Transducer for monitoring the position of a movable body

Abstract

A transducer for monitoring the position of movable bodies and in particular for monitoring the position of valve flaps and other elements in connection with systems for fire extinction, is composed of a pipe (4) which is closed at one end and thus forms a hollow body with a bottom (4). The pipe is made of a magnetically inert material and accommodates an inductive sensor (5) of an ordinary type. The sensor is movable inside the pipe, but engages the internal bottom of the pipe in its normal position of use. The transducer is kept in this position by a compression spring (17) which presses against the free end of the cylindrical sensor. With its other end, this compression spring (17) engages a plug (2) at the free end of the pipe. In its position of use, the transducer is arranged such that the bottom of the pipe, and thereby the active face of the sensor, is positioned in the immediate vicinity of the body, e.g. a valve flap, whose position is to be monitored. A cord (6) or another pull member extends from the sensor out through the plug and out into the open. The cord may be the wire from the sensor. When the function of the transducer is to be tested, an external pull is applied to the cord (6), whereby the sensor is pulled back against the effect of the spring until it is moved out of its scanning range. The pipe and the spring are dimensioned such that this travel is allowed. A test may hereby be performed readily, and without it being necessary to interfere with the normal function of the system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.