| 摘要 |
<p>A system and method for measuring the level of bulk material stored in a bin, tank, silo or the like. A multiple link chain is disposed along an axis between two vertically displaced reference points with the chain having an upper end above and a lower end below the top surface of bulk material in a bin. All chain links above the top surface of the bulk material are free to rotate with respect to their adjacent links about the chain axis by a predetermined angular displacement before interferingly engaging the adjacent links. A rotational driving means is coupled to the upper end of the chain, said driving means having a predetermined torque limit. The driving means rotates the upper end of the chain about its axis until it encounters a torsional impedance exceeding its torque limit, that impedance being due to bulk material in contact with the lateral surfaces of the chain links which are below the top surface. At this time, the upper end of the chain is angularly displaced by an amount equal to the sum of the individual angular displacements of all links which are disposed above the top surface of the bulk material and thus free to rotate. The angular displacement of the upper end of the chain provides a measure of the level of bulk material in the bin.</p> |
