Automatic temperature recorder for vehicle exhaust manifold and method of using same

Claim 1

THAT METHOD OF MONITORING AND POLICING THE DRIVING HABITS OF CROSS-COUNTRY CARGO VEHICLE DRIVERS TO OBTAIN EFFICIENT USE OF THE VEHICLE EQUIPMENT WITHOUT RISK OF ABUSIVE USE OF THE EQUIPMENT ON HILLY AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, SAID EQUIPMENT BEING OF THE TYPE EMPLOYING MULTIPLE STAGE GEAR TRANSMISSION SYSTEM HAVING NUMEROUS FORWARD DRIVE GEAR RATIOS, SAID METHOD COMPRISING, CONTINUOUSLY ELECTRICALLY SENSING THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD TEMPERATURE SO LONG AS THE ENGINE IS OPEARTING, GRAPHICALLY RECORDING THE TEMPERATURE READINGS ON A CALIBRATED CHART WHILE SAID CHART IS TRAVELING AT A PREDETERMINED RATE, DISPLAYING THE CURRENT CHART READINGS TO THE DRIVER IN READILY READABLE FORM WHILE HE IS ENGAGED IN DRIVING, AND UTILIZING THE DISPLAYED TEMPERATURE RECORDINGS AS A GUIDE IN SHIFTING GEAR RATIOS TO MAINTAIN MAXIMUM VEHICLE SPEED WITH THE ENGINE OPERATING AT A SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT OPTIMUM POWER OUTPUT SPEED BUT WITHOUT ALLOWING THE OBSERVED ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD TEMPERATURE TO EXCEED A PREDETERMINED SAFE VALUE, AND REMOVING THE PORTION OF THE TEMPERATURE CHART AT THE END OF A GIVEN TRIP FOR REVIEW TO ESTABLISH THAT THE TRIP WAS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH PRESCRIBED OPERATING CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE USE OF THE VEHICLE.