US 4,286,687 A · Air gun firing sensor apparatus and system

Abstract

An air gun firing sensor apparatus and system are provided for determining the instant of firing of an air gun by sensing pressure changes within the air gun when it is being fired. A pressure-change-sensitive transducer assembly is inserted into a socket in the housing of a solenoid-controlled valve of an air gun with a passage from the air gun communicating with the transducer for transmitting to the transducer a pressure surge occurring within the air gun whenever it is fired. The transducer assembly has a cylindrical casing with a head mounted at one end. The head includes a plurality of spaced recesses which are adapted to communicate with the passage leading from the air gun. A pressure-sensitive transducer is mounted in the head wall between and adjacent to these recesses, in effect being sandwiched in the head wall between these recesses with the transducer extending parallel to the recesses, whereby a pressure surge occurring simultaneously in the recesses is transmitted through the head wall to the transducers, being transmitted in a direction transverse to the axes of the respective recesses. Accordingly, a pressure pulse produced by the firing of the air gun squeezes the portions of the head wall between these recesses inwardly applying pressure to the transducer which generates a voltage indicative of the instant of firing of the air gun being monitored.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A pressure-sensitive transducer assembly for determining the instant of firing of an air gun by sensing pressure changes occurring in the air gun when it is fired comprising:

a casing,
a head wall included in one end of said casing,
recess means positioned in said head wall adapted to communicate with a passage leading into said air gun,
a pressure-sensitive transducer mounted in said head wall adjacent to said recess means,
said pressure-sensitive transducer having its neutral axis extending parallel to said recess means,
whereby pressure variations in said recess means are transmitted through said head wall traverse to the neutral axis of said pressure-sensitive transducer for producing an electrical signal indicative of the instant of firing of the air gun.

3 more elements

A pressure-sensitive transducer assembly for determining the instant of firing of an air gun by responding to a sudden change in pressure occurring in the air gun at firing comprising:

a sleeve casing,
a cylindrical head wall mounted at one end of said casing,
said head wall having a central downwardly extending recess therein,
said head wall also having a pair of spaced parallel upwardly extending recesses flanking opposite sides of said central recess,
said upwardly extending recesses being closely spaced to opposite sides of said central recess with a thin portion of said head wall being located between each respective recess of said pair and said central recess,
said pair of recesses each being adapted to communicate with a passage leading to said air gun, thereby applying pressure changes occurring in said air gun to said upwardly extending recesses, and
a pressure-sensitive transducer mounted in said central recess and being subjected to mechanical forces arising between said pair of spaced parallel recesses when a sudden change in pressure occurs therein.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Air gun firing sensor apparatus and system

Life of this patent

Air gun firing sensor apparatus and system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15