The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 22, 1985
Filed:
Nov. 10, 1983
Arthur W Henke, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
John M Antos, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Thetford Corporation, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Abstract
A level indicator for a portable toilet comprises a visible indicator on the exterior of the toilet's holding tank, a float mechanism on the tank's interior operable to sense the level of liquid material in the tank, and a magnetic coupling between the float mechanism and the indicator for causing the indicator to be operated to a position corresponding to the level of liquid material sensed by the float mechanism. The indicator is in the form of a wheel journaled on a receptacle in the top wall of the holding tank. A magnet mounts on the wheel in radially spaced relation to its axis. The float mechanism comprises an arm which is operated along an arc in response to changes in the level of liquid material in the tank. The arm has a magnet which swings in a corresponding arc and which confronts the wheel magnet so that the wheel is rotated about its axis as the float arm is operated about its own axis. The wheel is enclosed by a bezel and lens assembly and the wheel contains indicial viewable through a window of the bezel and lens assembly. The float mechanism comprises a one-piece molded plastic element containing an integral hinge between a portion which mounts on the holding tank wall and another portion which forms the movably float arm. The construction requires no holes through the wall of the holding tank nor any separate fasteners.