US1275409A - Outage-gage. - Google Patents

Description

C. F.- EHRENTRAUT. OUTAGE GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.27, 1917. 1,275,409. Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

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CHARLES F. EHBENTRAUT, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

OUTAGE-GAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

Application filed August 27, 1917. Serial No. 188,302.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CEiARLEs F. EHREN- TBAU'I, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, inthe county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Outage-Gages, of which the fol-' ment of such liquids in the usual cylindri-- cal tank oars provided with the ordinary dome, there occurs more or less shrinkage due to evaporation, leakage, etc., known as outage. Under certain circumstances, there 1s also at times an apparent accretion of liquid, due to expansion known as domea e.

The invention comprises an indicating mechanism adapted to be located in the tank.

car, utilizing a float which assumes the level of the liquid when a rest at all times, and which is so arranged as to be positively fixed in position at the time that the cap of the dome is removed, when the contents are discharged. The float is freely mounted within a holding casing and provided with a pointer operable in connection with a registering scale, so that when thefloat is arrested at or before the time of discharge of the contents, it will. accurately indicate the level of the liquid at the time of arrival of the car at its destination. The mechanism is so constructed as to be operable by the dome cap itself, upon unscrewing, and to be positively locked in position, when thus set, so as to efl'ectually revent accidental release of the float. It is also preferably protected by a coping or cover which prevents unauthorized tampering by the consignee. V

One preferred embodiment .of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View of a portion of a tank car showing the invention as utilized;

ig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail view showing the float within its'casing, partly broken away;

Fig. 3 is a face view in elevation of the casing;

' Fig. 4 is a plan view of the casing and the actuating mechanism for the float looking device;

Fig. 5 is a similar view illustrating the ineffective action of the lever in screwing on the dome cap;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the effective action in unscrewing the dome cap;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the float and the arresting shaft; and

Fig. 8 is a View in elevation of the upper portion of the float casing and its parts at right angles to Fig. 2, from the other side shown in Fig. 3.

In the drawing, 2 represents the main body portion or tank of an ordinary tank car provided with the usual dome 3. 4 represents the level of the liquid therein as it may be after shipment, upon arriving at the point of destination, the space 0 indicating the outage, i. c., the shrinkage in the liquid below the top portion of the tank 2. Domeage, e'. 6., any increase above such level, is indicated by the line 6. Variations in either respect are indicatedby the rising and falling float-5 and the mechanism hereinafter described.

Said float, which may be of any buoyant material as cork, or of an air tight sheet metal construction, is preferably cylindrical in form and fits freely within the interior of the cylindrical casing 6. Said casing rests on its base upon the bottom of the tank car, as indicated at 7 and may be fixedly secured in place by any convenient means. The casing 6 is of sufiicient length to extend into the interior of the dome 3 adjacent its top, and is located toward one. side of the dome, as shown in Fig. 1, whereby to locate the actuating lever 8 of the mechanism within the pathof a rotating pin 9 of cap 10. Said cap is ordinarily screwed into the central portion of the top 3 of dome 3 and pin or abutment 9 is located eccentrically of its center, as shown. I

Float 5 is centrally apertured vertically throughout its length providing an opening 11 which preferably segmental in cross section, as shown in Fig. 7 providing for a range of lateral movement of the locking pins 12 of a pin shaft or stem 13. Said stem is provided for partial rotat on at the bottom and top of easing 6, and n the top 14 thereof as indicated at 15. Pins 12 extend laterally in alinement throughout the operative portion of the stem co-extensive with the range of movement of float 5, and are adapted to be thrust around laterally and to engage,.in the limited space between adjacent pins, an arresting late 16 at one or both ends of the float. rdmar ly, the pins extend in a non-registering direction with relation to plates 16, as shown in Fig. 7 so that float 5 is free to rise and fall within its casing, with the liquid contents of the tank car, except when stem 13 is thrust around, as indicated in Fig. 6. In such case, the float is positively arrested, and 1ts position in the casing is indicated by a pointer 17 with relation to a graduated gage 18, at one side of a longitudinal clearance slot 0.

