# US 5,349,848 A · Consistency measuring apparatus including elastomeric member for improved reliability

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- Number: US 5,349,848 A
- Document ID: US5349848A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/015,528
- Filed: 1993-02-09
- Granted: 1994-09-27
- Earliest claimed: 1993-02-09
- Inventors: Benjamin K. Driver
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5349848A

## CPC

- G01N 11/10: by moving a body within the material
- G01N 33/34: Paper
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

An elastomeric member is disposed in the enlarged opening of an on-line consistency measuring apparatus through which the blade carrier support shaft extends, and the elastomeric member is operative to prevent the solid-liquid slurry of a pulp stock slurry from interfering with the free movement of the carrier shaft or from contacting the "O" ring seal surrounding the shaft, thereby improving the reliability of the apparatus.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for measuring the consistency of a flowing solid-liquid mixture comprising:
a blade member positioned within a flowing solid-liquid mixture;
carrier shaft means extending transversely with respect to the direction of flow of the mixture, said carrier shaft means being connected at one end thereof to the blade member;
a measuring device coupled to the other end of said carrier shaft means by the blade member for producing an output signal corresponding to applied force; said measuring device including a housing having an enlarged inverted truncated conical opening through which said carrier shaft means extends, said carrier shaft means in sealing connection to the housing; and
an elastomeric member disposed in said enlarged opening of said housing substantially filling the same and surrounding a portion of the carrier shaft means extending through said opening thereby preventing solid liquid mixture from contacting said sealing connection provided between said carrier shaft means and the housing, and preventing said solid liquid mixture from interfering with free movement of said carrier shaft means in response to force applied thereto by the blade member.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

An apparatus for measuring the consistency of a flowing solid-liquid mixture as in claim 1 wherein said elastomeric member is made of styrene butadiene copolymer, polychloroprene, butyl rubber, polyurethane rubber or silicone rubber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

An apparatus for measuring the consistency of a flowing solid-liquid mixture as in claim 1 wherein said elastomeric member is made of a polyurethane resin compound.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

An apparatus for measuring the consistency of a flowing solid-liquid mixture as in claim 1 wherein the sealing connection between said carrier shaft means and the housing is an "O" ring.

### Claim 5

An apparatus for the on-line measurement of the consistency of a pulp stock slurry consisting of a mixture of wood pulp, pitch, water and chemicals comprising:
a blade member positioned within a flowing pulp stock slurry;
a carrier shaft extending transversely with respect to the direction of flow of said pulp stock slurry, said carrier shaft being connected at one end thereof to said blade member;
a measurement device coupled to the other end of said carrier shaft and including means responsive to forces applied to said carrier shaft by the blade men, her for producing an output signal corresponding to the free movement of said carrier shaft means in response to forces applied thereto by the blade member; said measurement device including a housing having an enlarged opening of generally inverted truncated conical configuration, said carrier shaft in sealing connection to said housing; and
an elastomeric member disposed in and corresponding to the configuration of said enlarged inverted truncated conical opening of said housing and surrounding a portion of the carrier shaft extending through said opening thereby preventing the pulp stock slurry from contacting said sealing connection provided between said carrier shaft and the housing, and preventing said pulp stock slurry from interfering with free movement of said carrier shaft in response to forces applied thereto by the blade member.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

An apparatus for the on-line measurement of the consistency of a pulp stock slurry consisting of a mixture of wood pulp, pitch, water and chemicals as in claim 5 wherein said sealing connection between said carrier shaft and the housing is an "O" ring.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

An apparatus for the online measurement of the consistency of a pulp stock slurry consisting of a mixture of wood pulp, pitch, water and chemicals as in claim 5 wherein said elastomeric member is made of styrene butadiene copolymer, polychloroprene, butyl rubber, polyurethane rubber or silicone rubber.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

An apparatus for the on-line measurement of the consistency of a pulp stock slurry consisting of a mixture of wood pulp, pitch, water and chemicals as in claim 5 wherein said elastomeric member is made of a polyurethane resin compound material.