Combined Patents (Class 73/306)
  • Patent number: 5138891
    Abstract: A system for a gauge well in a liquid storage tank with a floating roof including a floatable container located inside the gauge well and having a flexible laterally or radially serrated flange extending outward from the float and in contact with the inside of the well pipe to prevent vapor from the liquid stock from rising in the pipe. There may be a pair of such flexible flanges vertically spaced apart with the lower seal being just above the level of the liquid stock in the well pipe. A tape is attached at its lower end to a weight in the well pipe below the float and its upper end is connected to a winch outwardly of the upper end of the well pipe. A vertical passageway through the float is provided for the tape to pass freely therethrough and the float is freely slidable on the tape. The container includes a closed opening which is selectively opened to fill with the liquid stock at any selected level in the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1992
    Inventor: Ronald G. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5025827
    Abstract: A fluid level controller flexibly set up according to the number of level steps to be controlled and the pitch between such level steps, which comprises a plurality of joint pipes connected in series to form a pipe assembly; a ring-shaped magnetic floating member sleeved on such a pipe assembly to follow fluid level to move up and down; a plurality of reed elements having each a reed switch connected in series with one another and received in the joint pipes; a main control circuit comprising latching relays in quantity one less than the quantity of the reed elements and a plurality of controlled actuators respectively connected to the reed elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Inventor: Evans Weng
  • Patent number: 5018550
    Abstract: A dishwasher is provided with an improved apparatus for protecting the tub from being overfilled in the form of a float having a float stem that is automatically captured upon insertion through a passage in the tub bottom wall such that the float will be restrained against disengagement from the tub bottom wall. The float is vertically movable to operate a control switch for regulating the level of water within the tub. Preferably a retaining ring is carried on a stem of the float which is automatically biased through a varying diameter keyway and is subsequently moved to a captured position below the member having the keyway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventor: Mark A. Burdorff
  • Patent number: 4938590
    Abstract: An fiber optic liquid level indicator with a floating reflector includes a reference scale provided with a reflector disposed in an upper space above the liquid level within a pressure vessel so that a reference distance usable to correct error due to pressure can be calculated on the basis of travel time of a laser beam pulse emitted from a laser generator and reflected from the reference scale reflector through an optical guide and lens. A beam change-over switch is used to selectively guide a laser beam pulse to either the floating reflector or to the reference scale reflector so that pulse travel time can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignees: Nitto Machinery Co., Ltd., Tadahiko Kuno
    Inventor: Sadao Ishida
  • Patent number: 4813282
    Abstract: A vehicle fuel level sensor comprising a hollow cylindrical body housing a sliding float, the position of which is determined by the fuel level in the fuel tank. The sensor also comprises a filter surrounding as portion of the side wall of the cylindrical body, close to the bottom wall of the same, so as to define, with the side wall, a first chamber; and a plate for supporting the filter and connected to the bottom wall of the hollow cylindrical body so as to define, with the bottom wall, a second chamber communicating directly with the first chamber and, via a through hole in the bottom wall, with the inside of the hollow cylindrical body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Assignee: Veglia Borletti S.R.L.
    Inventor: Giorgio Maggia
  • Patent number: 4807473
    Abstract: A liquid sight monitor includes a translucent thermoplastic viewing tubular element having ends that are flared, after the tube is inserted through the central holes of flanges located at either end, to secure the viewing element in place. A float may be included in the viewing element of the same material and cup shaped to entrap air so that the float rises to the level of the fluid surface, even though it is otherwise heavier than the fluid. A flow-through restrictor disk prevents the float from falling out the bottom of the viewing element when there is an absence of fluid therein. The monitor may have a protective see-through shield connected between its top and bottom flanges, if desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1989
    Assignee: Jogler, Inc.
