CONDITION MONITORING APPARATUS
First Claim
1. Apparatus for providing a warning indication whenever the accumulated time that a contaminant is present in a fluid stream exceeds a predetermined fraction of a predetermined length of time, comprising a contamination sensor for monitoring said fluid stream and providing a continuous contaminant condition signal whenever said contaminant is present, means responsive to said contaminant condition signal for providing a continuous delay signal corresponding to but offset in time from said contaminant signal by said predetermined length of time, a differential gear assembly responsive to said condition and delay signals, said differential gear assembly having a first gear, a second gear, an output gear in continuous meshing engagement with said first and second gears, first and second input shafts connected to said first and second gears, respectively, a first motor connected to said first shaft for driving said first shaft in rotation in one direction, and a second motor connected to said second shaft for driving said second shaft in rotation in the opposite direction, means responsive to said contaminant condition signal for continually energizing said first motor to continuously drive said first gear whenever said contaminant condition signal is present in a first direction to move said output gear in a direction indicating an increased time duration value, means responsive to said delay signal for continually energizing said second Motor to continuously drive said second gear whenever said delay signal is present to move said output gear in the direction opposite said increased time duration value indicating direction, and means responsive to the position of said output gear of said differential gear assembly for providing a warning indication whenever the position of said output gear relative to said first and second gears indicates that the contaminant as sensed by said sensor has been present in said fluid stream for an accumulated time greater than said predetermined fraction of said predetermined length of time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for indicating how many minutes of excess smoke emission have occurred during a predetermined time interval, e.g., an hour, includes an accumulator for storing the time duration value of the excess smoke signal. The excess smoke signal is applied to a delay means and the output of the delay means is applied to decrease the time duration value of the signal stored therein.
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Citations
4 Claims
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1. Apparatus for providing a warning indication whenever the accumulated time that a contaminant is present in a fluid stream exceeds a predetermined fraction of a predetermined length of time, comprising a contamination sensor for monitoring said fluid stream and providing a continuous contaminant condition signal whenever said contaminant is present, means responsive to said contaminant condition signal for providing a continuous delay signal corresponding to but offset in time from said contaminant signal by said predetermined length of time, a differential gear assembly responsive to said condition and delay signals, said differential gear assembly having a first gear, a second gear, an output gear in continuous meshing engagement with said first and second gears, first and second input shafts connected to said first and second gears, respectively, a first motor connected to said first shaft for driving said first shaft in rotation in one direction, and a second motor connected to said second shaft for driving said second shaft in rotation in the opposite direction, means responsive to said contaminant condition signal for continually energizing said first motor to continuously drive said first gear whenever said contaminant condition signal is present in a first direction to move said output gear in a direction indicating an increased time duration value, means responsive to said delay signal for continually energizing said second Motor to continuously drive said second gear whenever said delay signal is present to move said output gear in the direction opposite said increased time duration value indicating direction, and means responsive to the position of said output gear of said differential gear assembly for providing a warning indication whenever the position of said output gear relative to said first and second gears indicates that the contaminant as sensed by said sensor has been present in said fluid stream for an accumulated time greater than said predetermined fraction of said predetermined length of time.
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2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said delay signal providing means includes means for recording said condition signal, and means for reproducing said recorded signal said predetermined length of time after it was recorded.
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3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said delay signal providing means includes a magnetic storage member, means to move said magnetic storage member, a write head, a read head so positioned relative to said write head that the length of time needed for a point on said magnetic storage member to pass from said write head to said read head is equal to said predetermined length of time.
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4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said contamination sensor is an excess smoke detector.
Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeAllen-Bradley Company (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
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Original AssigneePhillip J. Cade
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InventorsCade, Phillip J.
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Primary Examiner(s)Caldwell, John W.
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Assistant Examiner(s)Myer, Daniel
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Application NumberUS05/232,722Time in Patent Office727 DaysField of Search340/237S,221 235/92EV,92PC,92TC,92CUS Class Current340/527CPC Class CodesG01N 33/0062 concerning the measuring me...
