US1316341A

US1316341A - Electbjcc-volume indicator fob tanks

Info

Publication number: US1316341A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1919-09-16
Anticipated expiration: 1936-09-16

Description

1. A. VOSIKA ELECTRlC VOLUME INDICATOR FOR TANKS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21'. Km.

1 3 1 6, 34 1 Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

Th/Dun I01 James A .Vcrsfka attozmeq I JAM-ES A. vosIxA', or onrvra, mnvnnso'rn.

nnncrnrcwonumn INDICATOR. FOR 'r'lmxs.

Spebification of Letters Yatent. Patented Sept, 16, 1919.

Application filed June 27, 1917. Serla11i'o, 177,341-.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. VOSIKA, a Citizen of the United States, and a resident of Olivia, in the county of Renville and Stateof Minnesota, have invented 'a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric-Volume "Indicators for Tanks, of which the following .is a specification.

\The present invention relates to indicators, of the type adapted particularly for attachment to fuel tanks of automobiles, motor boats and the like.-

An object of the present invention is to provide an indicator of this character which may be attached to an ordinary tank; and which embodies an electric circuit and means for normally opening the circuitlto econo-- mize in the consumption of electric energy. The invention also aims at the provision of an indicator attachment comprising but relatively few parts which are so constructed that they may be easily applied to the tanks and to the body portion of the vehicle or the like, and which occupy but relatively small space.

The above, and various other objects and advantages of this invention will be in part described, and in part understood, from the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illus trated in the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a motor vehicle having the attachment of this invention applied thereto, the vehicle being disclosed in outline.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, enlarged, of

the fuel tank of the vehicle and the attach ment applied thereto.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, taken in a plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 2, through a portion of the indicator attachment.

Fig. 4 is'a fragmentary enlarged-sectlon taken on the plane indicated by the line 1% in Fig. 2, showing the contact brush in engagement with one of the contact segments.

Referring to this drawing. A designates the body of a motor vehicle or-the like which is provided with a fuel tank B mounted in any suitable position thereon, such as at the rear end of the body as shown in Fig. 1, and which is provided with an instrument board C.

This invention comprises a circuit-controllin device in the form of a casing or housin; 10 which may be of cylindrical contour,

and which is provided with attaching brackets 11 adapted to be secured upon the upper wall of the tank B, and about an opening 12- formed in the tank. The casing or housing 10 is provided with a bottom 13 suitably secured in the casing 10, and to the upper face I of which is secured an insulating plate of mica, or the like, l i'adapted to carry. a disk 15 of fiber, or the like. The fiber disk 15 is provided n its upper face with a circular row of sultably spaced-apart apertures receivin-g therein stems 16 depending from segmental contact plates 17, the'latter being arranged in a circular row near the marginal edge of the disk 15, and having their opposite end portions closely spaced apart. The v segmental plates 17 are electrically connected in series by anumber of. resistance coils 18', the latter preferably extending inwardly from the plates 17 and resting upon the top of the fiber disk 16. An end segmental plate 19 is arranged in the row of the plates 17 and has no electrical connection with the plates 17 to provide a zero contact or rest.-

. The plate 19 is arranged at one end of the row of plates, and the plate 17 at the opposite end of the row is connected by wire 20 to a binding post 21 which extends throughv the adjacent side of the casing 10.

A shaft 22 is rotatably mounted in the bottom 13, and extends upwardly therethrough and through the disk 15. A radially extend ing arm or sweep 23 preferably of hard rubjher, is mounted on the upper end of the shaft Y22 and overhangs at its free end the circular row of plates 17 and 19. The outer end of the arm 23 is provided with a vertically extending bushing 24:, in the lower end of which is slidably mounted a contact brush of carbon or the like, as indicated at 25. The

brush 25 is yieldingly depressed against the plates 17 and 19 by a spring 26 located in the upper end of the bushing 24 and held under tension against the brush 25 by a leaf spring 27 which is secured to the upper end of the bushing 2 1 at one extremity, and which is' pivotally mounted at its inner end upon a binding post 28 mounted in the top of the casing 10, and in axial alinement with the shaft 22. The shaft 22, the arm 23, and the leaf spring 27 are adapted to turn as a unit.

A hearing bracket 29 is secured to the underside of the bottom 13, and projects downwardly throughthc opening 12 in the tank.

The bracket 29 ispreferably formed from'a strip of metal which issuitably bent and and vertically spaced apart ears 30 which are apertured and form bearings for the lower end of the shaft 22. A bevel gear wheel 31 is fixed to the lower end of the shaft 22, and meshes with a correspondingly formed. bevel gear wheel 32 which is fixed upon a float shaft 33 supported in the lower end of the bracket 29. The lower end of the bracket 29 is bent laterally, and is provided with a pair of horizontally spaced-apart cars 34 which are apertured and form bearings for the shaft 33. The shaft 33 is provided with a float rod 35 upon the lower end of which is mounted a float 36, the latter being adapted to engage in the liquid contents of the tank B and to rise and fall with the surface level of the liquid contents.

The rise and fall of the float 36 rotates the float shaft 33, and by means of the gear wheels 31 and 32, rotates the shaft 22. When the shaft 22 is turned, the arm 23 wipes over the contact plates 19 and 17, and carries the movable contact or brush 25 over the segments tocontrol the closing of the resistance coils 18in circuit with the wire 20.

An indicator 37 of any approved type, may be mounted on the instrument board C of the motor vehicle, or the like, and connected by circuit wires 41 and, 41-2 to the rheostat.

source of current, is interposed in the circuit whose current may be regulated by use of the rheostat of this invention.

- In operation,'when thecontact brush rests upon the insulated plate or segment 19, no current will flow through the wires 41 and 12, and the circuit will be maintained open. If, however, the contact brush 25 rests upon one of the segmental plates 17, the current will flow through the wires 41 3 and 42, through the

binding posts

21 and 28,

and through the leaf spring 27, bushing 24,

and brush 25, to the adjacent contact plate 17. The circuit is completed through said contact plate'17 and theadjacent resistance coils 18 which are interpos'ed'between the said contact plate and the wire, 20. It will be thus observed that the resistance set up by the coils 18 will control current and'the operation of the instrument '37.

It, is of course understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of the above-specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and being restricted only by the scope of the following claims:

1. In an electric indicator, the combination of a casing, a circular row of spaced contacts arranged within the casing, resistance elements connecting the contacts, a lead connected to one end of the row of contacts, a sweep arm pivoted in the casing for trav- A battery 43, or any suitable of contacts, resistance elements connecting the row of contacts to the exclusion of said end contact, a sweep arm for traversing all of said contacts, a'wiping contact mounted on the arm adapted to engage one at-a time all of said contacts, and a second lead connected to the wiping contact for closing a circuit through the variable resistance of the row of contacts and adapted to engage said separate contact for maintaining the circuit open.

3. In an electric indicator, the combination of a casing, a spindle mounted vertically in the casing, means for'turning the spindle, a circular row of spaced contacts arranged concentric about the spindle, a zero contact arranged at one end of the row of contacts, resistance elements connecting the row of contacts to the exclusion of the zero contact, a sweep arm mounted on the spindle and comprising electric non-conducting material, a spring pressed wiping contact mounted in the outer end of the sweep arm adapted to engage over the row of contactsand said zero contact, and a second lead connected to the wiping contact, said wiping contact being adapted to'close the circuit through the variable resistances of the row of spaced contacts, and to maintain the circuit open when registering with said zero contact.

4. In an electric indicator, the combination of circular easing, a spindle journaled vertically in the casing, means connected to the spindle for turning the same,-a sweep arm mounted on the upper end of the spindle within the casing, a circular row of spaced contacts fixed in the casing concentric to the spindle, a wiping contact carried upon the sweep arm and adapted to traverse the spaced contacts, resistance elements connects ing the contacts of the row, a lead connected to the row of contracts at one end thereof, an

arm pivoted to the top of the casing co-axial with the spindle and connected at its outer connecting the contacts, a lead connected to the row of contacts at one end thereof, a second lead connected to and arranged coaxial with the spindle for said wiping contact, and a zero contact arranged at the end of the row remote from said first lead adapted to engage the wiping contact for maintaining the circuit open. 7

6. In an electric indicator, the combination of a casing, a bracket depending from the casing, a spindle journaled vertically in the bracket and the casing, operating means mounted on the bracket and connected to the spindle for turning the same, a sweep arm mounted on the upper end of the spindle within the casing, a circular row of spaced contacts'arranged in the casing concentric to the spindle, a wiping contact carried by the sweep arm adapted to traverse the con tacts, resistance elements connecting: the contacts, a lead connected to the contacts at one end of the row thereof, a second lead connected to the wiping contact, a zero contact arranged at the end of the row of contacts remote from said first lead forengagement with the wiping contact to maintain the circuit open, and means for yieldingly urging the wiping contact against the fixed contacts in the casing.

JAMES A, VOSIKA.