Vibratory type

A vibratory system is provided on a wall member of a receptacle. The vibratory system comprises inner and outer rod elements projecting transversely from the inner and outer sides of the wall member and secured thereto, as by an internal screw stud with the axes of the rod members substantially aligned....     

A liquid level sensing system comprises a permanent magnet mounted in a cylindrical supporting case disposed in a housing and provided with a resistance plate at one end thereof, a reed switch arranged parallel to the permanent magnet and electromagnetic means including an iron core and a coil arranged...     

An ultrasonic sensing device for sensing the presence or absence of a liquid at various predetermined levels, especially in storage tanks, bilges and the like, employing multiple high frequency transducer assemblies having transmitting and receiving means enclosed in a sound conductive, e.g. metallic...     

A device is disclosed for measuring the level of water comprising a hollow, oblong structure with an open end extended into the water, signal sending and receiving means secured onto the structure, an insert containing a hole secured within the structure, and electronic means connected to the signal...     

A level detector is disclosed for detection of whether or not the level of the contents in a container, such as powder, grains, or liquid, attains a predetermined one. Said detector includes a coil and a vibrating plate consisting of a magnetic material or having a magnetic portion which plate is disposed...     

An apparatus for measuring water depth comprising a range discrimination circuitry and an indication circuitry. The range discrimination circuitry includes a unit pulse generator, digital counters and digital gates. The indication circuitry includes a latch circuit, BCD-to-decimal decoders and indication...     

An ultrasonic transducer for a system for determining liquid levels by echo ranging composed of a housing including a piezoelectric crystal mounted within the housing to transmit acoustic waves, an impedance matching medium mounted within the housing adjacent the crystal and including a window layer...     

This invention relates to an ultrasonic flow meter utilizing a conventional tubular member with an inlet and outlet. An ultrasonic transducer is located in the member to transmit and receive ultrasonic energy through liquid flowing through the member. An energizing means is connected to the transducer...     

The presence or absence of liquid at a particular location of a tank or pipe is sensed through the wall of the container by a single ultrasonic transducer which may be secured to the outer surface of the container by hand pressure, by clamping, or by cementing. Detection is obtained through the damping...     

In an ultrasonic antenna assembly specifically adapted for use in a material level control system and of the type which includes a parabolic reflector and an ultrasonic energy source mounted at the parabolic focus and directed to radiate energy toward the reflector surface from the direction of the parabolic...     

A copy machine having a decorator for applying toner to a latent image is disclosed. The decorator is fitted with a control for sensing the level of toner in the decorator sump which control automatically maintains the amount of toner in the sump at the desired level. The control includes a toner level...     

An accurate measurement of the level of drilling mud in a mud pit is provided using an ultrasonic transducer that includes ambient temperature correction. A cylindrical metal shroud open at the bottom is positioned around the transducer. A series of vent holes are located along the upper area of the...     

The level measuring system measures a variable level within a sensing area containing a mass of material. A sensing probe is positioned within the area and is coupled to the tank of an oscillating circuit through a switching network. A reference probe positioned in or near the sensing area is also coupled...     

A method and apparatus for indicating the level of liquid in a tank or the like whereby a transducer is mounted on a pipe above the liquid for producing, in response to a trigger signal, an ultrasonic pulse which is transmitted toward and reflected to the transducer first from a calibration target in...     

An assembly and method for determining the level of sound absorbing solids in a fluid-filled vessel. A number of sound receivers are mounted at spaced vertical positions to the exterior of the vessel along a generally vertical line, and a sound generator is mounted atop the vessel approximately 180.degree....     

A transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals for liquid level gauging, the elapsed time between the transmission of a pulse and the reception of an echo pulse reflected from the surface of the liquid being measured to afford an index of the level of the liquid. The transponder...     

The present apparatus is designed to determine the presence of an intruder in a swimming pool by detecting a predetermined change in water level caused by displacement. The surface of the pool water forms the lower boundary of an air filled acoustic cavity, and cavity resonance is excited therein by...     

Marine detection apparatus includes a sound transducer mounted below the water line of a vessel for emitting and receiving sound signals and imperviously sealed within a transducer housing together with a temperature detector for sensing the temperature of the water. A display is provided capable of...     

A method and apparatus for determining a fluid condition adjacent an inner wall boundary of a fluid container is disclosed. A sonic pulse is applied to an outer wall boundary of the container wall and is reflected between an inner and the outer wall boundaries. The magnitude of the sonic pulse decreases...     

A method and apparatus for identifying the fluid in a vessel, such as, a storage tank or pipeline using ultrasonic techniques. The method uses a transducer to project ultrasonic energy through the vessel and a second transducer positioned opposite the first to receive the energy that has been transmitted...     

A liquid level sensing device consists of an elongate member in which flexure waves are induced. By partially submerging the elongate member in a fluid the depth of immersion can be determined from characteristics of the flexure waves. In one mode of operation the transit time for a flexure wave to travel...     

An ulrasonic liquid level measurement device is used to measure the depth of a flowing liquid in a channel using an ultrasonic transducer that is positioned out of contact with the liquid and above and directed toward the channel. An ultrasonic burst is directed toward the channel and the reflected echo...     

Disclosed are apparatus and methods for detecting the extent to which material is present at a predetermined sensing area. An antenna probe is extended throughout the sensing area, and is loaded with a signal from an oscillator. A reference oscillator provides a constant-frequency signal of the same...     

The level of mud in the mud return line of a rotary drilling rig is determined by cutting a hole in the top of the line and securing over the hole the saddle shaped base flange of a heat insulated sound tube supporting the ultra sonic transducer of an air coupled sonar distance measuring apparatus. The...     

A liquid storage tank contents gauge comprises means providing an electrical signal corresponding to the vertical height of the liquid in a tank in the form of an ultrasonic transducer positioned at the base of the tank and emitting a pulse of acoustic energy vertically upwards and which detects the...     

This invention relates to damping pads and accoustical horns for use with transducer assemblies. The problems of proximity detection ranges, subfreezing operating temperature ranges, ringing and backwave reflection are addressed. In a preferred embodiment of an ultrasonic level control indicator using...     

A position determining apparatus comprising a taut electrically-conductive member; a pulse generator to feed a pulse of electric current along the member; a magnet located at a variable first point along the member, for example on a float on the surface of a liquid the level of which is to be determined,...     

A high liquid level sensor comprising a tubular probe, with a peripheral wall (6), and arranged to be suspended in a liquid container. An ultrasonic signal is transmitted around the wall (6) from a transmitting transducer (12) potted in a block (11), which is bonded to the inner surface of the wall,...     

Apparatus for determining the location of the liquid level in a well or borehole. A source of acoustic pressure pulses is coupled to the surface casing so that they are transmitted down the well and reflected by the gas-liquid interface. A transducer is also coupled to the well to produce an electrical...     

A system is provided for detecting the absence of liquid in a liquid chamber. A signal is transmitted through a liquid chamber and a signal is provided in response to the amplitude of the received signal. A receiving transducer receives an AC signal which is amplified and fed to a DC control circuit....     

A quartz tuning fork is provided which may be employed in several instruments for measuring the properties of fluids. The tuning fork may be employed, for example, in a gravitometer, a barometer, an altimeter or a temperature sensor.

A liquid-level measuring device including, in effect, two similar elongate members each adapted to be partially submerged in a liquid, the two elongate members being displaced lengthwise relative to one another by an odd number of quarter wavelengths of a predetermined wavelength of a chosen flexurally...     

A sewer flow monitoring system wherein the depth of fluid in a pipe is measured in pairs of transmitter-receiver ultrasonic ranging transducers. Each measurement sample is tested against a selected range criteria and against other samples, and the determined good samples are then averaged. Short range...     

Apparatus for determining the location of the liquid level in a well or borehole. A source of acoustic pressure pulses is coupled to the surface casing so that they are transmitted down the well and reflected by the gas-liquid interface. A transducer is also coupled to the well to produce an electrical...     

