Machine monitoring system and apparatus

In a system for monitoring the operation of devices through the use of transducers associated therewith, each said transducer having an output corresponding with a select parameter, the improvement comprising:

• monitoring apparatus comprising:
• an array of indicators, each discretely energizable;
• scale means including graduation indicia aligned generally adjacent to said array of indicators for providing a scale level correspondence with each said indicator;
• input means for providing a plurality of channels, each channel uniquely responsive to receive a select said transducer output;
• signal treating means coupled with said input means channels and responsive to said transducer outputs for deriving data signals;
• channel identification means responsive to a control input for providing a visual indication of a said channel;
• hold switch means manually acutable to provide a hold signal;
• first limit indicator means energizable for providing a perceptible indication of a condition warranting operator cognizance;
• processor means responsive to discrete ones of said data signals for a predetermined dwell interval in a continually recurring predetermined scanning sequence and including memory means for retaining limit data corresponding with threshold levels selected for each said channel in association with a corresponding said select parameter, for retaining control data, for carrying out comparisons of each said data signal with corresponding said limit data, and for deriving control outputs, responsive to a said hold signal occurring during a said dwell interval wherein a said visual indication is provided for a given said channel for effecting continuing response to said data signals corresponding with said given channel;
• and
• decoder means responsive to said control outputs for energizing a first said indicator adjacent a said scale means indicia having a graduation value corresponding with a said data signal deriving from a predetermined said input means channel and, simultaneously, energizing a second said indicator adjacent a scale means indicia having a graduation value corresponding with said limit data for said predetermined channel, and, simultaneously, deriving said control input to effect said provision of visual identification of said predetermined channel for effecting the energization of said first limit indicator means in the presence of a said control output representing a condition wherein a said threshold level for one of a predetermined member of said channels is at least equalled.

In a system for monitoring the operation of devices through the use of transducers associated therewith, each said transducer having an output corresponding with a select parameter, the improvement comprising

• monitoring apparatus comprising
• an array of discretely energizable indicators;
• scale means including graduation indicia aligned adjacent to said array of indicators for providing a scale level correspondence with each said indicator;
• input means for providing a plurality of channels, each channel uniquely responsive to receive a select said transducer output;
• signal treating means including an analog to digital converter coupled with said input means channels and responsive to said transducer output for deriving digitalized data signals;
• channel identification means responsive to a control input for providing a visual indication of said channel;
• processor means responsive to discrete ones of said data signals in a predetermined scanning sequence and including memory means for retaining limit data corresponding with threshhold levels selected for each said channel in association with a corresponding said select parameter, for retaining control data, for carrying out comparisons of each said data signal with corresponding said limit data, and for deriving contol output;
• decoder means responsive to said control outputs for energizing a first said indicator adjacent said scale means indicia having a graduation value corresponding with a said data signal deriving from a predetermined said input means channel and, simultaneously, energizing a second said indicator adjacent a scale means indicia having a graduation value corresponding with said limit data for said predetermined channel and, simultaneously, deriving said control input to effect said provision of visual identification of said predetermined channel;
• and
• connecting means for effecting a signal transfer relationship with said processor means and said signal treating means;
• and
• a portable programmer comprising
• means defining a signaling coupling device for removable insertion in signal transfer relationship with said connector means;
• a hand manipular programming component connected with said means defining a signal coupling device and movable between limiting positions to derive corresponding output conditions for presentation through said signal coupling device to said signal treating means;
• enter switch means connected with said means defining a signal coupling device and actuable to assume an enter condition;
• hand manipular function switch means connected with said means defining a signal coupling device and having a plurality of selectable positions, each defining a unique coded output function;
• and
• said processor means is responsive to said hand manipular programming component output condition to effect a said decoder means energization of a said indicator in correspondence therewith, is responsive to said coded function output condition for submitting corresponding said data to said memory means at a predetermined situs corresponding with said function in the presence of said enter condition and is responsive to a said programming component output condition in the presence of a said enter condition for submitting corresponding said data to said memory means in correspondence with said channel identification means visual channel indication.