Releasable supporting apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for releasably supporting a device in a suspended position comprising rotating means mounted for movement about an axis of rotation from a first position carrying said device to a second position releasing said device, a link breakable upon the application of electrical power thereto being attached to said rotating means to maintain the rotating means in said first position, means associated with said link for causing failure of the link as desired, such failure of said link allowing said rotating means to move to said second position.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rotating means when in said first position has a center of gravity spaced to one side of said axis of rotation, said link being attached to the rotating means at a location spaced to the other side of said axis of rotation.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rotating means includes a first rod member having a crook at one end thereof, a second rod member integral with said first rod member and extending transversely thereof, said second rod member being mounted within brackets for rotative movement about its longitudinal axis, and a weight integral with said first rod member and positioned thereon so as to be on the same side of the first rod member as said crook with relation to the longitudinal axis of the second rod member when the supporting means is in said first position, and said link comprising a wire fastened at both ends to electrically conductive pins and looped over the first rod member on the side thereof with relation to the longitudinal axis of the second rod member opposite from the weight when the supporting means is in said first position.

Claim 5

Means including a link breakable upon the application of electrical power thereto supporting a device in a suspended position for selective release, and means associated with said link for causing failure of the link as desired releasing said device from its suspended position, said supporting means including a pair of spaced electrodes and said link comprising a loop of fusible wire suspended from said electrodes, said device being suspended from said link.

Claim 6

Means including a link breakable upon the application of electrical power thereto supporting a device in a suspended position for selective release, and means associated with said link for causing failure of the link as desired releasing said device from its suspended position, said supporting means including a pair of spaced electrodes and said link comprising a loop of fusible wire suspended from said electrodes, said device being suspended from said link.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said device includes an extended length of electrical lead wire arranged in a compact bundle and bracket means clamped to said lead wire and attached to a stationary support, thereby anchoring said lead wire thereat.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the compact bundle of lead wire comprises a plurality of spirally wound concentric layers of lead wire, each layer being joined to all layers lying inside of it by means breakable upon application of a sudden jerking force.

Claim 9

Apparatus for developing and transmitting an electrical signal in response to a condition in a molten metal bath comprising a condition measuring device and a length of electrical lead wire arranged in a compact bundle comprising a plurality of spirally wound concentric layers of lead wire, there being innermost and outermost layers of lead wire, the innermost layer of lead wire terminating in a first free end-length of lead wire, the outermost layer of lead wire terminating in a second free end-length of lead wire, said condition measuring device being electrically connected to one of said free end-lengths of lead wire, means attached to said bundle of lead wire causing said plurality of layers to successively play out upon release of said condition measuring device from a suspended position, and bracket means for positioning the apparatus on a fixed support clamped to one of the innermost and outermost layers of lead wire substantially at the location where it terminates into a free end-length of lead wire.

Claim 10

Apparatus for developing and transmitting an electrical signal in response to a condition in a molten metal bath comprising a condition measuring device and a length of electrical lead wire arranged in a compact bundle comprising a plurality of spirally wound concentric layers of lead wire, there being innermost and outermost layers of lead wire, the innermost layer of lead wire terminating in a first free end-length of lead wire, the outermost layer of lead wire terminating in a second free end-length of lead wire, said condition measuring device being electrically connected to one of said free end-lengths of lead wire, means attached to said bundle of lead wire causing said plurality of layers to successively play out upon release of said condition measuring device from a suspended position, and bracket means for positioning the apparatus on a fixed support clamped to one of the innermost and outermost layers of lead wire substantially at the location where it terminates into a free end-length of lead wire.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means attached to said bundle of lead wire comprises means releasable upon application of a sudden jerking force, said releasable means joining each layer of lead wire to all layers of lead wire which play out after it upon release of the condition measuring device from a suspended position.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the condition measuring device comprises a sinker thermocouple for measuring the temperature of the molten metal bath, said bundle of lead wire consisting of three spirally wound concentric layers of lead wire, said thermocouple being electrically connected to said first free end-length of lead wire, and said means releasable upon the application of a sudden jerking force comprises first tape strips longitudinally encircling the outermost layer, second tape strips longitudinally encircling only the middle and outermost layers and third tape strips longitudinally encircling all three layers.