Fluid amplifiers

Claim 2

A laminar-turbulent amplifier for sensing an interface between a liquid and a gas in a liquid containing reservoir and for developing a fluid pressure signal in response to the static presence of said interface at a preselected sensing level, comprising: inlet means for developing a substantially laminar fluid power stream having a predetermined cross-sectional area and for projecting said power stream from a nozzle-like orifice positioned immediately adjacent said sensing level and along a predetermined axis when said interface is spaced in one direction from said sensing level; signal developing means co-acting at said preselected sensing level with said interface between said liquid and gas for abruptly altering said fluid power stream to a substantially turbulent flow condition of a cross-sectional area substantially greater than that of said predetermined area independently of any secondary control stream flow; and outlet means spaced from said inlet means for receiving a fluid pressure signal of one magnitude when said power stream is laminar and of a second, substantially smaller magnitude when said power stream is altered to turBulent flow.

Claim 3

The fluid amplifier of claim 1 in which said outlet means comprises a deflector plate facing said power stream and having an aperture aligned with said power stream to define said first outlet and of a sufficiently large dimension for passing said substantially laminar power stream but of dimension less than that of said turbulent power stream so that said turbulent power stream impinges upon said deflector plate causing said power stream to be deflected in its entirety along said deflector plate and away from said first outlet.

Claim 4

The fluid amplifier of claim 1 in which said inlet means includes control means comprising a fluid passageway portion downstream of said passageway of said inlet means and of a greater cross-sectional area than said inlet means passageway and further having a guidewall portion curving outwardly away from the fluid power stream.

Claim 5

The fluid amplifier of claim 3 in which said control means includes an access opening to said fluid power stream on one side of said fluid passageway portion and in which said power stream is altered from said substantially laminar to said turbulent flow pattern attendant the liquid level in said reservoir rising to and flowing in said access opening.

Claim 6

The fluid amplifier of claim 4 in which said control means is constructed and arranged relative to said power stream such that the transition of said power stream from a laminar to a turbulent flow condition causes a low pressure condition to develop intermediate said guidewall portion and said power stream resulting in attachment of said power stream to said guidewall portion and diversion of said power stream along said guidewall portion and away from first outlet of said outlet means.

Claim 7

The fluid amplifier of claim 5 in which said passageways of said inlet means and said control means, respectively, are of circular cross-section.

Claim 8

The fluid amplifier of claim 6 in which said access opening comprises a port extending through a sidewall of said passageway of said control means.

Claim 9

The fluid amplifier of claim 6 in which a longitudinal section of said second passageway portion of said control means is cut-away to define said access opening.

Claim 10

The laminar-turbulent amplifier of claim 1 in which said inlet means includes a nozzle-like orifice for forming said power jet and said signal developing means comprises a wall portion surrounding said nozzle-like orifice and having a planar surface positioned substantially parallel to said interface between said dissimilar fluids.

Claim 11

The laminar-turbulent amplifier of claim 1 in which said signal developing means includes the static presence of the liquid being sensed.

Claim 12

The laminar-turbulent amplifier of claim 10 in which said signal developing means includes an element positioned at the desired sensing level and in which said fluid stream is abruptly altered from laminar to turbulent flow exclusively through the interaction of said liquid and said element.

Claim 13

The laminar-turbulent amplifier of claim 1 in which said outlet means includes at least one outlet channel and further including control means responsive to the change of said fluid stream from laminar to turbulent flow for diverting said fluid stream away from said one outlet channel.

Claim 14

The laminar-turbulent amplifier of claim 12 in which said signal developing means is arranged for introducing a perturbant signal to said fluid stream at a position immediately downstream of said inlet means for altering said fluid form laminar to turbulent flow.

Claim 15

A fluid amplifier adapted for sensing the interface between a liquid and a gas in a liquid containing reservoir and for developing a fluid pressure signal in response to the static presence of the interface at a preselected sensing level, comprising: inlet means for developing a substantially laminar fluid power stream having a predetermined cross-sectional area; outlet means spaced from said inlet means and including a first outlet for receiving said fluiD power stream; means defining an access region to said fluid power stream for permitting liquid at said preselected sensing level to physically contact said substantially laminar power stream to alter said laminar stream to a substantially turbulent flow pattern of a cross-sectional area substantially greater than that of said predetermined area; and control means responsive to the change in said power stream from said substantially laminar to said substantially turbulent flow pattern for diverting said power stream away from said first outlet of said outlet means.

Claim 16

A fluid amplifier adapted for sensing the interface between a liquid and a gas in a liquid containing reservoir and for developing a fluid pressure signal in response to the static presence of the interface at a preselected sensing level, comprising: inlet means for developing a substantially laminar fluid power stream having a predetermined cross-sectional area; outlet means spaced from said inlet means and including a first outlet for receiving said fluiD power stream; means defining an access region to said fluid power stream for permitting liquid at said preselected sensing level to physically contact said substantially laminar power stream to alter said laminar stream to a substantially turbulent flow pattern of a cross-sectional area substantially greater than that of said predetermined area; and control means responsive to the change in said power stream from said substantially laminar to said substantially turbulent flow pattern for diverting said power stream away from said first outlet of said outlet means.

Claim 17

The fluid amplifier of claim 14 in which said control means comprises a deflector plate spaced from and facing said inlet means and including an aperture coaxially aligned with said laminar power stream and of a dimension for passing said laminar power stream but of dimension less than that of said turbulent power stream such that a portion of said turbulent power stream impinges on said deflector plate causing said power stream to be deflected in its entirety along said deflector plate.

Claim 18

The fluid amplifier of claim 15 in which said inlet means comprises a nozzle for developing a power jet of circular cross-section and said deflector plate is of a uniformly curved contour and the aperture therein is of circular cross-section.

Claim 19

The fluid amplifier of claim 16 and further including an actuating means having a first force transmitting member aligned with said fluid power stream and positioned on the side of said deflector plate opposite that of said inlet means and responsive to impingement of said laminar power stream for developing an actuating signal.

Claim 20

The fluid amplifier of claim 17 in which said actuating means includes a second force transmitting member responsive to impingement of said power stream for developing an actuating signal and positioned so as to intercept said power stream when it is deflected along said deflector plate.

Claim 21

The fluid amplifier of claim 14 in which said inlet means includes a fluid passageway for forming said substantially laminar power stream of predetermined cross-sectional area and in which said control means comprises a fluid passageway portion downstream of said passageway of said inlet means but of a substantially greater cross-sectional area and having a guidewall portion curving outwardly away from the fluid power stream and further in which said guidewall portion is positioned with respect to said power stream such that upon transition of said power stream from a laminar to a turbulent flow pattern a low pressure condition develops between said power stream and said guidewall portion causing said power stream to adhere to and follow the curvature of said guidewall.

Claim 22

The fluid amplifier of claim 19 in which said passageways of said inlet means and said control means, respectively, are of circular cross-section and in which said access defining means comprises a port extending through a sidewall of said passageway portion of said control means.

Claim 23

The fluid amplifier of claim 20 and further including oscillation control means for developing and applying a perturbant signal to said power stream at a predetermined frequency to effect an oscillating movement of said power stream at a corresponding frequency.

Claim 24

The fluid amplifier of claim 19 in which said passageways of said inlet means and said control means, respectively, are of a rectangular cross-section and in which said guidewall constitutes one of the sidewalls of said control means passageway and in which the sidewall opposite said one sidewall is provided with said access defining means.

Claim 25

A fluid amplifier for sensing the presence of liquid at a desired level in a liquid reservoir and for developing a pressure signal in response thereto, comprising: inlet means having a fluid passageway of a predetermined cross-sectional area for developing a substantially laminar fluid power stream of a corresponding cross-sectional area and for directing said power strEam along a predetermined axis; and control means including wall means spaced laterally outward of said fluid power stream by a predetermined distance and only partially enclosing said fluid power stream, said wall means including a guide surface portion curving outwardly away from said predetermined axis and in which the non-enclosed portion of said power stream provides an access opening to said fluid power stream positioned on the side of said stream opposite that of said guide surface portion and at said desired level for permitting the reservoir liquid, upon ascending to said desired level, to flow through said access opening and into contact with said power stream for altering said power stream from said substantially laminar flow to a substantially turbulent flow pattern of a cross-sectional area substantially greater than that of said predetermined area, said wall means being positioned with respect to said turbulent fluid power stream so that a substantially enclosed space is formed between said turbulent power stream and said wall means causing a low pressure condition to develop therebetween resulting in said power stream attaching to said guide surface and diverting away from said predetermined axis.

Claim 26

A fluid amplifier for sensing the presence of liquid at a desired level in a liquid reservoir and for developing a pressure signal in response thereto, comprising: inlet means having a fluid passageway of a predetermined cross-sectional area for developing a substantially laminar fluid power stream of a corresponding cross-sectional area and for directing said power strEam along a predetermined axis; and control means including wall means spaced laterally outward of said fluid power stream by a predetermined distance and only partially enclosing said fluid power stream, said wall means including a guide surface portion curving outwardly away from said predetermined axis and in which the non-enclosed portion of said power stream provides an access opening to said fluid power stream positioned on the side of said stream opposite that of said guide surface portion and at said desired level for permitting the reservoir liquid, upon ascending to said desired level, to flow through said access opening and into contact with said power stream for altering said power stream from said substantially laminar flow to a substantially turbulent flow pattern of a cross-sectional area substantially greater than that of said predetermined area, said wall means being positioned with respect to said turbulent fluid power stream so that a substantially enclosed space is formed between said turbulent power stream and said wall means causing a low pressure condition to develop therebetween resulting in said power stream attaching to said guide surface and diverting away from said predetermined axis.

Claim 27

The fluid amplifier of claim 23 and further including oscillator control means for developing and applying a perturbant signal to said power stream at a predetermined frequency to effect an oscillating movement of said power stream at a corresponding frequency.

Claim 28

A laminar-turbulent fluid amplifier adapted for sensing a change from a desired liquid level in a reservoir, consisting essentially of: inlet means located at least partially above said desired level for directing a fluid stream of substantially laminar flow downwardly toward and substantially transversely to the surface of the liquid in said reservoir, when the liquid level in said reservoir is disposed below said desired level; signal developing means coacting with the liquid in said reservoir at said desired level for causing said fluid stream to be abruptly altered to a substantially turbulent flow independently of any control stream flow when the fluid level in said reservoir rises to the desired level; and outlet means spaced from said inlet means and positioned below said desired level for receiving a fluid pressure signal of one magnitude when the flow of said fluid stream is substantially laminar and for receiving a fluid pressure signal of a substantially altered magnitude when the flow of said fluid stream is substantially turbulent.

Claim 29

A laminar-turbulent fluid amplifier adapted for sensing a change from a desired liquid level in a reservoir, consisting essentially of: inlet means located at least partially above said desired level for directing a fluid stream of substantially laminar flow downwardly toward and substantially transversely to the surface of the liquid in said reservoir, when the liquid level in said reservoir is disposed below said desired level; signal developing means coacting with the liquid in said reservoir at said desired level for causing said fluid stream to be abruptly altered to a substantially turbulent flow independently of any control stream flow when the fluid level in said reservoir rises to the desired level; and outlet means spaced from said inlet means and positioned below said desired level for receiving a fluid pressure signal of one magnitude when the flow of said fluid stream is substantially laminar and for receiving a fluid pressure signal of a substantially altered magnitude when the flow of said fluid stream is substantially turbulent.

Claim 30

The laminar-turbulent amplifier of claim 24 in which said signal developing means includes the liquid being sensed and an element positioned adjacent to the desired sensing level and in which said fluid stream is abruptly altered from laminar to turbulent flow exclusively through the interaction of said liquid and said element.

Claim 31

The laminar-turbulent amplifier of claim 24 in which said outlet means includes at least one outlet channel and further including control means responsive to the change of said fluid stream from laminar to turbulent flow for diverting said fluid stream away from said one outlet channel.