Constant moment beam transducers

Claim 2

Strain-responsive apparatus comprising a rigid support, a rigid force-applying member, a pair of spaced diaphragms each independently interconnecting a different end of said forceapplying member with said support and restraining said forceapplying member from radial movement with respect to an axis which is fixed in relation to said support while allowing movement thereof along said axis, a constant moment parallelogram-type cantilever beam unit including substantially parallel spaced elongated upper and lower beam elements the ends of which have rigid interconnections and each of which has elastically deformable portions near the ends thereof, means rigidly connecting the rigid interconnection of one of the ends of said beam unit to said support, means rigidly connecting the opposite rigid interconnection of the other of the ends of said beam unit to said rigid force-applying member between said diaphragms with said upper and lower beam elements substantially perpendicular to said axis and spaced apart in directions of said axis, and strain gauge means responsive to strains exhibited by said beam unit and characterizing forces applied to said other of said ends thereof by said force-applying member in directions of said axis.

Claim 3

Strain-responsive apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said force-applying member includes a pair of rigid members secured to opposed surfaces of said opposite interconnection of said other of the ends of said beam unit at a position laterally displaced in relation to said aXis for movement in directions parallel with and displaced from said axis, each of said rigid members extending laterally parallel with said beam elements in spaced relation thereto and having at least a portion thereof longitudinally aligned with said axis of movement, and wherein said diaphragms interconnect said longitudinally aligned portions with said support and restrain said longitudinally aligned portions from radial movement with respect to said axis while allowing movement thereof along said axis.

Claim 4

Strain-responsive apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said diaphragms are in sealing relationship with said longitudinally aligned portions and with said support and, together with said support, enclose and seal said beam unit and strain gauge means therebetween, each of said diaphragms having the outer surface thereof exposed to atmospheric pressure, the total effective areas of outer surfaces exposed to atmospheric pressure within the expanses of the two diaphragms being substantially equal.

Claim 5

Strain-responsive apparatus comprising a support, a force-applying member, means mounting said force-applying member for movement along an axis which is fixed in relation to said support, said means for mounting including a pair of diaphragm members each of which interconnects one end of said force-applying member with said support and restrains said force-applying member from radial movement along said axis, a constant moment parallelogram-type cantilever-beam unit, means rigidly connecting said unit at one end to said support, means rigidly connecting an opposite relatively movable end of said unit with said force-applying member between said diaphragms, strain gauge means responsive to strains exhibited by said beam unit and characterizing forces applied to said opposite end thereof in directions of said axis, a second constant moment parallelogram-type cantilever-beam unit rigidly fixed at one end to said support and rigidly fixed at the other relatively movable end with said force-applying member, and strain gauge means responsive to strains exhibited by said second beam unit and characterizing forces applied to said opposite end thereof in directions of said axis, said cantilever beam units being integrally formed from the same stock and being disposed on opposite sides of said axis along the same diameter, each of said beam units including an elongated member having two interconnected transverse holes dividing it into substantially parallel upper and lower beams having elastically deformable portions adjacent the top and bottom of the holes and relatively rigid sections between the upper halves of each hole and between the lower halves of each hole, said holes being disposed inwardly of the ends of the member so as to leave end portions rigidly connecting the corresponding ends of the beams together.

Claim 6

Strain-responsive apparatus comprising a support, a force-applying member, means mounting said force-applying member for movement along an axis which is fixed in relation to said support, said means for mounting including a pair of diaphragm members each of which interconnects one end of said force-applying member with said support and restrains said force-applying member from radial movement along said axis, a constant moment parallelogram-type cantilever-beam unit, means rigidly connecting said unit at one end to said support, means rigidly connecting an opposite relatively movable end of said unit with said force-applying member between said diaphragms, strain gauge means responsive to strains exhibited by said beam unit and characterizing forces applied to said opposite end thereof in directions of said axis, a second constant moment parallelogram-type cantilever-beam unit rigidly fixed at one end to said support and rigidly fixed at the other relatively movable end with said force-applying member, and strain gauge means responsive to strains exhibited by said second beam unit and characterizing forces applied to said opposite end thereof in directions of said axis, said cantilever beam units being integrally formed from the same stock and being disposed on opposite sides of said axis along the same diameter, each of said beam units including an elongated member having two interconnected transverse holes dividing it into substantially parallel upper and lower beams having elastically deformable portions adjacent the top and bottom of the holes and relatively rigid sections between the upper halves of each hole and between the lower halves of each hole, said holes being disposed inwardly of the ends of the member so as to leave end portions rigidly connecting the corresponding ends of the beams together.

Claim 7

Strain-responsive apparatus comprising a support, a force-applying member, means mounting said force-applying member for movement along an axis which is fixed in relation to said support, said mounting means including a pair of diaphragm members each of which interconnects one end of said force-applying member with said support and restrains movement with respect to said axis while allowing movement along said axis, a constant moment parallelogram-type cantilever-beam unit, means rigidly connecting said unit at one end to said support, means rigidly connecting an opposite relatively movable end of said unit with said force-applying member, and strain gauge means responsive to strains exhibited by said beam unit and characterizing forces applied to said opposite end thereof in directions of said axis, said beam unit including an elongated member having two interconnected transverse holes dividing it into substantially parallel upper and lower beams having an elastically deformable portions adjacent the top and bottom of the holes and relatively rigid sections between the upper halves of each hole and between the lower halves of each hole, said holes being dIsposed inwardly of the ends of the member so as to leave end portions rigidly connecting the corresponding ends of the beams together, said beam unit further including a second pair of holes defined in said elongated member and of substantially the same diameter as said first-mentioned holes, each of said second holes respectively intersecting one of said first-mentioned holes and being perpendicular thereto.

Claim 8

Strain-responsive apparatus comprising a support, a force-applying member, means mounting said force-applying member for movement along an axis which is fixed in relation to said support, said mounting means including a pair of diaphragm members each of which interconnects one end of said force-applying member with said support and restrains movement with respect to said axis while allowing movement along said axis, a constant moment parallelogram-type cantilever-beam unit, means rigidly connecting said unit at one end to said support, means rigidly connecting an opposite relatively movable end of said unit with said force-applying member, and strain gauge means responsive to strains exhibited by said beam unit and characterizing forces applied to said opposite end thereof in directions of said axis, said beam unit including an elongated member having two interconnected transverse holes dividing it into substantially parallel upper and lower beams having an elastically deformable portions adjacent the top and bottom of the holes and relatively rigid sections between the upper halves of each hole and between the lower halves of each hole, said holes being dIsposed inwardly of the ends of the member so as to leave end portions rigidly connecting the corresponding ends of the beams together, said beam unit further including a second pair of holes defined in said elongated member and of substantially the same diameter as said first-mentioned holes, each of said second holes respectively intersecting one of said first-mentioned holes and being perpendicular thereto.