Weighing Type Patents (Class 73/296)
  • Patent number: 4413515
    Abstract: A support adjacent to the lower end of the pedestal for a barbecue engages under a bottom edge portion of the barbecue fuel tank such that the tank tends to tilt away from the pedestal by gravity. A gauge member connects to the top of the tank and passes through an opening in the pedestal to protrude out the opposite side. A spring provides a force opposing the tendency of the tank to tilt so that the degree of tilt is determined by the weight of the tank which in turn is determined by the amount of fuel in the tank. Thus, by observing the amount by which the gauge member protrudes through the opening in the pedestal, there is provided an indication of the fuel level in the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1983
    Assignee: Dart Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Leonard L. Quinn
  • Patent number: 4407160
    Abstract: Device for determining the quantity of the contents of a tank (1) mounted in a frame (3,4) which rests on a base with four points of support disposed in the corner points of a rectangle, two adjacent points of support being constituted by force measuring elements (6) each consisting of a generally block-shaped body (7) of metal, in which an opening (8) is cut out such that at the lower and upper sides of the body two relatively thin elongated and substantially horizontally extending portions (9,10) are formed which are connected to each other at both ends by thicker material portions disposed at the vertical sides of the body, whereas at the lower side of the body a foot (11) is formed which protrudes from one vertical side towards the vertical axis of the body, and with which the body rests on the base, and the supporting frame (3,4) of the tank is affixed on the upper side of the body near its other vertical side, and two strain gauges (T1,T2) aligned in spaced apart relation with each other in the directio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1983
    Assignee: Bavaria B.V.
    Inventor: Reindert van de Velde
  • Patent number: 4385672
    Abstract: An assembly that enables an observer stationed outside an opaque upstanding bin that contains fungible goods such as grain, feed, and the like, to determine the volumetric contents of such bin, by weight.The assembly includes a frame assembly that is lowered within the bin by the observer stationed outside the bin until a plurality of circumferentially spaced shoe members-carried by such frame-contact the stored goods. The contact is sensed by the observer through a pulley-mounted cable member that carries the frame assembly at one of its ends, the other of its ends being manipulated by the observer to accomplish the lowering of such frame.A preselected outer surface of the bin is marked with vertically spaced graduations that indirectly indicate the volumetric contents of the bin, by weight, when an indicator member carried by the cable enters into visually perceived alignment with an individual one of said graduations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 31, 1983
    Inventor: Donald D. Schepel
  • Patent number: 4375839
    Abstract: An apparatus for accurately and conveniently weighing the load carried in a vehicle provides a readout of the weight of the cargo by sensing the relative vertical movement of the load-carrying portion of the vehicle, which is proportional to the weight of the load, and by converting the sensed relative vertical motion to a readout of the weight of the load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1983
    Assignee: RMR Systems Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Manning, Ralph M. Richart, Robert E. Rosin
  • Patent number: 4368640
    Abstract: A liquid level sensing device comprising a load cell supporting a column or stack of segments freely resting on one another. The density of each element is substantially identical to that of the surrounding liquid. The elements are freely guided within a surrounding tube. As each element is exposed above the liquid level, its weight will be impressed through the column to the load cell, thereby providing a signal at the load cell directly proportional to the liquid level elevation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1983
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Richard D. Tokarz
  • Patent number: 4276774
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the level of containerized or free standing semi-solid material is disclosed. A substantially smooth uniform cable is suspended above and into the semi-solid material. A predetermined amount of slack is introduced into the cable. The slackened portion of the cable above the level of the semi-solid material is coupled to a weighing apparatus. The weighing apparatus weighs the slackened portion of the cable, the weight of such a portion being related to the amount of cable above the level of the material and thus an indication of the level of the material. Subsequent to a measurement, the cable is raised for uncoupling the cable from the weighing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1981
    Assignee: Hugh R. McGookin
    Inventor: Hugh R. McGookin
  • Patent number: 4245505
    Abstract: A movable platform supports a bottle for liquefied petroleum gas, a pointer is connected to that platform to move when that platform moves, and adjustable spring means urge that platform to move in a direction which will move that pointer toward an "empty" position but that adjustable spring means will permit a "full" bottle to hold that platform in a position wherein that pointer is spaced away from that empty position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1981
    Assignee: Turco Manufacturing Co.
