Patent ID: 6732580
Filing Date: 2004-05-11
Classification: G01F,G01G

Abstract:
A sensing apparatus for continuously measuring the level of free-flowing particulate material in a storage bin, said sensing apparatus comprising:a storage bin, having an upper end and a lower end, for storing particulate material; a vertical cable having an upper end and a lower end; an electronic load cell sensing total applied load, consisting of the cumulative load of the cable plus the downward force applied to the cable by any particulate material in the storage bin, fixedly positioned at the upper end of said storage bin and having said upper end of said cable attached to said electronic load cell and suspending the vertical cable in the storage bin, the vertical cable having a length sufficient that the lower end thereof is adjacent to the lower end of the storage bin so that the load of the cable plus the downward farce of any particulate material in the storage bin on the cable causes the electronic load cell to provide a load cell output signal proportional to the amount of particulate material in the storage bin; a signal readout device including a process controller for receiving said load cell output signal, for providing a low storage bin level output signal when the level of particulate material in said storage bin falls below a predetermined low level and for discontinuing said low storage bin level output signal when the level of particulate material in said storage bin reaches a predetermined high level; and a selectively operable supply means for supplying particulate material to the storage bin when activated, wherein said process controller activates said supply means to provide particulate material to said storage bin when the level of particulate material in said storage bin falls below sad predetermined low level and deactivates said supply means when the level of particulate material in said storage bin reaches said predetermined high level.