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Abstract

Abstract A TRANSDUCER FOR MEASURING DIFFERENCES IN MASSES OR THE MOMENT PRODUCT BY A LARGE MASS EMPLOYS A FLOATING HEAD AND A STATIONARY BODY CONNECTED BY WAY OF AN ELASTIC SUPPORT BEAM WHICH IS RELATIVELY EASILY BENDABLE IN ONLY ONE DIRECTION WHEN A BENDING MOMENT IS APLIED TO THE FLOATING HEAD. A GAGING BEAM LOADED WITH STRAIN SENSORS EXTENDS PERPENDICULARLY THROUGH AN OPENING AT THE GEOMETRICAL CENTER OF THE SUPPORT BEAM. ONE END OF THE GAGING BEAM IS CONNECTED TO THE FLOATING HEAD AND ITS OTHER END IS CONNECTED TO THE STATIONARY BODY. IN RESPONSE TO AN APPLIED MOMENT, THE FLOATING HEAD ROTATES ABOUT A POINT AT THE INTERSECTION FO THE TWO BEAMS AND SUBJECTS THE GAGING BEAM TO A PURE BENDING MOMENT. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TWO BEAMS ARE SELECTED SO THAT THE ENERGY ABSORBED BY THE GAGING BEAM IS RELATIVELY SMALL COMPARED TO THE ENERGY ABSORBED BY THE SUPPORT BEAM. YET THE STRESS PRODUCED THEREBY IS QUITE LARGE, THEREBY MAXIMIZING THE TRANSDUCER OUTPUT. THE TRANSDUCER IS RELATIVELY UNRESPONSIVE TO SPURIOUS FORCES AND MOMENTS AND THE TRANSDUCER IS ALSO PROTECTED AGAINST OVERLOAD. IN ADDITION, A CLOSED BELLOWS SYSTEM MINIMIZES OSCILLATIONS IN THE TRANSDUCER.

Inventors

• 👤 Jean-Pierre A Pugnaire
• 👤 Herman W Erichsen

Bibliographic Details