A liquid storage and measurement system particularly applicable to the volumetric measurement of siquid hydrocarbon fuel and to the dispensing of the fuel via a fuel dispensing unit, includes a liquid measurement/storage vessel of known dimensions arranged to be partially filled with liquid, e.g. fuel,...     

An ultrasonic detector, particularly useful in the level detection of blood within an arterial reservoir, is provided. The detector includes a pair of opposed arms for connection to the arterial reservoir. One of the arms carries a transmitting transducer while the other arm carries a receiving transducer...     

An inlet tube, connected to a source of liquid, such as milk, supplies liquid to the top of a container. An orifice at the bottom of the container permits drainage from the container into an outlet tube. The level of liquid in the container is related to the instantaneous flow rate, in a known manner,...     

A urine discharge measuring system for medical use which includes a gimbal mounted frame supporting a urine container of fixed dimensions to collect urine from a urinary catheter attached to a patient. An ultrasonic transceiver mounted above the container and operated in conjunction with a microprocessor...     

An ultrasonic echo-ranging system adopted to measure the level of liquid in an open channel or other liquid container. The system includes an ultrasonic transducer disposed at a fixed position directly above the liquid surface, the nature of the gaseous environment therebetween determining the velocity...     

The volume of gases in a container or the volume of liquid in the container is determined by creating cyclic pressure waves in the gases and detecting the waves by a second transducer. The signals produced by the second transducer are a function of the volume of gas in the container, and the volume of...     

An ink level control for a printing press is disclosed having an ultrasonic ink level sensor to receive an echo signal representative of the level of the ink in the ink fountain. A control is provided whereby the ink level is maintained at a desired operating level and conditions of excessively low and...     

The level detector is to be used for starting and stopping an electric system such as a pump. It comprises a piezo-electric crystal (31) squeezingly mounted between two elastically resilient membranes (22, 23) situated between two squeezing members (11, 12). These squeezing members form a top part (11)...     

Apparatus for measuring and indicating the settlement of the floor of a large liquid containing vessel such as an oil storage tank. The apparatus comprises sonic echo sounding means positioned at or movable between each of a multiplicity of spaced points disposed within the vessel and above its floor...     

An ultrasonic liquid quantity measuring apparatus directs a collimated beam of ultrasonic energy from a transmitter transducer (14) through a conveyor (15) into the liquid (11) in a container (10) perpendicular to the top liquid surface. The ultrasonic beam travels with little loss through a tube (20)...     

An apparatus for measuring acoustic transmission characteristics of at least one medium to be measured in which at least one elongated hollow chamber is immersed. The chamber is closed at its bottom end and is filled with an acoustic connecting liquid, and at least two separate movable transducers are...     

A bore hold hydraulics simulator for drilling fluid is disclosed, in which the drilling fluid is flowed along a permeable partition which divides a first volume containing the drilling fluid from a second volume adapted to collect filtrate passing through the permeable partition. A pressure differential...     

Energy limiting, bidirectional signal passage, bandpass filtering, and DC isolation is provided in an intrinsically safe manner, for electrical signals coupled between various electrical equipment located both outside and within a storage tank containing highly combustible matter, for example, via apparatus...     

A load-sensitive level detecting device for detecting the level of a powder or liquid comprises a piezoelectric vibrator (3), a case (1) which separates the object whose level is to be detected from the latter, the case (1) being formed with an opening (1b), which is closed by an elastic sheet (2) serving...     

A level sensing system including ultrasonic sound wave transducer means for emitting ultrasonic sound waves and for receiving ultrasonic sound waves reflected from a receptacle whose content level is to be sensed; a content level detector, responsive to the reflected ultrasonic sound waves, for determining...     

A filling level measuring probe detects the filling level in a container by suppression of an oscillator by contact with a filling material. The oscillator consists of a hollow body 16, which can be connected through a shaft 14 and a screw-in part 12 with a container wall 10 and is set in oscillation...     

In an acoustic ranging system, an echo signal received following a shot is repeatedly sampled and the samples digitized to produce a statistical data base representing the received echo profile which can be analyzed by various methods to determine the point on the time axis of the profile which corresponds...     

A measuring apparatus, including a measuring device; a measuring element secured at one of its ends to the measuring device; a measuring body secured on the free end of the measuring element; a pendulum capable of oscillating the measuring element; a positioning motor for actuating the measuring device;...     

An ultrasonic wave transmitter and an ultrasonic wave receiver are disposed in a tank in any positional relation to each other so long as the wave transmission and wave reception surface do not face each other to check whether the liquid level in the tank is above a predetermined level. When both the...     

A liquid level indicator system is provided for sensing the presence of liquid at a preselected level in a liquid containing container. A piezoelectric reed transducer is disposed in the container for detecting vibrational movement and for producing an electrical signal in response to the vibrational...     

A stream of water or a water-methanol mixture is injected into the induction passage of a spark ignition internal combustion engine, and a probe disposed in the induction passage is contacted by the stream to sense when the density of the engine charge can be increased, the air-fuel ratio of the engine...     

A device for detecting the presence of a gaseous fluid in relation to a predetermined level of liquid in an elastically deformable vessel comprises a U-shaped body capable of accommodating within it a portion of the vessel at a predetermined liquid level. A pair of piezoelectric transducers in the body,...     

A vessel for bulk materials is described whose level can be continuously determined from outside during the filling or emptying process. To this end, at least one AE (acoustic emission) transducer is mounted at each of the levels of the vessel which determine full or empty states. An acoustic waveguide...     

An opto-acoustic fuel quantity gauging system, including: a tank; an ultrasonic energy source; an optical power source; a fiber optic cable; an ultrasonic sensor; an optical detector and a signal conditioning circuit. The ultrasonic energy source is connected to the tank. The ultrasonic energy sensor...     

A sensor for detecting an interface of a liquid in a container comprises a transmitter and a receiver of ultrasonic waves, each situated outside the container, and coupled to the wall of the container by a strip waveguide. The transmitter is arranged to cause surface acoustic waves to propagate through...     

An ultrasonic probe for measuring the velocity of sound in a liquid consists of a tube (12), closed at its lower end, and arranged to extend into the liquid, a reflector (20) alongside the tube but spaced away from it, and a source (30) of ultrasonic waves in the tube. The source is arranged so as to...     

The apparatus consists of a mechanical acoustical driver producing sound vibrations in a fluid, such as a liquid or gas, within an enclosed space. A pickup transducer positioned within the tank measures the sound vibrations of the gas within the tank and transmits the same to an amplifier and a low pass...     

An oscillator utilizes a piezo-electric transducer as a frequency determining element. The transducer, when unloaded, has a resonant frequency which determines the oscillation frequency and exhibits a predetermined level of amplitude excursion. The transducer, when moved into engagement with a conduit...     

A vibrator-type level sensor having a detecting pipe (20) in which an inner vibration member (22) with piezo-electric devices (8a) (8b) (8c) is mounted, the detecting pipe (20) and the inner vibration member (22) constituting a folded cantilever.

Ultrasonic apparatus for measuring and remotely displaying the amount of liquid in a tank, the amount of water in the tank and the velocity of sound through the liquid in the tank is described with special application to a buried tank containing gasoline with the possibility of water in the bottom of...     

A level control instrument for controlling and/or indicating the filling level for liquid, powder, granular, especially light-weight bulk material in a container. The level is determined by a single rod shaped vibrator that is actuated by a vibration exciting and measuring system. The vibrator is a rod...     

An improved ultrasonic system for detecting the level of a material that has a surface, for example a liquid level inside of a tank, which improves the ability to detect levels particularly when the tank is nearly full. A transmitted ultrasonic signal from a transducer is reflected against the material...     

A pipe section through which a liquid passes includes a transmitting and receiving transducer diametrically opposed on the surface of the pipe and arranged to project acoustic energy through the interior of the pipe whereby the output signal from the receiving transducer changes in the presence of a...     

A method of measuring aircraft fuel quantity and density in a fuel container using an ultrasonic transducer; a stillwell liquid fuel; a computer control, an indicator and an altitude sensor. The computer control includes a central processing unit connected to each of the ultrasonic transducers. The altitude...     

A structural member having a piezoelectric transmitter film and a piezoelectric receiver film adhered thereto. The transmitter film produces a vibration upon activation by a voltage controlled oscillator which forms part of a phase-lock loop circuit. The vibrations of the structural member generate electric...     

In fossil boilers and steam generator of fossil boilers and nuclear power plants, a son-air detector using ultrasonic transducers is employed with a glandless motor pump which may have a vertical top vent pipe to ascertain with fast response if the vent pipe has liquid or not. In the glandless motor...     

The present invention is an electronic liquid level monitoring apparatus for a in-ground storage tank. An ultrasonic transducer is disposed in a fill pipe head device which enables proper placement of the ultrasonic transducer in a fixed position relative to the fill pipe of the storage tank and provides...     

Apparatus and method for obtaining from a well drilled into the subsurface of the earth the information necessary to determine the location of the liquid surface in same. A source of pressure pulses is coupled to the well surface casing in order that the pulses are transmitted downhole where they are...     

A liquid level detecting device comprises a vibrator for vibrating a sample vessel containing a sample solution, and a piezo-electric element provided on a suction member having an opening for sucking the sample solution. Changes in the output voltage of the piezo-electric element are read out as the...     

In acoustic level sensing apparatus, in which pulses of acoustic energy are transmitted by an electrically energized transducer towards a surface to be sensed, and the electrical output from the transducer following the pulse is digitized and analyzed to detect a return echo from the surface, so as to...     

Ultrasonic Lamb waves are launched into a thin-section metal plate (10) which extends generally vertically above the contents of a vessel. As long as the lower end (18) of the plate (10) is above the liquid level, the Lamb waves are reflected at the lower boundary to give a full amplitude return signal....     

A tank level meter includes an elongated sound conductor of a solid material extending over the entire height of the tank and having a coating partially surrounding it. A sound generator is coupled to one end of the sound conductor to excite thereon surface waves and the opposite end of the conductor...     

An apparatus for activating and deactivating a bilge pump in a marine vessel in response to the presence or absence of water or other fluid in the bilge area wherein a pair of acoustic transducers are mounted in proximate and opposed relationship to one another such that a first transducer, the generator...     

Apparatus for gaging the amount of liquid propellant remaining in a spacecraft (38) tank (1). The tank (1) comprises several preferably V-shaped channels 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, hereinafter collectively referred to as "2" which communicate liquid propellant from regions within the tank (1) to an outlet port...     

A non-intrusive acoustic sensor system for detecting and displaying the location of the level of a liquid in a tank uses a piezoelectric transceiver mounted to a bottom exterior location on the tank. The transceiver is an element of a driving and signal processing circuit which also includes a readout...     

A three-axis accelerometer (4) mounted on board a spacecraft (10) proximate a fuel tank (3) is used to derive an estimate of the amount of fuel (2) remaining within the tank (3). The output of the accelerometer (4) is converted (at 7) to a signal representing the rate of change of the polarity of the...     

An ultrasonic level gauge that measures the level of a test surface inside a tank. A guiding pipe guides the ultrasonic wave transmitted by an ultrasonic transceiver to the test surface, and guides the ultrasonic wave reflected by the test surface back to the ultrasonic transceiver. An extended portion...     

A first stage of a rock crushing plant is controlled by controlling the feed rate supplied to a primary rock crusher and by indicating to haul vehicles bringing rock to the plant from a quarry when the load being hauled can be dumped in to a hopper supplying the feeder for the primary rock crusher. Non-material...     

A sensor apparatus for detecting sludge in a tank e.g. an oil storage tank, wherein sonar tarnsmission and reception is effected by a transducer (29) whose acoustic center is coincident with the center of curvature of a liquid filled part spherical sonar dome part (15) of a housing (13) for the apparatus....     

