Tension indicating device
AssigneeW. C. Dillon and Company, Inc.
InventorMax Van Mastrigt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The device includes a rigid frame supporting tandem pulleys for engaging spaced points on a rope or cable in which a predetermined tension when reached is to be indicated. The center of the rope between the pulleys is laterally displaced from a tangent line between the spaced points on the pulleys and secured to a bending beam so that when tension is applied to the rope the secured center portion will tend to move into alignment with the engagement points on the pulley thereby deflecting the beam. A microswitch secured to the frame is arranged to be engaged when the beam has been deflected a predetermined amount thereby indicating when a predetermined tension has been reached.
Claims10
A device for indicating when a tension in a rope has reached a predetermined value, including, in combination:
- (a) a rigid frame having spaced rope guide means for engaging spaced points on the same side of said rope;
- (b) means securing a portion of said rope between said spaced points and laterally displaced from a straight line between said spaced points so that the portions of rope extending generally in opposite directions from the point of securement define an angle with each other less than 180.degree.;
- (c) elongated bending beam means secured at one portion to said means securing a portion of said rope and said frame and at another portion to said rigid frame so that increased tension in said rope will deflect said bending beam means;
- and
- (d) indicating means on said frame responsive to deflection of said bending beam means a predetermined amount defined by said predetermined value of tension.
A device for indicating when tension in a rope has reached a predetermined value, including in combination:
- (a) a rigid frame;
- (b) first and second guide pulleys rotatably mounted in tandem relationship to opposite ends of said frame respectively with exposed pulley portions for engaging spaced points on said rope without requiring access to the ends of the rope;
- (c) a bending beam running parallel to and in spaced relationship from a straight tangent line to said spaced points;
- (d) end mounts for said bending beam to secure the ends thereof to said frame, the mid point of said beam being equidistant from said spaced points;
- (e) a securing block fixed to the mid point of said beam and having a rope receiving cradle structure for securement to the mid point of said rope between said spaced points, said mid point being between said tangent line and beam so that the angle between portions of the rope extending from its mid point to said spaced points of engagement with said pulleys is less than 180.degree.;
- (f) at least one microswitch secured to said frame;
- and,
- (g) microswitch engaging means secured to said securing block at a given spacing from said microswitch such that bending of said beam as a consequence of tension in said rope decreases said given spacing, actual engagement of said microswitch to operate the same occurring when the tension on said rope has reached said predetermined value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.