Improvements in Magneto-electric Liquid Level Indicators
Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Magneto-electric Liquid Level Indicators 87
I, JOHN JOSEPH GHEGAN, of No 216 Market street, Newark, State of New Jersey
United States of America, Electrician, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings
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Laquid level Indicators have heretofore been made by me in which a float provided
with magnetic material is made use of in connection with a magnetic circuit controller
so that when said float is in proximity to the magnet poles the magnetism 18 50
influenced as to cause the deflection of circuit closing device thereby operating any
suitable apparatus contuned in the circuit but difficulty has been experienced in
obtaining a float capable of retaining its buoyancy under all conditions
My present Improvements are for the purpose of dispensing with the float and to
simplify the magnetic circuit controller A balance that is moved by the alternate
rise and fall of the liquid accomplishes the former, and a movable permanent magnet
effects the latter
In the drawings making a part of this specification, Figure 1, is a vertical section
of the apparatus representing these improvements as applied to a steam-boiler, and
Figure 2, is a plan of the same partly in section
Like letters refer to corresponding parts in both figures
In the
The case or holder A, is connected to the boiler B, in any suitable manner
drawings it is represented as extending outward from, and connected to the boiler or
reservoir B, and containing a balanced or vibratory bar C, pivoted at 3, the upright
arm D, of which is provided with magnetic material The other arm 7, extends into
the reservoir, normally above the water level, and is provided with a gravitating

page_text: body 5, attached thereto by a chuin Y, and swivel X The end 6 of the vibratory
bar C, carrying the magnetic arm D, acts as a counterbalance to the gravitating
body 5, attached to the opposite end 7 The gravitating body 5 may be of
any desired
form or material provided that its weight in proportion to the counterbalance is such
that it will outweigh or be outweighed thereby according to the height of the
liquid
N S are the poles of a magnet pivoted at m within an auxiliary casing K, attached
to the outside case A, and provided with an electrical contact point a, arranged to
close the circuit c, through the terminal b, when the magnet is attracted by the arm D
The wire which goes to the battery P, passes through and is insulated at o, from the
auxiliary casing K The other wire leading from the bell Q, back to the magnet
connects with the casing A, at the point That part, A³, of casings A and K, which
intervenes between the magnetic arm D, and the poles of the magnet N S 15 composed
of non-magnetic material The limiting stop h, is also composed of non-magnetic
material The casings A and K, with the exception of the portion A¹, may be of
magnetic maturial When the water in the reservoir is at its normal level the counter-
balancing end 6 outweighs the gravitating body 5, and holds the vibratory bar and
magnetic arm in the position shown in full lines in Figure 1 In this position the
magnetic arm D, is too far removed from the magnet poles N, S, to overcome the
attraction of the auxiliary casing K, which keeps the magnet drawn agunst the back
stop h, thereby holding the circuit open at points a, b, as clearly shown in Figure 2
As the gravitating body 5, loses the support of the water, by the latter receding
therefrom its weight on the vibratory arm C, increases and when this weight becomes
greater than that of the counterbalance, it moves the latter to the position shown in
dotted lines, thereby bringing the magnetic arm D, in close proximity to the magnetic
poles N S that the aforesaid attraction of the magnetic casing K, 18 overcome and
the magnet moves towards the arm D, closing the electric circuit at a, b, (see dotted
lines) and operating any suitable electric apparatus contained in said circuit As the
water rises to the proper level, the reverse operation takes place and the movable
parts return to the position shown in full lines
It is obvious that the magnetic circuit controller could be dispensed with and the
vibratory bar, which is always above the water line, be connected to one terminal of
the electric circuit and the other terminal brought through the casing (suitably
insulated therefrom) so that the movements of the vibratory bar would directly close
and open the circuit
It is also obvious that by reversing the contact points or by placing the magnetic
circuit controller on the side of the tube opposite to that on which it is shown in the
drawings it could be used for a high water alarm or to operate a normally closed
circuit
It is evident that several other modifications might be made without departing from
the spirit of the invention, therefore I do not limit myself to the precise construction
herein shown and described
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is,
First In a liquid level Indicator a gravitating body in combination with a
counterbalance and circuit controller, substantially as set forth
Second-The combination with an indicating apparatus of a gravitating body and
a counterbalance for the same which causes the indicating apparatus to move in one
direction when said gravitating body is immersed in water and in the other direction
when not immersed in water substantially as set forth
Third-In a liquid level Indicator, a reservoir containing a gravitating body in
combination with a counterbalance and magnetic circuit controller, substantially as
set forth
Fourth In a magnetic circuit controller a moveable permanent magnet whose

page_text: motion in one direction is limited by a non-magnetic back stop and in the opposite
direction by an electrical contact point substantially as set forth
Fifth In a liquid level Indicator the combination of a vibratory bar provided with
a gravitating body and a counterbalance carrying magnetic material with a liquid
reservoir, electric alarm circuit and magnetic circuit controller, substantially as set
forth
Sixth-In a liquid level Indicator the combination of a reservoir, a movable
balance located within a casing having a non-magnetic portion, a magnetic circuit
controller, a gravitating body connected with said balance and an alarm circuit,
substantially as set forth
11
1
1000
HERBERT J ALLISON,
Agent for the Applicant