Electrical current measurement and rapidly locating and positively identifying cathodes having abnormal electrical conditions associated therewith in an electrolytic copper refining process tankhouse

Claim 1

An apparatus for measuring electrical current passing through a plurality of spaced apart conductors which comprises: I. a plurality of spaced apart electrical current measuring instrument units depending from a common supporting means, the measuring instrument units each comprising: a. the supporting means; b. a normally open sensing head capable of utilizing a magnetic field created by the current passing through the conductor for current measuring purposes, said sensing head having normally open, conductor receptive, pivotally mounted, automatically closeable and automatically openable jaws which, when closed, substantially encompass a conductor for the current measuring; c. means moveable on the supporting means of (a) and supporting the normally open sensing head jaws; d. means pivotally mounting the jaws on the last-mentioned moveable supporting means; e. means maintaining the jaws in an open position when a contacting means hereafter specified is not forcefully applied against a solid surface; and f. the contacting means attached to the jaw pivotally mounting means of (d), forceful application of the contacting means against a solid surface resulting in the automatic closing of the jaws to substantially encompass the conductor and withdrawal of the forceful application of the contacting means from against the surface resulting in the automatic opening of the jaws; and II. the sensing heads adapted to be operatively associated with means for measuring the electrical current passing through the conductor.

Claim 2

An apparatus for measuring electrical current passing through a plurality of spaced apart conductors which comprises: I. a plurality of spaced apart electrical current measuring instrument units depending from a common supporting means, the measuring instrument units each comprising: a. the supporting means; b. a normally open sensing head capable of utilizing a magnetic field created by the current passing through the conductor for current measuring purposes, said sensing head having normally open, conductor receptive, pivotally mounted, automatically closeable and automatically openable jaws which, when closed, substantially encompass a conductor for the current measuring; c. means moveable on the supporting means of (a) and supporting the normally open sensing head jaws; d. means pivotally mounting the jaws on the last-mentioned moveable supporting means; e. means maintaining the jaws in an open position when a contacting means hereafter specified is not forcefully applied against a solid surface; and f. the contacting means attached to the jaw pivotally mounting means of (d), forceful application of the contacting means against a solid surface resulting in the automatic closing of the jaws to substantially encompass the conductor and withdrawal of the forceful application of the contacting means from against the surface resulting in the automatic opening of the jaws; and II. the sensing heads adapted to be operatively associated with means for measuring the electrical current passing through the conductor.

Claim 3

An apparatus for measuring direct electrical current passing through a plurality of spaced apart conductors which comprises: I. a plurality of spaced apart electrical current measuring instrument units depending from common supporting means, each measuring instrument unit comprising: a. the supporting means; b. a normally open sensing head capable of utilizing a magnetic field created by the current passing through the conductor for current measuring purposes, said sensing head having normally open, conductor receptive, hinged, automatically closeable and automatically openable jaws which, when closed, substantially encompass a conductor for the current measuring; c. means moveable on the supporting means of (a) and supporting the normally open sensing head jaws; d. hinge means including a substantially centrally disposed, with respect the hinge means, pivot pin hingedly mounting the jaws on the moveable supporting means of (c); e. means maintaining the jaws in an open position when a contacting means hereafter specified is not forcefully applied against the conductor; and f. the contacting means of a substantially non-electrically conductive material connected to the hinge means substantially centrally disposed pivot pin, forceful application of the contacting means against the conductor due to the weight of apparatus parts including the sensing head jaws effecting movement of the contacing means in a direction to produce moments of force about the centrally disposed pivot pin thereby resulting in closing of the jaws to substantially encompass the conductors and withdrawal of forceful application of the contacting means from against the conductor resulting in movement of the contacting means in opposite direction thereby resulting in opening of the jaws; and II. the sensing heads adapted to be operatively associated with means for measuring the electrical current passing through the conductor.

