GB2135489A - Device for visual and acoustic indication of the disposition and operating status of objects such as machines, vehicles, caravans and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for indicating the disposition of objects such as machines, vehicles, caravans and the like, has an electronic evaluating means (50), at least one sensor (30, 95, 96, 98, 99) which delivers an electrical signal when the disposition sensed by the sensor diverges from the normal, and an electrical indication means (25 to 29, 90, 93, 100) operable by the evaluating means to give an indication appropriate to the signal delivered by the sensor. The indication means may be visual or acoustic. The device is normally connected to external power but is preferably provided with an internal power source and is arranged for immediate switchover to the internal power source in the event of power failure. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for visual and acoustic indication of the disposition and operating status of objects such as machines, vehicles, caravans and the like The invention relates to a device for visual and acoustic indication of the disposition and operating status of objects, such as machines, vehicles, caravans and the like.

All manner of alarm devices are known which are used to monitor the working status of objects such as machines, vehicles, caravans and the like.

However, these alarm devices are only suitable for monitoring each case a physical magnitude, for example temperature or a special chemical composition. The simultaneous monitoring of a plurality of values and the evaulation of this monitoring is not possible with the instruments thus far available.

The object of the invention therefore is to provide a simple lightweight and reliably operated device for visually and acoustically indicating the disposition and operating status of objects, this device being intended to monitor several physical magnitudes and chemical situations simultaneously and to evaluate and visually and/or acoustically indicate the outcome of this entire monitoring process.

According to the invention, this problem is resolved in that the device comprises an electronic evaluating device to which are connected a) at least one sensor which is constructed to deliver electrical signals when the disposition and operating conditions established by the sensor diverge from the normal, and b) electrical means of visual and acoustic indication and which c) contains an internal power source for operation of the said device and for operation of the sensor and of the electrical visual and acoustic display means, the electronic evaluating device being constructed to identify electrical signals coming from the sensor and to develop and pass to the visual and acoustic indicating means actuating signals which correspond to the identified sensor signal.

The device according to the invention permits of a very reliable monitoring of objects because it is capable, with the electronic evaluating device, simultaneously to detect several physical magnitudes and chemical situations relative to the disposition and operational status and of comparing divergencies of a physical magnitude or chemical situation from its normal value with the other monitored magnitudes and circumstances and of providing a corresponding visual and acoustic indication.

In the case of many objects, for example machines, caravans, sales vehicles and the like, operation necessitates a connection to an external source of electrical operating current, for example a connection to the general power supply. For this case, according to the invention, the electronic evaluating device is for a normal operation and jointly with the monitored object connected to an external source of electric operating current and to an operating condition sensor which responds to failure of the external electric operating current source, the said sensor being constructed for immediate switchover of the electronic evaluating device and possibly of the other sensors connected to it and of the electrical visual and acoustic indicating means from the external electric power supply to the internal power source.For such applications, the internal power source provided in the device according to the invention is a safety power source which is switched on instantly by the operational status sensor and the electronic evaluating device upon failure of the external source of operating current, in order to continue monitoring of the relevant object without interruption and in order to give warning of the failure of the external source of electric operating current.

For many objects, such as machines, vehicles, caravans, sales vehicles and the like, it is important firstly to ensure a disposition suitable for working, i.e. a more or less accurate alignment and then to monitor this disposition during operation. To this end, in the case of a device according to the invention, a disposition sensor may be provided in which a conically constructed pendulum body is suspended in verticallyadjustable manner, after the fashion of a spatiallymoving plumb line between at least three and preferably four electrical switches disposed annularly at equal angular distances, which can be closed by contacting the pendulum body, the visual and acoustic indicating means comprising elements for visually or acoustically indicating the particular switch of the disposition sensor which is closed.

In the case of the device according to the invention, the evaluating device may be so constructed that a plurality of sensors can be connected to it in addition to or instead of the disposition sensor. Additional sensors which may be considered are: temperature sensors which serve as a fire alarm, sensors which respond to chemical substances, in particular hydrocarbon gases, to serve as an atmosphere monitor, sensors which can be mounted underneath the monitored objects and which respond to liquid, to serve for example as high-water monitors, at least one sensor which responds to movement or shape-change in parts of the objects, for example vehicle parts of caravans, to serve as a break-in monitor.

