferably visual) for indicating from the ranging results the settlement of the floor below those points. In preferred embodiments, the surface of the liquid within the vessel is utilized as a datum and the arrangement may be adapted to provide an indication of the volume of liquid within the vessel.

Abstract: A gas gun for producing pressure pulses for measuring the liquid level in a well. A body is adapted to be connected to a well and includes first and second chambers which are interconnected by a passageway. Pressure pulses flowing between the chambers creates a pressure pulse for transmittal to a well which is measured by a microphone measuring pressure variations. A piston actuated valve opens and closes the passageway between the first and second chambers. A firing valve transmits the higher pressure in one of the chambers to the back of the piston for closing the valve, and after one of the chambers is pressurized, exhausts the pressure from the back of the pressurized piston for opening the valve and creating a pressure pulse between the chambers. A spring biases the piston actuated valve to the closed position.

Abstract: A device for the determination of the charging level in a container has a vibrator on which two torsional vibrators (10, 12) of the same resonance frequency vibrate in an opposite way. The vibration elements (10, 12) are arranged coaxially and have a common center of rotation (20) which is located in the center of a diaphragm (14) serving as a return spring for the outer element (10). The inner element (12) is designed in the shape of a rod and has a tapering (17) in the area of the center of rotation (20) acting as a return spring. Owing to the design according to the invention, a charging level determination is possible with goods charged of a high and of a low density whereby the detection sensitivity is almost independent of the clamping conditions of the vibrator.

Abstract: A storage tank level monitoring apparatus and method for determining fluid levels in a storage tank. The apparatus of the present invention includes a magnet coated with rubber for holding a pivotally mounted housing to the interior of the storage tank and an ultrasonic transducer contained within the housing for generating acoustic pulses and for receiving reflections of the acoustic pulses for producing an analog signal proportional to the reflections, a string carrying a number of reference disks vertically oriented below the housing for producing a series of reflected acoustic signals from each reference disk, and a processor connected to the ultrasonic transducer for activating the transducer and for analyzing the reflected pulses for calibrating the apparatus for environmental changes in the atmosphere above the stored fluid and for determining the level of the stored fluid in the tank.

Abstract: An ultrasonic echo-ranging system adopted to measure the level of liquid in an open channel or other liquid container. The system includes an ultrasonic transducer disposed at a fixed position directly above the liquid surface, the nature of the gaseous environment therebetween determining the velocity of ultrasonic energy propagated therethrough. The transducer is excited to emit periodic pulses which are directed along a center path toward the liquid surface and reflected to produce liquid echo pulses which return to the transducer and are detected thereby. A reference reflector at a predetermined position relative to the transducer intercepts energy from a side path in the radiation pattern of the transducer to return it to the transducer to produce reference echo pulses. Means are provided to determine the transit time of pulses along the center path, and also to determine the transit time along the side path.

Abstract: A gas gun assembly for measuring depths of reflectors in a well bore includes a housing having a central chamber and bottom bulkhead through which a first valve bore extends. Coupling structure is provided to connect the housing to the well. A cap closure for the chamber has a second valve bore therethrough of diameter larger than the diameter of the first valve bore and is located in axial alignment with the first valve bore. A valve stem has one end axially movable within the second valve bore while closing the same and the other end movable into and out of the first valve bore. A predetermined pressure condition is established across the bulkhead. The valve stem is then released for rapid equalization of pressure across the bulkhead to produce an acoustic pulse in the well bore.

Abstract: A liquid level presence detection circuit includes a selectively gatable TRIAC serially connected with a load and triggered into conduction by twin sensitive-gate SCR's connected anode-to-cathode with the gates of the SCR's connected to voltage divider circuits which provide gating current to the SCR's in response to the presence of a conductive liquid bridging the two spaced apart contacts of a liquid presence detecting probe. The circuit is used in wet-niche type lamp assemblies that provide underwater illumination in swimming pools and the like and in which cooling is effected by the surrounding liquid. The detection circuit advantageously interrupts the flow of electrical energy to the lamp when the level of surrounding liquid falls below a predetermined level to prevent over-temperature operation of the lamp and consequent damage thereto and resumes the flow of electrical energy to the lamp when the level of the surrounding liquid increases to a safe level to permit adequate cooling thereof.

Abstract: Acoustic signals are propagated through the drilling fluid in a well being drilled and reflected acoustic energy from the vicinity of the bottom of the well is displayed, as well as reflections from any kicking medium so as to give advance warning of a possible blow-out.

Abstract: Flow of viscous molten metal (12) to thin sections (48) of mold cavities (14) is difficult to attain thus resulting in inferior molded products. This problem is solved herein by generating waves (20) in the molten metal (12), sensing the waves (20) in the molten metal (12) at a thin section (48) of the mold cavity (14) spaced from the generating position of the waves (20), and controlling the generating responsive to the waves (20) sensed. Basically, a control circuit (56) increases the amplitude, and/or changes the frequency, of the waves (20) generated, if the waves (20) sensed are not sufficiently strong. The invention is useful for flowing other liquids besides molten metal in other cavities than in molds, although this is its prime contemplated use.

Abstract: A device which detects a displaced position by generating an ultrasonic signal in a magnetostrictive wire and measuring the propagation time of the signal generated. The device includes an exciting means to generate an ultrasonic signal in a magnetostrictive wire, first and second receiving means to receive the ultrasonic signal generated in the magnetostrictive wire by the exciting means, a means for changing the distance between the exciting means and each of the first and second receiving means in accordance with a mechanical displacement, and a circuit means for producing a signal representative to the time periods required for the generated ultrasonic signal to reach the first and second receiving means.

Abstract: The level of mud in the mud return line of a rotary drilling rig is determined by cutting a hole in the top of the line and securing over the hole the saddle shaped base flange of a heat insulated sound tube supporting the ultra sonic transducer of an air coupled sonar distance measuring apparatus. The apparatus continuously digitally displays the average mud level. Upon a first manual command the apparatus makes a printed record of the level, time, and date.The apparatus give an alarm signal whenever the time averaged level departs a predetermined amount from a previously set datum level. When a second manual command is exercised the alarm is discontinued and a record of level is made and the datum level is reset to the existing level. The departure measuring means is reactivated to give an alarm signal upon sufficient departure of mud level from the new datum level.A third manual command makes a record and turns off the recorder while a trip is being made and until the third command controller is reset.

Abstract: An ulrasonic liquid level measurement device is used to measure the depth of a flowing liquid in a channel using an ultrasonic transducer that is positioned out of contact with the liquid and above and directed toward the channel. An ultrasonic burst is directed toward the channel and the reflected echo from the surface of the liquid is returned and sensed by the transducer. The transit time of ultrasonic transmission and echo return is indicative of the liquid level. An adjustable discriminator is provided to specify a maximum liquid level in the channel and a minimum liquid level, which, typically is the floor of the channel. The maximum and minimum levels are adjustable to accomodate variable channel configurations and transducer mounting arrangements. Automatic adjustment is provided to compensate for different cable lengths which may be used to connect the ultrasonic transducer to the transducer driver and receiving section.

Abstract: An improved sound ranging system increases the precision of range measurement by automatically correcting for any variation in the velocity of sound in the medium. The automatic correction for the sound velocity utilizes a small sound reflecting target located at a precise fixed distance from the transducer surface. A digital circuit, including a microcomputer, improves the measurement accuracy of the system. The invention includes a time delay and sensitivity control in one of the two time measurement circuits employed in the system to prevent "ghost" signals caused by multiple round-trip target reflections from introducing errors in the range measurements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a fluid condition adjacent an inner wall boundary of a fluid container is disclosed. A sonic pulse is applied to an outer wall boundary of the container wall and is reflected between an inner and the outer wall boundaries. The magnitude of the sonic pulse decreases each time it is reflected off of the inner wall boundary by an amount which varies as a function of the fluid condition adjacent the inner wall boundary. An electrical reflection pulse whose magnitude is representative of the instantaneous magnitude of the sonic pulse is generated each time the sonic pulse is reflected off of the outer wall boundary of the container. The electrical reflection pulses are integrated during an integration period so as to generate an integration output signal whose value varies as a function of the fluid condition within the container. The integration output signal is compared to a predetermined value to determine the fluid condition.

Abstract: An ultrasonic filling position limit switch having disposed in the container at the full level thereof, at least one ultrasonic transducer for sending out ultrasonic pulses and for receiving echo pulses reflected off the opposite container wall. An amplifier of the electric output signals of the transducer is connected to a threshold limit switch which provides an output signal when the amplifier output signal exceeds a predetermined threshold value. The amplifier output is fed back to an amplifier control input by means of an amplifier control circuit which seeks to maintain the amplifier output signal at an adjustable constant nominal value. A control device blocks the control circuit for the duration of time in each sending period required for the sending out of the ultrasonic sending pulses and for receiving the echo pulses.

Abstract: A transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals for liquid level gauging, the elapsed time between the transmission of a pulse and the reception of an echo pulse reflected from the surface of the liquid being measured to afford an index of the level of the liquid. The transponder is constituted by a piezoelectric transducer assembly suspended within an open-ended casing by an electrically non-conductive elastomeric material which serves to rapidly damp the vibratory activity of the transducer to prevent ringing thereof which interferes with reception. In the assembly, the piezoelectric transducer is sandwiched between a loading plate and a horn-shaped radiating plate, the assembly being held together by a bolt which extends between the plates and passes through the transducer. The transducer operates in the compression mode and is therefore capable of operating reliably with a high voltage drive signal to cause the radiating plate to emit an ultrasonic beam having a narrow angle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for indicating the level of liquid in a tank or the like whereby a transducer is mounted on a pipe above the liquid for producing, in response to a trigger signal, an ultrasonic pulse which is transmitted toward and reflected to the transducer first from a calibration target in the pipe above the liquid and then from the liquid so that the transducer produces echo pulses in response to receipt thereof. In one embodiment the calibration echo signal is applied to a logic circuit together with the output of a counter which is incremented to a predetermined count following the trigger signal by pulses from a voltage controlled oscillator so that the logic produces a control signal indicating the difference in time between when the calibration echo is received and when the counter reaches its predetermined count and which event occurs first. The logic then varies the frequency of the oscillator to reduce the difference.