Claim 4

An apparatus for measuring direct electrical current passing through a plurality of spaced apart conductors which comprises: I. a plurality of spaced apart electrical current measuring instrument units depending from common supporting means, each measuring instrument unit comprising: a. the supporting means; b. a normally open sensing head capable of utilizing a magnetic field created by the current passing through the conductor for current measuring purposes, said sensing head having normally open, conductor receptive, hinged, automatically closeable and automatically openable jaws which, when closed, substantially encompass a conductor for the current measuring; c. means moveable on the supporting means of (a) and supporting the normally open sensing head jaws; d. hinge means including a substantially centrally disposed, with respect the hinge means, pivot pin hingedly mounting the jaws on the moveable supporting means of (c); e. means maintaining the jaws in an open position when a contacting means hereafter specified is not forcefully applied against the conductor; and f. the contacting means of a substantially non-electrically conductive material connected to the hinge means substantially centrally disposed pivot pin, forceful application of the contacting means against the conductor due to the weight of apparatus parts including the sensing head jaws effecting movement of the contacing means in a direction to produce moments of force about the centrally disposed pivot pin thereby resulting in closing of the jaws to substantially encompass the conductors and withdrawal of forceful application of the contacting means from against the conductor resulting in movement of the contacting means in opposite direction thereby resulting in opening of the jaws; and II. the sensing heads adapted to be operatively associated with means for measuring the electrical current passing through the conductor.

Claim 5

An apparatus for measuring direct electrical current passing through a plurality of spaced apart conductors which comprises: I. a plurality of spaced apart electrical current measuring instrument units depending from common supporting means, each current measuring instrument unit comprising: a. the supporting means; b. a normally open, tong-like sensing head capable of utilizing a magNetic field created by the current passing through the conductor for current measuring purposes, said sensing head having normally open conductor receptive, pivoted, tong-like, automatically closeable and automatically openable jaws which when closed substantially encompass the conductor for the current measuring; c. generally vertical support arms moveable on the supporting means of (a) and supporting the normally open sensing head jaws; d. hinge means hingedly mounting the jaws on spaced apart leg members hereafter specified, the hinge means including hinge plates secured to upper portions of the jaws, and a substantially centrally disposed, with reference to the hinge means, pivot pin, each hinge plate being pivotally connected at an outer end portion thereof with a lower end portion of each support arm; e. the spaced apart leg members; f. the weight of instrument parts including the sensing head jaws maintaining the jaws in a conductor receptive, open position when shoes hereafter specified are not forcefully applied against the conductor; g. the shoes of a substantially non-electrically conductive material attached to lower end portions of the leg members, forceful application of the shoes against the conductor due to the weight of apparatus parts including the sensing head jaws effecting movement of the shoes in a direction to produce moments of force about the centrally disposed, pivot pin thereby resulting in closing of the jaws to substantially encompass the conductor and withdrawal of the forceful application of the shoes from against the conductor resulting in movement of the shoes in an opposite direction due to the weight of instrument parts including the sensing jaws thereby resulting in opening of the jaws; and II. means operatively associated with the sensing head jaws for measuring the direct current passing through the conductor.

Claim 6

An apparatus for measuring direct electrical current passing through a plurality of spaced apart conductors which comprises: I. a plurality of spaced apart electrical current measuring instrument units depending from common supporting means, each current measuring instrument unit comprising: a. the supporting means; b. a normally open, tong-like sensing head capable of utilizing a magNetic field created by the current passing through the conductor for current measuring purposes, said sensing head having normally open conductor receptive, pivoted, tong-like, automatically closeable and automatically openable jaws which when closed substantially encompass the conductor for the current measuring; c. generally vertical support arms moveable on the supporting means of (a) and supporting the normally open sensing head jaws; d. hinge means hingedly mounting the jaws on spaced apart leg members hereafter specified, the hinge means including hinge plates secured to upper portions of the jaws, and a substantially centrally disposed, with reference to the hinge means, pivot pin, each hinge plate being pivotally connected at an outer end portion thereof with a lower end portion of each support arm; e. the spaced apart leg members; f. the weight of instrument parts including the sensing head jaws maintaining the jaws in a conductor receptive, open position when shoes hereafter specified are not forcefully applied against the conductor; g. the shoes of a substantially non-electrically conductive material attached to lower end portions of the leg members, forceful application of the shoes against the conductor due to the weight of apparatus parts including the sensing head jaws effecting movement of the shoes in a direction to produce moments of force about the centrally disposed, pivot pin thereby resulting in closing of the jaws to substantially encompass the conductor and withdrawal of the forceful application of the shoes from against the conductor resulting in movement of the shoes in an opposite direction due to the weight of instrument parts including the sensing jaws thereby resulting in opening of the jaws; and II. means operatively associated with the sensing head jaws for measuring the direct current passing through the conductor.