Automatically operable self-leveling load table

Claim 2

A self-leveling load table comprising: a. a tank; b. a liquid medium carried in said tank; c. a table having a smooth planar top, side walls extending downwardly from said planar top defining a cavity therebetween, and partitions extending between said side walls defining sealed chambers having opened bottoms; d. said table being disposed in said liquid medium carried in said tank trapping air in said chambers so as to provide buoyancy thereto; e. a plurality of solenoid valves having an air inlet port, an air outlet port, and a control contact; f. means for coupling said air outlet ports of said solenoid valves to predetermined chambers; g. a level sensing means coupled to said control contacts of said solenoid valves for selectively energizing said solenoid valves responsive to said table being out of level; h. a source of pressurized air; and i. means for supplying pressurized air from said source through said energized solenoid valves to said chambers connected thereto for maintaining said table level.

Claim 3

The self-leveling load table as set forth in claim 1 wherein: a. there are at least four chambers circumferentially and equally spaced around the center of said table.

Claim 4

The self-leveling load table as set forth in claim 2 wherein: a. said table has four perpendicular sides; b. said level sensing means includes at least two air bearing pendulums positioned perpendicular to each other on a horizontal plane adjacent the center of two adjacent sides of said table; c. means included in said air bearing pendulums for generating electrical signals indicating the plane said table is out of level; and d. means for coupling said signals from said air bearing pendulums to control contacts of said solenoid valves for selectively energizing said solenoid valves responsive to said table being out of level.

Claim 5

The self-leveling load table as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: a. a depth gauge carried adjacent the center of said table extending downwardly for engaging the bottom of said tank when said table is immersed beyond a predetermined level in said tank; b. means activated by said depth gauge generating an electrical signal when said table is immersed beyond said predetermined level, and c. means for supplying pressurized air to said chambers responsive to receiving said electrical signal for raising said table.

Claim 6

The apparatus as set forth in claim 4, further comprising: a. a vacuum source, b. means coupled to said depth gauge for generating an electrical signal when said table rises above a predetermined level in said tank; and c. means for coupling said vacuum source through said solenoid valves to said chambers for removing air from said compartments responsive to said electrical signal.

Claim 7

A self-leveling load table comprising: a. a tank; b. a liquid medium carried in said tank; c. a table having a smooth planar top, side walls extending downwardly from said planar top defining a cavity therebetween, and partitions extending between said side walls defining at least four sealed chambers circumferentially and equally spaced around the center of said table and having opened bottoms; d. said table being disposed in said liQuid medium carried in said tank trapping air in said chambers so as to provide buoyancy thereto; e. a plurality of solenoid valves having an air inlet port, and air outlet port, and a control contact; f. means for coupling said air outlet ports of said solenoid valves to predetermined chambers; g. said table having four perpendicular sides; h. at least two air bearing pendulums positioned perpendicular to each other on a horizontal plane adjacent the center of two adjacent sides of said table; i. means included in said air bearing pendulums for generating electrical signals indicating the plane said table is out of level; j. means for coupling said signals from said air bearing pendulums to control contacts of said solenoid valves for selectively energizing said solenoid valves responsive to said table being out of level; k. a source of pressurized air;

Claim 8

A self-leveling load table comprising: a. a tank; b. a liquid medium carried in said tank; c. a table having a smooth planar top, side walls extending downwardly from said planar top defining a cavity therebetween, and partitions extending between said side walls defining at least four sealed chambers circumferentially and equally spaced around the center of said table and having opened bottoms; d. said table being disposed in said liQuid medium carried in said tank trapping air in said chambers so as to provide buoyancy thereto; e. a plurality of solenoid valves having an air inlet port, and air outlet port, and a control contact; f. means for coupling said air outlet ports of said solenoid valves to predetermined chambers; g. said table having four perpendicular sides; h. at least two air bearing pendulums positioned perpendicular to each other on a horizontal plane adjacent the center of two adjacent sides of said table; i. means included in said air bearing pendulums for generating electrical signals indicating the plane said table is out of level; j. means for coupling said signals from said air bearing pendulums to control contacts of said solenoid valves for selectively energizing said solenoid valves responsive to said table being out of level; k. a source of pressurized air;

Claim 9

The apparatus as set forth in claim 6, further comprising: a. a vacuum source; b. means coupled to said depth gauge for generating an electrical signal when said table rises above a predetermined level in said tank; and c. means for coupling said vacuum source through said solenoid valves to said chambers for removing air from said chambers responsive to said electrical signal.