US3599666A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Measuring device
Assignee: Ilford Imaging UK Ltd
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Filing: 1970-04-08
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Granted: 1971-08-17
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Expires: 1990-04-08
Abstract
Abstract This application describes a liquid metering vessel which comprises two upper liquid contact probes the lower of which controls a fast-filling valve and the upper of which controls a slow-filling valve. The vessel is filled with liquid through the fast-filling valve until the lower contact probe is reached. The fast-filling valve is then shut off and liquid enters the vessel through the slow-filling valve until the upper probe is reached. The upper probe is placed in an extension to the vessel which has a considerably smaller diameter than the rest of the vessel. The fast-filling valve is then shut off. By means of this vessel the amount of liquid fed into the vessel may be very strictly controlled. Similar probes may be fitted in the lower part of the vessel to control the rate of outflow from the vessel.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter Edward Curtis
- 👤 Peter Alfred Robert Wills
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 03:40
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01F; G01F3/00; G01F3/36; G01F3/38; G01F11/00; G01F11/28; G01F11/284; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/7287; Y10T137/7303
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
184 words
An apparatus for metering liquid into a vessel to establish a predetermined level of liquid in the vessel, which comprises a main vessel having an extension at the upper end thereof which is of substantially smaller cross section than the main body of the vessel and within which extension the said predetermined level is set, a first device sensitive to the level of liquid in the main body of the vessel and adapted to operate when the said level reaches a position near to the top of the main body of the vessel, a second device sensitive to the level of liquid in the said extension and adapted to operate when the level in said extension reaches the said predetermined level, means for charging liquid to the vessel including a feed line operating at a faster rate and a feed line operating at a slower rate, and means for stopping the flow of liquid through the faster line by operation of the said first device, and means for stopping the flow of liquid through the slower line by the operation of said second device.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
184 words
An apparatus for metering liquid into a vessel to establish a predetermined level of liquid in the vessel, which comprises a main vessel having an extension at the upper end thereof which is of substantially smaller cross section than the main body of the vessel and within which extension the said predetermined level is set, a first device sensitive to the level of liquid in the main body of the vessel and adapted to operate when the said level reaches a position near to the top of the main body of the vessel, a second device sensitive to the level of liquid in the said extension and adapted to operate when the level in said extension reaches the said predetermined level, means for charging liquid to the vessel including a feed line operating at a faster rate and a feed line operating at a slower rate, and means for stopping the flow of liquid through the faster line by operation of the said first device, and means for stopping the flow of liquid through the slower line by the operation of said second device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein liquid is discharged from the vessel via a discharge pipe located at the base of the container, there being means for stopping the discharge of liquid from the discharge pipe.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the discharge of liquid from the vessel is stopped by operation of a third device sensitive to the level of liquid in the main body of the vessel and adapted to operate when the said level falls to a level below the level of liquid at which the first said device operates.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the means in each case for stopping the flow of liquid through the said faster filling line, for stopping the flow of liquid through the said slower filling line and for stopping the discharge of liquid from the vessel is an in-line valve.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
112 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the discharge of liquid from the vessel is controlled by operation of a third device sensitive to the level of liquid in the main body of the vessel and adapted to operate when the said level falls to a level below the level of liquid at which the first said device operates and wherein the discharge of liquid from the vessel is stopped by operation of a fourth device sensitive tO the level of liquid in the main body of the vessel and adapted to operate when the said level falls to a level below the level of liquid at which the third said device operates.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for charging liquid to the vessel is a liquid supply manifold connected to a liquid storage vessel, the said manifold having two branches therefrom which constitute the two feed lines, one being the said faster feed line and the other being the said slower feed line.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the liquid to be metered is an electroconductive liquid and the device sensitive to the level of liquid in the vessel comprise electrical contact probes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
189 words
A metering device for electroconductive liquids which comprises a liquid container vessel which has at its top end an extension integral with the container but having a substantially smaller cross section than the main body of the vessel, there being present in the body of the vessel a lower electrical contact probe and a middle electrical contact probe and these being present in the extension to the liquid vessel an upper electrical contact probe, further there being present in the vessel a liquid inlet pipe, the said liquid inlet pipe being connected by two branches to a liquid supply manifold, one branch being a faster filling branch having an in-line valve, the closing of which is controlled by the said middle probe, the other branch being a slower filling branch having an in-line valve, the closing of which is controlled by the said upper probe, and there being an outlet pipe from the liquid vessel which comprises an in-line valve, the closing of which is controlled by the said lower probe, and there being attached to the device means for controlling the opening of each of the three valves.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
189 words
A metering device for electroconductive liquids which comprises a liquid container vessel which has at its top end an extension integral with the container but having a substantially smaller cross section than the main body of the vessel, there being present in the body of the vessel a lower electrical contact probe and a middle electrical contact probe and these being present in the extension to the liquid vessel an upper electrical contact probe, further there being present in the vessel a liquid inlet pipe, the said liquid inlet pipe being connected by two branches to a liquid supply manifold, one branch being a faster filling branch having an in-line valve, the closing of which is controlled by the said middle probe, the other branch being a slower filling branch having an in-line valve, the closing of which is controlled by the said upper probe, and there being an outlet pipe from the liquid vessel which comprises an in-line valve, the closing of which is controlled by the said lower probe, and there being attached to the device means for controlling the opening of each of the three valves.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
224 words
A metering device for electroconductive liquids which comprises a liquid vessel which has at its top end an extension integral with the vessel but having a substantially smaller cross section than the main body of the vessel, there being present in the body of the vessel a bottom electrical contact probe, a lower electrical contact probe and a middle electrical contact probe and there being present in the extension to the liquid vessel an upper electrical contact probe, further there being present in the vessel a liquid inlet pipe, the said liquid inlet pipe being connected by two branches to a liquid supply manifold, one branch being a faster filling branch having an in-line valve, the closing of which is controlled by the said middle probe, the other branch being a slower filling branch having an in-line valve, the closing of which is controlled by the said upper probe, and an outlet pipe from the liquid vessel which has two branches, one branch being a faster discharging branch having an in-line valve the closing of which is controlled by the said lower probe, the other branch being a slower discharging branch having an in-line valve the closing of which is controlled by the said bottom probe, and there being attached to the device means for controlling the opening of each of the four valves.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
224 words
A metering device for electroconductive liquids which comprises a liquid vessel which has at its top end an extension integral with the vessel but having a substantially smaller cross section than the main body of the vessel, there being present in the body of the vessel a bottom electrical contact probe, a lower electrical contact probe and a middle electrical contact probe and there being present in the extension to the liquid vessel an upper electrical contact probe, further there being present in the vessel a liquid inlet pipe, the said liquid inlet pipe being connected by two branches to a liquid supply manifold, one branch being a faster filling branch having an in-line valve, the closing of which is controlled by the said middle probe, the other branch being a slower filling branch having an in-line valve, the closing of which is controlled by the said upper probe, and an outlet pipe from the liquid vessel which has two branches, one branch being a faster discharging branch having an in-line valve the closing of which is controlled by the said lower probe, the other branch being a slower discharging branch having an in-line valve the closing of which is controlled by the said bottom probe, and there being attached to the device means for controlling the opening of each of the four valves.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-16 | 1975-02-15 | 1975-08-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-16 | 1979-02-15 | 1979-08-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-16 | 1983-02-15 | 1983-08-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |