Continuity tester

• US 4,992,739 A
• Filed: 07/13/1989
• Issued: 02/12/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James J. Kosch
• Original Assignee: James J. Kosch
• Inventors: Kosch, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mueller, Robert W.
• Application Number:
  US07/379,068
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 324/539, 324/540, 324/66, 324/542, 340/652, 379/10, 379/25, 379/26
• US Class Current: 324/540
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/52 Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/54 Testing for continuity

Abstract

A continuity tester comprising a transmitter operatively connected to the ends of a plurality of wires which are extended through an electrical conduit. The other ends of the wires are connected to a receiver unit. The transmitter sequentially supplies power to the individual wires connected thereto with diodes being sequentially illuminated at the receiver to establish the identification and continuity of the individual wires.

Claims

1. A continuity tester comprising,

a continuity transmitter adapted to have the ends of a plurality of wires electrically connected thereto,

means associated with said transmitter for sequentially transmitting electrical current along the length of the wires,

a continuity receiver adapted to have the other ends of the wires electrically connected thereto,

and a plurality of visual signalling devices on said receiver which are individually actuated when current is transmitted along the length of the associated wire so that the continuity and identification of the individual wires may be ascertained.

said transmitter comprising an automatic step-down scanning device,

said step-down scanning device sequentially transmitting current along the individual wires as the continuity of the individual wires is ascertained at said receiver and electrically disconnected therefrom.

2. The method of ascertaining the continuity of the individual wires of a plurality of wires extended through a conduit from one location to a second location, comprising the steps of:

assigning an identifying designation to each of the wires at said one location,

sequentially connecting one end of each of the wires at said one location to an apparatus for sequentially transmitting a small amount of current through each of the wires,

connecting the other ends of the wires at said second location to an apparatus which visually indicates which of the wires has current therein,

applying current to one of the said wires at said one location according to the assigned identifying designation,

visually determining which of the wires has current passing therethrough,

assigning an identifying designating to the other end of the wires having current flowing therethrough corresponding to the designation assigned thereto at the transmitter,

electrically disconnecting the tested wire from the circuit, and automatically accessing the next wire for test after the wire under test has been electrically disconnected from the current.