Suspended-cable apparatus for measuring a preselected condition of material in a vessel
US4676099A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 16, 1985 |
| Grant date | Jun 30, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 16, 2005 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01F23/00
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Apparatus for indicating a preselected condition of material in a vessel which includes a laid wire cable vertically suspended within the vessel so as to contact and be surrounded by material contained therein. The laid wire cable is suspended by a roller-type thrust bearing which permits free rotation of the cable and thus prevents torsional sheer stresses on the suspended cable end due to tension in the cable and consequent unraveling and reraveling of the cable lays. In a preferred embodiment of the invention wherein the upper end of the cable is selectively slackened and material level is determined as a function of weight of the slackened cable end unsupported by material, a spherical head is affixed to the cable to seat against and cooperate with a side-thrust washer slidably carried on the foot of a load cell for isolating the load cell from lateral cable forces due to material or component tolerance variations. A slip ring assembly may be attached to the cable for providing direct electrical connection thereto.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.