JPH0723236U - Liquid level indicator - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To provide a liquid level gauge that can easily adapt to individual tank dimensions. [Structure] An index 3 that can slide vertically and display the relative amount of the liquid contained in the tank depending on the position.
Is fixed to the upper end of the index shaft 2 that slides in the vertical direction according to the liquid surface position in the tank. A plurality of arm members 10, 11, 15, 1 for causing the index shaft 2 to move up and down by a predetermined amount.
One end of the index shaft 2 is connected to the link made of 6, and the float support member 19 is further connected to the tips of the extension arms 15 and 16 of the link. A float 20 is provided which is supported by the float support member 19 and is maintained in an upright floating state, moves vertically according to the liquid surface position in the tank, and transmits a predetermined rotation operation to the extension arms 15 and 16.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a liquid level gauge, and more particularly to a liquid level gauge that can be assembled by setting dimensions according to the size of a small oil tank.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Since the consumption of kerosene as fuel for heating is high in cold regions, small household oil tanks are already installed and used in the yard of ordinary households. For safety reasons, the liquid level gauge of a small oil tank installed outdoors like this is not a glass gauge with a communicating tube, but a type with a built-in liquid level detector such as a float is installed. FIG. 5 shows a liquid level gauge having a float type detector used in a small oil tank of this type. The liquid level gauge 50 is installed in the tank so as to be inserted from a socket fixed to the upper surface of the tank body (not shown), and is fixed to the outside of the socket by a set screw (not shown) attached to the cover 51. ing.

Inside the cover 51, the upper end of a guide frame 53 that holds the vertical movement of the index shaft 52 is fixed. The guide frame 53 is manufactured by pressing a steel plate having a predetermined size into a U-shaped cross section, and an arm plate 54 is rotatably attached to a lower end 53a thereof via a pin 55. Further, a link plate 56 is rotatably connected to the arm plate 54, and an upper end of the link plate 56 is connected to a lower end 52a of the index shaft 52 via a pin 57 so as to form a triangular link. ing. On the other hand, a float support rod 58 is fixed to the side of the arm plate 54 opposite to the connecting portion with the guide frame 53. The tip of the float support rod 58 is bent at a right angle, and a cylindrical float 59 is fixed to the tip of the rod.

According to this liquid level gauge, the float support rod 58 and the arm plate 54, which are linearly arranged by the float 59 that moves up and down in accordance with the change of the oil liquid level in the tank, move around the pin 55. It rotates, and the link plate 56 moves the lower end 52a of the index shaft 52 up and down in accordance with this rotation operation. At this time, since the index 60 is fixed to the upper end of the index shaft 52, the position of the index 59, that is, the position of the index 60 moves up and down according to the oil surface. Therefore, the relative storage amount of oil in the tank can be roughly confirmed by reading the position of the index 60 that moves up and down within the range of the scale 62 engraved on the transparent resin case 61 of the liquid level gauge provided on the upper surface of the tank.

[0005]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, the liquid level gauge shown in Fig. 5 is an off-the-shelf product in which the dimensions of each member are set according to the dimensions of the tank in which the liquid level gauge is incorporated. There is a problem that it cannot be applied to an oil tank, and its versatility and diversion as a product are poor.

Further, in the liquid level gauge link mechanism shown in FIG. 5, as the arm plate 54 rotates in the arrow A direction, the link plate 56 moves so as to be pushed in the arrow B direction in the drawing, and the index The lower end of the index shaft 52 for raising and lowering is moved so as to be lifted in the direction of arrow C. As described above, in the above-described link mechanism, since the component force in the lateral direction acts on the lower end of the index shaft 52, the index shaft 52 and the index shaft support plate 53a compete with each other and cannot slide smoothly in the vertical direction. There is.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional technique, and to provide a liquid level gauge that can set members according to the shape of the tank and can smoothly raise and lower the float. .

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an indicator capable of displaying a relative amount of the liquid stored in the tank by sliding vertically, and an indicator formed on the upper end of the indicator in the tank. It consists of an index shaft that slides up and down according to the liquid surface position to change the position of the index, and a plurality of arm members that have one end connected to the index shaft and that cause the index shaft to move up and down by a predetermined amount. A link, a float support member connected to the tip of one arm member of the link, and an upright floating state supported by the float support member and positioned vertically depending on the liquid level position in the tank. And a float that moves and transmits a predetermined rotational movement to the arm member.

