US3790888A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Lag adjustment means for a watthour meter
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1972-10-06
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Granted: 1974-02-05
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Expires: 1992-10-06
Abstract
Abstract A watthour meter is provided with an improved reactor assembly for a lag plate. The reactor assembly is linearly adjustable to selectively and precisely vary the inductance of the lag plate so that its lag effect on the meter performance can be accurately, and reversibly, adjusted. This linearity of adjustment is afforded by mounting a flux-shunting adjustable screw in threaded engagement with opposite sides of an air gap in a reactor that has a flux path of varied cross-section parallel to the direction of movement of the screw. A resilient holding means is used to mount the screw for movement in a direction transverse to the magnetic field induced in the reactor by the lag plate.
Inventors
- 👤 W Morong
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 19:25
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R11/00; G01R11/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
For an inductively controlled lag plate in a watthour meter sub-assembly, a lag adjustment means comprising: a block 2 of magnetic material including a bifurcated portion 6 defining an inwardly extending slot 4, said slot 4 being formed at an inner end thereof to at least partially surround a portion 5 of a leg of a watthour meter lag plate, adjustable means 22 movably mounted within said slot 4 to form a variable permeance closed magnetic flux path across the slot, said adjustable means being movable toward and away from the inner end of the slot thereby to selectively vary the magnetic permeance of flux paths across said slot 4, while simultaneously varying the mean length of flux paths intersecting said adjustable means 22.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
124 words
For an inductively controlled lag plate in a watthour meter sub-assembly, a lag adjustment means comprising: a block 2 of magnetic material including a bifurcated portion 6 defining an inwardly extending slot 4, said slot 4 being formed at an inner end thereof to at least partially surround a portion 5 of a leg of a watthour meter lag plate, adjustable means 22 movably mounted within said slot 4 to form a variable permeance closed magnetic flux path across the slot, said adjustable means being movable toward and away from the inner end of the slot thereby to selectively vary the magnetic permeance of flux paths across said slot 4, while simultaneously varying the mean length of flux paths intersecting said adjustable means 22.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A lag adjustment means according to claim 1 wherein said adjustable means 22 comprises an elongated metal screw.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
A lag adjustment means as defined in claim 1 wherein the external surface of said block comprises a plurality of steps of progressively larger diameters extending from the small diameter end of the block adjacent the outer end of said slot to a point adjacent the inner end of said slot.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A lag adjustment means according to claim 3 wherein at least three uniformly level steps 12, 18, 20 are formed on said external surface of said block.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
109 words
A lag adjustment means according To claim 4 wherein said external surface includes; a first uniformly sloped step 14 that extends between the surface of the smallest uniformly level step 12 and the minimum diameter end of an adjacent second uniformly sloped step 16, said second uniformly sloped step 16 being formed to extend between the maximum diameter end of said first uniformly sloped step 14 and the surface of said second uniformly level step 18, and said second uniformly level step 18 being formed to extend between said maximum diameter end of said second uniformly sloped step 16 and a point adjacent said third uniformly level step 20.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
A lag adjustment means according to claim 5 wherein said external surface includes an exposed end surface 17 that extends between said second uniformly level step 18 and the third step 20 and is substantially perpendicular to the surfaces of the second and third steps.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A lag adjustment means as defined in claim 2 wherein the external surface of said block comprises a parabolic surface of revolution 40 that extends from the outer end of said bifurcated portion 6a to a cylindrical surface 20a of the block.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
104 words
A lag adjustment means as defined in claim 2 wherein the external surface of said block comprises a pair of cylindrical surfaces 12b and 20b at opposite ends thereof, said pair of cylindrical surfaces having different respective diameters with the smallest diameter surface 12b being at the outer end of said bifurcated portion 6, and further comprising a pair of sloped frusto-conical surfaces disposed in abutting, end-to-end relationship between said pair of cylindrical surfaces, thereby to vary the flux-carrying cross-sectional area of said block 2b as a function of the distance of such a path from the portion 5 of the meter lag plate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
A lag adjustment means as defined in claim 2 wherein the external surface of said block comprises a plurality of generally cylindrical surfaces 12c, 41, 42, 18c and 20c that are of increasingly larger diameters, respectively, each of said cylindrical surfaces being arranged in end-to-end relationship, thereby to vary the flux-carrying cross-sectional area of the block 2c along the length thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
67 words
A lag adjustment means according to claim 2 including a holding means for resiliently securing said screw in a variety of selected operating positions, said holding means being operable to wedge said block of magnetic material against a portion 5 of a watthour meter lag plate when mounted in operating position thereon, thereby to hold said block in a predetermined relationship with respect to the lag plate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
78 words
A lag adjustment means according to claim 2 wherein said holding means comprises a spring 26 having a coiled portion 28 and a looped end portion 30, said spring 26 being operatively mounted on said block of magnetic material 2 with said looped end portion 30 engaging an end of said block and with said coiled portion concentrically encompassing said screw thereby to resiliently secure said screw in a variety of predetermined positions with respect to said block.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A lag adjustment means according to claim 11 wherein said block includes an abutment 32 on said end thereof to abut said looped end portion of the spring and hold it in operative position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
102 words
In a watthour meter having a lag plate the improvement comprising; an adjustable inductive reactor 2 mounted on a portion 5 of said lag plate by a resilient holding means 26 that is effective to maintain a longitudinal axis of said reactor substantially perpendicular to a current path through said lag plate, in combination with a magnetic screw 22 rotatably mounted in a tapped passageway of said reactor substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, said screw being rotatable to thereby vary the permeance of flux paths across said passageway, while simultaneously varying the mean length of flux paths intersecting said screw.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
102 words
In a watthour meter having a lag plate the improvement comprising; an adjustable inductive reactor 2 mounted on a portion 5 of said lag plate by a resilient holding means 26 that is effective to maintain a longitudinal axis of said reactor substantially perpendicular to a current path through said lag plate, in combination with a magnetic screw 22 rotatably mounted in a tapped passageway of said reactor substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, said screw being rotatable to thereby vary the permeance of flux paths across said passageway, while simultaneously varying the mean length of flux paths intersecting said screw.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
44 words
An invention as defined in claim 13 wherein said reactor is tapered in a plurality of successive concentric steps in the outer surface thereof progressing from a small diameter step remote from the lag plate to a large diameter step adjacent said lag plate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
89 words
An invention as defined in claim 14 wherein said reactor includes an abutment 32 on the end thereof adjacent said lag plate, and wherein said holding means comprises; a spring having a coiled portion 28 on one end thereof, a looped end portion 30 and a connecting mid-portion 34; said mid-portion 34 being wedged against the lag plate when the looped portion is in engagement with said abutment 32 and the coiled portion 28 is positioned concentrically around the screw 22, thereby to resiliently bias said screw against rotation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
DE1013006B
Cited
US2858508A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-02-04 | 1977-08-06 | 1978-02-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-04 | 1981-08-06 | 1982-02-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-04 | 1985-08-06 | 1986-02-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |