Precipitation sensor

Claim 2

Precipitation sensor comprising, in combination, supporting means; precipitation collecting and distribution means having an inlet and an outlet for precipitation; bucket means including first and second buckets secured to each other and mounted on said supporting means for tilting movement together between a first position in which an inlet portion of said first bucket is located under said outlet for accumulating of said precipitation while said second bucket discharges accumulated precipitation, and a second position in which an inlet portion of said second bucket is located under said outlet for accumulating precipitation while said first bucket discharges accumulated precipitation; and counting means operated by said bucket means during each tilting movement, said counting means including magnet means carried by said supporting means, magnetic switch means mounted on said supporting means aligned with said magnet means in a vertical plane, and a non-magnetizable shielding plate secured to said bucket means for angular movement therewith and having a cutout registering with said magnetic switch means and said magnet means in said vertical plane during tilting movement of said bucket means to generate a counting pulse by permitting magnetic flux to flow from said magnet means to said magnetic switch means.

Claim 3

Precipitation sensor as defined in claim 1, and including valve means in said outlet so that precipitation is collected while said valve means is closed and discharged while said valve means is open, and valve actuating means secured to said bucket means for opening said valve means in said first and second positions of said bucket means and for effecting closing of said valve means during tilting movement of said bucket means between said first and second positions.

Claim 4

Precipitation sensor as claimed in claim 2 wherein said valve means includes a valve member biassed to move to a closed position; and wherein said actuator means engage and open said valve member in said first and second positions of said bucket means, and release said valve member for movement to said closed position at the beginning of said tilting movement so that said valve member closes said valve means when neither of said inlet portions is located under said outlet.

Claim 5

Precipitation sensor as claimed in claim 3 wherein said valve means is a check valve; wherein said valve member is a ball biassed at least by gravity to move to said closed position; and wherein said actuator means is located under said valve member and lifts the same to open said valve means when said bucket means is in said first and second positions.

Claim 6

Precipitation sensor as claimed in claim 2 wherein said valve means is a normally closed check valve; wherein said actuator means includes a first actuator secured to said first bucket and a second actuator secured to said second bucket spaced from said first actuator; wherein said first actuator engages and opens said valve means in said first position and said second actuator engages and opens said valve means in said second position; and wherein said valve means is located between said first and second actuators during tilting movement of said bucket means between said first and second positions, and is closed.

Claim 7

Precipitation sensor as claimed in claim 5 wherein said valve means has a movable valve member; wherein each of said actuators has an engaging portion moving along a curved path during tilting movement of said bucket means; and wherein each engaging portion is curved at a smaller radius of curvature than the respective path so that only a small surface portion of said valve member is engaged by each engaging portion.

Claim 8

Precipitation sensor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said supporting means include a supporting housing in which said bucket means is located; wherein said bucket means includes a horizontal shaft mounting said first and second buckets on said supporting housing for angular tilting movement about an axis between said first and second positions; and wherein said collecting and distributing means is mounted on said housing in a vertical plane passing through said axis of said shaft.

Claim 9

Precipitation sensor as claimed in claim 7 wherein said shaft is fixedly secured to said bucket means and turnably mounted on said housing; wherein at least one end of said shaft projects out of said housing; and wherein said shielding plate is secured to said shaft end.

Claim 10

Precipitation sensor as claimed in claim 8 wherein said magnetic switch means are located in said vertical plane, said permanent magnet means being fixedly supported by said housing in said vertical plane.

Claim 11

Precipitation sensor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said magnetic switch means include two adjacent parallel reed switches simultaneously operated by said permanent magnet means and connected in parallel whereby a counting pulse is generated even if one of said switches fails.

Claim 12

Precipitation sensor comprising a housing; precipitation collecting and distributing means mounted on said housing and having an inlet and an outlet for precipitation and including a normally closed check valve in said outlet so that precipitation is collected while said valve is closed and discharged when the same is opened; bucket means including first and second buckets secured to each other and a horizontal shaft mounting said buckets on said housing for angular tilting movement about the shaft axis between a first position in which an inlet portion of said first bucket is located under said outlet for accumulating precipitation while said second bucket discharges accumulated precipitation and a second position in which an inlet portion of said second bucket is located under said outlet for accumulating precipitation while said first bucket discharges accumulated precipitation, said collecting and distributing means being located substantially in a vertical plane passing through said shaft axis; valve actuating means comprising a first actuator secured to said first bucket and engaging and opening said valve in said first position of said bucket means, and a second actuator secured to said second bucket and engaging and opening said valve in said second position of said bucket means, said valve being located between said actuators during tilting of said bucket means and closed during such tilting movement; and counting means operated by said bucket means dUring each tilting movement and comprising magnetic switch means located in said vertical plane, permanent magnet means fixedly supported by said housing in said vertical plane, and a non-magnetizable shielding plate secured to said shaft for angular movement therewith and having a cutout registering with said magnetic switch means and said permanent magnet means in said vertical plane during tilting movement of said bucket means, whereby flux flowing from said permanent magnet means through said cutout in said plate energizes said magnetic switch means to generate an electric counting pulse.

Claim 13

Precipitation sensor comprising a housing; precipitation collecting and distributing means mounted on said housing and having an inlet and an outlet for precipitation and including a normally closed check valve in said outlet so that precipitation is collected while said valve is closed and discharged when the same is opened; bucket means including first and second buckets secured to each other and a horizontal shaft mounting said buckets on said housing for angular tilting movement about the shaft axis between a first position in which an inlet portion of said first bucket is located under said outlet for accumulating precipitation while said second bucket discharges accumulated precipitation and a second position in which an inlet portion of said second bucket is located under said outlet for accumulating precipitation while said first bucket discharges accumulated precipitation, said collecting and distributing means being located substantially in a vertical plane passing through said shaft axis; valve actuating means comprising a first actuator secured to said first bucket and engaging and opening said valve in said first position of said bucket means, and a second actuator secured to said second bucket and engaging and opening said valve in said second position of said bucket means, said valve being located between said actuators during tilting of said bucket means and closed during such tilting movement; and counting means operated by said bucket means dUring each tilting movement and comprising magnetic switch means located in said vertical plane, permanent magnet means fixedly supported by said housing in said vertical plane, and a non-magnetizable shielding plate secured to said shaft for angular movement therewith and having a cutout registering with said magnetic switch means and said permanent magnet means in said vertical plane during tilting movement of said bucket means, whereby flux flowing from said permanent magnet means through said cutout in said plate energizes said magnetic switch means to generate an electric counting pulse.

Claim 14

Precipitation sensor as defined in claim 11, wherein said bucket means include first and second evaporation retardation covers on top of the first and second buckets, respectively, said first and second covers having first and second inlet cutouts respectively forming said inlet portions and being respectively located under said outlet means when said bucket means are in said first and second positions.