Solids level indicator

A solids level indicator comprising:

• a shaft housing having a housing interior end and a housing exterior end, wherein the shaft housing exterior end is disposed outside a vessel, and wherein the shaft housing fixedly engages the vessel so as to resist torsional movement;
• a torsion shaft having a shaft interior end and a shaft exterior end, wherein the torsion shaft is disposed within the shaft housing such that the shaft interior end extends past the housing interior end to engage a paddle cap disposed within the vessel;
• a paddle engaging the paddle cap perpendicularly to a length of the torsion shaft so as to cross a path of solids in the vessel, wherein the paddle torsionally communicates with the shaft interior end;
• a modular external sensor having a rotary end adjacently disposed to a stationary end, wherein the rotary end is adjacently disposed to the shaft exterior end and the shaft exterior end torsionally communicates with the adjacently disposed rotary end, and wherein the modular external sensor is configured to be slidably disengaged from the shaft exterior end;
• a support structure engaged to the solids level indicator assembly;
• and
• a torsion spring disposed around the support structure, wherein the torsion spring has a first spring end distally disposed from a second spring end, wherein the first spring end is in torsional communication with the modular external sensor, and wherein second spring end fixedly engages the support structure such that the torsion spring bends to store torsional energy when solids exert a downward force on the paddle and wherein the torsion spring releases the stored energy into the torsion shaft in a direction opposite the direction of the torsional force exerted on the paddle by the mass of solids when the force exerted by the solids subsides.

A solids level indicator comprising:

• a shaft housing having a housing interior end and a housing exterior end, wherein the shaft housing exterior end is disposed outside a vessel, and wherein the shaft housing fixedly engages the vessel so as to resist torsional movement;
• a torsion shaft having a shaft interior end and a shaft exterior end, wherein the torsion shaft is disposed within the shaft housing such that the shaft interior end extends past the housing interior end to engage a paddle cap disposed within the vessel;
• a paddle engaging the paddle cap perpendicularly to a length of the torsion shaft so as to cross a path of solids in the vessel, wherein the paddle torsionally communicates with the shaft interior end;
• a modular external sensor having a rotary end adjacently disposed to a stationary end, wherein the rotary end is adjacently disposed to the shaft exterior end and the shaft exterior end torsionally communicates with the adjacently disposed rotary end, and wherein the modular external sensor is configured to be slidably disengaged from the shaft exterior end;
• a support structure engaged to the solids level indicator assembly, wherein the support structure has an area defining a shear pin hole;
• a shear pin;
• and
• a multi-bore plug cap, wherein the plug cap torsionally communicates with the stationary end of the modular external sensor, wherein the plug cap has areas defining bore holes extending radially into the plug cap at intervals, such that a bore hole of the multiple bore holes aligns with the shear pin hole in the support structure, wherein the shear pin extends through the shear pin hole into the bore hole to orient the plug cap, wherein the orientation of the plug cap defines a paddle deflection angle with respect to a horizontal line bisecting the torsion shaft, wherein the shear pin is configured to withstand a maximum shear force, and wherein the shear pin and support structure are configured to prevent the stationary end of the modular external sensor from rotating when the shear force does not exceed the maximum shear force.