Apparatus for indicating the level of a material in a container

An apparatus is provided for indicating a level of a fluid in a reservoir and comprises a first multi-strand fiber optic cable with one end of the strands being disposed for receiving light from a light source for transmission to the second ends. A second multi-strand fiber optic cable having the same number of strands is disposed for receiving light from the second ends of the strands in the first cable. The second ends of the second cable are arranged for indicating the presence of light received by respective ones of the first ends of the second cable. A detector detects the level of the fluid in the reservoir, and an interrupter is disposed between the second ends of the first multi-strand fiber optic cable and the first ends of the second multi-strand fiber optic cable for interrupting the transmission of light between corresponding pairs of strands of the first and second fiber optic cables. A rotating member winds and unwinds the interrupter in accordance with the level of fluid detected by the detector, such that the interrupter interrupts a number of strands of the first and second plurality of multi-strand fiber optic cables depending of the fluid level, whereby the second ends of the fiber optic strands in the second cable indicate the level of fluid in the container.