    Inventor: William R. Baynes
  • Patent number: 4197273
    Abstract: The growth of a solid obtained by cooling a liquid solution is observed and controlled by measuring the variation in volume of the solid-liquid system at the time of solidification. The method is applicable to the control of oriented crystallization from an initial crystal seed or epitaxial growth on a substrate having a suitable crystal orientation. The rate of crystallization can be controlled by means of a furnace provided with means for producing regulated thermal gradients, temperature-measuring means, a chamber filled with an inert liquid, an open-topped container filled with the liquid to be solidified and immersed in the inert liquid, the container being suspended from one arm of the beam of an electrobalance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1980
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Pierre Dusserre, Claude Potard
  • Patent number: 4096024
    Abstract: The growth of a solid obtained by cooling a liquid solution is observed and controlled by measuring the variation in volume of the solid-liquid system at the time of solidification. The method is applicable to the control of oriented crystallization from an initial crystal seed or epitaxial growth on a substrate having a suitable crystal orientation. The rate of crystallization can be controlled by means of a furnace provided with means for producing regulated thermal gradients, temperature-measuring means, a chamber filled with an inert liquid, an open-topped container filled with the liquid to be solidified and immersed in the inert liquid, the container being suspended from one arm of the beam of an electrobalance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1978
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Pierre Dusserre, Claude Potard
  • Patent number: 4063605
    Abstract: A fluid reservoir for hydraulic power systems comprises a tank divided into a liquid compartment and an air compartment by a flexible diaphragm so that the liquid will be pressurized by compressed air in the air compartment. The tank is supported in a stationary frame upon horizontal pivots and a balancing spring. The liquid inlet and outlet connections pass through the pivots. An indicator is provided for showing the vertical position of the tank relative to the frame on the balancing spring and thus indicating the amount of liquid in the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1976
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1977
    Assignee: Sperry Rand Corporation
    Inventor: MacKellar K. Graham
  • Patent number: 3981195
    Abstract: A system is provided for measuring the level of bulk material in a silo utilizing load cells responsive for determining total load. The silo is constructed with a separated upper storage portion and lower hopper portion with a flexible connecting seal so that the response of the load cells is independent of the weight of the storage section. The interior surfaces of the silo may be coated with an anti-friction material, such as material sold under the Registered Trademark TEFLON, and the silo surfaces have walls tapering outwardly towards the seal so as to reduce the possibility of bridging and jamming of the stored bulk material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1975
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1976
    Assignee: Forney Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ross H. Forney, Candelario Paredes
  • Patent number: 3971254
    Abstract: A solids level indicator adapted for use in a vessel having solids flowing downwardly therein. A shaft is fixedly mounted at one end thereof while a generally flat plate is mounted at the free end thereof, the plate being perpendicular to the axis of the shaft. Strain gauges are mounted adjacent the fixed end of the shaft for indicating the twisting thereof in response to the weight of solids acting on the plate, the plate being in a generally horizontal plane. The fixed end of the shaft may be hollowed-out-having a thin-walled portion to which the strain gauges are affixed. Shear pins may be connected from a stationary member to the shaft to allow for rotation of the shaft relative to the stationary member should a force larger than a predetermined amount act upon the plate, whereby damage to the plate and shaft may be avoided. The shear pins and the strain gauges may be readily accessible from the exterior of the vessel allowing replacement thereof without interrupting the operation of the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1975
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1976
    Assignee: Kamyr, Inc.
    Inventor: Micheal I. Sherman
  • Patent number: 3934474
    Abstract: An apparatus for holding and monitoring an intravenous infusion container. A pulley wheel is rotatably mounted to a base and wrappingly receives a line which is connected to the intravenous infusion container for the suspended mounting thereof. The axle of the pulley wheel extends through a discshaped base having a plurality of markings thereon. A pointer is fixed and mounted to the axle adjacent to the base. The intravenous infusion container when full causes the axle to rotate so as to position the pointer adjacent to a marking. A spring returns the wheel and pulley wheel to an original position as liquid drains from the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1973
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1976
    Assignee: Methodist Hospital of Indiana Inc.
    Inventor: Robert G. Whitinger