Driven pendulum apparatus and method of operation thereof
First Claim
1. A driven pendulum apparatus comprising:
- A. a vertically movable member;
B. a drive means operatively connected with respect to said vertically movable member and adapted to be actuated for powering vertical movement thereof;
C. a sensing means operatively attached with respect to said vertically movable member to sense vertical movement thereof responsive to forces exerted thereon;
D. an adapter member secured to said vertically movable member to be movable therewith vertically;
E. a mounting membrane means detachably mounted to said adapted member and extending downwardly therefrom being movable vertically therewith, said mounting membrane means being formed of a flexible resilient material, said mounting membrane means defining a membrane aperture means therein;
F. a suspension line means positioned extending through said membrane aperture means defined in said mounting membrane means and extending outwardly and downwardly therefrom;
G. a line securement means for detachably retaining of said suspension line means in position extending through said membrane aperture means of said mounting membrane means and further extending downwardly therefrom; and
H. a bob means detachably securable with respect to said suspension line means at a position below said membrane aperture means to facilitate cyclical pivotal movement of the pendulum.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pendulum apparatus and method of operation which is driven to compensate for frictional and other losses to maintain the pendulum operating over extended periods of time. The method and apparatus is particularly useful in the operation of Foucault pendulums. A vertically movable member is driven and a controller is provided which operates initially in the calibration mode for determining the natural frequency of the pendulum apparatus and is then operated in the driving mode. The pivot mechanism is relatively inexpensive and reliable and includes an adapter member with a mounting membrane of flexible material and defining a membrane aperture. A suspension line is secured extending through this aperture and a bob is secured thereto.
27 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A driven pendulum apparatus comprising:
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A. a vertically movable member;
B. a drive means operatively connected with respect to said vertically movable member and adapted to be actuated for powering vertical movement thereof;
C. a sensing means operatively attached with respect to said vertically movable member to sense vertical movement thereof responsive to forces exerted thereon;
D. an adapter member secured to said vertically movable member to be movable therewith vertically;
E. a mounting membrane means detachably mounted to said adapted member and extending downwardly therefrom being movable vertically therewith, said mounting membrane means being formed of a flexible resilient material, said mounting membrane means defining a membrane aperture means therein;
F. a suspension line means positioned extending through said membrane aperture means defined in said mounting membrane means and extending outwardly and downwardly therefrom;
G. a line securement means for detachably retaining of said suspension line means in position extending through said membrane aperture means of said mounting membrane means and further extending downwardly therefrom; and
H. a bob means detachably securable with respect to said suspension line means at a position below said membrane aperture means to facilitate cyclical pivotal movement of the pendulum. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A driven pendulum apparatus comprising:
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A. a vertically movable member;
B. a drive means operatively connected with respect to said vertically movable member and adapted to be actuated for inductively powering vertical movement thereof, said drive means including a coil means which is operative to generate an electromagnetic field responsive to actuation thereof to power vertical movement of said vertically movable member;
C. a sensing means operatively attached with respect to said vertically movable member to sense vertical movement thereof responsive to forces exerted thereon;
D. an adapter member secured to said vertically movable member to be movable therewith vertically, said adapter member including;
(1) an adapter body securable directly with respect to said vertically movable member to be movable therewith;
(2) a mounting cap detachably securable with respect to said adapter body;
E. a mounting membrane means comprising a nipple member detachably mounted between said mounting cap and said adapter body of said adapted member and extending downwardly therefrom being movable vertically therewith, said mounting membrane means being formed of a flexible resilient rubber material, said mounting membrane means defining a membrane aperture means therein;
F. a suspension line means positioned extending through said membrane aperture means defined in said mounting membrane means and extending outwardly and downwardly therefrom;
G. a line securement means for detachably retaining of said suspension line means in position extending through said membrane aperture means of said mounting membrane means and further extending downwardly therefrom, said line securement means including a retaining bead having a size larger than said membrane aperture means defined in said mounting membrane means and being securable to said suspension line means at a position above said membrane aperture means to facilitate retaining of said suspension line means in position extending downwardly therethrough, said retaining bead defining a bead hole means extending therethrough which is adapted to receive said suspension line means extending therethrough to facilitate detachably securement thereto;
H. a bob means detachably securable with respect to said suspension line means at a position below said membrane aperture means to facilitate cyclical pivotal movement thereof;
I. a control means operatively connected with respect to said drive means and said sensor means for controlling cyclical operation of said bob of the driven pendulum, said control means being initially configurable in a calibration mode wherein said sensing means is rendered operative to sense vertical movement of said vertically movable member in order to determine the natural oscillating frequency of the pendulum and wherein said drive means is rendered inoperative, said control means being thereafter configurable in an operative mode wherein said drive means is rendered operative to cyclically drive said vertically movable member for driving of said bob of the pendulum with said sensing means is rendered inoperative;
J. a pendulum housing with said vertically movable member flexibly resiliently mounted with respect to said pendulum housing to facilitate vertical movement thereof; and
K. a temperature monitoring means operatively connected with respect to said control means with said control means being operative to increase the period of cyclical driving of said driving means responsive to an increase in ambient temperature and wherein said control means is operative to decrease the period of cyclical driving of said driving means responsive to a decrease in ambient temperature.
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34. Method of operation of a pendulum comprising:
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A. initiating cyclic movement of the pendulum while connected to a vertically movable member thereabove;
B. measuring of forces exerting upon a vertically movable member over time;
C. calculating of the natural frequency of oscillation of the pendulum from the measured forces over time; and
D. powering cyclical driving of the vertically movable member vertically at a frequency approximately equal to twice the calculated natural frequency of the pendulum. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification