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:
Mar. 23, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 30, 1997
Gaston C Barmore, Jr, Pearland, TX (US);
Midland Manufacturing Corp., Skokie, IL (US);
Abstract
A hand-held interface couples fill level detection switch terminals on a tank barge with current source terminals of a dockside facility. The interface includes a dockside connector adapted to be connected to the dockside terminals and a barge connector adapted to be connected to the barge terminals and test circuits for respectively testing the lading level detection switches. Each test circuit includes a battery connected in series with the light source of an optocoupler across a pair of terminals of the barge connector. Also connected across the battery are the light-sensitive switching element of the optocoupler, the coil of a normally-open relay and an indicator LED, the contacts of the relay being connected across a pair of terminals of the dockside connector. When the interface connectors are respectively connected to the barge and dockside terminals, the level detection switch under test completes the circuit across the battery through the optocoupler light source so that the optocoupler is energized. Current is drawn from the battery only when the interface is connected to the barge terminals and the level detection switch is closed. The condition of the relay contacts mirrors the condition of the level detection switch under test. Each optocoupler is of a type which responds only to voltage above a predetermined threshold level.