If the device according to the invention is equipped with such additional sensors, it is advantageous to provide the evaluating device with at least one additional connection for connecting lines to remotely mounted visual and acoustic indicating means or alarm transmitters.

This may be important where an alarm is to be given at a remote location, for example a police station or a security station on camping sites as a fire alarm, break-in alarm, high-water alarm and the like. For trailer caravans, it is important to have available in the tractor vehicle a means of monitoring temperature during the journey, in order for instance to have early warning of rises in temperature due to tyre damage or the like.

In order to be able to use the device according to the invention independently of a location, it is advisable to construct the evaluating device and the acoustic and visual indicating means for battery operation and to equip the device with a timeswitch for automatic switch-off after a predetermined working time, for example 5 minutes for directional operation and 90 seconds for alarm operation, has elapsed, this timeswitch being at the same time possibly designed to repeat the alarm.

Embodiments of the invention are described in greater detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the device according to the invention, constructed as a universally usable directional instrument; Fig. 2 is a view showing the rear of the directional instrument according to Fig. 1; Fig. 3 shows the directional instrument according to Fig. 1 with the front wall removed; Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 in Fig.

3; Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 in Fig.

3; Fig. 6 is a block diagram of the directional instrument shown in Figs. 1 to 5; Fig. 7 is a view of the rear of a mounting plate which can be fixed on a directional instrument according to Figs. 1 to 6; Fig. 8 is a side view of a directional instrument according to Figs. 1 to 6 connected to a mounting plate according to Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the possible ways of fitting the mounting plate according to Fig. 7 on a directional instrument according to Figs. 1 to 6; Fig. 10 is a diagram for the use of a directional instrument according to Figs. 1 to 6 in building operations; Fig. 11 is a diagram for the use of a directional instrument according to Figs. 1 to 6 with a mounting plate for the vertical alignment of machines;; Fig. 12 is a diagram for the use of a directional instrument according to Figs. 1 to 6 with a mounting plate for aligning a directional plate; Fig. 1 3 diagrammatically shows in vertical section a holder for a directional instrument according to Figs. 1-6; Fig. 14 shows examples of holders according to Fig. 13 being mounted on sales vehicles and caravans; Fig. 1 5 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention as a universal visual and acoustic indicating device for the disposition and operating status of objects; Fig. 1 6 is a vertical section through a disposition sensor;; Fig. 1 7 is a juxtaposition of the switch arrangement of the disposition sensor according to Fig. 1 6 with a part of a corresponding display panel and Fig. 1 8 is a perspective view of a caravan with a visual and acoustic indicating device according to the invention.

In the example according to Figs. 1 to 14, a directional instrument 20 is a handy easily operable unit equipped on its front face with an on-off switch 21, a sensor switch 22 for "All Round Display", a sensor switch 23 for "Front Rear Display" and a sensor switch 24 for "Right Left Display".

Provided above each of these sensor switches 22, 23, 24 is an LED diode 25 which indicates which of the three possible methods of display is switched on at any given time. Above the sensor switches 22, 23, 24 there is also a loudspeaker 26 which represents the acoustic indicator.

Mounted above the loudspeaker 26 are three LED diodes which serve as visual indicators, a green LED diode 27, a yellow LED diode 28 and a red LED diode 29. Shown in broken lines in Fig. 1 are the parts of the device which are provided inside the housing 31, namely the disposition sensor 30, the electronic evaluating device 50 and the battery 60 which is provided to operate the device.

The side faces 32, the underside 33 and the rear face 34 of the housing 31 are flat and suitable for attaching the device to plane surfaces on the object which is to be aligned. Provided in the rear surface 34 in a vertical and horizontal disposition, i.e. at the corners of a square, are four threaded bores 35 by which the mounting plate 70 shown in Figs. 7 to 12 can be obtained to the rear of the housing 31.

As is shown particularly in Figs. 3 to 5, the disposition sensor 30 comprises a conical pendulum body 36 which is suspended at the tip of its cone from an electrically conductive wire or thread 37. The top end of the thread or wire 37 is attached to a suspension device 38 which can be raised and lowered by means of a hand lever 39.

In the example illustrated, there is provision for three click-stop settings a, b, c for the suspension device 38 and its hand lever 39. Fig. 3 shows the suspension device 38 and its hand lever 39 in the mid-way position b while the two outer positions a and c are shown by broken lines. Mounted on the underside of the pendulum body 36 is a damper plate 40 which, in the example illustrated, is of solid construction and contains the substantial part of the weight of the overall pendulum body 36, 40. On the underside, this pendulum plate has a lining 41 of non-slip material. In the extreme low position a of the suspension device 38 and of the hand lever 39, this damping plate 40 has its lining 41 resting on the floor of the housing, so securing the entire plumb arrangement 30 against unintended movement and damage.

The conical pendulum body 36 is surrounded by a contact arrangement 42 which-as Fig. 5 shows-carries a carrier ring 43 and at angular intervals of 90 each, four contact pieces 44, 45, 46 and 47. These contact pieces are electrically insulated from the ring 43 and are in each case constructed with a contact point 48 which is aligned on the conical pendulum body 36 (see Figs. 3 and 4). The ring 43 is itself electrically conductive and represents an additional contact piece. The common mating contact for the contact pieces 44, 45, 46 and 47 and the ring 43 is the conical pendulum body 36 which, for this purpose, is constructed so that it is electrically conductive and has a correspondingly suitable contact surface.

Figs. 3 to 5 show the suspension device 38 with hand lever 39 in the mid-way position b. If the hand lever 39 is moved to the position c, then the entire plumb arrangement is raised farther, so that the conical pendulum body 36 has a larger diameter region situated opposite the contact pieces 44, 45, 46, 47 and so that it is therefore on average less remote from the contact points 48. So the sensitivity of response of the plumb arrangement is increased, for example to +20, whereas the response sensitivity in the mid-way position illustrated is +5.

The upper end of the suspension wire 37 and the contact pieces 44, 45, 46, 47 and the ring 43 are connected via electrical conductors 49 to the electronic evaluating device 50. The manner of connection will be revealed by the diagram in Fig.

6. According to this, an actual control switch device 51 is provided which is for example executed to interference-free C-Mos technology which is distinguished by low power consumption. This control switch device 51 is switched on by means of the on-off switch 21 which may be constructed after the manner of a double sensor switch and which acts through an amplifier on a switch-on timer 52. This switch-on timer 52 produces a ten second switch-on delay in respect of actuation of the on-off switch 21 to ensure that even upon rapid switch-on after fitment of the device and raising of the position sensor 30, the damping plate 40 has already resulted in a certain quietening of the pendulum body 36.Also connected to the control switch device 51 through an amplifier are the sensor switches 22, 23 and 24, as well as the LED diodes 25 which indicate which effectively operating sensor switch 22, or 23 or 24 is active at any given time. Furthermore, the contact pieces 44, 45, 46, 47 and the contact ring 43 are connected to the control circuit arrangement 51, again via an amplifier. Connected to the output from the control switch device 51 and constructed as visual indicators are LED diodes, namely the green diode 27, the yellow diode 28 and the red diode 29. Also connected to the outlet of the control switch device 51 are electrical vibration generators, namely a vibration generation 54 for 3000 Hz, a vibration generator 55 for 800 Hz and vibration generator 56 for 1 500 Hz.Adjacent to the vibration generators there is an output amplifier 57 which leads to the loudspeaker 26. Thus, it is possible by means of a switch 58 optionally to connect the output of the vibration generator 55 for 800 Hz or the output of the vibration generator 56 for 1 500 Hz to the input of the output amplifier 57.

