US1719556A - Electrical indicating instrument - Google Patents

Description

July 2, 1929. w. c. MccoY ELECTRICAL INDICATYING I1*STRUMl5N'.'L

'2 Sheets-Sheet NBSSSSBS SSSSSMCA Filed June 50, 1927 ATTORNEYS July 2, 1929. w, C, MCCOY 1,719,556

ELECTRICAL INDICATING INSTRUMENT Filed June 50, i927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BIIIII'II ATTORNEYS Patented July' 2, v.1929.

UNITED vSTATES P-ATEFN T OFFICE.

WILLIAIMy C. HCCOY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, AS-SIGNOB TO THE TRUST COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F OHIO.

ELECTRICAL IN DICATIN G INSTRUMENT.

` application nied'mne so, iaz'z. semi no. 202,479.

This inventionrrelates to electrical indicating instruments and particularly to `an electrically operated instrumentfor indicating conditions existing at a remote point.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an electrical indicating instrument that shall be substantially free from errors due to residualmagnetism,that shall be inexpensive to manufacture, and that shall be of rugged construction and reliable in its r operation.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an instrument ofthe above character havin a relatively light -weight armature vane t at constitutes a damping vane for the instrument.

A further object of the invention is to provide animproved instrument structure of inforinsof casings, 'particularly for mounting.

expensive character that shall readily accommodate the mounting thereon of different in instrument panels of automotive vehicles.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an armature carrying vane to which the indicator4 arm is directly secured and from lwhich the indicator arm receives itsposition.

A furtherobject of the invention is to connect the base of the instrument with the dial l supportingiace solely by the ycore 4 of the actuating coils.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved pivotal support for an armature of the character herein proposed.

Figure 1 o'f the accompanying drawing is a front or face view of an insrument embodying the invention.-

' Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the instrument taken substantially on the line 2-2`of F1g. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of thel 1nstrument shown in Fig. 1 taken substantially on line 3--3 thereof.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view','taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, of the magnetic parts of the instrument with the energizing' coil removed. f

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of the arma.

' a pair of outwardly extending ears 22 and 23 v lture assembly of the instrument.

the invention. Fi 8 is a side elevational view,- taken sub- "stantially on line 8 -8 of Fig. 7, with parts instrument; and

brolren away and shown in the instrument coil.

Fig. 9 is a vcross sectional view of the arma- :section through ture and coil assembly taken substantially on line 9;-9 of Fig. 10.*.

supporting standards 5 `that are mounted thereon. An outwardly vextending flange 6 ofthe casing servesto support a correspondmgly flanged bezel 7 in which a suitable crystal 8 is mounted in a spring ring 9.

Adial plate 10 is conventional manner by magnetic material is secured at one end to the dial plate and serves to support a pair of concentrically arranged energizing windings 13 mounted on the standards 5by suitable screws 11. A core 12 of non! and the common terminal 16 of both windingsA is connected to terminal post 3. The remaining terminal 17 of windingl islgrounded to the dial plate 10.

The 'armature assembly 18 that is shown in enlarged perspective in Fig. 5, is mounted within the core 12 of the coil and isA held in place by suitable screws 19 and 20 that engage the supporting dial 10. The armature assembly comprises a U-shaped supporting member 21 of non-magnetic material that has formed one on eachleg thereof and apertured 4to receive the securing screws 19 and 20.

Opposite side portions 24 and 25 of the U- shaped support 21 have a pair of ixediron Vanes 26 and 27 mounted thereon that ointly action an armature 28 of soft iron or-other',

energizations. The armature is preferably of inverted U-shape, being secured at its upper end or base portion to the supporting pivot staff' 29 by, .suitable collars- '30 vin accordance with conventional practice in repulsion types of electric indicating instruments. The legs of the armature 28 are disposed at materially different distances from Athe axisof rotation thereof in order to4 obtain differential repulsion effects which cause l rotation 'of the indicator hand 31 to different indicating positions. A suitable pivot bar 32 that has an adjustable pivot bearing 33 is mounted on the armature support 21.

The fixed magnetic vanes 26 and 27 are respectively arranged substantially' at the longitudinal center of their respective enerto control the ratio of the currentsowing through ther windings 13 and 14 by movement of a suitable contact member 35 alonga resistance unit or by other appropriate mechanism' 1s energized from a source of electrical energy such for instance as a storage battery 36. l

The windings 13 and 14 are of relatively high resistance suitable'for use on either alternating or direct current, and a large number of turns in order that astrong field may be produced. Both windings are -of substan` tially the sainegeneralresistance and magnetizingeiect. The cumulative effect of the windings on the armature 28 will be to energize the armature 4to substantially the same .degree for'all 4indicating positions of the instrument because the armature extends through both of the di'erentially energized windings This greatly reduces the errors of .indications due to residual magnetism in the instrument. I

' The offset, positions 'of the fixed magnetic `vanes 26 and 27 and their differential magnetization the respect-ive windings 13 and L 14 cause movement-of the varmature to different indicating ositions becauseof the repulsion eifectspr uced by' differential energizationl of the windings.

The modified form of instrument shown in Fig. 7 to Fig. 12 is of a particularly inexpensive construction and embodies a4 damping vvane that also constitutes the support for the The instrument here shown embodies a pressed sheet metal base 40 that is proyided with a flange 41 to which suitable casings 42 may readil be secured in any conventional manner. incethe entire `instrument lassembly is supported from the base,y a great variety of'diierent casings may be mounted on av standard form of instrument assembly for different uses tov which the instrument may be pllt.

he instrument base has a pair of suitable terminal posts 43 and 44 mounted thereon and insulated .therefrom in conventional manner. The base member also has a series of ingtongues 45 formed on one end of thecore 46 of the energizing windings 47 and 48. The

other end of the core Vis secured to the dial -suitable apertures formed therein for receiv- 'plate 49 in any suitable manner asby welding,

soldering or`by Hanging the end portion of f so the plate. The solenoid windings 47 and 48 are separated bya suitable plate 50.ix A fixed repulsion vane 51 of iron or other magnetic material is mounted on' the core 46 substantlally centrally of the winding 47 anda corresponding repulsion vane 52 is similarly mounted in cooperative relation-with the winding 48. The vanes 51 and 5.2 are preferably of soft iron and are of tapered form as shown in Fig. t

l8 and are mounted in opposed relation. The

form of circumferential extentof the repul-` sionvanes may be changed in order. to get different deflections and scale calibrations for the instrument that are formed on a suitable dial 53 that is carried b the dial plate 491 and is shown particularlyin Fig. and Fi 12. The supporting r prefera ly formed of brass or other non.-

ma netie material having a body'portion of V-s aped -section provid sides. The lower end. of the bracket is closed by a base portion 55 that has a suitable aperture therein for supporting a pivot mounting 56 for one end of the armature. The upper end ofthe body'- portion has a pair of oppositely extending arms 57 bymeans of which the assembly is supported from the dial plate -49 of the instrument. A suitable pivot bracket 58 that is secured tothe arms 57. olf' the sup ort bysuitable screws 59fcarries an adjusta le pivot bearing 60 for the upper end of the pivot staff-61. The bracket-5 4 is cut away suiiiciently to permit an indicator arm 62. that-is carried by the pivot staff to extend over the indexed dial plate.

By reason of the close fit of the armature The armature assem ly is separately removable from the remainder of the structure 10, Fig. 11 acket 54 is ed with 'divergent vane, that isdesired, in the 4core for the coil which also provides a dampingchamber and in order to provide a'readily aligned and rigid support for the armature, the lower pivot member 56 extends throu h the end portion y55 of the bracket a suliicient distance. -to be received in -a suitable a erture 63. that is formed in the instrument ase 41.

The armature comprises -a bar 64 of magneticmaterial such as either soft or. permanentl magnetized iron that is carried by a suita le armature supporting vane 65. The

vane 65 may be formed of thin non-magnetic sheet metal such a's aluminum alloy or from a thin sheet of bakelized fabric or other suitable Vlight weight material.` A non-metallic support and' -zr `soft iron bar are desirable if the instrument is to be used lon alternating current. j

One edge portion of the sheet material. is suitably folded over the bar 64 to securely hold i't in place and the other'edgepor-f tion is folded around the pivot stad .61. A. pair of metal collars 66 that tightly lit the' l pivot staff 461 serve to rigidly hold the arma!" 4,

vfixed vanes of magnetic material ture vane in position on the pivot staff. This construction may be used with or without theparticular form of indicator arm shown and in any otherforms ofrepulsion meters.

The indicator arm particularly comprises an enlarged portion 67 through' which the pivot staff extends and a pairA of foldable. side portions 68 that extend therebeyond an'd are adapted to be folded down over the upper edgeof thearmature vane to align the indicator vane with the armature.

The operation of this form of indicator is substantially the same as the preceding instrument except that the armature vane constitutes a damping vane that operates within the enclosed chamber of the solenoid core as will be well understood by those skilled in the art. A c 'over' member 69 that is' glued or otherwise secured to the instrument face serves `,to substantially close the damping chamber. j

The solenoid windings lare, in each case, so wound as to produce concentric, co-axial fields of the same polarity. Although a control system of the character illustrated is desired'ifor use with eitlier'instrument, any

. used without departin 'from the invention.

`other suitable control system could also be It willrreadily be un erstood that either of i the inst'riinients of the aboverdescribed character will be rugged, inexpensiveto manufacture, and'particularly suitable for use as fuel level indicators on automotive vehicles and the like.

WhatIclaimis: 'w

Anf electrical indicating instrument comprising 'a pair of concentrically arranged magnetizing windings, a `pair of fixed mag# netic varies laterallyI and longitudinally offset from each other relative to 'the axis of said windings and arranged within, the windings, means operable to vary thev ratio ofthe curj rents through the windings to differentially 'ofsaid vane is clamped.

vm'agnetize the' vanes, an armatureiextending well into bot-h coils and energized in accordance with the accumulative magnetizing effectA of both windings whereby said armature fis moved to a multiplicity of indicating positions by windings.

2. An indicating instrument comprising a. pivotally mounted unrestricted armature the relative energization of said having a portion of magnetizable material disposed substantially parallel to' the axis thereof and unsymmetrical relative thereto, a pair of laterally and longitudinally offset isposed alongside the armature and at substantially the same radial distance from the rotational axis of the armature, windingsfor differentially energizing the respective ixed magnetic varies to eiiect indicating movement of the armature to a multiplicity of indicating positions. A

3. An electrical indicating instrument comprising a pivot staii', a nonmagnetic vane in the form of a plate of non-magnetic material having its inner edgeattached to thec staff, an armature of magnetic material carried by said vane, a sector shaped damping x chamber wherein said vane is adapted to opl erate having an arcuate wall in close proximity .to the outer edge of said vane, and ener.--

gizing means for controlling movement of the armature, whereby said vane constitutes a non-magnetic support for the armature and a damping device for the instrument.

4. An electrical indicating instrument comprising a pivot staff, an armature carrying vane comprising aplate having its inner edge secured to said sta', andan indicator proJecting radially from said staii' and having folded portions'betweenwhich a portion A 5. Ah electrical indicating -instrument comprising apivot staf, an armature carry-iA ing vane comprising a plate .having its inner edge portion encircling tlie'pivot stad, and an indicator carried .by said staff at one end of said vane, said indicatdr projecting radiallyv from the staffv and having foldedportions between which a portion. of vsaid vane is clamped, anda securing-collar on said staii at each end portion thereof between which the WILLIAM o. MeCoY.

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