Visual-type temperature-responsive device

A method of measuring temperature with an optical-type thermometer comprising the steps of:

• (1) providing a light beam from a source of illumination, (2) contacting with the light beam a layer on a substantially isotropic transparent substrate of a solid chemical composition of constant melting point that of itself senses changes in temperature and that is an anisotropic solid at a first temperature and an isotropic liquid at a second temperature, (3) providing a polarizer for polarizing the light beam befor contacting the composition, doubly refracting the polarized light beam at the first temperature when the composition is contacted, and providing an analyzer for analyzing the doubly refracted light beam passing through the composition, (4) sensing changes in the light coming from the composition that are due to changes in temperature in which the light from the composition at the first temperature is of sufficient brightness and intensity to provide an optical signal at the first temperature but not at the second.

An electrical-type thermometer comprising optical means for moving a light beam through the device, means for polarizing the light beam, means for analyzing the light beam, a layer on a substantially isotropic transparent substrate of a solid chemical composition of constant melting point that of itself senses changes in temerature, the composition doubly refracting the light beam at a first temperature when solid to pass the light beam through the device, and not doubly refracting the beam at a second temperature when melted so that the light does not pass through the device, and electrical means responsive to the passing of the light beam through the composition at the first temperature to provide an electrical response to a change in temperature.

A method of measuring temperature with an electrical-type thermometer comprising the steps of:

• (1) providing a light beam from a source of illumination, (2) contacting with the light beam means for providing observable changes in temperature, including a layer on a substantially isotropic transparent substrate of a solid chemical composition of constant melting point that is responsive to changes in temperature and that is anisotropic at a first temperature when solid, and isotropic at a second temperature when melted, (3) providing a polarizer for polarizing the light beam before contacting the composition, doubly refracting the polarized beam at a first temperature when the composition is contacted, and providing for analyzing the doubly refracted light beam passing through the composition, and (4) detecting changes in light coming from the composition that are due to changes in temperature with light-detecting electrical means in which the light coming from the composition at the first temperature is of sufficient brightness and intensity to provide a signal.

A method of measuring temperature by an optical-type thermometer including a polarizer for a light beam, and a chemical composition that refracts the beam being analyzed, the composition containing a solid compound of constant melting-point that of itself senses changes in temperature, the compound being birefringent at a first temperature when solid and nonbirefringent at a second temperature when melted, the method comprising passing the light beam through the chemical composition to doubly refract the beam at the first temperature, and passing the light beam through the chemical composition at the second temperature to not doubly refract the beam and provide visual indication of a difference in temperature between the first and second temperature.

An optical-type, temperature-responsive, light-gate device to be exposed to a source of illumination providing a light beam comprising, (1) at least one layer deposited on a substantially isotropic transparent substrate of a solid, meltable chemical composition that of itself senses temperature, the composition being triggered at a predetermined temperature from an anisotropic solid transmission state characteristic of the first temperature immediately contiguous to the predetermined temperature to an isotropic liquid state characteristic of the second temperature, and (2) means to intensify observable changes in the brightness and intensity of the light coming from the composition when the light-beam contacts the composition comprising a polarizer for polarizing the light-beam and an analyzer for analyzing the beam, the light-beam travelling through the composition that doubly refracts the beam when birefringent at the first temperature to pass the beam on through the analyzer.