    Inventor: William A. Jackson
  • Patent number: 4738134
    Abstract: An ink transfer volume measuring assembly utilizes a front, resilient surfaced roller and a rear, hard surfaced roller carried in a hand held, portable housing. The front roller is pried against the surface of a screened ink roller and receives ink therefrom. This ink is transferred from the soft front roller to the rear hard roller where it is scraped off by a doctor blade. The ink removed from the rear roller is deposited in a collecting container where its volume is measured by using a float that carries an indicating pointer. A revolution counter is driven by the front roller to provide a measurement of collection time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1988
    Assignee: Koenig & Bauer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Horst-Walter Hauer, Willi A. P. Kutzner, Georg Schneider
  • Patent number: 4468975
    Abstract: A gauge well float includes a sealed cylinder having rounded ends. A tube is disposed along the vertical axis of the cylinder and held in place by the rounded ends. A weighted cable suspended within the gauge well passes through the tube and keeps the float centered within the gauge well. It also provides a means for removing the float from the gauge well for level measurement or sampling purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1984
    Assignee: Chevron Research Company
    Inventors: James A. Sayles, William J. Norwood, III
  • Patent number: 4454761
    Abstract: In a liquid level detector of the type comprising a fixing rod bearing a winding over virtually the whole of its height, an annular float mounted around the rod and bearing at least one conducting blade constantly in contact with the winding, a warning device comprising a conducting rod sliding in a bore made in the float, the bore having its axis substantially parallel to the axis of the fixed rod, the conducting rod comprising a retaining device, and a conducting surface fixed to the lower end of the fixed rod, the arrangement being such that the conducting rod projects downwardly from the float when the level is higher than a determined warning level and comes into contact with the conducting surface when this level is reached, and electrical connections connecting the winding, the conducting surface, the or each conducting blade and the conducting rod to output terminals, the conducting rod extends at its top end in a supple loop made of conducting wire located in a plane substantially perpendicular to th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1984
    Assignee: e.d. Veglia
    Inventor: Jean Coulange
  • Patent number: 4213258
    Abstract: In a steam iron having a connected handle with a steam control thereon, a fill opening to an interior water tank, a ported soleplate having a steam generating boiler with a coverplate thereover forming steam distribution passages and with a water sight gauge connected to the tank, an improvement is provided in the gauge of an opening in the top of the tank within the confines of the handle and disposed in the opening is a closed top vertically directed tube extending through the opening so that it extends both into the tank and into the handle and is sealed to the tank preventing leakage. An aperture is provided through the tube inside the tank in the upper portion thereof for venting the tube inside the tank and a window is provided in the handle and is sized to extend along part of the tube and including the top. Float structure is disposed in the tube with the float being covered by the window when the tank is empty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1980
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Reinstadler, William E. Davidson
  • Patent number: 4180085
    Abstract: An improved float assembly for a dishwasher liquid fill system includes cam means on the float stem. The cam includes a first portion operative, upon the liquid rising to its normal fill level, to maintain a switch in its circuit closing position allowing the fill valve to be opened at selected intervals during the operational cycle. Upon the float being buoyed upwardly by the liquid level rising above its normal-fill level to an over-fill level the cam means is operative to retain the float at an elevated position permitting the dishwasher to complete its operational cycle after which the float may be manually reset to its lower position to again permit normal operation of the dishwasher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1979
    Assignee: White Consolidated Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon F. Berges, James M. Woolley
  • Patent number: 4051727
    Abstract: An indicator mounted on a receptacle for determining the proportion of the liquid mixture components in the receptacle of a liquid dispensing apparatus, such as a rug or carpet shampoo device. Even if the receptacle is partly filled with a liquid mixture, the present indicator shows the correct amount to be added to each of the components to thereby fill the receptacle to a given level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1977
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
    Inventors: Osten Schwartz, Milos Vukotic
  • Patent number: 3974695
    Abstract: In an environment having two or more immiscible liquids wherein a first liquid floats on top of the second liquid, a gauging system which senses the depth of the first liquid which is floating on top of the second liquid. A float holding a capacitance probe which passes through the entire depth of the first liquid maintains the probe at the free surface level at all times. A cable wrapped around a drum and connected to the float is used for determining the free surface liquid level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1975
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1976
    Assignee: Sun Oil Company of Pennsylvania
    Inventor: Julius Lerner
  • Patent number: 3968896
    Abstract: A vehicle fuel tank has a flexible bladder disposed within a metal shell. A vent line extending from within the bladder is controlled by an altitude sensitive valve, and a pressure balance line interconnects the vent line and the space between the shell and the bladder to minimize any pressure differential across the bladder. The bladder contains a fuel level sensor having a float which moves an arm through a vertical path. A fender is suspended within the bladder and is contoured to follow the path of the sensor arm to preclude interference between the bladder and the arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1975
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1976
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: John B. Giacoletti, Thomas C. Ryding, Walter C. Zetye