Measuring apparatus

Claim 1

An apparatus for indicating the amount of flowable material dispensed from a container having an outlet in the upper portion thereof when the container is held in a pouring position comprising: a housing secured to the container; timing means within said housing comprising a mechanical watch mechanism having a rotationally oscillating escapement fly wheel, said timing means for timing incremental time periods, each said incremental time period corresponding to a unit of volume of the flowable material flowing from the outlet per incremental time period when the container is held in the pouring position; position responsive activating meAns within said housing comprising a roller ball positioned adjacent said fly wheel so that said roller ball will contact said fly wheel to prevent rotational oscillation of said fly wheel when the container is in a non-pouring position and will roll away from said fly wheel to permit rotational oscillation of said fly wheel when the container is in a pouring position; recording means within said housing for recording the total number of incremental time periods timed by said timing means; visual indicating means within said housing for providing externally viewable numerical representations of the total number of incremental time periods recorded by said recording means, said visual indicating means comprising an indicator hand rotated by said watch mechanism and a watch face divided into increments of volume so that when said indicator hand is rotated by said watch mechanism the total volume of flowable material flowing from the container is visually indicated.

Claim 2

An apparatus for indicating the amount of flowable material dispensed from a container having an outlet in the upper portion thereof when the container is held in a pouring position comprising: a housing secured to the container; timing means within said housing comprising a mechanical watch mechanism having a rotationally oscillating escapement fly wheel, said timing means for timing incremental time periods, each said incremental time period corresponding to a unit of volume of the flowable material flowing from the outlet per incremental time period when the container is held in the pouring position; position responsive activating meAns within said housing comprising a roller ball positioned adjacent said fly wheel so that said roller ball will contact said fly wheel to prevent rotational oscillation of said fly wheel when the container is in a non-pouring position and will roll away from said fly wheel to permit rotational oscillation of said fly wheel when the container is in a pouring position; recording means within said housing for recording the total number of incremental time periods timed by said timing means; visual indicating means within said housing for providing externally viewable numerical representations of the total number of incremental time periods recorded by said recording means, said visual indicating means comprising an indicator hand rotated by said watch mechanism and a watch face divided into increments of volume so that when said indicator hand is rotated by said watch mechanism the total volume of flowable material flowing from the container is visually indicated.

Claim 3

An apparatus for indicating the amount of flowable material dispensed from a container having an outlet in the upper portion thereof when the container is held in a pouring position comprising: a housing secured to the container; a watch mechanism within said housing, said watch mechanism for timing incremental time periods, each said incremental time period corresponding to a unit of volume of the flowable material flowing from the outlet per incremental time period when the container is held in the pouring position, said watch mechanism including an escapement fly wheel which rotationally oscillates when said watch mechanism is operating; position response activating means within said housing adjacent to said escapement fly wheel, said activating means for disengaging said fly wheel so that said watch mechanism begins operation to time incremental time periods in response to positioning the container in the pouring position and engaging said fly wheel when the container is in a non-pouring position to terminate operation of said watch mechanism; an indicator operably connected to said watch mechanism for rotation upon activation of said watch mechanism; a watch face calibrated in units of volume attached to said watch mechanism so that said indicator traverses said face to visually indicate the total number of units of volume of flowable material poured from the container.

Claim 4

An apparatus for indicating the amount of flowable material dispensed from a container having an outlet in the upper portion thereof when the container is held in a pouring position comprising: a housing secured to the container; a watch mechanism within said housing, said watch mechanism for timing incremental time periods, each said incremental time period corresponding to a unit of volume of the flowable material flowing from the outlet per incremental time period when the container is held in the pouring position, said watch mechanism including an escapement fly wheel which rotationally oscillates when said watch mechanism is operating; position response activating means within said housing adjacent to said escapement fly wheel, said activating means for disengaging said fly wheel so that said watch mechanism begins operation to time incremental time periods in response to positioning the container in the pouring position and engaging said fly wheel when the container is in a non-pouring position to terminate operation of said watch mechanism; an indicator operably connected to said watch mechanism for rotation upon activation of said watch mechanism; a watch face calibrated in units of volume attached to said watch mechanism so that said indicator traverses said face to visually indicate the total number of units of volume of flowable material poured from the container.