Liquid level indicator

Claim 2

An instrument for measuring the level of fuel in a fuel tank on a vehicle including an instrument panel having an exposed surface readily accessible to a driver of said vehicle, comprising: means mounted in said fuel tank for supplying compressed air in an amount proportional to the level of fuel in said tank; means conducting said compressed air to said instrument panel; and a gauge mounted on said instrument panel and connected to said conducting means for indicating the level of fuel in said fuel tank by measuring said compressed air, said gauge including means for adjusting said gauge to reflect the fuel level in tanks of different sizes and means mounting said adjusting means on said gauge in an exposed position adjacent said exposed surface on said instrument panel, whereby said driver may readily and conveniently adjust said gauge.

Claim 3

An instrument as stated in claim 1 wherein said gauge comprises: a diaphragm in fluid communication with said compressed air for deflection thereby in an amount proportional to the pressure exerted by said compressed air; a needle swingably mounted in said gauge; means connecting said needle to said diaphragm for swinging said needle in an amount proportional to the amount said diaphragm is deflected; and means connecting said adjusting means to said means connecting said needle to said diaphragm.

Claim 4

An instrument for measuring the level of fuel in a fuel tank on a vehicle having an instrument panel readily accessible to a driver of said vehicle, comprising: 1. means mounted in said fuel tank for supplying compressed air in an amount proportional to the level of fuel in said tank; 2. means conducting said compressed air to said instrument panel; and 3. a gauge mounted on said instrument panel and connected to said conducting means for indicating the level of fuel in said fuel tank by measuring said compressed air, said gauge including means for adjusting said gauge to reflect the fuel level in tanks of different sizes, said adjusting means being mounted on said gauge in an exposed position where said driver may readily adjust said gauge, said means for supplying compressed air comprising: A. a bell having an encompassing sidewall, an open bottom and a closed top, said closed top being provided with a fluid outlet, said open bottom being closed by an apertured plug for minimizing surging of fuel in said bell; and B. a pipe having a first end connected to said fluid outlet on said bell and a second end secured to the top of said tank, said pipe being of sufficient length to position said bell near the bottom of said tank.

Claim 5

An instrument for measuring the level of fuel in a fuel tank on a vehicle having an instrument panel readily accessible to a driver of said vehicle, comprising: 1. means mounted in said fuel tank for supplying compressed air in an amount proportional to the level of fuel in said tank; 2. means conducting said compressed air to said instrument panel; and 3. a gauge mounted on said instrument panel and connected to said conducting means for indicating the level of fuel in said fuel tank by measuring said compressed air, said gauge including means for adjusting said gauge to reflect the fuel level in tanks of different sizes, said adjusting means being mounted on said gauge in an exposed position where said driver may readily adjust said gauge, said means for supplying compressed air comprising: A. a bell having an encompassing sidewall, an open bottom and a closed top, said closed top being provided with a fluid outlet, said open bottom being closed by an apertured plug for minimizing surging of fuel in said bell; and B. a pipe having a first end connected to said fluid outlet on said bell and a second end secured to the top of said tank, said pipe being of sufficient length to position said bell near the bottom of said tank.