At this time, it is preferable that the index shaft is cut at a predetermined position and held in position by a guide rod whose length can be set. Further, it is preferable that the one arm member includes an extension member that can be set to a predetermined length, and the float support member is connected to a tip of the extension member.

[0010]

[Action]

 According to the present invention, an index that slides in the vertical direction and can display the relative amount of the liquid contained in the tank by the position is an index that slides in the upward and downward directions according to the liquid level position in the tank. One end of the index shaft is connected to a link composed of a plurality of arm members fixed to the upper end of the shaft and causing a predetermined amount of vertical movement on the index shaft, and a float support is further provided on the tip of one arm member of the link. A float that connects the members, is supported by the float support member, maintains an upright floating state, moves vertically according to the liquid surface position in the tank, and transmits a predetermined rotation operation to the arm member. Since it is provided, it is compact and can be easily assembled to a predetermined size, and can be applied to various tanks.

[0011]

【Example】

 An embodiment of the liquid level gauge according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the liquid level gauge according to the present invention is inserted from a socket fixed to the upper surface of a tank (not shown) and installed at a predetermined position in the tank. Reference numeral 1 denotes a cover. The cover 1 supports a transparent resin case 4 for accommodating the indicator 3 fixed to the upper end of the index shaft 2, and covers the socket (not shown). It evenly tightens the three setscrews that are attached to the side face to play a role of securely supporting and fixing the entire level gauge in the socket. A circular support plate (not shown) having a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the cover 1 is fitted in the cover 1, and two guides for holding the index shaft 2 are sandwiched between the support plate and the lower surface of the support plate. The upper end of the id rod 5 is fixed via a bush (not shown).

A lower end 5 a of the guide rod 5 is fixed to a fulcrum plate 7 via a bush 6, and a spacer plate 8 that holds the space between the two guide rods 5 and holds the lower end position of the index shaft 2. Are fixed via the bush 9. A joint plate 10 is fixed to the lower end 2a of the index shaft 2, and a link plate 11 is rotatably connected to the tip of the joint plate 10 via a pin 12. The joint plate 10 is formed by bending a small plate piece, and is fixed by holding the bent tip 2a of the index shaft 2 into a fixing hole (not shown) with the claw 10a. .

On the other hand, the lower end of the arm plate 15 is rotatably supported by the rotating pin 14 supported by the fulcrum plate 7. An extension plate 16 is riveted to the other end of the arm plate 15 so as to form a substantially straight line. The lower end 11a of the link plate 11 is rotatably connected to the intermediate position of the arm plate 15 by a rivet 17.

A float support plate 19 is connected to the tip of the extension plate 16 via a rivet 18. In the figure, a float 20 nailed to a float upper plate 22 is loosely attached to an upper end 19a of the float support plate 19 via a stop pin 21. The float support plate 19 holds the upright state in the vertical direction in the oil while the float 20 floats on the oil surface like a “float” of fishing. When the float 20 does not float on the oil surface, the float support plate 19 falls over, but the stopper 24 prevents it from standing upside down. Since the liquid level gauge according to the present invention is constructed as described above, the float 20 moves up and down according to the position of the oil level 32 when installed in the tank 30 as shown in FIG. Accordingly, the position of the index 3 in the resin case 4 located on the upper surface of the tank rises and falls, and the relative storage amount of oil in the tank 30 can be known at a glance.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the outdoor tank 30 supported by the stand 31, and various sizes and shapes of the tank 30 can be designed according to the wishes of the user. At that time, according to the level gauge according to the present invention, the dimensions of some of the parts are appropriately set according to the shape and size of the tank to which the level gauge is attached, and the entire assembly can be performed easily to make various types of tanks. Can respond.

The relationship between the position of the float 20 and the position of the index 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, and modified examples for adapting to various tank shapes will be described. FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the lifting operation of the float 20 and the index position when the liquid level gauge shown in FIG. 1 is installed in the tank 30 and the oil level 32 in the tank 30 changes. . In the figure, reference numeral 30a indicates a bottom plate of the tank 30, reference numeral 30b indicates a tank side plate close to the float 20 of the liquid level gauge, and reference numeral 30c indicates an upper plate of the tank 30.

The level gauge installed in this tank 30 shows that there is about half the amount of oil in the tank in the figure, and the float support plate 19 is erected with respect to the fulcrum 18 for float. The float 20 floats on the oil surface so as to be in the state. As described above, each member of the level gauge has a joint plate 10, a link plate 11, an arm plate 15 (extension plate 16), which are connected by the freely rotatable rivet pins 12, 17, 18 as described above. A link is formed by the float support plate 19, and the index 3 fixed to the upper end of the index shaft 2 connected to the joint plate 10 can be displaced by a predetermined amount according to the vertical movement of the float 20.

