Apparatus for minimising the amount of fluid leaked from a component in a hydraulic system when the component has failed

摘要

This invention relates to apparatus for minimising the amount offluid leaked from a component in a hydraulic power system when the component has failed.;The apparatus comprises a tank 1 for use as a reservoir for the hydraulic fluid, the tank 1 having a first chamber 2 for storing a main volume of the fluid and a second chamber 3 communicating with the first chamber 2 for storing a reference volume of the fluid. The second chamber 3 is provided with a fluid level switch 23 which deactiatesthe system power source when the quantity offluid in the second chamber3 has fallen to or below a preset level as a result of its leakage from the system via a burst hose orthe like. The chambers 2 and 3 are dimensioned so that for a given quantity of fluid entering or leaving the tank 1, fluid level fluctuation in the second chamber 3 is greaterthan the corresponding fluid level fluctu- ation which would occur in the first chamber 1 if the fiuid were only entering or leaving the first chamber 2.