A tank level meter includes an elongated sound conductor of a solid material extending over the entire height of the tank. A sound generator is coupled to one end of the sound conductor to excite thereon surface waves and the opposite end of the conductor is coupled to a sound receiver. Due to different...     

A milking machine detects a flow rate of milk during milking and integrates by a completion timer the time when the detected flow rate is smaller than a reference flow rate near an end of the milking, the integrated time being displayed graphically. The reference flow rate is corrected by a specific...     

An apparatus (10) is disclosed for permitting continuous calculations of the depth of the fluid level (12) within a well bore (14) during a test interval. A sonic event is generated in the well bore, and the reflected sonic signals from down hole tubing collars and the fluid surface are sensed and recorded....     

An ultrasonic sensor for fluid levels comprises a carrier having spaed-apart legs with registering openings adapted to receive a piezoelectric transmitter and a piezoelectric receiver in the openings. The piezoelectric members are separated by the spaced legs of a ground plane engaging plates of the...     

The filling level meter for measuring the filling level in a container includes a transmitting and a receiving arrangement which directs sonic or ultrasonic pulses onto the filling material surface and receives the backscattered pulses reflected by the filling material surface and converts them to electrical...     

A liquid level measuring system having a tubular ultrasonic probe with a length in excess of the depth of liquid to be measured; for vertical insertion into a tank. A transducer inside the tube, at a first distance above the bottom end of probe body, responds transmits a sinusoidal acoustical pulse through...     

In acoustic level sensing apparatus, in which pulses of acoustic energy are transmitted by an electrically energized transducer towards a surface to be sensed, and the electrical output from the transducer following the pulse is digitized and analyzed to detect a return echo from the surface, so as to...     

A fluid level monitor for monitoring the fluid level in a tank comprises a first pair of transducers arranged in a vertically upper horizontal plane and a second pair of transducers arranged in a vertically lower horizontal plane. Pulse generators send electrical pulses to the transmitter transducers...     

A position sensor includes a vibrating elongated member with a marker retained thereto in a sliding relationship thereon, wherein the marker coupled to a displacement of a target corresponding to a change of a physical quantity alters the natural frequency of the vibrating elongated member and, consequently,...     

A fluid level monitor for monitoring the level of fluid in a vessel comprises an inverted U-shaped propagation member which allows the propagation of stress waves therethrough. A first limb of the propagation member is immersed in the fluid in the vessel and a second limb is positioned outside the vessel....     

A method of detecting an effluent level in an aircraft lavatory holding tank and a device for practicing the method. The device uses electrodynamic forces of different values generated by an electro-impulse solenoid to determine whether a detector is contaminated, to dislodge contaminants, and to measure...     

In a filling-level indicator (12), especially for fuel tanks (10) of motor vehicles, flexural waves of the frequency (f) are fed into a sound conductor (11) via a transmitter (13). For the temperature compensation of the zero point of the filling-level indicator (12), the temperature coefficient of the...     

A liquid level sensor comprises an elongated member with at least one fixed extremity under flexural vibration extending across free surface of a liquid and a slide member attached to the elongated member in a sliding relationship following the length thereof, wherein the slide member floats at the free...     

An accurate measurement of liquid levels in a tank are made using a dual tube sonic level gage. This uses plane waves of sound, in air, propagated in two vertical tubular wave guides to locate the levels of liquid contained in each tube. One tube has slots at the bottom and allows both the light (upper)...     

Ultrasonic depth measuring equipment comprising a sensor for emitting ultrasonic pulses in a divergent beam and for receiving the echoes of such ultrasonic pulses wherein the sensor is used in a mode such that the ultrasonic pulses are emitted upwardly through a liquid so as to be reflected from a reflecting...     

A liquid level sensor comprises an elongated tubular member with two open ends contained in an elongated cylindrical container vessel in an arrangement wherein the two extremities of the elongated tubular member extending through the wall of the elongated cylindrical container vessel are respectively...     

A magnetostrictive transducer measuring system for precisely measuring the liquid level of fuel in an underground tank. The system provides for the measurement of the position of one or more transducer magnets in a tube that are positioned along a length of the transducer wire therein, with one of the...