US3764900A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrolytic electrical field mapping device
Assignee: Michigan Technological University
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Filing: 1972-02-03
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Granted: 1973-10-09
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Expires: 1992-02-03
Abstract
Abstract The device includes a plotting board which overlies an electrolyte tank and on top of which a sheet of graph paper is positioned for plotting the electrical field distribution between electrodes immersed in the electrolyte. A movable, exploratory probe assembly, including a stylus extending into the electrolyte, is slidably mounted on a pair of perpendicularly crossing guide rods located beneath the plotting board. The guide rods are connected to correspondingly corssing arms, which are positioned above the plotting board and are slidably mounted thereto so that movement of the arms in the x and y directions produces corresponding movement of the exploratory stylus. Each arm has an elongated slot which always intersect directly above the exploratory stylus as the arms (and thus the exploratory stylus) are moved to locate a null point. When a null point is detected, its location can be recorded directly onto the graph paper by inserting a pencil, ball point or the like through the opening provided by the intersecting slots. In a preferred embodiment, the arms and guide rods are connected at their opposite ends to guide members which slide along the inside edges of elongated slots provided in the plotting board adjacent the edges of the graph paper. These guide members are connected together via a cable and pulley arrangement to insure easy, smooth, and accurate movement of the arms and rods while searching for null points.
Inventors
- 👤 K Baldwin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 20:35
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R29/00; G01R29/12; G01R29/14; G06; G06G; G06G7/00; G06G7/12; G06G7/32; G06G7/38; G06G7/40; G06G7/42
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
311 words
In an electrolytic field mapping device for mapping equipotential lines which includes spaced electrodes immersed in an electrolyte solution contained in a tank, means for applying a predetermined voltage across the electrodes, and means for detecting null points along said equipotential lines, the improvement comprising in combination: a plotting board having a planar top surface overlying said electrolyte tank; a recording medium positioned on the top surface of said plotting board above said electrodes; a reference probe assembly including a reference probe which extends into said electrolyte solution; means for selectively positioning said reference probe assembly in fixed positions at various locations in said electrolyte tank; a movable exploratory probe assembly positioned beneath said plotting board and including an exploratory stylus which extends into said electrolyte solution, said detecting means being connectable between said reference and exploratory styli; and tracer means for moving said exploratory stylus in the x and y directions within the region between said electrodes including first and second elongated movable arms which are positioned above said recording medium and cross each other, said arms being slidably mounted on said plotting board at locations remote from said recording medium, means for connecting said arms to said exploratory probe assembly so that movement of said first arm in the y direction produces a corresponding movement of said exploratory stylus in the y direction and movement of said second arm in the x direction produces a corresponding movement of said exploratory stylus in the x direction, and means defining an elongated slot extending along the longitudinal axis of each of said arms, said slots intersecting to define an opening which remains in vertical axial alignment with said exploratory stylus during movement of said arms and into which a recording instrument can be inserted to record, directly on said recording medium, the location of null points detected by said detecting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
311 words
In an electrolytic field mapping device for mapping equipotential lines which includes spaced electrodes immersed in an electrolyte solution contained in a tank, means for applying a predetermined voltage across the electrodes, and means for detecting null points along said equipotential lines, the improvement comprising in combination: a plotting board having a planar top surface overlying said electrolyte tank; a recording medium positioned on the top surface of said plotting board above said electrodes; a reference probe assembly including a reference probe which extends into said electrolyte solution; means for selectively positioning said reference probe assembly in fixed positions at various locations in said electrolyte tank; a movable exploratory probe assembly positioned beneath said plotting board and including an exploratory stylus which extends into said electrolyte solution, said detecting means being connectable between said reference and exploratory styli; and tracer means for moving said exploratory stylus in the x and y directions within the region between said electrodes including first and second elongated movable arms which are positioned above said recording medium and cross each other, said arms being slidably mounted on said plotting board at locations remote from said recording medium, means for connecting said arms to said exploratory probe assembly so that movement of said first arm in the y direction produces a corresponding movement of said exploratory stylus in the y direction and movement of said second arm in the x direction produces a corresponding movement of said exploratory stylus in the x direction, and means defining an elongated slot extending along the longitudinal axis of each of said arms, said slots intersecting to define an opening which remains in vertical axial alignment with said exploratory stylus during movement of said arms and into which a recording instrument can be inserted to record, directly on said recording medium, the location of null points detected by said detecting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
99 words
The device according to claim 1 including a first guide rod positioned beneath said plotting board and connected at its opposite ends to said first arm; a second guide rod positioned beneath said plotting board and connected at its opposite ends to said second arm; and a holder carrying said exploratory stylus and being slidably mounted on said first and second guide rods whereby movement of said first arm in the y direction moves said holder along said second guide rod and movement of said second arm in the x direction moves said holder along said first guide rod.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
116 words
The device according to claim 2 wherein said plotting board includes a pair of opposed, spaced, elongated lateral slots, one being located adjacent one side edge of said recording medium and the other being located adjacent the opposite side edge of said recording medium; and a pair of opposed, spaced, elongated longitudinal slots, one being located adjacent an end edge of said recording medium and the other being located adjacent the opposite end edge of said recording medium; the opposite ends of one of said arms being guided along the inside edges of said lateral slots and the opposite ends of the other of said arms being guided along the inside edges of said longitudinal slots.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
The device according to claim 3 wherein said reference probe assembly includes guide means which is guided over the outside edge of one of said slots; and clamping means for selectively clamping said reference probe assembly in fixed positions at various locations along the corresponding edge of said electrolyte tank.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device according to clAim 4 wherein said first and second arms are constructed from a transparent material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
106 words
The device according to claim 2 wherein the opposite ends of said first and second arms are connected together by a plurality of cables trained over a plurality of pulleys mounted on the underside of said plotting board; said pulleys and cables being arranged so the longitudinal axis of said first arm is always maintained substantially at a right angle with the lateral axis of said plotting board during its movement in the y direction and the longitudinal axis of said second arm is always maintained substantially at a right angle with the longitudinal axis of said plotting board during its movement in the x direction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
120 words
The device according to claim 6 wherein said cables and pulleys are arranged generally around the outside of the area of movement of said arms, rods and exploratory stylus and wherein each cable is trained over said pulleys such that, with respect to the direction of movement of said arms and rods, each cable extend in a given direction from one side of one end of one of said arms and is connected to the opposite end of that arm but extends oppositely therefrom with respect to said given direction so that as said arm is moved the cable extension from opposite ends thereof are lengthened and shortened corresponding amounts to maintain accurate x and y movement of said arms.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
A device according to claim 2 wherein one of said guide rods is electrically conductive, said detective means is electrically connected to said conductive guide rod, and said exploratory probe stylus is in slidable electrical contact with said conductive guide rod during movement of said exploratory probe assembly.
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) | 1976-10-08 | 1977-04-09 | 1977-10-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-08 | 1981-04-09 | 1981-10-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-08 | 1985-04-09 | 1985-10-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |