Accelerometer

Claim 1

A SENSITIVE INERTIAL INSTRUMENT HAVING A FLOATING MASS SUPPORTED ON A FILM OF ESCAPING FLUID INTRODUCED FROM AN EXTERNAL FLUID PRESSURE SOURCE, SAID INSTRUMENT COMPRISING: (A) A CLOSED HOUSING HAVING A BORE THEREWITHIN AND HAVING WALLS AT LEAST SOME OF WHICH INCLUDE DUCTS EXTENDING THERETHROUGH AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID BORE; (B) AN INERTIA-SENSITIVE MASS IN THE BORE OF DIAMETER SUFFICIENT TO LEAVE AN ANNULAR CLEARANCE SPACE TO PROVIDE A SLIDING FIT THEREWITHIN; (C) SAID DUCTS INCLUDING BEARING DUCTS LOCATED IN THE WALLS OF THE HOUSING FOR INTRODUCING FLUID PRESSURE INTO SAID CLEARANCE SPACE, AND FURTHER INCLUDING EXHAUST DUCTS EXTENDING RADIALLY THROUGH THE WALLS OF THE HOUSING NEAR THE ENDS OF THE BORE AND SO LOCATED WITH RESPECT TO THE ENDS OF THE MASS WHEN CENTERED IN THE BORE THAT ANNULAR EDGES OF THE MASS PARTIALLY OVERLIE AND RESTRICT THE EXHAUST DUCTS, WHEREBY DISPLACEMENT OF THE MASS OFF-CENTER IN EITHER DIRECTION WILL REDUCE THE EXHAUST DUCT FLOW ON THE DISPLACEMENT SIDE OF THE MASS AND INCREASE THE EXHAUST-DUCT FLOW ON THE OTHER SIDE; AND (D) SAID HOUSING HAVING OTHER EXHAUST DUCTS DISPOSED AXIALLY OF THE BORE, AND SAID MASS HAVING THROTTLING MEMBERS ATTACHED TO ITS OPPOSITE ENDS AND LOCATED IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE LATTER EXHAUST DUCTS IN THE HOUSING SO THAT WHEN THE MASS IS DISPLACED TOWARD AN EXHAUST DUCT THE ADJACENT MEMBER THROTTLES SAID DUCT AND REDUCES FLOW THERETHROUGH IN PROPORTION TO DISPLACEMENT THERETOWARD.