Bin depth monitor
AssigneeDickey-john Corporation
InventorsNorman F. Marsh, William T. Eng
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for monitoring the amount or depth of silage or similar material retained in a silo or like structure is disclosed. A number of sensors are vertically arrayed in and on a silo wall, and each sensor senses the presence or absence of silage in its immediate vicinity. An electrical circuit includes a visual display device such as a liquid crystal display for indicating the amount of material in the silo.
Claims14
A monitor for displaying information related to the depth of material stored in a walled silo or the like, comprising a plurality of sensors in a vertical array along a silo wall, each sensor being adapted to sense the presence or absence of stored material at the sensor, electrical circuit means connected to the sensors for generating a plurality of electrical signals, one of said signals comprising a back plane voltage for a liquid crystal display, and another of said signals comprising a first voltage different from said back plane voltage and corresponding to the presence of stored material for each sensor where material is present and a second voltage the same as the back plane voltage corresponding to the absence of stored material for each sensor where material is absent, and liquid crystal display means connected to the electrical circuit means for receiving said back plane and first and second voltages for providing a display corresponding thereto and to the number of sensors at which the presence of stored material is sensed.
For use with a walled silo or the like, an electrical sensor comprising a fastener having a shank adapted to extend through said silo wall, said fastener further having an enlarged head disposed inside the silo wall and adapted to retain the sensor in and on the silo wall, a probe depending inside the silo but spaced electrically from the silo wall, and means forming an electrical path extending from outside the silo through the sensor fastener and into the silo to sense the presence or absence of electrically conductive material at the sensor.
For use with a walled silo or the like, an electrical sensor comprising a fastener having a threaded shank adapted to extend through said silo wall, said fastener further having an enlarged head disposed inside the silo wall adapted to retain the sensor in and on the silo wall, a probe depending inside the silo but spaced electrically from the silo wall, and means forming an electrical path extending from outside the silo through the sensor fastener and into the silo to sense the presence or absense of electrically conductive material at the sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.