Clamp tightness tool for stator cores

• US 4,887,474 A
• Filed: 02/06/1989
• Issued: 12/19/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation (Paramount Global (f/k/a ViacomCBS Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation (Paramount Global (f/k/a ViacomCBS Inc.))
• Inventors: Sargeant, John B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Raevis, Robert R.
• Application Number:
  US07/306,187
• Time in Patent Office: 316 Days
• Field of Search: 73/760, 73/818, 73/826, 73/831, 73/832, 73/865.3, 73/865.9
• US Class Current: 73/865.9
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 3/20 by applying steady bending forces G01N3/26, G01N3/28 take precedence

Abstract

A clamp tightness gauge determines the tightness of compressed sections having passages extending between the adjacent sections. The gauge has a frame to which a pair of spaced apart fingers are attached. The fingers have insertable opposed ends adapted to be inserted in a passage extending between adjacent sections. At least one (and preferably both) of the insertable ends is resilient. A wedge member is attached to an arm pivotably attached to the frame and has a tapered end slideably engaged with the insertable ends of the fingers for urging the fingers against the adjacent sections. The pivotable arm is in operative engagement with an externally threaded member moveably mounted on the frame. An indicator is connected to the wedge member for determining the displacement of its tapered end. Another indicator is connected to the pivotable arm for determining the forces exerted on the tapered end of the wedge member by the adjacent sections. Advancing the threaded member against the resilient arm of the pivotable arm causes the tapered end of the member to penetrate into the spaced between the insertable ends of the fingers and the tapered end of the wedge member to urge the fingers against the sections.

Claims

1. A clamp tightness gauge for determining the clamping tightness of compressed sections having passages between adjacent section, the gauge having:

a frame;

a pair of spaced apart fingers having opposed insertable ends adapted to be inserted into a passage between compressed adjacent sections, at least one insertable and being resilient;

an arm pivotably attached to the frame;

a loading means moveably mounted on the frame in operative engagement with the pivotably attached arm for pivoting the arm;

a wedge member operatively attached to the pivotably attached arm and having a tapered end, the tapered end slideably engaged with the opposed insertable ends of the fingers for urging the opposed insertable ends of the fingers against the sections when the loading means operatively engages the pivotably attached arm;

means connected to the wedge member for determining the slideable displacement of the tapered end of the wedge member; and

means connected to the pivotably attached arm for determining the force exerted on the tapered end of the wedge member through the insertable ends of the fingers by the sections.

2. The clamp tightness gauge of claim 1, wherein both of the insertable ends of the fingers are resilient.

3. The clamp tightness gauge of claim 1, wherein each of the insertable ends of the fingers has a coating with a low coefficient of friction against which the wedge member slides.

4. The clamp tightness gauge of claim 1, wherein the insertable opposed ends of the spaced apart fingers have tines adapted to be inserted into the passage.

5. The clamp tightness gauge of claim 4, wherein the tapered end of the wedge member has tines disposed between finger tines and the ends of the wedge tines are tapered.

6. The clamp tightness gauge of claim 1, wherein the slideable wedge member is guided along four of its sides.

7. The clamp tightness tool of claim 1, wherein the arm pivotably attached to the frame has an end operatively engaged with the loading means and the wedge member is attached to the pivotably attached arm between the pivotably attachment and the end in operative engagement with the loading means.

8. The clamp tightness gauge of claim 7, wherein the pivotable arm has a forked end with a resilient prong, the resilient prong being operatively engaged with the loading means.

9. The clamp tightness gauge of claim 8, wherein the forked end of the pivotably attached arm has a rigid prong and the means for determining the force exerted on the tapered end of the wedge member is mounted on the rigid prong with a sensing element adjacent the resilient prong.

10. The clamp tightness gauge of claim 8, wherein the loading means moves the pivotably attached arm parallel to the direction in which the wedge member slides.

11. A clamp tightness gauge for determining the clamping tightness of compressed sections having passages between adjacent sections, the gauge having;

a frame;

a pair of spaced apart fingers attached to the frame, the fingers having opposed resilient tined ends adapted to be inserted into a passage between compressed adjacent sections;

an arm pivotably attached to the frame and having a forked end with a resilient prong and a rigid prong;

a loading means moveably mounted on the frame in operative engagement with the resilient prong of the forked end of the pivotably attached arm for pivoting the arm;

a wedge member operatively attached to the pivotably attached arm and having a tapered tined end slideably engaged with the opposed resilient tined ends of the fingers for urging the ends of the fingers against the adjacent sections when the loading means operatively engages the resilient prong of the forked end of the pivotably attached arm;

means connected to the wedge member for determining the slideable displacement of the tapered end of the wedge member; and

means having a sensing element, the means connected to the rigid prong of the forked end of the pivotably attached arm with its sensing element adjacent the resilient prong of the forked end of the pivotably attached arm, for determining the force exerted on the tapered tined end of the wedge member through the tined ends of the fingers by the adjacent sections.