Alarm and/or control apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for indicating a condition of and/or controlling a medium within a system by sensing a presence of a plurality of parameters of said medium and said system comprising: a. sensing means insulatively carried by said system in contact with said medium including a plurality of sensors having an output means to produce a first output upon sensing a first parameter, a second output upon sensing a second parameter, and a third output upon said sensor having a voltage potential proximating a voltage potential of said system, b. discriminating means having input means selectively connected to said sensing means to receive said output therefrom, and including a plurality of discriminators, said plurality having a value equal to said plurality of said sensors, said discriminators having a first, second, and third output means, said respective output means producing an output upon said sensor producing said first output, said second output or said third output, and c. basic logic module means to respond to an output from said discriminator means comprising a plurality of sets of AND and OR gates, said plurality having a value less than said plurality of discriminators, said gates having input means selectively connected to said first, second and third output means of said discriminators and having output means producing an output upon receiving a selected input, wherein said system can be controlled as a function of said control outputs of said gates.

Claim 3

Apparatus as described in claim 1 and further characterized by said apparatus further comprising, a vertically mounted vessel having two parallel passages positioned between a common top and bottom inlet, said vessel having a voltage potential proximately zero, said medium comprising a fluid and said parameters of said medium including said fluid in a liquid state and in a gaseous state, a power source comprising a plurality of power supplies, one each of said supplies connected to one each of said sensors, said plurality of sensors comprising a first and second electrode horizontally aligned and carried one each by said passage of said vessel, and said output of said electrodes being a high voltage potential in the presence of said fluid in the liquid state, a low voltage potential in the presence of said fluid in the gaseous state, and a zero voltage potential upon a fault condition, said plurality of discriminators including a first and second high impedance discriminator having a respective input means connected to said respective first and second electrode, and first, second and third output means of said discriminator producing a respective output upon said discriminator receiving a high, low or zero voltage input upon said electrode sensing said fluid in the liquid or gaseous state or said fault condition, basic logic module means including a first set of eight gates and including, a first and second liquid/gas AND gate (3,7) having said respective input means connected alternatively to said first and second output means of said first and second discriminators, a validated gaseous AND gate (4) having said input means connected to said second output means of said first and second discriminators, an unvalidated gaseous OR gate (5) having said input means connected to said second output means of said first and second discriminators, an unvalidated liquid OR gate (6) having said input means connected to said first output means of said first and second discriminators, a validated liquid AND gate (8) having said input means connected to said first output means of said first and second discriminators, and a fault OR gate (9) having said input means connected to said third output means of said first and second discriminators.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined by claim 1 and further characterized as comprising: said plurality of said sets of basic logic gates being at least 3. a like plurality of cancellable OR gates having input means selectively connected to said basic logic gates and output means to produce an output upon receiving a selective input, a like plurality of conventional OR gates having input means selectively connected to said basic logic gates and to said output means of said cancellable OR gates, and output means to produce an output upon receiving a selected input, output terminal means comprising a plurality of terminals, said plurality having a value equal to said plurality of said medium parameters and a fault terminal, said terminals having input means selectively connected to said output means of said conventional OR gates and output means to produce a control output upon receiving a selective input, wherein said system can be further controlled as a function of said control outputs of said terminal means.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined by claim 3 and further comprising, an inhibit means selectively connected between said output means of said conventional OR gates and said input means of one of said output terminals to selectively block inputs into said terminal.