US3655979A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Radiation gauge for monitoring sheet properties employing a scanned source
Assignee: Industrial Nucleonics Corp
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Filing: 1968-05-10
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Granted: 1972-04-11
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Expires: 1988-05-10
Abstract
Abstract A radiation gauge for monitoring a property of a sheet material includes, in combination with an array of stationary detectors positioned across the sheet width, a source of penetrating radiation scanned across the width of the sheet in response to fluid pressure. The source position is determined in response to signals read out from the several detectors comprising the array. The source pattern is effectively maintained isotropic by a slot and key arrangement or by rotating the source at a relatively high spin velocity. The individual detectors are calibrated for different responses across the sheet width. Source detector standardization is performed by translating the source to an offsheet position so that the source field impinges on an off-sheet detector. In response to standardizing with the off-sheet detector, each of the other detectors is standardized in a like manner.
Inventors
- 👤 Ernest D Jernigan Jr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 10:47
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N23/00; G01N23/02; G01N23/06; G01N23/16; G01G; G01G9/00; G01G9/005; G01N23/083
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A radiation gauge for monitoring a property of a sheet comprising a source of penetrating radiation positioned on one side of the sheet, stationary detector means responsive to a radiation field from said source, said detector means being disposed across at least most of the entire width of the sheet, and means for translating said source across at least most of the entire width of the sheet, said translating means comprising a stationary tube for carrying said source interiorly thereof, said source being included in a shuttle which travels in a bore of said tube.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
95 words
A radiation gauge for monitoring a property of a sheet comprising a source of penetrating radiation positioned on one side of the sheet, stationary detector means responsive to a radiation field from said source, said detector means being disposed across at least most of the entire width of the sheet, and means for translating said source across at least most of the entire width of the sheet, said translating means comprising a stationary tube for carrying said source interiorly thereof, said source being included in a shuttle which travels in a bore of said tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
The gauge of claim 1 wherein a portion of said detector means extends beyond the width of the sheet, and said means for translating includes means for translating the source beyond the width of the sheet to a region proximate said portion so that the sheet has virtually no effect on the radiation field coupled to said portion from said source.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The gauge of claim 2 further including means responsive to the radiation level impinging on said portion while said source is in said region for deriving signals enabling the source and detector means to be standardized.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The gauge of claim 1 wherein said detector means comprises a multiplicity of separate detector elements, each having a different field of view and including a separate network for deriving a signal indicative of a property of the sheet as determined by the amount of radiation each separate detector element receives from the source.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The gauge of claim 4 further including means for adjusting a characteristic of each of said networks.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The gauge of claim 5 wherein said adjusting means further includes means for adjusting a corresponding characteristic of each of said networks in a similar manner.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The gauge of claim 4 further including means responsive to the radiation received by each of said detector elements for deriving an indication of the source position across the width of the sheet.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The gauge of claim 7 further including means responsive to the position indication derived by said deriving means for controlling the velocity the source is scanned at different positions across the width of the sheet.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The gauge of claim 8 wherein said velocity controlling means includes means for selectively stopping said source in response to any one of said detector elements providing an indication of the source being positioned in the field of view thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The gauge of claim 1 further including means for varying the velocity with which said source is translated across the sheet width.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The gauge of claim 10 wherein said velocity varying means Includes means for changing the velocity the source is translated at different positions across the sheet width.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The gauge of claim 11 wherein said velocity changing means includes means responsive to the position of the source across the sheet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The gauge of claim 12 wherein said velocity changing means includes means for at will stopping said source across the entire sheet width.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The gauge of claim 1 further including means sensing a field pattern derived across the width of the sheet in response to translation of the source for indicating the position of the source.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The gauge of claim 14 wherein the field pattern sensing means includes means responsive to the penetrating radiation source.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
The gauge of claim 14 further including means responsive to the position indication derived by said sensing means for controlling the velocity the source is scanned at different positions across the width of the sheet.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
47 words
The gauge of claim 1 wherein said tube is a shield of high density material to substantially prevent the passage of penetrating radiation and includes a window of low density material positioned and constructed to enable substantial radiation from the source to irradiate the sheet and detector.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
51 words
The gauge of claim 17 further including high density stationary shield means positioned in proximity to the tube and detector means, said shield means substantially preventing the escape of penetrating radiation from the gauge vicinity without affecting the radiation pattern from the source propagated through the sheet to the detector means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The gauge of claim 1 wherein said means for translating comprises fluid means for supplying pressure to the bore of said tube to translate said shuttle along the tube length.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
76 words
The gauge of claim 19 further including means sensing a field pattern derived across the width of the sheet in response to translation of the source for indicating the position of the source, and said translating means includes means responsive to the position indication derived by said sensing means for supplying differential pressures to opposite ends of said tube to control the velocity the shuttle is scanned at different positions across the width of the sheet.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The gauge of claim 19 further including means for effectively maintaining a constant radiation pattern from the source to the sheet.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
The gauge of claim 21 wherein said means for maintaining includes cooperating guide means on the bore and shuttle for maintaining the shuttle at a constant angular orientation relative to the detector means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
79 words
