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US 4,240,298 AGranted
Motion amplifier for condition responsive gauge instrument
AssigneeDresser Industries, Inc.
InventorRichard H. Wetterhorn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Amplifier apparatus for providing output motion correlated to condition change motion or deflection of a condition responsive element. The amplifier in a preferred embodiment is mounted onto the condition responsive element for floating conjoint movement therewith. A remotely connected actuator, extending into the motion path, defines a pivot axis for a hinged gear sector arm of the amplifier. In pivoting about the actuator axis, the sector arm operably drives a rotatable output shaft supporting a pointer or the like.
Claims54
A condition responsive gauge instrument comprising:
- (a) a condition responsive element for producing a single output motion in response to condition changes in a pressure source to which it is connected;
- (b) axis means defining a pivot axis;
- and
- (c) a two stage motion amplifier means operably supported on said condition responsive element for floating conjoint movement therewith;
- said motion amplifier means cooperatively interacting in its motion path with said axis means to produce an output motion correlated to the condition change motion incurred by said condition responsive element;
- (d) said amplifier means being adapted to receive its input from the produced motion of said condition responsive element whereby the first of said stages produces a multiplied output of the input received from said condition responsive element and the second stage produces a multiplied output of an input received from the output of the first stage.
3 more elements
A condition responsive gauge instrument comprising in combination:
- (a) a condition responsive element for producing motion in response to condition changes to which it is sensitive;
- (b) axis means defining a stationary pivot axis;
- and
- (c) motion amplifier means operably supported on said condition responsive element for floating conjoint movement therewith;
- said motion amplifier means cooperatively interacting in its motion path with said axis means and effecting at least two stage amplification in producing an output motion correlated to the condition change motion incurred by said condition responsive element and including:
- (1) a support frame secured to said condition responsive element;
- (2) pivot means hinge connected to said support frame to operably interact with said axis means, said pivot means being adapted at its connection for hinged motion relative thereto to incur pivotal motion about said axis means in effecting one of said amplification stages;
- and
- (3) a rotatable output shaft mounted on said support frame to be rotatably driven by said pivot means in response to its incurred pivotal motion about said axis means in effecting another of said amplification stages.
6 more elements
A condition responsive gauge instrument comprising in combination:
- (a) a first Bourdon tube for producing a first motion in response to condition changes to which it is sensitive;
- (b) a second Bourdon tube for producing a second motion in response to condition changes to which it is sensitive;
- (c) axis means defining a pivot axis and supported extending from a support position on said first Bourdon tube, said axis means being movable conjointly with the movement of said first Bourdon tube for changing the location of said defined pivot axis in correlation therewith;
- and
- (d) a two stage motion amplifier means operably supported on said second Bourdon tube for floating conjoint movement therewith;
- said motion amplifier means cooperatively interacting in its motion path with said axis means to produce an output motion correlated to the combined condition change motions incurred by both of said Bourdon tubes, and including:
- (1) a support frame secured to said second Bourdon tube;
- (2) pivot means hinge connected to said support frame to operably interact with sais axis means, said pivot means being adapted at its connection for hinged motion relative thereto to incur pivotal motion about said axis means;
- and
- (3) a rotatable output shaft mounted on said support frame to be rotatably driven by said pivot means in response to its incurred pivotal motion about said axis means.
7 more elements
A condition responsive gauge instrument comprising in combination:
- (a) a condition responsive element producing motion in response to condition changes to which it is sensitive;
- (b) axis means defining a pivot axis;
- (c) motion amplifier means operably supported on said condition responsive element for floating conjoint movement therewith;
- said motion amplifier means cooperatively interacting in its motion path with said axis means and effecting at least two stage amplification in producing an output motion correlated to the condition change motion incurred by said condition responsive element;
- and
- (d) temperature compensator means for effecting an operative relation between said condition responsive element and said amplifier means compensated in at least partial correlation to temperature differentials incurred by components of said instrument.
3 more elements
A condition responsive gauge instrument comprising in combination:
- (a) a condition responsive element for producing motion in response to condition changes to which it is sensitive;
- (b) axis means comprising an anchored actuator defining a pivot axis;
- (c) motion amplifier means operably supported on said condition responsive element for floating conjoint movement therewith;
- said motion amplifier means cooperatively interacting in its motion path with said axis means and effecting at least two stage amplification in producing an output motion correlated to the condition change motion incurred by said condition responsive element and including:
- (1) a support frame secured to said condition responsive element;
- (2) pivot means hinge connected to said support frame and pivottally connected to said actuator at a predetermined location displaced from said hinge connection to operably interact therewith, and pivot means being adapted at its connection for hinged motion relative thereto to incur pivotal motion about said pivot axis in effecting one of said amplification stages;
- (3) a rotatable output shaft mounted on said support frame to be rotatably driven by said pivot means in response to its incurred pivotal motion about said pivot axis in effecting another of said amplification stages;
- and
- (4) calibration means enabling calibrating the operation of said amplifier means relative to the operative motion of said condition responsive element, said calibration means including means to presettably adjust the ratio of the amplifier means output motion relative to the operative motion of said condition responsive element and means to presettably adjust said amplifier means to effect the zero position setting of said condition responsive element, said ratio adjustment means and said zero position adjustment means being operable mutually independent of each other;
- and
- (d) temperature compensator means for effecting an operative relation between said condition responsive element and said amplifier means compensated in at least partial correlation to temperature differentials incurred by components of said instrument.
