Listening device for localizing underground water leakages

• US 4,309,576 A
• Filed: 07/16/1979
• Issued: 01/05/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Heath Consultants, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Heath Consultants, Inc.
• Inventors: Corrigan, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US06/058,002
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 179/1 ST, 179/138, 179/110 A, 179/184, 73/40.5 A, 73/592, 73/DIG. 4, 310/336, 310/340, 310/344, 310/369, 310/334, 367/180, 367/188, 181/125, 340/605
• US Class Current: 381/161
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/243 for pipes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 367/91 Portable sonar devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 73/04 Piezoelectric

Abstract

A listening device for pinpointing water leakages, which includes a manually operated rod having a handle at one end for manually positioning of the listening device. An acoustic pick-up apparatus is mounted on the other end of the rod, and it comprises a ceramic audio tone transducer which is operatively connected to an amplifier-receiver which has a level meter on which visual leak signals may be seen. The acoustic pick-up apparatus is also connected to a head phone set to allow hearing of the leaks. The transducer includes a brass diaphragm directly attached to a threaded stud for mounting in the rod.

Claims

1. A listening device for pinpointing undergound water leakage sounds, and which includes an elongated rod with a handle on one end for manual positioning of the listening device, and which includes an acoustic pick-up means, on the other end of the rod, which is connected to an amplifier-receiver that receives the leakage sounds from the pick-up means and visual leakage signals may be seen on a level meter on the amplifier-receiver, and the leakage sounds may be heard through head-phones connected to the amplifier-receiver, characterized in that:

(a) the acoustic pick-up means comprises a ceramic audio tone transducer;

(b) the ceramic audio tone transducer comprises a brass diaphragm which is bonded to a metallized piezo-ceramic wafer by a conductive bonding agent;

(c) the brass diaphragm and metallized piezo-ceramic wafers are each circular in plan view, with the brass diaphragm having a larger diameter;

(d) a threaded attachment stud is directly attached to the brass diaphragm for attaching the acoustic pick-up means to said other end of said elongated rod; and

,

(e) the assembly of the brass diaphragm and metallized piezo-ceramic wafer is potted in a waterproof elastomeric material.

2. A listening device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that:

the elastomeric waterproof material comprises a urethane rubber.

3. A listening device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that:

(a) a first output lead wire has one end connected to the brass diaphragm, and the other end to the amplifier-receiver;

(b) a second output lead wire has one end connected to the piezo-ceramic wafer and the other end to the amplifier-receiver; and

,

(c) said first and second output lead wires have a resistor connected therebetween in parallel with the brass diaphragm and piezo-ceramic wafer.