US1896637A - Quantity indicating device for liquids - Google Patents

Description

1933. J. MACCALLUML JR 1,896,637

' QUANITY INDICATING DEVICE FOR LIQUIDS Original Filed Sept. 25. 1922 hvvsAn-oxa: JAME //4ccAL UM Je.

Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES JAMES MAecArL M, m.

OF UNIVERSITY CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES MACCALLUM, SR.

' QUANTITY INDICATING DEVICE FOR LIQUIDS Original application filed September 25, 1922, Serial No. 590,302. Divided. and this application filed August 1, 1927. SerialfNo. 209,759.

My inventionrelates to improvements in quantity indicating devices for liquids, and has for its primary object a means for automatically delivering a pressure'carrying s' "I, medium or gas to the pressure chamber of an 7 tainer ortank and in which means for automatically replacing any loss of volume of pressure carrying medium is automatically'replaced when an engine is in operation.

This invention is a division of an application filed by me September 25th, 1922, Serial 201N0. 590,302, and in which division was required on April'lth, 1923. a

In the drawing:

The figure is a fragmental view of a liquid container or tank with one form of my de- 25: vice attached thereto, parts ofthe device being broken away and parts insectio'n. v

In the construction of my device 19 represents a liquid or fuel container for'motor vehicles. This container is of theor'dina'ry type 10 and is provided with the usual filler opening and may be normally opento the atmosphere. The construction of these containers being well known and common in the art, the details of construction thereof and the particular de- 5 scription will be omitted.

My invention consists in a pressure chamber or conduit end 20 which is located in the container 19 and at the full depth of the liquid, whose quantity is 'to be determined.

Q This pressure chamber or end also has communication with the liquid so that the liquid in the tank can set up a pressure in the chamber or end-20. Extending fromthe chamber or end 20 is an air pipe or conduit 21. This extends upward throughthetank to a pressure responsive indicating deviceI22. This device is preferably placed where it'lwill be in view of the operatorat alltimes. The chamber or end 20 maybe provided'with a 1 bottom 23, which may be eitherireticu lated or perforate and preferably surrounding the chamber, or at least the lower portion thereof, is an auxiliary chamber 24. It will be noted that the chamber 24k is of greater diameter than the chamber 20 andhas its bottom locatedsome distance below the bottom or lowor edge of the chamber 20. The purpose of this auxiliary chainberwhen used is 'to' prevent the side'wash ofthe liquid in the container when a vehicle is in operation from washing. or carrying the air or pressure carrying medium from beneath the pressure chamber. v

25 represents an air supply conduit which has its lower end vor projection "26 located within, beneath or adjacent the bottom of the pressure chamber 20. I

This pipe25. extends upward through the container and is attached to an air chamber 27, the air chamber being provided with an inlet port 28, which is controlled by an outwardly seating' valve 29, and with an outlet port 30. This outlet port 30 may be provided with an inwardly seating valve 31 and to this outlet port is connected the upper end of the pipe 25. 32 represents either an intake or exhaust pipe of an engine or other fluid conducting conduit. This conduit is provided with a screw-threaded projection 32. This projection extends outwardly from the side of the conduit 32. The passage 33 has placedtherein a pulsationresponsive member such as va diaphragmfit, this member beinglocated between the interior of the con 7 duit 32-and the air chamber 27 thereby forming in connection with the chamber 27 a pressure responsive wall.

The operation of my device is as follows: After the device has been installed and all proper connections made as disclosed in the drawing, liquid is poured into the tank or container 19.. This liquid sets up pressure in thepressure chamber or conduit end 20, which pressure invturn is delivered through the pipe 21 to the indicator'22 and since the pressure in the end 20 will vary according to the weight or head of the liquid in the container an accurate indication of the amount of, liquid in thecontainer will be, given. It is also a well known fact that in additional air into the chamber 27.

where air or gas is subjected to pressure by a liquid, the liquid will absorb a certain amount of this air or gas. This and also leakage causes a loss of volume of pressure carrying medium in the pressure chamber and consequently an incorrect reading.

After all conections have been made and fuel placed in the tank, the engine is started. Then the pulsations set up in the conduit 32 will cause the pulsation responsive member 34 to vibrate. On each outward movement of said pulsation responsive member air in the chamber 27 will be compressed. This action will seat the valve 29 and unseat the valve 31 when used driving air down through the pipe 25 and discharging it into the chamber 23, and on the inward movement of the member the air chamber 27 will become enlarged. This causes the valve 29 to unseat, drawing Thus it will be seen that when the engine is in operation there will be intermittent pufis of air or other fluid medium delivered into the chamber 23, this chamber being arranged to permit the excess gaseous medium to escape under the sides of the chamber and pass up through the liquid so that no false pressures will be set up in the auxiliary chamber.

It is obvious that the air in either the coil 12 or the chamber 27 is expanded due to the heated fluids passing through the conduits or pipes 18 or 32 and that these pipes or conduits will also become heated by the friction of the fluids either passing therethrough in a steady stream or by pulsations with or without said fluids being primarily heated.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. A quantity indicating device for liquid containers of engines, comprising a conduit having one end submerged in the liquid, the air in said conduit being sealed against escape, a pressure-responsive indicating gauge in communication with said conduit, a pipe having one end communicating with said conduit, and means secured to the opposite end of said pipe for delivering a pressurecarrying medium to said conduit, said means including a reciprocable element actuated by physical variations of fluid communicating with said engine.

, 2. A quantity indicating device for liquid containers of engines, comprising an air pressure chamber in communication with the liquid at the full depth to be measured, a pressure gauge, a pressure-carrying communication between said chamber and gauge, a conduit having one end terminating adjacent the pressure chamber and below the level at which the chamber communicates with the liquid, a reciprocating pumping means including an air chamber communicating with said conduit, and heat-radiating means for operating said pumping means for forcing air through the conduit.

3. A device for indicating the quantity of liquid in containers of engines, comprising an air-containing pressure transmitting conduit immersed in and communicating with the liquid in said container, an externally located pressure indicator connected with said conduit, a second conduit having one end terminating below said first-mentioned conduit, its other end terminating beyond the container, and a reciprocating pumping means communicating with said second conduit, said pumping means being secured to the latter end of said second conduit and coinmunicating with a source of artificial heat for absorbing heat therefrom for expanding and operating said pumping means and forcing air contained in said conduit therethrough and below for delivery to said first conduit.

4. A device for indicating the quantity of liquid in a container on engines, comprising an air-pressure transmitting chamber immersed in and communicating with said liquid at the full depth to be measured, an externally located pressure-responsive indicator, a conduit connecting said chamber and indicator, a second conduit having one end terminating beneath'said pressure chamber, its other end extending beyond the container, pumping means communicating with said engine fluids and having a pressure-responsive wall actuated by variations of said engine fluid and secured to the remote end of said second conduit, and means for subjecting the pressure-responsive wall to the en gine fluid whereby air is pumped through said second conduit and delivered beneath the pressure chamber and said air will rise upward and pass into said pressure chamber.

5. In a quantity indicating device for liquids of an engine, a pressure-responsive gauge, a pressure chamber communicating with said liquid and open at its lower end, a pressure-transmitting conduit between said chamber and gauge in combination with a liquid container in the liquid of which said pressure chamber is immersed to the full depth to be measured, a conduit having one end terminating adjacent and below the lower edge of said pressure chamber, expansible means co-operating with said engine in operation for forcing out part of the expanded air from the lower end of said conduit, and means for preventing side wash of the liquid in the container from carrying air delivered beneath the pressure chamber.

6. A quantity indicating device for liquid containers of an engine, comprising an airpressure chamber in communication with the liquid at the full depth to be measured, a pressure gauge, a pressure-carrying communication between said chamber and gauge, a duct having its one end terminating adj acent and below the lower end of the pressure chamber, and means including a reciprocatively movable element co-operating with and actuated by the pulsations of fluids communicating with said engine, said means being co-operable with the opposite end of said duct for delivering a pressure-carrying medium to the pressure chamber.

7 A quantity indicating device for liquid containers of engines, comprising a conduit having one end immersed in the liquid, 2.

munication between said chamber and gauge,

and means cooperating with said chamber and including an element movable by the heat generated by said engine to expand gases in said means and deliver said gases below said air-pressure chamber.

9. In a device for indicating the depth of liquid in a tank for engines, a conduit extending into the tank and having an opening communicating with the liquid therein so as to be subject to the head of liquid on said opening, indicating means connected tobe responsive to the pressure in said conduit, and means communicating with said engine for automatically introducing atmospheric air into said conduit comprising a chamber having a deformable wall and communicating with said conduit, said wall being actuated b variations in engine fluid pressure.

10. n a device for indicating the depth of liquid in a tank, a conduit extending into the tank and having an opening communicating with the liquid therein so as to be subject to the head of liquid on said opening, indicating means connected to be responsive to the pressure in said conduit, means for automatically introducing air into said conduit comprising a pressure chamber having a deformable wall responsive to external fluid pressure and communicating with said conduit, said wall being actuated by and subject to variations in said fluid pressure, and a valved inlet and outlet for said chamber.

11. In a device for indicating the depth of liquid in a tank, a conduit extending into the tank and having an opening communicating with the liquid therein so as to be subject to the head of liquid on said opening, indicating means connected to 'be responsive to the pressure in said conduit, means for auto matically introducing air into said conduit comprising a pressure chamber having a deformable wall responsive to external fluid pressure and communicating with said conduit, said wall being actuated by variations in said fluid pressure, said chamber having an inlet and outlet, one of which is valved.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature, p

JAMES MACCALLUM, J R.

Images