US H550 HGranted

Apparatus for sensing axial and tangential forces exerted on a spool of datalink filament

AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army

InventorsTroy L. Hester, C. Denise Overstreet

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Abstract

Apparatus for sensing and measuring axial force and torsional force exerted n a spool of fiber optic datalink filament as the filament is drawn off the spool at rates of speeds comparable to that experienced in the flight of a missile. The apparatus includes support means for supporting the spool, which includes an elongated shaft mounted on a plurality of elongated supporting members. Each of the supporting members has a first flex portion of reduced thickness which permits the support member to flex along the longitudinal axis of the support shaft and a second flex portion of reduced thickness which permits the support member to flex transversely of the longitudinal axis of the support shaft. Strain sensor bridges are used to convert the flexing of the flexed portions into electrical signals which are accumulated in a microprocessor and converted to signals to indicate the axial and torsional forces exerted on the spool during the pay out of the filament from the spool. The testing apparatus includes means for withdrawing filament from the spool at rates comparable to that experienced during the flight of a missile.

Claims10

Dependent claims

Apparatus for sensing and measuring axial force and torsional force exerted on a spool of fiber optic datalink filament as said filament is drawn off said spool at a rate of speed comparable to that experienced during the flight of a missile, to which said spool is adapted to be attached, comprising:

(a) a mount for supporting said spool, centrally disposed on the end of an elongated shaft, said shaft having a longitudinal axis extending generally traversely of said mount;
(b) a plurality of elongated supporting members, symmetrically spaced about said elongated shaft, each having one end attached to said elongated shaft and its other end affixed to a base plate, to provide the sole support for said elongated shaft and said mount, each of said elongated members having a first flex portion of a reduced thickness for permitting flex along its longitudinal axis whenever a force is applied along the longitudinal axis of said shaft and a second flex portion of reduced thickness for permitting flex at an angle to its longitudinal axis when a torsional force is applied to said mount for supporting said spool;
(c) first sensing means disposed on each of said supporting members, in said first flex portion, for sensing the deflection of said members in a direction along the longitudinal axis of said shaft;
(d) a second sensing means disposed on each of said supporting members, in said second flex portion, for sensing the deflection of said member in a direction at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said shaft;
(e) means for receiving signals from said first and second sensing means, and for indicating the forces exerted on said members as said filament is drawn off said spool;
and
(f) means for drawing said filament off said spool at a rate of speed comparable to that experienced during the flight of a missile to which a said spool may be attached.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.