Liquid detector device

Claim 1

A LIQUID DETECTOR DEVICE COMPRISING A SOLID STATE CONTROLLED RECTIFIER HAVING A GATE, AN ANODE AND A CATHODE, A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL POWER CONNECTED BETWEEN THE ANODE AND CATHODE AND BETWEEN THE GATE AND CATHODE, A CURRENT LIMITING DEVICE IN THE GATE-CATHODE CIRCUIT, A SECOND NORMALLY-OPEN CIRCUIT CONNECTED BETWEEN THE GATE AND CATHODE AND IN PARALLEL WITH THE SERIES CONNECTION OF SAID CURRENT LIMITING DEVICE AND THE CATHODE-GATE JUNCTION OF SAID SOLID STATE CONTROLLED RECTIFIER, SAID SECOND CIRCUIT INCLUDING A PROBE AND A CONTAINER FOR ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE LIQUID, SAID PROBE BEING POSITIONED WITH RESPECT TO THE CONTAINER FOR CONTACT WITH THE LIQUID, SAID GATE-CATHODE CIRCUIT NORMALLY CONDUCTING AN EXCITATION CURRENT SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE CONDUCTION THROUGH THE ANODECATHODE CIRCUIT, A LOAD CONNECTED IN THE ANODE-CATHODE CIRCUIT, THE ANODE-CATHODE CIRCUIT SUPPLYING POWER TO THE LOAD, CONTACT OF THE PROBE WITH THE LIQUID COMPLETING THE SECOND CIRCUIT FROM THE CATHODE TO THE GATE THROUGH THE LIQUID AND PROBE, CLOSING OF SAID SECOND CIRCUIT BEING OPERATIVE TO DECREASE THE GATE-CATHODE CURRENT TO EXTINGUISH THE CURRENT IN THE ANODE-CATHODE CIRCUIT.