GB827212A - Improvements in or relating to means for measuring torque - Google Patents

Abstract

827,212. Indicating maximum torque. PETCH, H. S., and LONDON ELECTRICITY BOARD. Feb. 3, 1958 [Nov. 1, 1956], No. 33441/56. Class 106 (4). Means for providing a measure of the maximum torque to which an element is subjected during an interval of time comprises a rotatable member operatively connected to the element, to be rotated by the latter in one direction under the influence of the torque, spring means arranged to oppose rotation of the member in said one direction whereby the latter is capable of assuming an angular balanced position representing the magnitude of the torque, means for preventing the member rotating in the opposite direction, and delay means operative to oppose rotation in said one direction, the effect of the delay means on the member being arranged to decay as a function of a predetermined period of time. The element 1 tends to rotate in one direction under the influence of the power being taken by a consumer installation from an electric supply system. Rotation of the element 1 is transmitted to a pointer 28 co-operating with a scale 29 by means of a pinion 3, crown wheel 4, shaft 5, gear 8, gear 16, sleeve 17 rotatable round a sheft 18, bevel gear 18a, bevel gear 20 (engaging a bevel gear 19), shaft 22 (secured to the shaft 18), and the shaft 18. The bevel gear 19 is held against rotation by a clip 26, spindle 25, bevel gear 24, bevel gear 23, and sleeve 21 in which the shaft 18 is rotatable, so that rotation of bevel gear 18a causes the bevel gear 20 in rotating to move the shaft 22 (on which the gear 20 is rotatable) so as to rotate the shaft 18. A spring 27 opposes rotation of the shaft 18. The delay means is a liquid damping means comprising plates 12, 14 immersed in a silicone fluid, the plate 14 being adjustable towards and away from the plate 12, a spindle 13, and a bevel gear 10 driven by a bevel gear 9 on the shaft 5. The effect of the delay means decays exponentially as a function of a predetermined time interval of, for example, thirty minutes. The final reading of the pointer 28 after, for example, a month, thus indicates the maximum torque of the element 1, persisting over at least the time interval for which the delay means is set, during the period between readings. To reset the instrument, the clip 26 is released and the sleeve 25 manually rotated to set the pointer to zero.