Also contained inside the control switch device 51 are circuit parts which, according to the switching condition fed in by the contact pieces 44, 45, 46, 47 and the ring 43 operate the vibration generators 54, 55, 56 and the LED diodes 27, 28, 29 either constantly or intermittently. These additional circuit parts can provide for intermittent operation in different frequencies, for example an interruption frequency of 1 Hz and an interruption frequency of 2 Hz.

Incorporated into the power supply from the battery 60 to the control switch device 51 there is also a switch-off timer 53 which automatically shuts down the control switch device 51 after five minutes' operation, actuation of the on-off switch 21 for switching off the device being effective without delay.

The mode of the action of the switching arrangement shown in Fig. 6 is as follows: With "All Round Display", all the contact pieces 44, 45, 46, 47 and the ring 43 are operative. With "Front-Rear Display", the ring 43 and the contact pieces 45 and 47 are switched off whereas with "Right-Left Display", the ring 43 and the contact pieces 44, and 46 are switched on.

When the unit is switched on, the yellow LED diode 28 is switched on in any case. If the pendulum body 36 is in contact with one of the contact pieces 44, 45, 46, 47 then the red LED diode 29 is switched on, and so upon contact with one or both of the contact pieces 44 and 45 for uninterrupted lighting and upon contact with one or both of the contact pieces 47 and 47 for flashing light operation. At the same time, upon contact of the pendulum body 36 with one or more of the contact pieces, the vibration generators 55 and 56 are operated, in fact upon contact of one or both contact pieces 44 and 45 with interruption frequency 1 Hz and upon contact of one or both contact pieces 46 and 47 with interruption frequency 2 Hz. If the pendulum body 36 touches the ring 43, all LED diodes 27, 28, 29 are switched on together with the vibration generator 54 for 3000 Hz with 2Hz interruption frequency. If the pendulum body 36 is not touching either the ring 43 or any of the contact pieces 44, 45, 46, 47, then the control switch device 51 switches on the green LED diode 27, while the red LED diode 29 is switched off. Also the vibration generators 55 and 56 are switched on for continuous tone. Illumination of the green LED diode and the continuous tone of 800 Hz or 1 500 Hz indicate that the aligning process is concluded.

With these displays, the user recognises which raising and lowering device on the object which is to be aligned has to be operated and in what direction such actuation has to take place. Above all, too, the user contains a positive display that alignment is completed.

If it is intended finely and accurately to align an object, then the user will first in position b of the suspension device 38 and hand lever 39 carry out a rough alignment and then move the hand lever 39 to position c. The same aligning process is then carried out with correspondingly more sensitive display.

The directional instrument shown in Figs. 1 to 6 can have its flat housing surfaces 32, 33, 34 applied directly to all manner of objects or parts of structures. For many purposes, however, it is more favourable to provide an additional mounting plate 70, such as is shown in Figs. 7 to 1 2. This mounting plate 70 has a bearing surface which is to be applied to the rear flat surface 34 of the housing 31 and four precision bores 71 which are disposed in the same way as the threaded bores 35. Thus the mounting plate 70as Fig. 9 shows-can be applied in four different positions to the housing 31 of the directional instrument 20. As Fig. 7 shows, the mounting plate 70 has a mounting foot 72 having a precision machine application surface 73.

However, in order to be able to mount the directional instrument 20 by means of the mounting plate 71 temporarily on objects which have to be aligned, the mounting plate 70 is provided on its rear face with spacers 74 disposed in the four corner zones and a central suction cup 75.

Possibilities of application of the directional instrument 20 according to the invention with or without the mounting plate are shown in Figs. 10 to 12. For example, in Fig. 10 the directional instrument 20 has one of its flat side faces 32 applied to a door frame 76. In the example shown in Fig. 11, the directional instrument 20 according to the invention has its face part 73 of the mounting plate which is screwed onto the instrument housing fitted onto the top of a washing machine 77 so that in this way the directional instrument 20 can be used for vertical alignment of this washing machine 77.

The example in Fig. 1 2 indicates use of the instrument 20 according to the invention with a mounting plate fitted on a directional plate 78.

