Tap assembly for a liquid vessel having an overfill protection device and a float controlled magnetic level gauge

A tap assembly for a liquid vessel such as a liquefied gas cylinder, comprising;

• a tap body having a longitudinal axis and a base end portion for securing said tap in an opening of the liquid vessel;
• an overfill protection device mounted on said tap body and being effective to prevent filling of said vessel beyond a predetermined maximum liquid level, said overfill protection device comprising:
• a float control fluid flow control means;
• said tap assembly further comprising:
• a level gauge, said level gauge comprising:
• a. a pivotable float lever having a float fixed thereto and being mounted on a fixed structure of said tap assembly;
• b. an elongate gauge rod extending generally longitudinally of said axis, said gauge rod having one of its ends located adjacent a pivot axis of said float lever and the other end of said rod being received and guided for reciprocating linear movement within a bore formed in said tap body, said bore being generally parallel to said longitudinal axis, said gauge rod being held parallel to said actuating stem and said support leg;
• c. motion transmitting means comprising a cam member fixed to a rotatable hinge pin of said float lever and engaging said one end of said gauge rod for longitudinally shifting said gauge rod in response to pivot motion of said float lever and said float caused by variations of said liquid level between a minimum liquid level in said vessel and said maximum level;
• and
• d. a permanent magnet carried by said gauge rod for movement with said gauge rod in said tap body bore to actuate a liquid level indicator means.

A tap assembly for a liquid vessel such as a liquefied gas cylinder, comprising:

• a tap body having a longitudinal axis and a base end portion for securing said tap in an opening of the liquid vessel;
• an overfill protection device mounted on said tap body and being effective to prevent filling of said vessel beyond a predetermined maximum liquid level, said overfill protection device comprising:
• a float controlled fluid flow control means;
• and said tap assembly further comprising:
• a level gauge comprising a pivotable float lever having a float fixed thereto and being mounted on said overfill protection device, an elongate gauge rod having one of its ends drivingly coupled to said float lever at a position adjacent a pivot axis of said float lever and a portion of said gauge rod adjacent the other end thereof being received in a tap body bore extending generally parallel to said longitudinal axis, said one end of said gauge rod being positively driven by said float lever for displacement both in one direction and in an opposite direction on an arcuate path about said pivot axis of said float lever responsive to clockwise and counterclockwise pivot motion of said float lever caused by variations of said liquid level in said vessel to thereby shift said gauge rod generally longitudinally and reciprocate said portion of said gauge rod in said tap body bore, and a permanent magnet carried by the gauge rod at the other end thereof to actuate a liquid level indicator means.