Patent ID: 7219686

Claim:
A tap assembly for a liquid vessel such as a liquefied gas cylinder, comprising: a tap body having a longitudinal axis and a base end portion for securing said tap in an opening of the liquid vessel; an overfill protection device mounted on said tap body and being effective to prevent filling of said vessel beyond a predetermined maximum liquid level, said overfill protection device comprising: a float controlled fluid flow control means; and said tap assembly further comprising: a level gauge, said level gauge comprising: a. a pivotable float lever having a float fixed thereto and being mounted on a fixed structure of said tap assembly; b. an elongate gauge rod extending generally longitudinally of said axis, said gauge rod having one of its ends located adjacent a pivot axis of said float lever and the other end of said gauge rod being received and guided for reciprocating movement within a bore formed in said tap body, said bore being generally parallel to said longitudinal axis; c. motion transmitting means comprising a crank mechanism coupling said float lever and said one end of said gauge rod for generally longitudinally shifting said gauge rod in response to pivot motion of said float lever and said float caused by variations of said liquid level between a minimum liquid level in said vessel and said maximum level; and d. a permanent magnet carried by said gauge rod for movement with said rod in said tap body bore to actuate a liquid level indicator means.