If, for example, the amount of oil is added from about 1/2 of the tank to the state of fullness (F), the float 20 rises following the rise of the oil surface 32, and an extension that supports this float 20. The plate 16 and the arm plate 15 rotate around the rotation pin 14 serving as a fulcrum in the direction of the arrow A by a predetermined angle, and accordingly, the link plate 11 is pushed up and the joint plate 10 is pushed up together with the index shaft 2. As a result, the index 3 attached to the upper surface of the tank is full (F).

On the contrary, if the amount of oil used is from about 1/2 of the tank to the empty (E) state, the float 20 descends following the lowering of the oil surface 32 and supports the float 20. The extension plate 16 and the arm plate 15 are rotated about the rotation pin 14 serving as a fulcrum by a predetermined angle in the direction of the arrow B, and the link plate 11 and the joint plate 10 are lowered together with the index shaft 2 accordingly. As a result, the index 3 attached to the upper surface of the tank is empty (E).

As described above, in the liquid level gauge according to the present invention, the smooth up and down movement of the float 20 in the upright state is converted only into the up and down movement of the index shaft 2 via the link mechanism. The index 3 can be smoothly moved up and down without generating force. Since a stopper 7a is formed at one end of the fulcrum plate 7 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the lower limit of rotation of the arm plate 15 is defined, and the arm plate 15 contacts the tank bottom plate 30a. It is possible to prevent excessive force from being applied to the entire link.

When manufacturing the liquid level gauge, if the height H of the tank (distance between the upper plate and the bottom plate) and the distance L between the tank upper plate and the upper surface of the socket are known, the arm length X (arm plate). By setting the float support plate 19 to a predetermined length, the tank full position and empty position are determined, so that the length of the guide rod 5 can be determined. In this state, the lower end 5a of the guide rod 5 is caulked by the bush 6 and fixed to the fulcrum plate 7. The arm length may be set by adjusting the length of the extension plate 16 described above. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, by simply adjusting the lengths of the index shaft 2 and the guide rod 5 for guiding the index shaft 2 and the extension plate 16 and installing them, the oil surface 32 can be filled (F) and empty (E). It can easily accommodate tanks with large differences.

At this time, the guide rod 5 is a rod of φ4 mm made of galvanized iron wire in this embodiment, and the extension plate 16 is a corrosion-resistant aluminum plate material having a plate thickness of 2 mm, so that cutting work can be easily performed, and the user can easily perform cutting. It is possible to provide a liquid level gauge that can be used for tanks of various sizes by designating. In the above description, the oil tank for kerosene is used as an example, but it goes without saying that it can be applied to tanks for various purposes such as a water tank.

[0023]

[Effect of device]

 As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily manufacture and respond to the size of the tank to be installed, and the index mechanism is smooth due to the built-in link mechanism. With this, it is possible to show a proper operation and to indicate an accurate oil amount.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a liquid level gauge according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing a state in which the present invention is installed in a tank.

FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view shown for explaining an ascending / descending operation of a float of a liquid level gauge.

FIG. 4 is a schematic operation explanatory view illustrating an example in which the liquid level gauge according to the present invention is used in tanks of different sizes.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional liquid level gauge.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 cover 2 index axis 3 index 5 guide rod 7 fulcrum plate 10 joint plate 11 link plate 15 arm plate 16 extension plate 19 float support plate 20 float 30 tank 32 oil surface

Claims (3)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An index capable of displaying a relative amount of a liquid contained in a tank by sliding vertically and displaying the relative amount of the liquid, and an index formed at an upper end of the index to raise or lower depending on a liquid level position in the tank. An index shaft that slides in the direction to change the position of the index, and a link composed of a plurality of arm members that are connected to the index shaft at one end and that cause the index shaft to move up and down by a predetermined amount. A float support member connected to the tip of the arm member, and an upright floating state supported by the float support member and vertically moved according to the liquid surface position in the tank, and the one arm member. And a float for transmitting a predetermined rotational movement to the liquid level gauge. 2. The liquid level gauge according to claim 1, wherein the index shaft is held at a position by a guide rod whose length can be set by cutting the index shaft at a predetermined position. 3. The liquid level gauge according to claim 1, wherein the one arm member includes an extension member that can be set to a predetermined length, and the float support member is connected to a tip of the extension member. .