Liquid volume measuring apparatus

Apparatus for determining volume of a liquid, the apparatus (1,101) comprising:

• a main vessel (4,103) having a main hollow interior region (34,113) for holding a predetermined volume of the liquid,
• a measuring vessel (5,122) having a secondary hollow interior region (45,121) for receiving and measuring a volume of the liquid received from the main hollow interior region (34,113), the secondary hollow interior region (45,121) being of transverse cross-sectional area smaller than the maximum transverse cross-sectional area of the main hollow interior region (34,113),
• a communicating means (49,123) for communicating the measuring vessel (5,122) with the main vessel (4,123), for accommodating the liquid from the main hollow interior region (34,113) to the secondary hollow interior region (45,121),
• a wear means being formed by the communicating means (49,123) over which the liquid passes from the main hollow interior region (34,113) to the secondary hollow interior region (45,121), the weir means (55,129) being positioned for retaining the predetermined volume of liquid in the main hollow interior region (34,113), and
• a scale means (26,140) cooperating With measuring vessel (5,122) for determining the volume of liquid in the apparatus (1,101), wherein
• an inhibiting means (56,130) is provided and co-operates with the communicating means (49,123) for selectively preventing passage of liquid into the secondary hollow interior region (45,121) of the measuring vessel (5,122).