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US 4,867,872 AGranted
Automatically adjustable weir and environmentally protected sensor
AssigneeProtectaire Systems Co.
InventorsFrederick E. Russell, Brandon Russell
Life of this patent
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AssigneeProtectaire Systems Co.
InventorsFrederick E. Russell, Brandon Russell
Estimating the term…
A liquid level sensor for occluded water is provided to detect the surface water level as in a spray booth tank. The water level sensor may control the water level in the tank or it may be used to maintain a relatively constant outflow of water from the tank through a vertically movable weir. The weir is moved in response to changes in the liquid level detected by the sensor which includes an electronic signal sensor capable of detecting a level of a liquid relative thereto. The sensor is mounted in an elongated housing that has its lower end disposed in the liquid in the reservoir. The upper end of the housing is vented to the atmosphere to equalize the pressure between the interior thereof and the atmosphere ambient the housing. A flexible diaphragm is secured to the housing so as to seal the open lower end, and a substantially pure test liquid is held within the housing isolated from the liquid in the reservoir. The flexible diaphragm constricts or expands in response to changing liquid levels in the reservoir so that the level of the test liquid stays substantially the same as that of the level of the liquid in the reservoir. The electronic sensor measures the position of the test liquid and sends an appropriate signal to a control system that actuates the weir to raise or lower it in response to changing liquid levels in the reservoir.
In a system for accumulating and removing floating pain sludge from the top of a body of occluded water, said system comprising:
For use in a reservoir having an outlet and holding a liquid whose level varies, an adjustable-height gravity feed inlet comprising, in combination, frame means having a vertical track means thereon at the reservoir, weir means carried on the track means for movement therealong, means for moving the weir means along the track means, an outlet means connected to the weir means for liquid flow through and from the weir means, means for actuating the moving means in response to changes in the liquid level in the reservoir including an electronic sensor secured to the weir means capable of detecting the level of a liquid relative to the sensor, an elongated housing connected to and for the electronic sensor having upper and lower ends with the lower end disposed in the liquid in the reservoir, the housing being open at its lower end and vented to the atmosphere at the upper end to equalize the pressure between the interior of the housing and the atmosphere ambient thereof, flexible diaphragm means secured to the housing so as to seal the open lower end therof, test liquid within the diagram and isolated from the liquid of in the reservoir, the flexible diaphragm constricting or expanding in response to changing liquid levels in the reservoir so that the level of the test liquid stays substantially the same as that of the level of the liquid in the reservoir.
In a system for accumulating and removing floating sludge from the top of a body of occluded water, said system comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.