Claim 6

An instrument for measuring the level of fuel in a fuel tank on a vehicle having an instrument panel readily accessible to a driver of said vehicle comprising: 1. means mounted in said fuel tank for supplying compressed air in an amount proportional to the level of fuel in said tank; 2. means conducting said compressed air to said instrument panel; and 3. a gauge mounted on said instrument panel and connected to said conducting means for indicating the level of fuel in said fuel tank by measuring said compressed air, said gauge including means for adjusting said gauge to reflect the fuel level in tanks of different sizes, said adjusting means being mounted on said gauge in an exposed position where said driver may readily adjust said gauge, said gauge comprising: A. a housing having an encompassing sidewall, an open top, an inwardly extending annular shoulder adjacent said open top, a closed bottom wall and an inwardly, downwardly extending flange connecting said bottom wall to said sidewall for forming an annular ledge above said bottom wall; B. a fluid inlet connected to said bottom wall for admitting said compressed air to said housing; C. a diaphragm mounted on said ledge above said bottom wall in fluid communication with said fluid inlet; D. a plate mounted on said ledge above said diaphragm, said plate and said bottom wall forming a chamber in which said diaphragm is free to flex, said plate being provided with an aperture overlying said diaphragm; E. an elongaged bracket having a first end connected to said plate and a second free end elevated above said plate, said bracket having an elongated opening overlying said plate and said aperture in said plate, said bracket also having a pair of upstanding legs adjacent said plate aperture on opposite sides thereof; F. a leaf spring assembly having a first end anchored to said first end of said bracket, said leaf spring assembly including a leaf spring extending from said anchored end of said leaf spring assembly to a position beneath said free end of said bracket and a bifurcated clip having a pair of arms extending from said first end of said leaf spring assembly to a position adjacent said lugs; F. a crank journaled on said lugs and held in position thereon by said arms, said crank having an intermediate portion overlying said leaf spring in said elongated opening on said bracket over said aperture in said plate and an upstanding free end; H. a post extending upwardly from said plate adjacent said upstanding free end of said crank; I. a pointer swingably mounted on said post; J. a spring encompassing said post for biasing said pointer into engagement with said upstanding free end of said crank and for biasing said crank into engagement with said leaf spring; K. a dial mounted on said annular shoulder below said pointer; L. a transparent dial cover closing said open top on said housing; and M. a calibration screw extending through said dial cover and said dial, said screw having a threaded end extending into threaded engagement with said free end of said bracket, said threaded end of said screw being bottomed out on said plate beneath said free end of said bracket for adjusting the tension on said leaf spring and the amount said crank and said pointer will swing when said diaphragm forces said leaf spring upwardly so that said gauge may be adjusted to compensate for tanks of different sizes, said screw having a head provided thereon outside said dial cover, whereby a driver of said vehicle may readily and conveniently calibrate said gauge.

Claim 7

An instrument for measuring the level of fuel in a fuel tank on a vehicle having an instrument panel readily accessible to a driver of said vehicle comprising: 1. means mounted in said fuel tank for supplying compressed air in an amount proportional to the level of fuel in said tank; 2. means conducting said compressed air to said instrument panel; and 3. a gauge mounted on said instrument panel and connected to said conducting means for indicating the level of fuel in said fuel tank by measuring said compressed air, said gauge including means for adjusting said gauge to reflect the fuel level in tanks of different sizes, said adjusting means being mounted on said gauge in an exposed position where said driver may readily adjust said gauge, said gauge comprising: A. a housing having an encompassing sidewall, an open top, an inwardly extending annular shoulder adjacent said open top, a closed bottom wall and an inwardly, downwardly extending flange connecting said bottom wall to said sidewall for forming an annular ledge above said bottom wall; B. a fluid inlet connected to said bottom wall for admitting said compressed air to said housing; C. a diaphragm mounted on said ledge above said bottom wall in fluid communication with said fluid inlet; D. a plate mounted on said ledge above said diaphragm, said plate and said bottom wall forming a chamber in which said diaphragm is free to flex, said plate being provided with an aperture overlying said diaphragm; E. an elongaged bracket having a first end connected to said plate and a second free end elevated above said plate, said bracket having an elongated opening overlying said plate and said aperture in said plate, said bracket also having a pair of upstanding legs adjacent said plate aperture on opposite sides thereof; F. a leaf spring assembly having a first end anchored to said first end of said bracket, said leaf spring assembly including a leaf spring extending from said anchored end of said leaf spring assembly to a position beneath said free end of said bracket and a bifurcated clip having a pair of arms extending from said first end of said leaf spring assembly to a position adjacent said lugs; F. a crank journaled on said lugs and held in position thereon by said arms, said crank having an intermediate portion overlying said leaf spring in said elongated opening on said bracket over said aperture in said plate and an upstanding free end; H. a post extending upwardly from said plate adjacent said upstanding free end of said crank; I. a pointer swingably mounted on said post; J. a spring encompassing said post for biasing said pointer into engagement with said upstanding free end of said crank and for biasing said crank into engagement with said leaf spring; K. a dial mounted on said annular shoulder below said pointer; L. a transparent dial cover closing said open top on said housing; and M. a calibration screw extending through said dial cover and said dial, said screw having a threaded end extending into threaded engagement with said free end of said bracket, said threaded end of said screw being bottomed out on said plate beneath said free end of said bracket for adjusting the tension on said leaf spring and the amount said crank and said pointer will swing when said diaphragm forces said leaf spring upwardly so that said gauge may be adjusted to compensate for tanks of different sizes, said screw having a head provided thereon outside said dial cover, whereby a driver of said vehicle may readily and conveniently calibrate said gauge.