Signal arrangement for hydraulic brakes

Claim 2

A signal arrangement for hydraulic brakes having a braking cylinder, said signal arrangement comprising, in combination, an upright replenishing container adapted to be filled up to a given level with a braking fluid, said container having a bottom end communicating with and being connected to said braking cylinder and an open upper end; cover means connected to and closing said upper open end of said container, said cover means forming a downwardly extending float housing projecting into said container below the level of the fluid therein and having an open bottom end, a contact housing upwardly spaced from said float housing, and an elongated bore of a diameter considerably smaller than the inner diameter of said float housing and said contact housing; a float floating on the fluid in said float housing and closely guided in the latter in substantially vertical direction between an inactive upper position and an active lower position; a pair of transversely spaced stationary contact members in said contact housing; an elongated rod fixed at the lower end thereof to said float and extending upwardly therefrom through said bore into said float housing; an electric circuit including signal means connected to said stationary contact members; a movable contact member fixed to the upper end of said rod in said contact housing normally upwardly spaced from said stationary contact members and engaging the latter to close said circuit and to actuate said signal means when said float moves to its lower active position; and a closure plate fixed to said rod in said float housing and engaging the latter at an annular portion about the lower end of said bore when said float is in said upper inactive position.

Claim 3

A signal arrangement for hydraulic brakes having a braking cylinder, said signal arrangement comprising, in combination, an upright replenishing container adapted to be filled up to a given level with a braking fluid, said container having a bottom end communicating with and being connected to said braking cylinder and an open upper end; cover means connected to and closing said upper open end of said container, said cover means forming a downwardly extending float housing projecting into said container below the level of the fluid therein and having an open bottom end, a contact housing upwardly spaced from said float housing, and an elongated bore of a diameter considerably smaller than the inner diameter of said float housing and said contact housing; a float floating on the fluid in said float housing and closely guided in the latter in substantially vertical direction between an inactive upper position and an active lower position; a pair of transversely spaced stationary contact members in said contact housing; an elongated rod fixed at the lower end thereof to said float and extending upwardly therefrom through said bore into said float housing; an electric circuit including signal means connected to said stationary contact members; a mOvable contact member fixed to the upper end of said rod in said contact housing normally upwardly spaced from said stationary contact members and engaging the latter to close said circuit and to actuate said signal means when said float moves to its lower active position; and screw means connecting said bottom end of said container to said braking cylinder, said screw means having a head and said open bottom end of said float housing extending over said head to be centered by the latter.

Claim 4

A signal arrangement for hydraulic brakes having a braking cylinder, said signal arrangement comprising, in combination, an upright replenishing container adapted to be filled up to a given level with a braking fluid, said container having a bottom end communicating with and being connected to said braking cylinder and an open upper end; cover means connected to and closing said upper open end of said container, said cover means forming a downwardly extending float housing projecting into said container below the level of the fluid therein and having an open bottom end, a contact housing upwardly spaced from said float housing, and an elongated bore of a diameter considerably smaller than the inner diameter of said float housing and said contact housing; a float floating on the fluid in said float housing and closely guided in the latter in substantially vertical direction between an inactive upper position and an active lower position; a pair of transversely spaced stationary contact members in said contact housing; an elongated rod fixed at the lower end thereof to said float and extending upwardly therefrom through said bore into said float housing; an electric circuit including signal means connected to said stationary contact members; a mOvable contact member fixed to the upper end of said rod in said contact housing normally upwardly spaced from said stationary contact members and engaging the latter to close said circuit and to actuate said signal means when said float moves to its lower active position; and screw means connecting said bottom end of said container to said braking cylinder, said screw means having a head and said open bottom end of said float housing extending over said head to be centered by the latter.

Claim 5

A signal arrangement as defined in claim 2, wherein said screw means is formed with restricted passage means providing communication between the interior of said float housing, the interior of said container and that of said braking cylinder.

Claim 6

A signal arrangement for hydraulic brakes having a braking cylinder, said signal arrangement comprising, in combination, an upright replenishing container adapted to be filled up to a given level with a braking fluid, said container having at its bottom end a bottom wall and a tubular portion downwardly projecting from said bottom wall and communicating with said braking cylinder; screw means extending through said tubular portion radially spaced therefrom for connecting said container to said braking cylinder; cover means connected to and closing said upper open end of said container, said cover means forming a downwardly extending float housing projecting into said container below the level of the fluid therein and having an open bottom end, a contact housing upwardly spaced from said float housing, and an elongated bore of a diameter considerably smaller than the inner diameter of said float housing and said contact housing; a float floating on the fluid in said float housing and closely guided in the latter in substantially vertical direction between an inactive upper position and an active lower position; a pair of transversely spaced stationary contact members in said contact housing; an elongated rod fixed at the lower end thereof to said float and extending upwardly therefrom through said bore into said float housing; an electric circuit including signal means connected to said stationary contact members; and a movable contact member fixed to the upper end of said rod in said contact housing normally upwardly spaced from said stationary contact members and engaging the latter to close said circuit and to actuate said signal means when said float moves to its lower active position.

Claim 7

A signal arrangement for hydraulic brakes having a braking cylinder, said signal arrangement comprising, in combination, an upright replenishing container adapted to be filled up to a given level with a braking fluid, said container having at its bottom end a bottom wall and a tubular portion downwardly projecting from said bottom wall and communicating with said braking cylinder; screw means extending through said tubular portion radially spaced therefrom for connecting said container to said braking cylinder; cover means connected to and closing said upper open end of said container, said cover means forming a downwardly extending float housing projecting into said container below the level of the fluid therein and having an open bottom end, a contact housing upwardly spaced from said float housing, and an elongated bore of a diameter considerably smaller than the inner diameter of said float housing and said contact housing; a float floating on the fluid in said float housing and closely guided in the latter in substantially vertical direction between an inactive upper position and an active lower position; a pair of transversely spaced stationary contact members in said contact housing; an elongated rod fixed at the lower end thereof to said float and extending upwardly therefrom through said bore into said float housing; an electric circuit including signal means connected to said stationary contact members; and a movable contact member fixed to the upper end of said rod in said contact housing normally upwardly spaced from said stationary contact members and engaging the latter to close said circuit and to actuate said signal means when said float moves to its lower active position.

Claim 8

A signal arrangement as defined in claim 4, wherein said screw means comprises a stud bolt threaded at its lower end into a threaded bore in the wall of said braking cylinder and a nut screwed onto the upper end of said bolt, and including a dished member about said bolt between said nut and said bottom wall of said container and having a lower annular portion pressed by said nut against said bottom wall about said tubular portion, said dished member being formed with at least one opening therethrough.

Claim 9

A signal arrangement as defined in claim 5, wherein said open bottom end of said float housing extends over said nut to be centered by the latter, said nut being provided with passage means providing communication between the interior of the container and the interior of said float housing, and said bolt being provided with a small diameter axial bore extending from the bottom end of the bolt partly into the latter and with a cross bore providing communication between said axial bore and the space in the tubular portion of the container about said bolt.