Hydraulic stroke measuring system

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A.
Overview Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, FIGS.
1 through 7 illustrate a hydraulic stroke measuring system 10, which comprises a measurement shaft slidably positioned within a housing unit 20, a shaft bracket 50 attachable between the measurement shaft and a cylinder shaft 16 of a hydraulic cylinder 12, a plurality of contact members 46 within the housing unit 20, a main contact 44 attached to the measurement shaft for selectively engaging one or more of the contact members 46, and a plurality of display lights 62 electrically connected to the contact members 46.
The display lights 62 illuminate when the main contact 44 engages the corresponding contact members 46.
B.
Measurement Unit The measurement unit is preferably attached to a cylinder shaft 16 of a hydraulic cylinder 12 by a housing bracket 30.
However, the measurement unit may be attached to various other structures near the hydraulic cylinder 12.
The measurement unit measures an extended position of the cylinder shaft 16 with respect to the cylinder housing 14.
The measurement unit is comprised of a housing unit 20, a plurality of contact members 46, a measurement shaft, and a main contact 44.
The housing unit 20 preferably has a tubular structure as shown in FIGS.
1 through 4 of the drawings.
The housing unit 20 may have various other structures other than illustrated in the drawings as can be appreciated.
The plurality of contact members 46 are attached within the housing unit 20 as shown in FIGS.
2 through 6 of the drawings.
The contact members 46 are electrically connected to the display lights 62 as best illustrated in FIG.
7 of the drawings.
The display lights 62 are electrically connected to a power source 11 (e.
g.
battery, electrical system of a vehicle) as further shown in FIG.
7 of the drawings.
The contact members 46 are constructed of a metal structure capable of electrically communicating with the main contact 44 to illuminate the corresponding display lights 62