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined by claim 4 and further characterized by, said plurality of sets of gates of said basic logic module means comprising a first, second and third set, said plurality of cancellable OR gates including a first, second and third cancellable OR gate each having said respective input means connected respectively to an output means of a respective liquid/gas AND gate (3,7) of said first, second and third set of basic module gates respectively, and each having a cancellable input means connected respectively to an output means of a validated gaseous AND gate (4) and a validated liquid AND gate (8) of said first, second and third sets of basic module gates, said plurality of said conventional OR gates comprising a first, second and third OR gate, said first conventional OR gate having said input means connected to said output means of said validated gaseous AND gates (4) and to said validated liquid AND gates (8) of said first, second and third sets of basic module gates and to said output means of first, second and third cancellable OR gates, said second conventional OR gate having said input means connected to an output means of a fault OR gate (9) of said first, second and third set of basic module gates, and to said output means of said first, second and third cancellable OR gates, said third conventional OR gate having said input means connected to said output means of said validated gaseous AND gate (4) of said first, second and third set of basic module gates, said inhibitor means comprising an inhibit gate having said input means connected to said output means of said third conventional OR gate and an inhibit input means connected to said output means of said first conventional OR gate, said output terminal means comprising a liquid, fault and gaseous terminal, said liquid terminal having said input means connected to said output means of said first conventional OR gate, said fault terminal having said input means connected to said output means of said second conventional OR gate, and said gaseous terminal having said input means connected to said output means of said inhibit gate.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined by claim 1 and further comprising, said plurality of said sets of said basic logic gates being at least 2, a like plurality of cancellable OR gates, said gates having input means selectively connected to said output means of said basic logic gates, and output means to produce an output upon receiving a selective input, group logic circuitry means comprising a plurality of AND and OR gates, said gates having input means selectively connected to said output means of said basic logic gates and said output means of said cancellable OR gates, and output means to produce an output upon receiving a selected input, output terminal means comprising a plurality of output terminals, said plurality having a value equal to said plurality of medium parameters, a grounding terminal and a trip terminal, said terminals having input means selectively connected to said output means of said basic logic gates, of said cancellable OR gates and of said group logic circuitry gates, and output means to produce an indication output upon receiving a selected input, wherein said system can be further controlled as a function of said indication outputs of said terminal means.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined by claim 6 and further characterized by, said plurality of sets of basic logic gates comprising a first and second set, said plurality of cancellable OR gates comprising a first and second cancellable OR gate each having said input means connected to an output means of a respective liquid/gas AND gate (3,7) of said first and second set of basic module gates respectively, and each having a cancellable input means connected to an output means of a validated gaseous AND gate (4) and a validated liquid AND gate (8) of said respective first and second set of basic module gates, said plurality of AND gates of said group logic circuitry means comprising first, second, third and fourth AND gates, said input means of said first AND gate connected to an output means of an unvalidated liquid OR gate (6) of said first and second set of basic logic gates, said input means of said second AND gate connected to an output means of an unvalidated gaseous OR gate (5) of said first set and to said output means of said unvalidated liquid OR gate (6) of said second set of basic logic gates, said input means of said third AND gate connected to said output means of said validated gaseous AND gate (4) of said first and second sets of basic module gates, and said input means of said fourth AND gate connected to said output means of said second cancellable OR gate, said pluraity of OR gates of said group of logic circuitry means comprising a first, second and third OR gate, said input means of said first OR gate connected to said output means of said first cancellable OR gate, to said validated gaseous AND gates (4) and said validated liquid AND gates (8) of said first and second set of basic logic gates, and to said output means of said first AND gate, said first OR gate having said output means connected to said input of said fourth AND gate, said input means of said second OR gate connected to said output means of said first cancellable OR gates, to an output means of a fault OR gate (9) of said first and second set of basic logic gates, and to said output of said second AND gate, said input means of said third OR gate connected to said output means of said validated gaseous AND gate (4) and to said validated liquid AND gate (8) of said second set of basic logic gates and to said output means of said fourth AND gate, and said plurality of output terminal means further comprising a liquid terminal and a gaseous terminal, said input means of said liquid terminal connected to said output means of said first OR gate, said input means of said fault terminal connected to said output means of said second OR gate, said input means of said gaseous terminal connected to said output means of said third AND gate, and said input means of said trip terminal connected to output means of said third OR gate.