Fluidic gap gauge
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsMichael J. Goes, John R. Masly
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A split-ring hermetically sealed pressure enclosure is positioned around a ap formed between a shell body and base plate of a projectile for the purpose of measuring an unknown gap volume and comparing it to a standard acceptable volume. The system utilizes a gauging system which pressurizes both the known volume of the standard volume and unknown volume of the test body simultaneously and then measures the rate at which each volume is depleted. Fluidic sensing, amplifying, and gating systems are utilized for generating an output signal responsive to comparative pressure rate changes of both standard and test volumes. The output signal is used to operate a visual, biased, no-go, go pneumatic indicator.
Claims4
A fluidic gap gauging system for checking a shell body-base plate gap of a projectile which comprises:
- split-ring hermetically sealed pressure enclosure means for circumferentially enclosing said shell body-base plate gap and creating a gap volume therein;
- a reference volume;
- pneumatic supply source means for generating a pressure within said split-ring enclosure means gap volume and said reference volume and supplying pneumatic power to said gauging system;
- valve means for simultaneously pneumatically pressurizing said split-ring enclosure means gap volume and said reference volume;
- fluidic proportional amplifier means for generating a pneumatic output signal in response to a differential pressure input signal;
- fluidic Schmitt Trigger means, having a control port pneumatically connected to the output of said fluidic proportional amplifier means switching from an off position to an on position and for generating a pneumatic signal in response to said output signal of said fluidic proportional amplifier means;
- a geometrically biased fluidic bi-stable gate having a control input port pneumatically connected to the output of said Schmitt-Trigger, said bi-stable gate being normally biased in a given "off" state;
- a pneumatic indicator pneumatically connected to the output of said geometrically biased fluidic bi-stable gate, said indicator giving a visual indication of a "bad" assembly when said split-ring enclosure means gap volume is greater than said reference volume, and giving a visual indication of a "good" assembly when said split-ring enclosure means gap volume is equal to or less than said reference volume;
- and
- fluidic restriction means for adjusting the supply pressure to said gauging system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.