US1373420A

US1373420A - Low-liquid alarm

Info

Publication number: US1373420A
Application number: US428448A
Authority: US
Inventors: Grah William
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1920-12-06
Filing date: 1920-12-06
Publication date: 1921-04-05
Anticipated expiration: 1938-04-05

Description

W. GRAH.

LOW LIQUID ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-6,1920.

1,3?3,420, Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

ulllllll li I H1 l lpl I I H I l Invfiiifrua M M,

WILLIAM GRAI'I, 0E WATIERVILLE, OHIO. I

LOW-LIQUID ALARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

Application filed December 6, 1920. Serial No. 428,448.

To aZZ whomz't may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM GRAH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of i Vaterville, in the county of Lucas and State of @hio, have made an Invention Appertaining to Low-Liquid Alarms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinven tion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the ac companying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to alarm devices, for use particularly in connection with the liquid containing tanks of automobiles or other vehicles to indicate a predetermined low lip d level therein.

The object of my invention is the provision of a simple, elficient and novel signal means of the character described, which is operable by movements of the associated vehicle to sound an audible alarm when the liquid in the container is at a predetermined low level.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and while, in its broader aspect, it is capable of embodiment in numerous forms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is an elevation of an apparatus embodying the invention in connection with a container, with parts in section and with the liquid in low level position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the device with parts removed and broken away. Fig. 3 is an enlarged end elevation of a device with parts broken away and parts removed, and Fig. 4 is an elevation similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a liquid container or tank having an opening 2 in the top thereof closed by a remov-. able cap 3. The cap 3 is provided on-its top with an arch or yoke member 4; of inverted U-form, which carries a hell or resonant member 5 suspended therein with its open side downward.

A stud 6 rises from the top of the cap 3, at one side of its center and within the resonant member 5, and carries an escapement wheel 7 and bevel gear 8 for free turnmovemen h e n and in connected, re

lation to turn together. An escapement pallet 9 is pivotally carried by the cap for engagement with the escapement wheel 7 and carries a striker finger 10 for striking engagement with the resonant member 5 when the pallet is oscillated by a rotation of the escapement wheel.

The bevel gear 8 is connected to a drive shaft 11 through a bevel gear 12, said shaft being carried at right angles to the stud 6 by a bracket 13 rising from the cap top. A pinion 14: is loosely carried by. the shaft 11 in sleeve connection with the gear 12 where by the two may freely turn together on the shaft. A rack-bar 15 is in mesh with the pinion 14 and extends down through an opening in the cap and into the container 1 to near its bottom. A float 16 is carried by the rack-bar so that a vertical reciprocatory movement of the float occasioned by a swishing or movement of the liquid within the container, when at a predetermined low level position will communicate the vertical reciprocatory movement to the rack-bar to rock the escapement wheel 7 first in one direction and then the other through the intermediate gearing. It is preferable to mount the fioat 16 loosely on the rack-bar 15 for limited reciprocatory movements longitudinally thereof, such movements being limited by upper and lower stops 1? on the rack-bar. With this arrangement, the float as it rises and falls is permitted to acquire some movement rela tive to the rack-bar before striking one or the other of the stops 1'? so that when coming in contact therewith it will have a hammering or striking action thereon to tend to loosen the actuating mechanism for the striker 10 should it have a tendency to stick or resist a movement of the rack bar.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4; the actuating mechanism for the striker is all located'within the tank with the exception of the escapement means which is carried by the cap within the resonant member. In this form ofthe invention the float 20 is free to have vertical movements on a guide bar 21 fixedly extending downward from the cap 3 into the container and being pref erably square in cross-section and fitting in a square opening in the float to prevent a relative turning of the latter. The float ias a rack bar 22 extending downward there- Iiim engagement with a pi ion 23 moun ed loosely on a stud projecting from a bracket 24 extending down within the container from the cap 3. The pinion 23 is provided on its side with a set of bevel teeth in mesh with a bevel pinion 25 on a vertical shaft 26, which is journaled at its lower end in a part of the bracket 24 and, in the present instance, extends upward freely through an opening in the float 20 and through a bearing in the cap 3. An escapement wheel 27 is carried by the shaft 26 above the ca p and acts on the escapement pallet 28 of a striker finger 29 to operate said finger to strike the resonant member 5 when the shaft- 26 is turned.

It is evident with both forms of the invention that the alarm means is carried by the cap 3 and may be removed as a unit therewith from the container.

I wish it understood that my invention not limited to any specific construction, arrangement, or form of the parts, as it is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. In combination, a liquid container, a

resonant member carried by the container, a striker for said member, mechanism for imparting striking movements to the striker and including a rack-bar extending into the container, and a float carried by the rack-bar within the container and adapted to reciprocate the rack bar when the float is reciprooated, the float being carried by the rack-bar for limited movements longitudinally thereof whereby the float is permitted to gather momentum in its movement before imparting movement to the bar.

2. In combination, a liquid container having an opening therein, a cap for removably closing said opening, a resonant member carried by the cap, a striker carried by the cap, a float within the container, and mechanism carried by the cap and connecting the float and striker, said mechanism being operable by movements of the float to impart resonant member striking movements to the striker, the resonant member, striker, float and mechanism being carried as unit by the cap and removable therewith from the container.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM GRAH.