Indicating apparatus for measuring the pressure of a fluid within a container

An indicating apparatus for measuring the pressure of a fluid within a container and for transmitting pressure from an external source to said container;

• said apparatus comprising:
• a. a housing having one end adapted to be mounted on a valve assembly communicating with the container, said housing having a transparent wall portion;
• b. said housing further having a fluid inlet for the introduction of the fluid from the container and a source inlet for the introduction of fluid from the external source;
• c. a collar having a through-opening mounted to another end of said housing, and defining the source inlet of said housing;
• d. a sleeve supported within said housing connecting said fluid inlet to said source inlet, the opposite ends of said sleeve extending outwardly in overlying and clamping relationship to portions of said housing and said collar, respectively, to secure said collar in nested relation to said housing;
• e. a plunger having an end accessible through the opening in said collar, and being reciprocally supported within said sleeve for movement between;
• i. an inoperable position wherein the valve of the container is closed;
• ii. a first operate position wherein said plunger engages and opens said valve to provide a path for the flow of fluid from the container into the fluid inlet of said housing, and
• iii. a second operate position wherein said plunger engages and opens said valve and wherein a path is provided for the flow of fluid from the external source into the source inlet of said housing;
• f. sealing means mounted on said plunger operative to seal the source inlet when said plunger is in its first operate position;
• g. said housing further having a range of scale indicia from a minimum value to a maximum value representative of the pressure of the fluid within said container between a predetermined range of pressures;
• h. indicator means supported within said housing for movement by the fluid from a non-indicating position to an indicating position when the pressure of said fluid is above a predetermined amount, said indicator means being movable relative to said scale indicia to provide a reading between said minimum and maximum values representative of the pressure of the fluid within said container when said pressure is within said predetermined range of pressures;
• i. said indicator means being exposed to view through said transparent wall portion when said indicator means is in its indicating position;
• j. said housing having a passage for directing fluid from the fluid inlet to said indicator means when said plunger is in its first position;
• and
• k. said plunger sealing means being inoperative to seal the source inlet when said plunger is in its second operate position for directing fluid from the source inlet to the container through said housing.