Ratio-measuring apparatus utilizing a capacitance bridge circuit

Claim 1

IMPROVED RATIO-MEASURING CIRCUIT FOR MEASURING THE RATIO OF THE MAGNITUDES OF TWO INDEPENDENTLY VARIABLE FORCES COMPRISING TWO SIMILAR PARALLEL COMBINATIONS OF AIR CAPACITORS HAVING NEGLIGIBLE DIELECTRIC LOSS, ONE COMBINATION CONSISTING OF TWO SERIES-CONNECTED SIMILAR FIXED AREA REFERENCE AIR CAPACITORS IN SERIES WITH A CONSTANTAREA VARIABLE-DISTANCE PARALLEL-PLATE AIR CAPACITOR, THE OTHER COMBINATION CONSISTING OF TWO SERIES-CONNECTED SIMILAR VARIABLE-AREA AIR CAPACITORS WHICH CAN BE REDUCED IN AREA IN PROPORTION TO THE MAGNITUDES OF THE INDEPENDENTLY VARIABLE EXTERNAL FORCES FROM A MAXIMUM EQUAL TO THAT OF THE FIXED AREA REFERENCE AIR CAPACITORS, IN SERIES WITH A CONSTANT-AREA VARIABLE-DISTANCE PARALLEL-PLATE AIR CAPACITOR, AUTOMATIC BRIDGE-BALANCING MEANS CONNECTED TO A POINT BETWEEN THE FIXED AREA AIR CAPACITORS AND TO A POINT BETWEEN THE VARIABLE-AREA AIR CAPACITORS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY MOVING A POINTER OVER A SCALE CALIBRATED IN TERMS OF THE RATIO OF SAID INDEPENDENTLY VARIABLE EXTERNAL FORCES WHILE VARYING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE PLATES OF SAID DISTANCEVARIABLE PARALLEL-PLATE AIR CAPACITORS IN ORDER TO REDUCE TO ZERO ANY DIFFERENCE IN PHASE OR POTENTIAL CAUSED TO EXIST AT THE TERMINALS OF SAID BRIDGE-BALANCING MEANS BY UNEQUAL CHANGES IN CAPACITANCE PRODUCED IN SAID VARIABLEAREA AIR CAPACITORS BY THE INDEPENDENTLY VARIABLE EXTERNAL FORCES, AND A SUITABLE POWER SUPPLY FOR ENERGIZING THE BRIDGE CIRCUIT.