Tachometer assembly with integral internal wrench

• US 5,495,758 A
• Filed: 06/17/1993
• Issued: 03/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lake Shore Cryotronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lake Shore Cryotronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Griffen, Neil, Azyenberg, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US08/077,455
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 73/493, 73/490, 73/431, 73/866.5, 73/527, 73/537, 73/494, 74/826, 74/813 L, 74/840, 464/53, 464/112, 464/120
• US Class Current: 73/493
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/033 by clamping together two faces perpendicular to the axis of rotation, e.g. with bolted flanges
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/02 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/04 Special adaptations of driving means

Abstract

In a tachometer assembly for attachment to an output shaft of a rotary machine, wherein the tachometer assembly includes a tachometer housing enclosing a sensor drum fixed to a tachometer shaft, the shaft extending from the tachometer housing and adapted for attachment to the output shaft of the rotary machine for rotation therewith, and a sensor pad located peripherally adjacent the sensor drum, an improvement which includes an internal wrench mechanism for locking the tachometer shaft to the tachometer housing for common rotation therewith so as to facilitate threaded engagement between the tachometer shaft and the output shaft, as well as for unlocking the tachometer shaft from the tachometer housing for rotation relative to the tachometer housing to thereby permit the tachometer shaft to rotate with the output shaft after the tachometer housing is secured to the rotary machine housing.

Claims

1. In a tachometer assembly for attachment to an output shaft of a rotary machine having a machine housing, wherein the tachometer assembly includes a tachometer housing enclosing a sensor fixed to a tachometer shaft, the tachometer shaft extending from said tachometer housing and adapted for attachment to the output shaft of the rotary machine for rotation therewith, and a sensor pad located peripherally adjacent said sensor;

the improvement comprising;

internal wrench means including cooperative means mounted on said tachometer shaft and on said tachometer housing, respectively, for locking said tachometer shaft to said tachometer housing and thereby preventing relative rotation therebetween so as to facilitate engagement between said tachometer shaft and said output shaft, and for unlocking said tachometer shaft from said tachometer housing to thereby permit relative rotation therebetween and to permit said tachometer shaft to rotate with said output shaft after said tachometer housing is secured to the rotary machine.

2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein said tachometer housing includes a cylindrical cover portion and a cup-shaped main body portion, said main body portion having a radial flange at one end thereof and adapted for engagement with said cylindrical cover portion, and an end wall opposite said one end, and further wherein said internal wrench means includes a round opening having diametrically opposed slots extending therefrom.

3. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said internal wrench means further includes a drive pin extending in opposite directions from said tachometer shaft and substantially perpendicular to said tachometer shaft.

4. The improvement of claim 3 wherein each of said diametrically opposed slots is centered within a respective one of a pair of arcuate recesses, with a pair of locking nubs projecting from each one of said pair of arcuate recesses, said drive pin adapted to pass through said slots and to be rotated within said pair of arcuate recesses and past one of said pair of locking nubs in each of said pair of arcuate recesses to thereby cause said cup-shaped main body portion and said tachometer shaft to thereafter rotate together.

5. The improvement of claim 4 and further including means for permitting said tachometer shaft to move forwardly towards said end wall against a resilient opposing bias.

6. The improvement of claim 5 wherein said resilient opposing bias is provided by a resilient spring disc.

7. The improvement of claim 3 wherein said tachometer shaft includes a threaded, reduced diameter portion and an axially adjacent smooth enlarged diameter portion, and wherein said drive pin extends through said smooth enlarged diameter portion.

8. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said sensor pad is adjustable relative to said sensor via an aperture provided in said main body portion.

9. A tachometer assembly for attachment to a rotor of a rotary machine comprising:

a tachometer housing enclosing a sensor and a sensor pad, the sensor fixed to a tachometer shaft projecting from the tachometer housing, said tachometer shaft provided with a transverse drive pin engageable within a pair of recesses formed in said tachometer housing so as to temporarily rotationally and axially lock said tachometer shaft to said housing in an installation mode, said drive pin also disengageable from said pair of recesses so as to release said tachometer shaft for rotation relative to said tachometer housing in an operative mode.

10. The tachometer assembly of claim 9 wherein said tachometer assembly includes a main body portion having an end plate, said recesses formed within an exterior surface of said end plate and centered around a hole through which said tachometer shaft projects, and wherein a pair of diametrically opposed through slots open with said hole to permit axial passage of said drive pin through said end plate and into said recesses.

11. The tachometer assembly of claim 10 wherein a plurality of projecting nubs are provided in said recesses to facilitate locking of said tachometer shaft in said installation mode.

12. The tachometer assembly of claim 10 including means for resiliently biasing said tachometer shaft against said axial passage.

13. A tachometer assembly including a tachometer shaft projecting in an axial direction from a tachometer housing and adapted for attachment to an output shaft of a rotary machine, said assembly including means for permitting:

(1) sequential axial and rotational movements of said tachometer shaft in respective first axial and rotational directions relative to said tachometer housing to a first installation position where said tachometer shaft and said tachometer housing are axially and rotationally fixed, and wherein said tachometer shaft axially projects beyond said tachometer housing to a degree greater than when said tachometer shaft is in an operative position; and

(2) sequential rotational and axial movements of said tachometer housing relative to said tachometer shaft in respective second axial and rotational directions opposite to said first axial and rotational directions to said operative position wherein said tachometer shaft is freely rotatable and wherein said tachometer shaft axially projects beyond said tachometer housing to a degree less than when said tachometer shaft is in said installation position.

14. The assembly of claim 13 wherein said tachometer housing includes a cylindrical cover portion and a cup-shaped main body portion, said main body portion having a radial flange at one end thereof and adapted for engagement with said cylindrical cover portion, and an end wall opposite said one end and wherein said internal wrench means includes a round opening with diametrically opposed slots extending therefrom formed in said end wall.

15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein said internal wrench means further includes a drive pin extending in opposite directions from said tachometer shaft and in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said tachometer shaft.

16. The improvement of claim 15 wherein each of said diametrically opposed slots is centered within a respective one of a pair of arcuate, with a pair of locking nubs projecting from each one of said pair of arcuate recesses, said drive pin adapted to pass through said slots and to be rotated within said pair of arcuate recesses and past one of said pair of locking nubs in each of said pair of arcuate recesses to thereby cause said cup-shaped main body portion and said tachometer shaft to thereafter rotate together.