8 more elements
A motion amplifier for a gauge instrument having a motion producing condition responsive element, said amplifier comprising in combination;
- (a) a support frame;
- (b) output means affording at least two stage motion amplification of said condition responsive element, said output means being hinge mounted on said support frame for hinge motion relative thereof and including means to receive an actuator defining a stationary pivot axis displaced from the axis of said hinge mount to cooperatively effect a pivotal output motion thereabout in response to its hinge motion incurred relative to said frame;
- and
- (c) mounting means adapted for mounting said support frame and said output means as a unit operably supported on the condition responsive element for floating conjoint motion therewith to produce the hinge and pivotal motion of said output means.
1 more element
A motion amplifier for a gauge instrument having a motion producing condition responsive element, said amplifier comprising in combination:
- (a) a support frame;
- (b) pivot means hinge connected to said support frame and adapted at its connection for hinged motion relative thereto;
- said pivot means including means to receive a remotely supported actuator connected thereto at a predetermined location displaced from said hinge connection to define a stationary pivot axis thereat;
- (c) output means mounted on said support frame to be operably driven by pivotting of said pivot means about said defined pivot axis in response to hinged motion thereof;
- and
- (d) mounting means secured to said frame and adapted for mounting said support frame, said pivot means and said output means as a unit operably supported on a movable section of the condition responsive element for floating conjoint movement therewith and affording at least two stage amplified output motion in response to condition changes to which the element is sensitive.
3 more elements
In a motion amplifier for a gauge instrument having a displacement producing condition responsive element in which said amplifier includes input means adapted for connection to said condition responsive element for operable displacement therewith and output means operably coacting with said input means for effecting an output displacement correlated to the input displacement incurred by said input means, the improvement in said amplifier comprising in combination:
- (a) an integral support frame of substantially unitary composition and generally U-shaped in transverse section including generally parallel side legs laterally bridged together at their common ends and relatively spreadable at their free ends;
- and
- (b) first and second spaced apart rotatable shafts each transversely extending between said side legs and supported in a snap-in relation directly journalled therein;
- (c) one of said shafts providing rotatable support for said input means and the other of said shafts providing rotatable support for said output means.
1 more element
A condition responsive gauge instrument comprising in combination:
- (a) a condition responsive element for producing motion in response to condition changes to which it is sensitive;
- (b) elongated axis means extending stationary between first and second ends with the first of said ends being fixed to a stationary portion of the instrument;
- and
- (c) motion amplifier means operably supported on said condition responsive element for floating conjoint movement therewith and having an aperture for receiving the second end of said axis means;
- (d) said second end of said axis means being stationary in said aperture and cooperatively interacting with said motion amplifier means in its motion path for said amplifier means to effect angular amplification in producing an output motion correlated to the condition change motion incurred by said condition responsive element.
2 more elements
A condition responsive gauge instrument comprising in combination:
- (a) a condition responsive element for producing motion in response to condition changes to which it is sensitive;
- (b) axis means defining a stationary pivot axis;
- and
- (c) motion amplifier means operably supported on said condition responsive element for floating conjoint movement therewith;
- said motion amplifier means cooperatively interacting in its motion path with said axis means and effecting angular amplification in producing an output motion correlated to the condition change motion incurred by said condition responsive element and including:
- (1) a support frame secured to said condition responsive element;
- (2) pivot means hinge connected to said support frame to operably interact with said axis means, said pivot means being adapted at its connection for hinged motion relative thereto to incur pivotal motion about said axis means;
- and
- (3) a rotatable output shaft mounted on said support frame to be rotatably driven by said pivot means in response to its incurred pivotal motion about said axis means.
6 more elements
A condition responsive gauge instrument comprising in combination:
- (a) a condition responsive element for producing motion in response to condition changes to which it is sensitive;
- (b) axis means defining a stationary pivot axis;
- and
- (c) motion amplifier means operably supported on said condition responsive element for floating conjoint movement therewith;
- said motion amplifier means cooperatively interacting in its motion path with said axis means and effecting at least two stage amplification in producing an output motion correlated to the condition change motion incurred by said condition responsive element and including:
- (1) a support frame secured to said condition responsive element;
- and
- (2) output means hinge mounted onto said support frame and adapted for hinged motion relative thereto, said output means being operably engaged with said axis means to cooperatively effect a pivotal output motion thereabout in response to hinged motion incurred relative to said frame.
5 more elements
A condition responsive gauge instrument comprising in combination:
- (a) a condition responsive element for producing motion in response to condition changes to which it is sensitive;
- (b) elongated axis means extending stationary between first and second ends with the first of said ends being fixed to a stationary portion of the instrument;
- and
- (c) motion amplifier means operably supported on said condition responsive element for floating conjoint movement therewith and having an aperture for receiving the second end of said axis means;
- (d) said second end of said axis means being stationary in said aperture and cooperatively interacting with said motion amplifier means in its motion path for said amplifier means to effect at least two stage amplification in producing an output motion correlated to the condition change motion incurred by said condition responsive element.
2 more elements
A condition responsive gauge instrument comprising in combination:
- (a) a condition responsive element for producing motion in response to condition changes to which it is sensitive;
- (b) elongated axis means extending stationary between first and second ends with the first of said ends being fixed to a stationary portion of the instrument;
- and
- (c) motion amplifier means operably supported on said condition responsive element for floating conjoint movement therewith and having an aperture for receiving the second end of said axis means;
- (d) said second end of said axis means being stationary in said aperture and cooperatively interacting with said motion amplifier means in its motion path for said amplifier means to produce an output motion correlated to the condition change motion incurred by said condition responsive element.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.