The gauge of claim 21 wherein said detector means includes low pass filter means having a predetermined cutoff frequency and said means for maintaining includes vane means on the shuttle for rotating the shuttle at least one turn while it is in the detector field of view, said shuttle being rotated in response to fluid flow from said fluid means with a rotational velocity such that the reciprocal of each period of revolution is greater than the cutoff frequency.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The gauge of claim 1 further including means for effectively maintaining a constant radiation pattern from the source to the sheet.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
32 words
The gauge of claim 24 wherein said means for maintaining includes cooperating guide means on the bore and shuttle for maintaining the shuttle at a constant angular orientation relative to the detector.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The gauge of claim 24 wherein the bore interior and shuttle exterior are of circular cross section.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
66 words
The gauge of claim 26 wherein said detector means includes low pass filter means having a predetermined cutoff frequency, and said means for maintaining includes means for rotating the shuttle at least one turn while it is in the detector field of view, said shuttle being rotated with a rotational velocity such that the reciprocal of each period of revolution is greater than the cutoff frequency.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
31 words
The gauge of claim 1 wherein said tube and window have a circular outer cross section to prevent the substantial accumulation of foreign material on an outer surface of the window.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
21 words
The gauge of claim 1 further including means for effectively maintaining a constant radiation pattern from the source to the sheet.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
66 words
The gauge of claim 29 wherein said detector means includes low pass filter means having a predetermined cutoff frequency, and said means for maintaining includes means for rotating the source at least one turn while it is in the detector field of view, said source being rotated with a rotational velocity such that the reciprocal of each period of revolution is greater than the cutoff frequency.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
The gauge of claim 1 further including means for rotating said source as it is translated across the width of the sheet.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
123 words
A radiation gauge for monitoring a property of a sheet comprising a source of penetrating radiation positioned on one side of the sheet, means for translating said source across at least most of the sheet, said translating means comprising a stationary tube for carrying said source interiorly thereof, said source being included in a shuttle which travels in a bore of said tube, detector means extending across at least most of the sheet so as to be responsive to radiation from said source throughout the region of the sheet across which the source is translated, and means for rotating said source as it is being translated, said source being rotated about an axis coincident with a line along which the source is translated.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
123 words
A radiation gauge for monitoring a property of a sheet comprising a source of penetrating radiation positioned on one side of the sheet, means for translating said source across at least most of the sheet, said translating means comprising a stationary tube for carrying said source interiorly thereof, said source being included in a shuttle which travels in a bore of said tube, detector means extending across at least most of the sheet so as to be responsive to radiation from said source throughout the region of the sheet across which the source is translated, and means for rotating said source as it is being translated, said source being rotated about an axis coincident with a line along which the source is translated.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
62 words
The gauge of claim 32 wherein said detector means includes low pass filter circuitry having a predetermined cutoff frequency, and means for rotating said source at least one turn while it is in the detector field of view, said source being rotated with an angular velocity such that the reciprocal of each period of revolution is in excess of said cutoff frequency.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
88 words
A radiation gauge for monitoring a property of a sheet comprising a source of penetrating radiation, elongated stationary radiation shielding means positioned on one side of said sheet, said shielding means having a radiation aperture positioned adjacent to said sheet, said shielding and said aperture extending across at least most of the sheet, detector means positioned on the other side of said sheet, and means for moving said source within said elongated shielding means to irradiate said detector means through different portions of said aperture and said sheet.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
88 words
A radiation gauge for monitoring a property of a sheet comprising a source of penetrating radiation, elongated stationary radiation shielding means positioned on one side of said sheet, said shielding means having a radiation aperture positioned adjacent to said sheet, said shielding and said aperture extending across at least most of the sheet, detector means positioned on the other side of said sheet, and means for moving said source within said elongated shielding means to irradiate said detector means through different portions of said aperture and said sheet.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
97 words
A radiation gauge for monitoring a property of a sheet comprising a source of penetrating radiation positioned on one side of the sheet, elongated stationary radiation shielding means having a radiation aperture positioned adjacent to said sheet, said shielding and said aperture extending across at least most of the sheet, detector means responsive to a radiation field from said source and positioned on the opposite side of said sheet from said source, and means for translating said source within said elongated radiation shielding means to irradiate said detector through different portions of said aperture and said sheet.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
97 words
A radiation gauge for monitoring a property of a sheet comprising a source of penetrating radiation positioned on one side of the sheet, elongated stationary radiation shielding means having a radiation aperture positioned adjacent to said sheet, said shielding and said aperture extending across at least most of the sheet, detector means responsive to a radiation field from said source and positioned on the opposite side of said sheet from said source, and means for translating said source within said elongated radiation shielding means to irradiate said detector through different portions of said aperture and said sheet.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
88 words
A radiation gauge for monitoring a property of a width of material comprising a source of penetrating radiation, elongated stationary radiation shielding means positioned on one side of said material having a radiation aperture positioned adjacent to said material, said shielding and said aperture extending across at least most of said width of said material, means responsive to a radiation field from said source, and means for moving said source within said elongated shielding means to irradiate different portions of said material through different portions of said aperture.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
88 words
A radiation gauge for monitoring a property of a width of material comprising a source of penetrating radiation, elongated stationary radiation shielding means positioned on one side of said material having a radiation aperture positioned adjacent to said material, said shielding and said aperture extending across at least most of said width of said material, means responsive to a radiation field from said source, and means for moving said source within said elongated shielding means to irradiate different portions of said material through different portions of said aperture.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-04-11 | 1975-10-11 | 1976-04-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-04-11 | 1979-10-11 | 1980-04-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-04-11 | 1983-10-11 | 1984-04-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |