US2782640A

US2782640A - Floating matter thickness measuring apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2782640A
Application number: US402046A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard D Croft; Veatch Franklin
Original assignee: Standard Oil Co
Current assignee: Standard Oil Co
Priority date: 1954-01-04
Filing date: 1954-01-04
Publication date: 1957-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 1974-02-26

Description

Feb. 26, 1957 R. D. CROFT arm. 2,782,640

FLOATINGMATTER THICKNESS MEASURING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 4, 1954 INVENTORS RICHARD o. CROFT a FRANKLIN VEATCH United States Patent FLOATING MATTER THICKNESS MEASURING APPARATUS Richard D. Croft, Chagrin Falls, and Franklin Veatch,

Lyndhurst, Ohio, assignors to The Standard Oil Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 4, 1954, Serial No. 402,046

Claims. (Cl. 73425.4)

This invention relates to apparatus for measuring the thickness of matter floating upon the surface of a liquid.

It has been found desirable in certain instances to determine the thickness of a layer of matter floating on a liquid. For example, a layer of foam may be employed in hydrocarbon storage tanks to prevent excessive evaporation of the contents and depending upon the type of foam employed, a predetermined layer thickness must be utilized to provide optimum efliciency with a minimum of overloading to preclude wasting thereof.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide apparatus for measuring the thickness of matter floating on the surface of a liquid.

This and further objects of the invention are accomplished by providing a weighted container open at the upper end. At least one outlet is formed in the lower portion of the container, this outlet extending upwardly a predetennined distance alongside of the container to permit the escape of liquid therefrom when it is above a certain level therein. Means are also provided for lowering and raising the container to obtain a sample of the liquid and the matter floating thereon. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the container is formed of transparent material so that the thickness of the surface covering may be directly observed.

These and further objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood when the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention taken on the view line 11 of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating one manner in which the apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 2 may be employed.

Referring to the drawings with particular reference to Figures 1 and 2, a container 10 may be formed from a section of tubing 11, preferably consisting of a transparent material such as, for example, a synthetic resin designated by the trademark Lucite. By beveling the upper end of the tubing 11, a sharp edge 12 is provided for cutting through floating matter as will be described hereinafter. A circular plate 13 closes the lower end of the tubing 11 and may be fastened therein in any manner such as by cementing.

Communicating with the interior of the container 10 through

openings

14 and 15 formed in the lower portion thereof are risers 16 and 17 extending towards the upper portion of the tubing 11 and fastened thereto. For convenience in assembly, such risers may also be formed from Lucite tubing that is cemented to the container 10 at the

openings

14 and 15.

In order to support the container 10 by a cable 18, a ring 19 adapted to receive the cable 18 is aflixed in a conventional manner such as by soldering to one end of a 2,782,640 Patented Feb. 26, 1957 rod 20. After being inserted through the plate 13, the rod 20 is secured therein by disposing a nut and washer assembly 21 on the other end which has been threaded. If desired, the rod may also be cemented to the plate 13.

A weight 22 formed at one end with a diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the tubing 11, is preferably tapered to a point at its lower end. Also provided in the weight 22 is a recess 23 receiving the nut assembly 21. A plurality of threaded holes 24 are machined in the weight 22 to receive a similar number of screws 25 inserted through the tubing 11 to secure the weight 22 therein.

In describing a typical operation of the present invention, reference will be made to Figure 3 which shows a tank 29 containing a liquid 31 with matter 30, shown as a foam in this exemplary operation, floating thereon. The container 10 may be supported over the foam 30 and in order to prevent any disturbance thereto at the point of measurement, the container 10 is swung away from this point to a position a, indicated in broken outline in Figure 3. At the position a, the container 10 is lowered by the wire 18 and will follow a path indicated by the

arrows

32 and 33 to a position b within the liquid 31 and entirely below the foam 30. Although the pointed weight 22 aids in cleanly piercing the foam 30, the container 10 will nevertheless carry a small portion of the foam 30 into the liquid 31 below the position a as it is lowered. However, it will be understood that such displaced foam will almost immediately rise to the surface to provide an unbroken covering on the liquid 31. Furthermore, it will be evident that the foam 30 will be undisturbed above the position b where the container 10 will be completely submerged in the liquid 31.

By raising the wire 18, the container 10 will be withdrawn and the sharp edge 12 will cut into the foam 30. As this occurs, the liquid level in the container 10 will tend to be carried by the container 10 above the level of the liquid 31 and accordingly, such liquid will be forced out of the container 10 through the risers 16 and 17. This action will continue as the container 10 is drawn from the liquid 31 with the sharp edge 12 cutting through the foam 31 until the upper ends of the risers 16 and 17 are at the level of the liquid 31. After this point is reached, the liquid level in the container 10 will obviously remain substantially even with the level defined by the top of the risers 16 and 17. Since the foam 30 will float above this level, the length of the section of the tubing 11 extending from the top of the risers 16 and 17 to the sharp edge 12 should be suflicient to measure any contemplated thickness of foam 30 or other floating matter. After withdrawal of the container 10 from the liquid 31, the thickness of the foam 30 standing in the container 10 may be measured by direct observation through the transparent tubing 11.

It will be understood that the materials specified for the above-described apparatus are exemplary only and other similar materials performing similar functions may be employed. Thus, it may be desirable to utilize a glass or celluloid container with metal risers. Further, an all metal container may be employed if means such as a suitably positioned window is provided to observe the thickness of the floating matter. Also, one or more risers may be provided on the container to overflow the liquid therefrom. Furthermore, it is not necessary that the container 10 be cylindrical in form but it may be of any convenient configuration including rectangular or oval. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the specific apparatus disclosed herein but is to be defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for measuring the thickness of matter floating on a liquid comprising a container open at the upper end thereof, means forming at least one normally unobstructed opening in said container remote from said open end, and at least one riser extending upwardly from said opening to a point between the upper and the remote opening, the distance between said point and said open end being greater than the thickness of the floating matter, said riser when operative adapted to provide a liquid overflow when the liquid level in said container is above said point.

2. Apparatus for measuring the thickness of matter floating on a liquid comprising a container open at the upper end thereof, means joined to said container adapted to be engaged by supporting means, means forming at least one normally unobstructed opening in said container remote from the upper end thereof, and a riser extending upwardly from said opening to a point between the upper end and the remote opening, the distance between said point and said open end being greater than the thickness of the floating matter, said riser when operative adapted to provide a liquid overflow when the liquid level in said container is above said point.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said container is cylindrical in form.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which a sharp edge is provided along the periphery of said open upper end of the container.

5. Apparatus for measuring the thickness of matter floating on a liquid comprising a container open at the upper end thereof, said container being at least partially transparent to permit observation of the contents thereof, means joined to said container adapted to be engaged by supporting means for selectively lowering and raising said container through the floating matter and the liquid, means forming at least one opening in said container re mote from the open end thereof, a riser extending upwardly from said opening to a point between the open end and the opening in said container, the distance between said point and said open end being greater than the thickness of the floating matter, said riser adapted to provide a liquid overflow when the liquid in said container is above said point so that upon withdrawal of said container from the liquid, the floating matter will extend upwardly in the container substantially from said point a distance equal to the thickness thereof.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said container is cylindrical in form.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which a sharp edge is provided along the periphery of said open upper end of the container.

8. Apparatus for measuring the thickness of matter floating on a liquid comprising a weighted cylindrical transparent container open at the upper end thereof, means forming a sharp edge along the periphery of said open upper end of the container, means joined to said container adapted to be engaged by a cable for selectively lowering and raising said container through the floating matter and the liquid, means forming at least one opening in said container remote from the open end thereof, a riser extending upwardly from said opening to a point between the open end and the opening, the distance between said point and said open end being greater than the thickness of the floating matter, said riser adapted to provide a liquid overflow when the liquid level in said container is above said point so that upon withdrawal of said container from the liquid, the floating matter will extend upwardly in the container substantially from said point a distance equal to the thickness thereof.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said container is formed of a transparent plastic.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said container is weighted at the lower end thereof by a pointed member adapted to cleanly pierce said floating matter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,261,495 Doolin Apr. 2, 1918 1,606,104 Schulueter et al. Nov. 9, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS 511,110 Great Britain Aug. 14, 1939