Ink monitoring apparatus

Claim 2

Fluid monitoring apparatus comprising: a. a container; b. a supply of fluid held within said container; c. means for forming said fluid into a spinning vortex, the center of said vortex forming a vortex axis the position of which is indicative of the amount of fluid held within said container; d. an elongated member positioned in said fluid in a freefloating condition and being maintained substantially along the axis of said vortex by the forces generated by said vortex; and e. means responsive to the position of said member for monitoring the amount of fluid held within said container.

Claim 3

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said vortex forming means comprises roller means forming at least one wall of said container and wherein said apparatus further includes means for rotating said roller means, the rotation of said roller means causing said fluid to form into a vortex.

Claim 4

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 and further including means for removing fluid from said container, said removal resulting in a reduction of the radius of said vortex, and wherein said position responsive means includes means responsive to the change in position of said member as the radius of said vortex decreases.

Claim 5

Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein: said position responsive means includes pivoted follower means in contact with said member and carried by said member as said member changes position, said follower means being rotatable about said pivot as said member changes position; and switch means actuated by said follower means when the radius of said vortex has been reduced to a predetermined minimum.

Claim 6

Apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein at least the portion of said follower means which extends into said vortex, and is in contact with said elongated member has a thickness which is only a small fraction of the length of said vortex for preventing interference with the fluid motion within said vortex.

Claim 7

Apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said position responsive means further includes means for generating a signal when the radius of said vortex decreases to a predetermined minimum.

Claim 8

Apparatus a recited in claim 6 and further including means responsive to said signal for adding a new supplY of fluid to said container.

Claim 9

A printing press comprising a supply reservoir for holding a supply of ink, means for transferring said ink from said reservoir to printing components of said press, and means for monitoring the amount of ink maintained in said reservoir, said monitoring means comprising: a. a roller forming the bottom wall of said reservoir; b. means for rotating said roller, the rotation of said roller forming at least a portion of the ink in said reservoir into a vortex, the center of said vortex forming a vortex axis extending substantially parallel to said roller whereby the position of said vortex axis is indicative of the amount of ink held within said reservoir; c. a rod positioned in said reservoir in a substantially free-floating condition, said rod being maintained substantially along the axis of said vortex by the forces generated by said vortex; and d. detecting means coupled to said rod for detecting changes in the position of said rod as the radius of said vortex decreases due to the withdrawal of ink from said reservoir.

Claim 10

A printing press comprising a supply reservoir for holding a supply of ink, means for transferring said ink from said reservoir to printing components of said press, and means for monitoring the amount of ink maintained in said reservoir, said monitoring means comprising: a. a roller forming the bottom wall of said reservoir; b. means for rotating said roller, the rotation of said roller forming at least a portion of the ink in said reservoir into a vortex, the center of said vortex forming a vortex axis extending substantially parallel to said roller whereby the position of said vortex axis is indicative of the amount of ink held within said reservoir; c. a rod positioned in said reservoir in a substantially free-floating condition, said rod being maintained substantially along the axis of said vortex by the forces generated by said vortex; and d. detecting means coupled to said rod for detecting changes in the position of said rod as the radius of said vortex decreases due to the withdrawal of ink from said reservoir.

Claim 11

Apparatus as recited in claim 8 and further including means responsive to said detecting means for adding ink to said reservoir when the radius of said vortex decreases to a predetermined minimum.