Liquid level indicator and flow measuring device

Claim 5

The device of claim 2 further defined by said measuring means comprising a recorder having an arm movable with rotation of said cable reel, and clutch means connecting said recorder arm and said reel with stop means at recorder zero whereby said recorder arm moves to zero reading as cable unreels and then remains at zero reading by clutch slipping until the reel reverses direction.

Claim 6

The device of claim 2 further defined by said probe having an elongated inwardly tapering configuration from top to bottom and being formed of a heavy material to hang upright at the end of said cable.

Claim 7

A liquid level measuring device for use in conduits and the like comprising, a housing adapted for removable mounting above liquid, a flexible insulated electrically conducting cable wound upon a reel in said housing and adapted to extend from the bottom of the housing, a reversible electric motor connected to said reel in said housing for rotating the reel, motor control means including transistor switching means disposed in said housing and connected to said motor for controlling operation thereof, a weighted electrically conducting probe connected to the free end of said cable for lowering from said housing to contact liquid, an electrical circuit connected to said motor control means and adapted for electrical connection to said probe through said cable for energizing said motor control means to raise said probe upon contact thereof with liquid and to lower said probe upon breaking contact with liquid, slack sensing means engaging said cable and connected to said electrical circuit for energizing said motor to raise said probe upon sensing of cable slack and lowering said probe in the absence of cable slack, measuring means connected to said reel and continuously indicating and recording the position of said probe, and control means switching said electrical circuit between connection to said probe and connection to said slack sensing means whereby The device records the top level of liquid and the bottom level of liquid.

Claim 8

A liquid level measuring device for use in conduits and the like comprising, a housing adapted for removable mounting above liquid, a flexible insulated electrically conducting cable wound upon a reel in said housing and adapted to extend from the bottom of the housing, a reversible electric motor connected to said reel in said housing for rotating the reel, motor control means including transistor switching means disposed in said housing and connected to said motor for controlling operation thereof, a weighted electrically conducting probe connected to the free end of said cable for lowering from said housing to contact liquid, an electrical circuit connected to said motor control means and adapted for electrical connection to said probe through said cable for energizing said motor control means to raise said probe upon contact thereof with liquid and to lower said probe upon breaking contact with liquid, slack sensing means engaging said cable and connected to said electrical circuit for energizing said motor to raise said probe upon sensing of cable slack and lowering said probe in the absence of cable slack, measuring means connected to said reel and continuously indicating and recording the position of said probe, and control means switching said electrical circuit between connection to said probe and connection to said slack sensing means whereby The device records the top level of liquid and the bottom level of liquid.

Claim 9

A liquid level measuring mechanism for mounting over a body of liquid subject to changes in the liquid level thereof, said mechanism comprising an electrically conducting weighted probe, an electrically conducting cable suspending the probe from the mechanism and having a length sufficient to reach the liquid at its lowest level to be recorded, measuring means operatively connected to the probe and movable by the probe proportionately to up and down movements of the probe, means in the mechanism for raising the probe, means in the mechanism for lowering the probe, means responsive to the making of contact between the probe and the liquid for actuating the probe raising means, means responsive to the breaking of contact between the probe and the liquid for actuating the probe lowering means, a slack-sensing switch mounted in the mechanism and connected to be maintained in actuated condition when the cable is tensioned by the weight of the probe thereon, and to return to normal deactivated position when the cable is slackened by the removal of the weight of the probe from the cable, said slack-sensing switch being operatively connected to the means in the mechanism for raising and lowering the probe to raise the probe when the slack-sensing switch is in its normal condition, and an invert switch connected to deactivate the means responsive to making of electrical contact by the probe with the liquid and connecting the slack-sensing switch to the means responsive to breaking of electrical contact by the probe with the liquid, whereby operation of the invert switch causes the probe to be lowered to the bottom of the liquid for location of the invert of the conduit carrying the liquid.

Claim 10

A liquid level measuring mechanism for mounting over a body of liquid subject to changes in the liquid level thereof, said mechanism comprising an electrically conducting weighted probe, an electrically conducting cable suspending the probe from the mechanism and having a length sufficient to reach the liquid at its lowest level to be recorded, measuring means operatively connected to the probe and movable by the probe proportionately to up and down movements of the probe, means in the mechanism for raising the probe, means in the mechanism for lowering the probe, means responsive to the making of contact between the probe and the liquid for actuating the probe raising means, means responsive to the breaking of contact between the probe and the liquid for actuating the probe lowering means, a slack-sensing switch mounted in the mechanism and connected to be maintained in actuated condition when the cable is tensioned by the weight of the probe thereon, and to return to normal deactivated position when the cable is slackened by the removal of the weight of the probe from the cable, said slack-sensing switch being operatively connected to the means in the mechanism for raising and lowering the probe to raise the probe when the slack-sensing switch is in its normal condition, and an invert switch connected to deactivate the means responsive to making of electrical contact by the probe with the liquid and connecting the slack-sensing switch to the means responsive to breaking of electrical contact by the probe with the liquid, whereby operation of the invert switch causes the probe to be lowered to the bottom of the liquid for location of the invert of the conduit carrying the liquid.

Claim 11

A liquid level measuring mechanism as set forth in Claim 6 further defined by a removable mounting for said mechanism comprising a support frame having a central support for the mechanism and a plurality of more than two projections connected to and extending outwardly from said support, the outer end of each of said projections being spaced circumferentially from each other in a common plane for mounting the frame with a mechanism therein in an opening to a conduit carrying liquid whose level is to be measured, and at least one of said projections being spring-biased outwardly and manually movable radially inwardly for removable mounting of said mechanism in an opening to a conduit.