US1634165A - Electric gasoline gauge - Google Patents

Description

1,634,165 June 28' 1927 w. E. WILLIAMS ELECTRIC GASOLINE GAUGE Filed Jan. 22, 1925 5&2/ 6 Z4 lIII'I'IIIIIIIIIIIIL F5192 INVENTOR WML/,4,145 M//L HMS Q BY ATTO NEYS Patented June 28, 1927.

UNITED STATES A M 1,634,165 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAI IDW-'ABD WILLIAMS, OF ROOSEVELT, NEW YORK.

nnnc'rnrc GAsoLINE GAUGE.

Applloltiign lled January This invention relates to electric gasoline gau es. f

ore particularly the invention relates to new and useful improvements in the 'class of gauges or indicators for gauging or 1ndicating the qpantiy of liqui in a remotely arranged tan ,an has especial reference to the type of devices which employ electrical indicating means, which is operated by mechanism responsive to the rise and fall of liquid Within the tank.

One of the objects of the present invention is to produce an apparatus of the character mentioned which is efficient and effectual in use, and which has certain safeguards against explosion in cases where the same is use-d in connection with tanks c ontaining explosive liquids such as gasollne.

Another object of the -invention is to produce a device which is capable of being used in conjunction with liquid tanks of different depths.

Another object of the invention 1s to produce a device of the character mentioned which Will be simple of construction and one which may be readily installe-d for use 1n connection with all forms of liquid tanks now in use as part of the equipment of automobiles. A

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the particular combination, relative disposition, and operation of the parts hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical indicating means employed as a part of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view throu h a tank with all but the lamp casing of t e apparatus shown applied to the tank.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a face view of the lamp caslng, which in use is arranged at a point remote from the tank and the other parts of the apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through the lamp casing shown 1n Fig.

The invention, generally stated, conslsts of a tank which contains the liquid, ind1- eating means 11 includin a lamp' casing which is arranged remote rom the tank 10; and means 12 responsive to the rise and fall of the liquid irr the tank forv actuating the indicating means 11.

22, 1925. Serial No. 4,091.

The tank 10 may be of any suitable well known construction and has an opening 13 therein. The means 12 and parts of the indicatingbmeans 11 are attached to and sup- 60 ported y the top Wall of the tank at the opening 13. y

The indicating means 11 consists of the parts presently described. A casing 14 which carries electric lam s y15 is arranged 05 at a point remote from tlie tank 10. The casing 14 is subdivided by partitions 16 into compartments 17 over each of which is arranged a translucent plate. The plate 18 is white and has the Word Full printed there- 7" on, whereas the plate 19 is colored red and has the Words Get' gas printed thereon and the plate 20 is colored green and has the word Half printed thereon. The casing has attaching lugs lwhich serve for the at- 75 taclnnent of the casing. A circuit closer 21 is employed and consists o f contacts 22, 23 and 24 which are arranged in an arc of a circle and are attached to a composite base 25 of non-conducting material such as cork and 80 liber; and a contact 26 in the formof a segment arranged adjacent the contacts 22, 23 and 24 concentrically with respect thereto, the contact 26 being attached to said base: and a bridging member 27 in theform of 85 a roller which is rotatably carried by an arm 28 of insulating material such as fiber. .Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, it will be seen, that Wires lead respectively from the contacts 22, 23 and.24 to the n lamps 15 and the wire from each lamp to one side of a source of electrical-energy such as a battery 29 and that a wire also leadsfrom the contact 26 to the other side of the battery with a switch 30 connecte-d therein. 95

The means 12before referred to specifi'- cally consists of a small shaft 31 having a crank 32 to which is connected an adjustable vrod 33 pivotall'y connected by a pin and slot connection as at 34 to one end of a float arm 10 35 pivotally mounted as at 36 vhaving a float,

37 preferably of vcork at the free end thereof.`

The arm 35 is adjustable byv virtue of a turnbuckle 35. Thelpin and slot connection is sufliciently loose to rmit rod 33 to oscil- 105 late as the upper en thereof describes an arc because of the crank 32. The arm"k 35 is pivotally connected to an adjustable bracket38 .attached to a compound disk 39 of cork and metal which serves as a gasket 11 and partition over the mouth of a standard tank gauge connection 40 attached to the top wall of the tank at the opening 13. The disk 39 carries a wall 41 in the form of a partition for the housing or casing 42. The wall 41 is made u from steel plates and an intermediate resihent asket preferably of cork, all of which are bolted to ether as at 43. The housing 42 is preferab y cylindrical and is adapted for threaded en agement with the connection 40 as at 44 an has a removable cap 45 at the upper end thereof. A gasket of cork is arranged between a portion of the cap and the up er end of the housing 42, and a portion o the cork gasket of the wall 41 extends up to and in sealing contact with the wall ofthe cap 45 .to make the housing air ti ht. The shaft 31 is mounted for rotation in earings or bushings 46 carried respectively by the wall 41 and the wall of the housing 42. The shaft 31 is of two parts and is coupled together as at .47. Collars 48 serve t0 prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft 31. It is to be noted that the disk 39, wall 41 and housing 42 constitut a mount for the float mechanism.

The circuit closer 21 is arranged in cooperative relationship to the means 12 by attaching the same as at 49 to a part 50 of` the housing 42; the arm 28 carrrying the roller 27 forming a part of the circuit closer being attached to one end of the shaft 31 by a set screw 51 or the like. Suitable binding posts are employed in conjunction with the several contacts of the circuit closer for the proper connection of the Wires between the several parts to which they are respectively connected. A

s In the operation of the apparatus and with the float 37 in the osition shown in Fig 2, the roller 27 by virtue of the intervention of the several arts which connect it to the oat, will bri ge contacts 22 and 26 with the result that the lamp 15 in the compartment of the casing 14 behind the plate or panel 19 will be lighted to indicatev to a person that the supply of liquid in the tank should be replenished. As the liquid,

such as gasoline in the present instance,`is put into the tank 10 the float 37 will rise causing the roller 27 to move to bridge the contacts 23 and 26 to light the lamp 15 in the compartment of the casing 14 behind the anel 20 to indicate that the tank is half full.

pon the increase of the amount of asoline, the member 27 will be caused to bridge the contacts 24 and 26 with the result that the lamp 15 in the compartment of the casing 14 behind the panel 18 will be lighted to indicate that the tank is full.

In inventions of this typel in which electrical means is employed in connection with gasoline tanks it is essential that safeguards e provided to prevent ex losion caused by the presence of vapor of t e gasoline at the contact forming part of the electrical means. For that reason in the present invention the disk 39, wall 41, and housing 42 are employedy to provide an airtight chamber and to isolate the mentioned electrical contacts.

An airtight chamber is also formed between thewall of the housing 42 and the base 25 of the circuit closer 21. By making the rod 33, arm 35, and bracket 38 adjustable or extensible the device may be operatively associated with tanks of different depths.

I claim:

In an apparatus for indicating the quantity of gasoline in a tank, the combination WILLIAM EDWARD. WILLIAMS.

Images