Apparatus for Indicating When Water Levels Fall below a Predetermined Level.
Year: 1897

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by ALARICUS DELMARD, Gentleman, of Las Palmas,
Grand Canary.]
Apparatus for Indicating When Water Levels Fall below a
Predetermined Level.
I MAURICE DELMARD Engineer of 8 Rutland Park Perry Hill Catford in the
County of Kent do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of a metal cup containing a dome of insulating substance
through the centre of which a metal plunger is running through, at the bottom of
the dome a metal plate is inserted in contact with an insulated electrical wire, the
upper part of the plunger is also connected to an insulated wire, both wires pene-
trating through the metal cup and are attached to the poles of an electrical battery
and bell. The plunger is kept down and in contact with the metal plate at the
bottom of the dome by means of a spring. The surface of the cup is closed up by
a disc of suitable material through which the plunger protrudes and to which a
hollow sphere is attached, when the water is sufficient to cause that sphere to
float the plunger is drawn up and the current is interrupted, but when the water
has arrived below the level necessary to float the hollow sphere the plunger is
forced down and the electrical circuit is complete causing the electrical 'bell to
wring.
Apparatus for Indicating When Water Levels Fall below a
Predetermined Level.
I MAURICE DELMARD of 8 Rutland Park Perry Hill Catford in the County of
Kent Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
The apparatus comprises essentially a cup-like casing of metal or other suitable
material containing an electrically insulated dome or socket within which works
a metal plunger. The outer end of this plunger passes through a disc or cover
with which the mouth of the cup-like casing is closed, and is connected with a
hollow sphere or float by a chain or other suitable means. At the bottom of the
1....מr

page_text: aforesaid socket is a metallic plate or contact piece which, together with the said
plunger, is in electrical connection with a galvanic battery and an electric bell.
So long as the level of the water in which the apparatus is submerged remains at
the normal, the aforesaid float by its buoyancy exerts sufficient upward pull on the
plunger to cause it to break contact with the said contact plate and thereby keep
the electric circuit open. But in the event of the water level unduly falling the
plunger will come in contact with said plate and by thus completing the electric
circuit will cause the bell to ring and give audible indication of the fall of the
water level.
In order that my said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the same fully with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which:-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing a slightly modified construction.
Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the general arrangement of the
apparatus and its electrical connections.
Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the socket with the plunger
in its raised portions.
A is the cup-like receptacle; B the socket; C the plunger; D the disc or cover;
and E the float.
The aforesaid insulated socket B is secured to the bottom of the receptacle A
by screws or other suitable means, the metallic contact plate F being interposed
between the said socket and the bottom of the receptacle and insulated therefrom
in any convenient manner. The socket is formed with an internal cavity b within
which works the nut or collar c carried by the inner end of the plunger. 6' is the
spring which tends to keep the nut or collar c of the plunger in electrical contact
with the plate F. The outer end of the plunger is screw-threaded to receive an
insulating nut or head c' which is connected to the float E by a chain e. D is the
disc by which the mouth of the receptacle A is closed, the said disc being provided
with a central aperture through which the plunger C projects. In order to form
a water tight joint between the plunger and the disc and at the same time permit
of the free movement of the said plunger, a flexible or extensible connection G of
india rubber or other appropriate material is provided, the upper portion thereof
being fixed to the nut or head c¹ and the lower portion to the inside of the disc D.
Hand I are insulated wires by which the contact plate F and the plunger C are
respectively connected to a battery J and an electric bell K (see Figure 3), a
wire L connecting the bell to the battery.
When the apparatus is in use and the water level at or above the normal, the
float E by its buoyancy exerts (as already stated) a pull on the plunger C, thereby
causing the nut c to be raised against the resistance of the spring 6 and kept out
of contact with the plate F (see Figure 4) so that the electric bell circuit is broken.
Should the water level fall below the normal, the pressure of the said spring b¹
will be sufficient to overcome the buoyancy of the float and will consequently
re-act and cause the nut c to come into contact with the plate F, whereby the bell
circuit will be completed and the bell caused to ring, thereby giving audible
indication of the fall in the water level.
Instead of employing the aforesaid extensible connection G, the disc D may be
formed of india-rubber or other suitable flexible material, as in Figure 2, and the
plunger C be connected directly thereto by the head c¹ and a nut c. The elasticity
of this disc will then permit the plunger to rise and fall to operate the electric
contact in accordance with the height of the water level and the upward pull of
the float E.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
-
1. An annaratus for the purpose specified in which an electric hell or other

page_text: electric indicator is brought into operation by a contact device which is enclosed
in a water tight casing and controlled by a float substantially as described.
2. An apparatus constructed and adapted to operate substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying drawings and for the purpose specified.
·
100K
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.