Cable tensiometer for aircraft
First Claim
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1. A cable tension measuring device, comprising:
- a beam structure comprising first, second, and third extensions, the second extension located between and equidistant from the first and third extensions;
two pulleys, each rotatably attached to the first and third extensions, having an inner surface to accept a cable;
two openings on the first and third extensions, located below the pulleys to allow insertion of the cable on a bottom side of the inner surface and rotation of the pulleys;
a slot, located at a top of the second extension, comprising a width sufficient to accept the cable;
a guard, fastened to the top of the second extension, over the slot, to hold the cable in place within the slot;
an angle formed between the cable and a line parallel to the beam structure, extending between the bottom sides of the pulleys, when the cable is inserted on the inner surface on the bottom side of the pulleys and in the slot; and
,at least two gages located on the beam structure capable of determining beam structure bending between the first and second extensions and between the second and third extensions.
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Abstract
The invention is a cable tensiometer that can be used on aircraft for real-time, in-flight cable tension measurements. The invention can be used on any aircraft cables with high precision. The invention is extremely light-weight, hangs on the cable being tested and uses a dual bending beam design with a high mill-volt output to determine tension.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A cable tension measuring device, comprising:
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a beam structure comprising first, second, and third extensions, the second extension located between and equidistant from the first and third extensions; two pulleys, each rotatably attached to the first and third extensions, having an inner surface to accept a cable; two openings on the first and third extensions, located below the pulleys to allow insertion of the cable on a bottom side of the inner surface and rotation of the pulleys; a slot, located at a top of the second extension, comprising a width sufficient to accept the cable; a guard, fastened to the top of the second extension, over the slot, to hold the cable in place within the slot; an angle formed between the cable and a line parallel to the beam structure, extending between the bottom sides of the pulleys, when the cable is inserted on the inner surface on the bottom side of the pulleys and in the slot; and
,at least two gages located on the beam structure capable of determining beam structure bending between the first and second extensions and between the second and third extensions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for determining the tension on a fixed cable, comprising the steps of:
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providing a device comprising a beam structure comprising first, second, and third extensions, the second extension located between and equidistant from the first and third extensions, two pulleys, each rotatably attached to the first and third extensions, having an inner surface to accept a cable, two openings on the first and third extensions, located below the pulleys to allow insertion of the cable on a bottom side of the inner surface and rotation of the pulleys, a slot, located at a top of the second extension, comprising a width sufficient to accept the cable, an angle formed between the cable and a line parallel to the beam structure when the cable is inserted on the inner surface on the bottom side of the pulleys and in the second extension slot, and, at least two gages located on the beam structure capable of determining beam structure bending between the first and second extensions and between the second and third extensions; inserting the cable on the inner surface and bottom of the pulleys and into the second extension slot; fastening a guard over the slot to hold the cable in place; and
,monitoring the gauges to determine bending of the beam structure.
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Specification