Such directional plates 78 are often required in engineering and instrument construction and, to be used, their surface has to be accurately horizointally aligned. For this alignment process, the base part 73 of the mounting plate of the instrument 20 is placed on the upper surface of the directional plate 78 so that the raising and lowering devices 79 can be manipulated with the aid of the directional instrument 20 in order to carry out alignment as explained above.

Fig. 13 shows a simple holder 80 for the directional instrument 20, the holder being indicated in vertical section and with the directional instrument inserted. The holder 80 is of sleeve-like construction so that the flat side faces 32 and flat rear face 34 of the instrument 20 fit exactly into this sleeve-like holder 80, its flat bottom surface 33 resting on bottom inwardly directed projections 81 of the holder 80. The front wall of the holder 80 is provided with a recess 82 so that the switches and display means of the inserted directional apparatus 20 are exposed. In the example illustrated, the holder 80 is constructed somewhat higher than the instrument 20 and it has a click-stop openable or otherwise easily fixed lid 83 which is provided on the inside face with a pressure spring 84 which rests on the top of the instrument 20.On its rear face, the holder 80 has a fixing element 86 which can be constructed according to the particular surface on a caravan or the like to which the instrument has to be applied, or which can be copied from case to case.

The holder 80 is a simple and inexpensive shaped member, for instance of synthetic plastics material, and a fairly large number of such holders may be supplied with the directional instrument 20 in order to be fixed permanently to such objects, for example, caravans, sales vehicles and the like.

Fig. 14 shows a sales vehicle 87 on which five holders 80 are provided on various locations on the side walls and the ceiling or roof. For alignment of the sales vehicle 87, the directional instrument can be inserted into any one of these holders 80, as desired.

Furthermore, Fig. 14 shows a caravan 88 on one side wall of which there are two holders 80.

In order to align this caravan, the directional instrument 20 can be inserted into one of these holders 80. It is however also possible to insert the directional instrument into both holders 80, one after the other, in order to carry out any secondary alignment if required. In the case of the larger caravan 88 shown in Fig. 14, five holders 80 are provided, in fact four holders on one side wall and a further holder 80 on the front end wall.

A simple disposition of two holders 80 on a camping vehicle 88 provides for one holder 80 to be mounted on the side wall behind the axle while the second holder 80 is mounted on the front end wall approximately centrally below the window.

Both the sales vehicle 87 and also the caravans 88 illustrated are in each case equipped with four raising and lowering devices 89. Generally, these raising and lowering devices are manually operated jacks mounted on the underside of the relevant sales vehicle 87 or caravan 88, the said jacks having a foot which rests on the ground.

The example shown in Figs. 1 5 to 18 relate to a universal visual and acoustic indicating device to show the disposition and operating status of objects, for example machines, vehicles, caravans and the like. This device is described hereinafter with reference to an example of application to a caravan 88 (Fig. 18).

As Fig. 1 8 shows, the caravan 88 is provided at its four corner zones with a respective raising and lowering device 89.1,89.2,89.3 and 89.4. Inside the caravan 88 there is a permanently installed disposition sensor 30. Also housed inside the caravan 88 is electronic evaluating device 50 which, in the example illustrated, is located alongside the disposition sensor 30.

Connected to this electronic evaluating device 50 are a display panel 90 on the front and another display panel 90 on the rear of the caravan 88.

These display panels 90 can in each case be covered by a cover 91. In order to be able to see the display panels 90 on the side faces of the caravan 88, there are provided observation mirrors 92 which can be fitted on the caravan wall or applied thereto by magnetic holders or the like.

Furthermore, the caravan 88 has on its side walls loudspeakers 93 which are connected to the electronic evaluating device 50 and, in the region of each of the raising and lowering devices 89.1, 89.2, 89.3 and 89.4 a socket 94 into which headphones can be plugged. Finally, the caravan 88 is equipped with auxiliary safety sensors.

These include at least one temperature sensor provided in the ceiling area of the inside of the caravan to serve as a fire alarm. Similar temperature sensors can be mounted in the region of the caravan axle or axles in order to establish excessive temperature rises due to tyre damage, brake damage or the like. Furthermore, the caravan has under its bottom a lowerable sensor 96 which responds to liquids and which serves as a high-water monitor. This high-water monitor can, once the caravan 88 has been set up, be lowered to the ground or just above the ground, when the caravan is travelling, it can be lifted to the underside of the caravan in the same way as the raising and lowering devices 89.1, 89.2, 89.3 and 89.4.

Furthermore, inside the caravan there is a sensor 97 which responds to gaseous chemical substances, when the concentration of heating and cooking gas inside the caravan 88 rises above a fixed threshold. Finally, the windows and the door and other areas of the caravan 88 which are subject to break-in are equipped with sensors 98 which respond to removal, shape change or movement of wall parts and the like and which serve as safeguards against break-in.

All these sensors 95 to 98 are connected to the electronic evaluating device 50 in the manner shown in Fig. 1 5.

In the case of the embodiment shown in Fig.

15, the electronic evaluating device 50 has at its input for working voltage a monitoring switch 99 which constitutes a means of detecting failure of operating voltage and at the same time an automatic change-over switch for operation of the electronic evaluating device 50, from a battery 60. Connected to this working voltage monitoring switch 99 is a programme switch which can be switched to "Alarm" and "Level Display". This programme switch 101 leads to a timer 102 which, when the programme switch 101 is set, switches on the logic control switch device 51,the level display transmitter 103, the electronic control circuit 104 for visual display on the panel 90, the control signal transmitter 105 for one or more auxiliary indicating displays 100 and the signal generator 106 for visual display.

The period of connection of these parts of the device is limited to five minutes by the timer 102.

When the programme switch 101 is set at "Alarm", the timer 102 switches an alarm signal transmitter 107 to constant readiness, and upon commencement of delivery of an alarm signal, the timer 102 is energised to limit this alarm signal to 90 seconds and after expiry of a predetermined or adjustable period of interruption it is energised after which alarm signals are again transmitted for the period of 90 seconds.

When the alarm signal transmitter 107 is switched on, also input amplifier 108 is switched to operational readiness, the various alarm sensors 95, 96, 97, 98 being connected to it. As Fig. 1 5 shows, the electronic evaluating device 50 comprises an additional input amplifier 108 for connection of any other alarm sensor which is desired.

Adjacent to the alarm signal generator 107 is an output amplifier 109 which leads to the loudspeaker 93 and to a connection 110 to a not shown and remotely disposed alarm transmitter.

The sensor 30 is shown in Fig. 1 6. In its construction, it is for practical purposes identical to the sensor 30 as provided inside the directional instrument shown in Figs. 1 to 14. According to this, there is suspended from a thin electrically conductive wire 37 a pendulum body 36 made from electrically conductive material and which carries on its underside a damping plate 40, the underside of which has a lining 41. The top end of the suspension wire 37 is fitted into a suspension device 38 which has a hand lever 39. This hand lever 39 has three positions: a) minimal fitting position (for coarse measurements) b) lowering position (in which the lining 41 on the damping plate 40 is resting on the housing floor) and c) fully raised position (for fine measurements).

The pendulum body 36 is enclosed by an annular contact arrangement 42 with which contacts 44, 45, 46, 47 are mounted on a carrier ring (left-hand part of Fig.17). These contacts 44, 45, 46 and 47 are individually connected to the logic control switch device 51.

The essential part of the display panel 90 is shown in the right-hand portion of Fig. 1 7. It comprises four diagonally opposed optical display elements 64, 65, 66, 67, for example LED diodes.

The disposition of the contacts 44, 45, 46 and 47 and the disposition of the display elements 64, 65, 66, 67, are so matched to the disposition of the raising and lowering devices 89.1, 89.2, 89.3, 89.4, that in the case of an excessively low disposition, for example on the raising and lowering device 89.1, the pendulum body 37 comes in contact with the switch contact 44 and the display element 64 on the panel which in position is associated with the raising and lowering device 89.1 is illuminated. The same applies to all the other switch contacts 45, 46 and 47 and display elements 65, 66 and 67.If required, it is possible to provide at the logic control switch device 51 a change-over switch which produces anti-symmetrical response, namely causes illumination of that display element 66 which is associated with the particular switch contact 46 which is diametrically opposite the switch element 44 which is contacted by the pendulum body 36. By means of this anti-symmetrical disposition, the visual display device indicates which raising and lowering device has to be lowered. In both cases, the middle display element 68 lights up when the pendulum body is not touching any of the contact pieces 44, 45, 46, 47. If the position sensor 30 is in its insensitive position, then it is possible to change over to the more sensitive measuring position and in the same way to repeat the aligning process to achieve a fine alignment.

As Fig. 1 5 shows, it is possible to connect in parallel with the control amplifier 104 for visual display a control device 105 for a display 100 comprising seven segments. According to the alpha-numerical system, this display is capable of indicating the figures 1, 2, 4 and 0 or even any desired letters. With this display, then, that raising and lowering device 89.1, 89.2, or 89.4 is indicated directly when it needs to be raised. If there has been corresponding switch-over to the logic control switch device 51, then the display 100 will indicate the number of that raising and lowering device which has to be lowered.

Provided parallel with the whole optical display is an acoustic display. For this, an electronic signal generating device 106 is provided, to the output of which is connected a loudspeaker 93, while sockets 94 are provided for headphones connection. The electronic signal generating device 106 can be constructed in its simplest embodiment as an audio frequency generator, for example for the generation of 500 Hz audiofrequency with an interruption frequency of 1 Hz.

This signal would be used to indicate that one of the raising and lowering devices has to be raised or lowered. Furthermore, a continuous audiofrequency of 250 Hz would need to be generated if none of the contact pieces 44 to 47 is in contact with the pendulum body 36. The signal generating device 106 can also be constructed so that it gives a direct call signal by which the particular raising and lowering device 89.1,89.2, 89.3 or 89.4 which may at any time need to be raised (or in the case of switch-over of the logic control switch device 51, lowered) is called by number or name, the appropriate status being called forward by means of a key word. In such cases, alignment could be carried out just by means of the acoustic display.

if the electronic evaluating device at the programme switch 101 is set to "Alarm", then by calling one of the alarm transmitters 95, 96, 97, 98 and upon failure of the normal operating voltage source the alarm signal generator 107 is energised to generate an alarm signal. This alarm signal can be a tone alternating at a frequency of 1 Hz to an audio-frequency of 800 Hz to an audiofrequency of 1000 Hz, with a duration of 90 seconds. Upon expiry of 90 seconds, the timer 102 produces a pause of for instance 60 to 90 seconds after which it again switches on an alarm which last 90 seconds. This interrupted alarm delivery can then be repeated several times.

Claims (29)

1. A device for indicating the disposition of objects, such as machines, vehicles, caravans and the like, comprising an electronic evaluating means to which is connected at least one sensor, which delivers an electrical signal when the disposition established by the sensor diverges from the normal, and electrical indication means the electronic evaluating device being arranged to identify an electrical signal coming from the sensor and to cause the indication means to provide an indicator which corresponds to the identified sensor signal.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the electrical indication means provides an acoustic indication.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the electrical indication means provides a visual indication.

4. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the device includes an internal power source for operation of the device.

5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3 wherein the electronic evaluating device is, for normal operation, connected to an external source of electric operating current and to an operating condition sensor which responds to failure of the external electric operating current source, the said sensor being constructed for immediate switchover of the electronic evaluating device and possibly of other sensors connected to it and of the electrical indication means from the external electric power supply to an internal power source.

6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the sensor comprises a pendulum body suspended by a plumb line, the pendulum body being positioned between at least three and preferably four electrical contacts disposed annularly at equal angular distances about the body, the contacts being closed when contacted by the pendulum body and the indication means indicating the respectively closed contact of the position sensor.

7. A device according to claim 6 wherein the suspension height of the pendulum body is adjustable in stages.

8. A device according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the pendulum body is constructed as an upwardly tapering cone and is suspended at the tip of the cone.

9. A device according to one of claims 6 to 8 wherein the pendulum body has on its underside a horizontal damping plate.

10. A device according to one of claims 6 to 9 wherein the electrical contacts are formed by contact pieces and the pendulum body has a common mating contact.

11. A device according to claim 10 wherein the contact pieces are constructed in the manner of contact points which are directed radially at the pendulum body.

12. A device according to claim 10 or 11 wherein the contact pieces are mounted in electrically insulated fashion on a circular ring of electrically conductive material which surrounds the pendulum body, the ring being connected to the evaluating device as an additional piece.

1 3. A device according to claim 12 wherein the ring is constituted by mutually electrically insulated ring portions disposed between in each case two adjacent contact pieces.

14. A device according to one of claims 6 to 13 wherein the indication means contains for the respectively closed contacts of the position sensor visual indicators, for example LED diodes of different colours which can be controlled to give a continuous signal or a flashing signal.

1 5. A device according to one of claims 6 to 14 wherein for the respectively closed contacts of the position sensor, the indication means contains acoustic indicators for various audio frequencies, for example 3000 Hz, 1 50 Hz and 800 Hz, which can be controlled to give a continuous tone or an intermittent tone, possibly with different breaking frequencies.

1 6. A device according to one of claims 6 to 15 wherein the sensor, the electronic evaluating device and the indication device for the respectively closed switches of the sensor are combined into one directional instrument, the housing of which has parts, for application to suitable surfaces on the object or the like which is to be aligned.

1 7. A device according to claim 1 6 including an additional mounting plate which can be applied in orthogonal planes on housing parts of the directional instrument.

1 8. A device according to claim 16 including receiving holders for the directional instrument and which can be permanently mounted on the objects, for example vehicles such as caravans, vending trucks and the like, which are to be aligned.

1 9. A device according to one of claims 6 to 15 wherein the sensor is rigidly mounted on an object which is equipped with a plurality of raising and lowering devices in a predetermined disposition or which can be rigidly positioned in a given arrangement, the indication means comprising an optical indicating part in the form of an indicator panel including visual indicating elements, for example LED diodes which reproduce the disposition of the raising and lowering devices on the object which is to be aligned, these display elements being so connected to the electronic evaluating device that the optical indicating element which is associated with a lifting and lowering device which has to be moved vertically for alignment purposes is switched on or energised.

20. A device according to one of claims 6 to 15 wherein the sensor is mounted rigidly on an object equipped with a plurality of raising and lowering devices in a given disposition or can be rigidly mounted thereon in a given disposition, the indication means containing an acoustic means for each raising and lowering device of the object to be aligned, these being so connected to the electronic evaluating device that the acoustic means associated with which ever raising and lowering device has to be raised or lowered for alignment purposes is switched on.

21. A device according to claims 19 or 20 wherein an additional display means is provided for alpha-numerical designation of which ever raising and lowering device is being displayed or called.

22. A device according to claim 19 or 20 wherein a switchover means is provided for selective switching to display the raising and lowering device which has to be lowered for aligning purposes.

23. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a temperature sensor is provided which is constructed as a fire alarm to respond to elevated operating temperature.

24. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, particularly for caravans, wherein a sensor which responds to chemical substances, particularly hydrocarbon gases, is provided as an atmosphere monitor.

25. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, particularly for caravans, wherein a sensor which can be attached beneath the vehicle and which responds to liquid is provided as a high-water monitor.

26. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, particularly for caravans, wherein, as a break-in monitor a sensor is provided which responds to movement or shape changes or parts of vehicles.

27. A device according to claim 4 or 5 wherein, when designed for battery operation, the evaluating device comprises a time switch for automatic switch-off after a predetermined working time, for example 5 minutes has elapsed.

28. A device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein, when constructed for battery operation, the evaluating device comprises a time switch for automatic switch-off of the indication means after a predetermined period of indication, for example 90 seconds, has elapsed, and for switch-on again after a fixed waiting time in order to repeat a predetermined warning.

29. A device for indicating the disposition of objects substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.