Stem 13 is provided with a lever arm 19 having a vertically adjustable locking P111 20, normally pressed downwardly y a spring 21, and pin 20 extends above the arm 19 roviding a bearing for the end of lever 8. .lin 20 is adapted to ride over an inclined bearing 22 and to engage the abutment 25:), or an equivalent socket, when the arm 19 1s thrown around by lever 8', upon unscrewing cap 10. By this means teeth 12 engage late or plates 16, arresting the float, an the mechanism is so locked. in position that it cannot be released without first pulling up the pin 20.

Lever 8 is maintained normally in its middle position by springs 24, 24, and is ino erative to affect lever 19 when the cap 10 is screwed on, because the inner end of lever 8 in such case moves awa from the pin 20, resuming its normal centr position each time that pin 9 rides against and beyond it, until the cap is screwed on tight. The first contact of pin 9 with lever 8 in unscrewing, however, sets lever 19, rotatin stem 13 and fixes the float, thus tem ora y locating it and indicating the leve of the contents at the time of removal of the cap.

After recoi'd is made of the height of the contents in the tank, it may be emptied and lever arm 19 may be raised against the pressure of spring 21 and re-set in normal position for the next operation.

In order to prevent unauthorized tam:- pering or readjustment of the mechanism by the consignee, or others than the shipper or seller, I cover the upper portion of casing 6 and the actuating mechanism with a coping or cap 25 having a movable top 26 and a lock 27, The copingv is cut away, as at 28,

new,

dificulties of accurately determining or agreeing upon the amount of loss or deterioration in shipment.

It automatically and positivel registers the level of the liquid so that en stantially exact computation may be made of any variation in transit, either in excess or diminution.

The device may be changed or varied in design, construction, or different details by the skilled mechanic, but all such changes are within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is 1. A level indicator consisting of a casing having a vertically and freely movable indicating float, a device for engaging, arresting and holding the float, and a lever adapted to engage and actuate said device.

2. A level indicator consisting of a casing having a vertically and freely movable indicating float, a device for engaging, arresting and holding the float, and a lever adapted to engage .and actuate said device in one direction and to be ineffective in a reverse direc tion of movement. 7

3. A level indicator consisting of a vertically arran ed slotted casing having a gage, a buoyant oat therein havmg a erforating opening anda locking cap, a r through said opening and provided with a series of locking teeth, and means adapted to turn said rod.

4. A level indicator consisting of a vertically arranged slotted casing having a gage, a buoyant oat therein having a perforating openlng and a locking cap, a rod extending through said opening and provided with a series of locking teeth, and a terminal lever, and a lever-operable to actuate said terminal lever.

5. A level indicator consisting of a vertically arran ed slotted casing having a gage, a buoyant oat therein having a perforating opening and a locking cap, a rod extending through said opening and provided with a series of locking teeth, a terminal lever having a spring-retracted locking pin, and a lever operable to engage said pin to actuate the terminal lever.

6. An outage gage for tank cars consisting of a vertical casing provided with a buoyant float, a semi-rotatable stem exten through. the float and provided with a series extending adapted to engage saidi of projections adapted to engage and hold the float upon rotation, and lever mechanism extending across and operable by the cap of the dome of the tank car.

7. An outage gage for tank cars consisting of a vertical casing,provided, with a buoyant float havin an indicator, a gage on the casing, a semi-rotatable stem exten ing through the float and provided with a series of projections adapted to engage and hold the float upon rotation and a termi-' nal lever, a spring-retracted pin on said lever, and a separate 'lever;1voted to the casing having one arm exten g into range of the lever pin and another arm extending across the cap of the tank car and into range of an abutment thereon.

8. In combination with a tank car having 9. In an outage of the class I described, in combinatlon witha'semi-rotatable arresting stem and its lever havm a spring-retracted locking pin and a holding a utment for said pin, a lever operable in one direction to engage said pin and rotate the arresting stem and to be thrown away therefrom on o' posite movement, a dome cap having an a utment operable to engage said lever in either direction, and equalizing springs for said lever.

10.- A level indicator consisting of 9. casing having a vertically movable indicating float, a device for arresting and holding the float, a lever adapted to engage and actuate said device, and a movably mounted abutment adapted to engage sa1d lever.

11. A level indicator conslstmg of a casing having a vertically movable indicating" float, a device for arresting and holding the float, a lever adapted to engage and actuate 60 said device in one direction and to be inably mounted abutment adapted to engage said lever in either direction of movement.

effective in a reverse direction, and a rotat-' In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

CHARLES F. EHRENTRAUT.

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