Patent ID: 8550159

Claim:
An apparatus that controls a liquid level down-hole of a hydrocarbon producing well by monitoring the liquid level down-hole in the well comprising: (a) a down-hole liquid level measurer that is integral to and part of a down-hole tubing in the well; (b) a signal device connected to the liquid level measurer that causes a pump to adjust the pump's current liquid output based on the liquid level down-hole as measured by the down-hole liquid level measurer; wherein the down-hole liquid level measurer has a float within a caged support structure, the caged support structure is a unitary structure that both guides the float and protects the float from touching a casing within the well and acts as a section of the down-hole tubing; and wherein the float is contained within the caged support structure so that the float can travel vertically up and down and horizontally within the caged support structure.