Electronic apparatus for accurately monitoring and recording the partial pressure of a gas

Claim 2

In an electronic apparatus for use with an ion sensing electrode, the combination of: a readout means for recording a voltage impressed thereon having a voltage input terminal; valve control means for selectively introducing either a standard solution or a sample solution to said electrode; standardizing means for simultaneously operating said valve control means to selectively introduce said standard solution to said electrode and impressing an output voltage from said electrode on said input terminal; calibrating means for automatically impressing a pre-determined voltage representative of the ion concentration of the standard solution on said input terminal, means responsive to said calibrating means for automatically storing a compensating voltage representative of the difference between said pre-determined voltage and the voltage generated by the sensing electrode representative of the ion concentration of the standard solution, measuring means for selectively terminating said pre-determined voltage at said input terminal and automatically impressing said compensating voltage across said input terminal in series with an electrode voltage generated by the sensing electrode representative of the ion concentration of a solution such that said compensating voltage and said electrode voltage in series are more truly representative of the ion concentration of the solution than is the electrode voltage alone, and means responsive to said measUring means for operating said valve control means to selectively introduce only said sample solution to said electrode.

Claim 3

In an electronic apparatus for continuously recording the voltage output of a sensing electrode representative of the partial pressure of a gas in a liquid solution having a voltage input terminal, movable sheet for recording thereon, and recorder pen responsive to a voltage impressed on said input terminal, the improvement comprising, in combination: valve control means for selectively introducing either a standardized solution or a sample solution to said electrode; standardizing means for simultaneously operating said valve control means to selectively introduce said standard solution to said electrode and impressing an output voltage from said electrode on said input terminal; calibrating means for automatically impressing a pre-determined voltage representative of the partial pressure of the gas in said standard solution on said input terminal, means responsive to said calibrating means for automatically storing a compensating voltage representative of the difference between said pre-determined voltage and a voltage generated by said electrode representative of the partial pressure of the gas in said standard solution, measuring means for simultaneously terminating said pre-determined voltage at said input terminal and automatically impressing said compensating voltage across said input in series with a voltage generated by said electrode representative of the partial pressure of a gas in a liquid solution such that said compensating voltage and said electrode voltage in series are more truly representative of the partial pressure of the gas in said liquid solution that is the electrode voltage alone, and means responsive to said measuring means for operating said valve control means to selectively introduce only said sample solution to said electrode.

Claim 4

In an electronic apparatus for continuously recording the voltage output of a sensing electrode representative of the partial pressure of a gas in a liquid solution having a voltage input terminal, movable sheet for recording thereon, and recorder pen responsive to a voltage impressed on said input terminal, the improvement comprising, in combination: valve control means for selectively introducing either a standardized solution or a sample solution to said electrode; standardizing means for simultaneously operating said valve control means to selectively introduce said standard solution to said electrode and impressing an output voltage from said electrode on said input terminal; calibrating means for automatically impressing a pre-determined voltage representative of the partial pressure of the gas in said standard solution on said input terminal, means responsive to said calibrating means for automatically storing a compensating voltage representative of the difference between said pre-determined voltage and a voltage generated by said electrode representative of the partial pressure of the gas in said standard solution, measuring means for simultaneously terminating said pre-determined voltage at said input terminal and automatically impressing said compensating voltage across said input in series with a voltage generated by said electrode representative of the partial pressure of a gas in a liquid solution such that said compensating voltage and said electrode voltage in series are more truly representative of the partial pressure of the gas in said liquid solution that is the electrode voltage alone, and means responsive to said measuring means for operating said valve control means to selectively introduce only said sample solution to said electrode.

Claim 5

The improvement of claim 2 wherein said calibrating means for automatically impressing said pre-determined voltage comprise a DC power source, a fixed impedance across said power source having an adjustable voltage divider terminal, solenoid actuated switch means for impressing a voltage divided by said voltage divider terminal across said input terminals of said recorder, and manually operable means for energizing said solenoid.

Claim 6

The improvement of claim 1 in which said means for automatically storing said compensating voltage comprise a resistive bridge network, a DC power supply for energizing said bridge, a variable impedance in one arm of said bridge, a recorder solenoid, means linked to said solenoid for varying said impedance when said solenoid is energized until said bridge voltage in series with the output of said electrode is substantially equal to said predetermined voltage, and means responsive to said calibrating means for energizing said solenoid when said calibrating means is actuated.

Claim 7

In an electronic apparatus for continuously monitoring the voltage output of a sensing electrode representative of the partial pressure of a sample gas in a liquid solution having a voltage input terminal and recorder means for responding to said voltage impressed on said input terminal, the improvement comprising; sample measuring timer means for breaking a contact a pre-determined sample measuring time after the cycle of said measuring timer means is initiated, means for initiating the cycle of said sample measuring timer means, valve control means for selectively introducing either a standardized gas or a sample gas to said electrode, means responsive to the breaking of said contact for operating said control means to selectively introduce only said standardized gas to said electrode standard measuring timer means responsive to the breaking of said contact for breaking a second contact for a second pre-determined time after the breaking of said first contact, calibration means responsive to the breaking of said second Contact for switching the input of said recorder from said electrode voltage to a pre-determined voltage representative of the partial pressure of the standardized gas, means responsive to said calibration means for generating a compensating voltage representative of the difference between said pre-determined voltage and the standardized output of said electrode, means responsive to the breaking of said second contact for operating said valve control means to selectively introduce only said sample gas to said electrode after a third pre-determined time after the breaking of the second contact means responsive to the breaking of said second contact for switching the input of said recorder from said pre-determined voltage to said electrode voltage and said compensating voltage in series, and means responsive to the breaking of said second contact for re-cycling said sample measuring timer means when said second contact is broken.

Claim 8

In an electronic apparatus for continuously monitoring the voltage output of a sensing electrode representative of the partial pressure of a sample gas in a liquid solution having a voltage input terminal and recorder means for responding to said voltage impressed on said input terminal, the improvement comprising; sample measuring timer means for breaking a contact a pre-determined sample measuring time after the cycle of said measuring timer means is initiated, means for initiating the cycle of said sample measuring timer means, valve control means for selectively introducing either a standardized gas or a sample gas to said electrode, means responsive to the breaking of said contact for operating said control means to selectively introduce only said standardized gas to said electrode standard measuring timer means responsive to the breaking of said contact for breaking a second contact for a second pre-determined time after the breaking of said first contact, calibration means responsive to the breaking of said second Contact for switching the input of said recorder from said electrode voltage to a pre-determined voltage representative of the partial pressure of the standardized gas, means responsive to said calibration means for generating a compensating voltage representative of the difference between said pre-determined voltage and the standardized output of said electrode, means responsive to the breaking of said second contact for operating said valve control means to selectively introduce only said sample gas to said electrode after a third pre-determined time after the breaking of the second contact means responsive to the breaking of said second contact for switching the input of said recorder from said pre-determined voltage to said electrode voltage and said compensating voltage in series, and means responsive to the breaking of said second contact for re-cycling said sample measuring timer means when said second contact is broken.