Apparatus for obtaining torque measurements

Claim 1

IN A CONSISTENCY SENSING DEVICE INCLUDING TORQUE MEASURING APPARATUS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, A VESSEL FOR ENCLOSING A FLUID MEDIUM, A ROTATABLE SHAFT PROJECTING INTO SAID VESSEL AND CARRYING A SENSING ELEMENT DISPOSED IN CONTACT WITH SAID FLUID, A MOTOR HAVING A STATOR AND A ROTOR WITH THE ROTOR DRIVINGLY COUPLED TO SAID SHAFT, SAID STATOR INCLUDING A SEAL HOUSING ENCLOSING A ROTARY SEAL IN WHICH SAID SHAFT IS JOURNALLED FOR PREVENTING THE PASSAGE OF SAID FLUID INTO SAID MOTOR, SAID SHAFT BEING JOURNALLED AND SUPPORTED FROM SAID STATOR AND SAID ROTARY SEAL WITHOUT OTHER FRICTIONAL CONTACT WITH SAID VESSEL, AND A FLEXURE ELEMENT HAVING DETERMINABLE DEFLECTION CHARACTERISTICS SUPPORTING SAID STATOR FOR LIMITED ANGULAR MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID VESSEL AND WITHOUT OTHER FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID VESSEL SO THAT ALL OF THE ROTAING FRICTION GENERATED BY SAID APPARATUS WHEN SAID SHAFT IS ROTATED IS INTERNALLY CANCELLED WITHIN SAID MOTOR AND THE DEFLECTION OF SAID FLEXURE ELEMENT IS AN ACCURATE PROPORTIONAL MEASURE OF THE TRUE TORSIONAL RESISTANCE OF SAID FLUID TO ROTATION OF SAID SENSING ELEMENT.