Fluid cylinder positional indicator and method

Claim 2

A fluid cylinder apparatus constructed for being mounted at its opposite ends to the working environment and having means for providing a signal accurately indicating the position of the piston thereof; said apparatus comprising a cylinder defined by an elongate cylindrical body portion and first and second end caps at opposite ends of said cylindrical body portion; piston means provided in said cylinder and including a piston head and a piston rod carried by the piston head, the piston head cooperating with said cylindrical body portion to form a fluid seal, and the piston rod extending longitudinally from the cylinder through said second end cap; connector means carried by the distal end of said piston rod to permit connection of the piston rod to the working environment; a longitudinal bore extending through said piston head and a predetermined distance into said piston rod; a female threaded member carried by said piston means for displacement therewith, said female threaded member having a longitudinally oriented threaded opening aligned with the axis of said longitudinal bore; an elongate threaded rod axially aligned with and extending longitudinally through the threaded opening of said female threaded member and having first and second ends, the first end thereof residing in said longitudinal bore, and the second end extending into said first end cap so as to project externally of said cylinder, and said threaded rod having external threads threadingly engaged with said female threaded member throughout the stroke of said piston means such that longitudinal displacement of said piston means and the female threaded member carried thereby imparts rotation to said elongate threaded rod; electrical sensing means mounted externally of said cylinder and coupled to the externally projecting end portion of said threaded rod for being rotatably driven thereby and being operable upon rotation thereof for obtaining an electrical signal functionally related to the rotational displacement of said threaded rod; a protective housing enclosing said electrical sensing means; and connector means carried by said cylinder apparatus at the end thereof opposite said longitudinally extending piston rod and cooperating with the cylinder apparatus to permit connection thereof to the working environment.

Claim 3

A fluid cylinder apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said longitudinal bore has a diameter correlated with the diameter of said threaded rod for closely receiving the threaded rod therein.

Claim 4

A fluid cylinder apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said connector means carried by the piston rod and by the cylinder apparatus comprise pivotal connectors for pivotal connection of the cylinder apparatus and the piston rod to the working environment.

Claim 5

A fluid cylinder apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said protective housing is carried by said first end cap and said connector means for the cylinder apparatus is carried by the protective housing.

Claim 6

A fluid cylinder apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said electrical sensing means comprises a potentiometer connected for obtaining a voltage output functionally related to the rotational displacement of said threaded rod.

Claim 7

A fluid cylinder apparatus constructed for being mounted at its opposite ends to the working environment and having means protectively mounted internally therein for providing a signal to a remote location accurately indicating the position of the piston thereof; said apparatus comprising a cylinder having a body portion formed of an integral elongate tubular structural member and first and second end caps provided at opposite ends of said cylindrical body portion and each having an axial opening therein; piston means provided in said cylinder and including a piston head and a piston rod carried by the piston head, the piston head cooperating with said cylinder body portion to form a fluid seal, and the piston rod extending longitudinally from the cylinder through said axial opening in said second end cap; connector means carried by the distal end of said piston rod to permit connection of the piston rod to the working environment; a longitudinal bore extending through said piston head and a predetermined distance into said piston rod; a female threaded member fixedly secured to said piston means for displacement therewith, said female threaded member having a longitudinally oriented threaded opening aligned with the axis of said longitudinal bore; an elongate threaded rod axially aligned with and extending longitudinally through the threaded opening of said female threaded member and having first and second ends, the first end thereof residing in said longitudinal bore, and the second end extending through said axial opening in said first end cap and projecting externally of said cylinder, and said threaded rod having external threads threadingly engaged with said female threaded member throughout the stroke of said piston means such that longitudinal displacement of said piston means and the female threaded member carried thereby imparts rotation to said elongate threaded rod; electrical sensing means carried by said first end cap externally of said cylinder and coupled to the externally projecting end portion of said threaded rod for being rotatably driven thereby and being operable upon rotation thereof for obtaining an electrical signal functionally related to the rotational displacement of said threaded rod; a protective housing carried by said first end cap and surroundingly enclosing said electrical sensing means; said protective housing comprising a tubular structural member having one end mounted to said first end cap and extending longitudinally therefrom along the same axis as the tubular structural member forming said cylinder body portion and forming a structural extension of said cylinder; and connector means carried by said protective housing to permit connection of the cylinder to the working environment.

Claim 8

A fluid cylinder apparatus constructed for being mounted at its opposite ends to the working environment and having means protectively mounted internally therein for providing a signal to a remote location accurately indicating the position of the piston thereof; said apparatus comprising a cylinder having a body portion formed of an integral elongate tubular structural member and first and second end caps provided at opposite ends of said cylindrical body portion and each having an axial opening therein; piston means provided in said cylinder and including a piston head and a piston rod carried by the piston head, the piston head cooperating with said cylinder body portion to form a fluid seal, and the piston rod extending longitudinally from the cylinder through said axial opening in said second end cap; connector means carried by the distal end of said piston rod to permit connection of the piston rod to the working environment; a longitudinal bore extending through said piston head and a predetermined distance into said piston rod; a female threaded member fixedly secured to said piston means for displacement therewith, said female threaded member having a longitudinally oriented threaded opening aligned with the axis of said longitudinal bore; an elongate threaded rod axially aligned with and extending longitudinally through the threaded opening of said female threaded member and having first and second ends, the first end thereof residing in said longitudinal bore, and the second end extending through said axial opening in said first end cap and projecting externally of said cylinder, and said threaded rod having external threads threadingly engaged with said female threaded member throughout the stroke of said piston means such that longitudinal displacement of said piston means and the female threaded member carried thereby imparts rotation to said elongate threaded rod; electrical sensing means carried by said first end cap externally of said cylinder and coupled to the externally projecting end portion of said threaded rod for being rotatably driven thereby and being operable upon rotation thereof for obtaining an electrical signal functionally related to the rotational displacement of said threaded rod; a protective housing carried by said first end cap and surroundingly enclosing said electrical sensing means; said protective housing comprising a tubular structural member having one end mounted to said first end cap and extending longitudinally therefrom along the same axis as the tubular structural member forming said cylinder body portion and forming a structural extension of said cylinder; and connector means carried by said protective housing to permit connection of the cylinder to the working environment.