US2125365A

US2125365A - Anemometer

Info

Publication number: US2125365A
Application number: US118050A
Authority: US
Inventors: Waller Fred
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-12-29
Filing date: 1936-12-29
Publication date: 1938-08-02
Anticipated expiration: 1955-08-02

Description

Aug- 2 1938- A F; WALLER 2,125,365

ANEMOMETER Filed lD-ec. 2.9, '1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 l *n l p 23 'lila www INVENTOR l b ,22 y @Zd g .if 20 B Aug. 2, 1938. F, WALLER 2,125,365

' ANEMOMETER Filed Dec.`29, 193,6 4 sheets-sheet s IN V EN TOR.

A TTQRNEYS.

Aug. 2, 41938. F. WALLER 2,125,365

' ANEMOMETER Fild Dec. 29, 1956 4 sheets-sneet-4 IN V EN TOR.

ex/@ZZA I Y T Patented Aug.l 2, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE 16 Claims.

. This invention relates to anemometers.

eIt is an object of the invention to provide a device comprising twoconnected units, an exterior unit adapted tov'be placed in an exposed position and havingva movable member responsive to changes in wind direction and velocity, and an interior unit adapted to be placed indoors and having a movable member controlled by the movable member of the exterior unit. Said interior unit is preferably provided with a calibrated scale such that direct readings of wind velocity and direction may be had.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view througlrthe exterior unit.

20l Figure 2 ls a vertical sectional view through a; Figure '1 is a perspective vview of'the interior mechanism of the exterior unit.

Figure 8 is a Wiring diagram. Figure 9 is a top plan vievv scale of the interior unit.

Figure 10 is a vertical section through the interior unit of a second modication. Figure 1l is a top plan view of the same with the cover removed. n

Referring to the drawings, the exterior unit of the device illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 comprises a substantially henusphericalshell lA Within which is rigidly mounted a spider 2 whichycarries three expansible units such as the sylphon.A bellows 3. These bellows are equally spaced around the circumference of the hemispherical shell i as illustratedin Figure 3. Supportedat the ,center of 4the spider 2 is a stud l having a spherical head 5 which supports the spherical socket l of the arm v1, thus forming a ball and socket joint. The arm 1 in turn is connected to a secondJ substantially hemispherical shell 8 of a diameter sumcient to fit over the shell Las illustrated in Figure .1. The stud 4 is so adjusted on the spider 2 that the center of the head 5I' 5 is at the center of the spherical shellsl and 8,

of the calibrated (Gl. 'i3-55) so that'the shell 8 and the arm 'ly may be moved in any direction on the head 5 as a center. A second spider 9 is connected to the arm 1, and each of the arms of the spider! is connected to the upper free end of one of the sylphon bellows 3 by means of a flexible link Il.

Mounted at the top of the hemispherical shell 8 isa light hollow cylinder I2 which is exposed to the wind, and which when acted upon by the wind can tilt theshell 8, the arm 1 and the spider 9 in anydirection. 4When tilted, of course, one or more of the sylphon bellows 3 will be expanded and one or more will be contracted, depending upon the directionof the wind acting against the cylinder i2, and the extent to which the sylphon bellows are expanded or contracted will be dependent upon the force of the wind as hereinafter explained. A

The lower part of the hemispherical shell I carries a bushing i4 and a cap l5 providing a. socket for the ball i6 which is integrally connectedto the tting i1. The said fitting may be secured to a roof or any other suitable exposed position, and the ball and socket joint permits the unit to be adjusted so that the cylinder i2 normally stands vertically.

The bushing I4 .isprovided with the passage i8, and the ball i6 and fitting I1 are provided with a passage i9 which serve as conduits for the capillary tubes 20, three in number, one of said tubes being connected to the interior of each of the sylphon bellows 3.

The interior unit illustrated in Figure 2 comprises a housing 22 having tl'iree brackets 22 mounted therein, each bracket supporting an expansible unit such ras the sylphon bellows 2l similar 4to the sylphon bellows 3. Each oi' the .bellows 24 is connected by a flexible link 25 to a spider 26 carrying ,a lamp socket 21 having a lens 28 adapted to project a beam of light against a hemispherical shell 29 formed of translucent material such as ground glass or celluloid. The spider 26 carries a depending weight 30 which serves to normally maintain the spider 26 in horizontal position so that the beam of light is normally projected vertically. The interior of each of the bellows 24 is connected to one 4of the capillary tubes 20.

The shell 29 is provided with a calibrated scale such that both force and direction o! the wind can be read directly therefrom. lThus. as illustrated in Figure 9, a plurality of concentric circles 3l are provided, and each circle has asso-4 ciated therewith a numeral 32 indicating the force of the wind. In addition, compass markings 33 are provided which indicate the direction of the wind. Thus, if the beam of light showed at the point 34 of Figure 9, the observer would immediately know that the wind was blowing at the ratefof thirty-live miles per hour from the direction eas'tfnortheast.

The operation of the device will be apparent from the foregoing description. The sylphon bellows 3 and 24 and the capillary tubes 20 are filled, of course, with a suitable fluid, such as glycerine or oil, and any movement of the sylphon bellows 3 under the influence of wind acting on the cylinder |2is`imm'ediately transmitted to the corresponding sylphon Vbellows 24. As a result the spider 26 is tilted' correspondingly to the tilting of the spider 9, and the motion of the beam of light which is projected on the shell' 29 follows the motion of the cylinder l2.

In the modied form of the device illustrated in Figures 4 to 8 inc1usive electrical instead of hydraulic. means are used to transmit motion from the exterior to the interior units. In the embodiment illustrated, the base member 48 of the exterior unit supports the lower hemispherical shell 4 l', and is provided with a pair of standards 42 on which is pivotally mounted a/gimbal ring .43. shaft 44 whose axis is perpendicular to the axis of the shaft 45 which supports-the ring. The shaft 44 carries-an arm 46 'which is secured to the hemispherical shell '41 which fits over the shell 4l as in the previously described embodiment. The shell 41 also carries a cylindrical member 49 which serves the same functions as thev cylinder l2. AThe uarm 46 is provided with a depending portion 49 which may carrya weight.

similar to the Weight 38 or which may be connected to a spring 50 whichserves to maintain the cylinder'48 in normally vertical position.

Mounted on the ring 43 is an apron 5| of suitable insulating material, carrying a variable resistance element 52 cooperating with the contact member 53 mounted on the shaft44. A similar variable resistance element 54 is mounted on the apron 55 of suitable insulating material, carried by the bracket 42 and cooperates with the contact member 56 secured to the shaft 45; It will be understood that the

contact members

53 and 56 are suitably insulated from the respective shafts on which they are mounted.

The interior unit comprises a housing 66 within which is mounted a bracket v6| carrying a pair of

gimbal rings

62 and 63, the ring 62 being pivoted on the bracket 6| by means of shaft 64, and the ring 63 being pivoted on the ring 62 by means of shaft 65. A solenoid 66 is mounted on the bracket 6l and cooperates with an armature 61 mounted on shaft 64 and a solenoid 68 is mounted on ring 62 and cooperates with an armature 69 mounted on shaft 65.

As in the previous embodiment, a beam of light is projected against a translucent shell 116, and it is possible to securethe lamp socket directly to the inner gimbal ring 63, but in the interest of accuracy, it is preferred to mount the lamp socket 1| on the housing 60 and to direct the beam therefrom against a mirror'12, mounted in the gimbal ring 63, the arrangement being such that the beam of light is focus'ed on the shell 1 0. .It will be understood that as the Inrror 12 is tilted,

Y the beam of light will move on the shell 10.

The wiring diagram for this embodiment is illustrated in Figure 8,

wires

15 and 16 being connected to a suitable source of current, and being connected directly to the lamp 11. A wire Pivotally mounted on the ring 43 is av almacenaA nected to the

solenoids

66 and 68 through

Wires

19 and 88 respectively. Return wire 8| connects the variable'resistors to the wire. 16. The

wires

18, 19, 86 and 8l may be cabled together to connect the exterior unit to the interior unit as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.

As will be understood, the arm 46 is moved under the influence of wind acting on the cylinder 48, and the

contacts

53 and 56 moving along the

resistors

52 and 54 will vary the voltage of the current flowing through the

solenoids

66 and 68 and will thereby cause movement of their respective armatures. This results in movement of the gimbal rings 62 and 63 and movement of the beam reflected from the mirror .12 in a manner corresponding to the movement of the cylinder 48 and will thereby provide an indication of the -trated in Figures l0 and 11 is intended to be used in connection with the exterior unit illustrated inFigure 4. It differs from the interior unit illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 in that two independently operated mirrors 85 and 86 are used in place of a single mirror.` In this form of the device, the mirror 85- is mounted on a horizontal shaft B1 supported on the bracket 88 and the mirror 86 is mounted on a shaft 89 lying ln a. vertical plane, but tilted in vorder to reflect the beam from the lamp 98 against the mirror 85 which in turn reects the beam against the translucent shell 9i. The mirror 85 is con-- 'trolled vby the solenoid 92 cooperating with the armature 93'and the mirror 86 is actuated by the electrical circuit in the same manner as the

solenoids

66 and 68 in Figure 8.

As a further modification, the variable resistors mounted for universal movement and adapted to be tilted in any direction by wind acting thereon, a second member remote from said'rst member and independently mounted for universal movement, and means controlled by said first named member to cause said second named member to move responsively to movements of said rst named member. v

2.' An anemometer comprising 'a member mounted for universal movement and adapted to be tilted in any direction by wind acting thereon, a second member remote from said first member and independently mounted for universal movement, means controlled by` said first named member to cause said second named member to move ,responsively to movements of said first named y member, and means including a scale whereby the v may bereplaced by variable transformers if dev said rst member and independently mounted for universal movement, and means controlled by said first named member Ato cause said second named member to move responsively to movements of said first named member.

4. AnA anemometer comprising a member mounted for universal movement and adapted to be moved in any direction by wind acting thereon, yielding means tending to restore said member to normal position, the direction of said movement being controlled by the direction of the Wind, and the amplitude of said movement being controlled by the force of the wind, and means remote from said' member and independently mounted for universal movement and controlled by said member' ber for causingsaid beam to move responsively to' movements of said member.

6. An anemometer comprising a member mounted for universal movement and adapted to be moved in any direction by Wind acting thereon, yielding means tending to restore said member to normal position, the direction of said movement being controlled by the direction of the wind, and the amplitude of said movement being controlled by the force of the wind, a translucent shell,

` means for projecting aibeam of light'thereon, and

means 'controlled by said member for causing said beam lto move responsively to movements of said member.

j 7. An anemometer comprising a member mounted for universal movement and adapted to be moved in any direction by wind acting thereon, means for producing avbeam of light, means mounted independently -for universal movement for supporting said light beam producing-means, and means controlled byA said member for causing said beamy of light to move responsively to movements of said member. i

8. An 1 anemometer l comprising aA member mounted for universal movement and adapted to be moved in any direction by wind acting thereon, means whereby the extent of such motion in any direction is in relation to the force of the wind,

means for producing a beam of light, and means controlled by vsaid member for causing said beam of light to move responsively to movements o! said member.

9. An anemometer comprising a member mounted for universal movement and adapted to be moved in any direction by wind acting thereon, -A

yielding means tending to restore said member to normal position, means for producing a beam of Y light, and means controlled by said member for causing said beam of light to move responsively to movements of said member.

10. An anemometer comprising a member mounted for universal movement and adapted to be moved in any' direction by wind acting thereon,

a plurality of expansible units connected tosaid member and adapted to be expanded or contracted by movement thereof, a second series of expansible units remote from the nrstbut operatively connected thereto, and rmeans operated by said second series of expansible units to move responsively to movements of said member.

11. An anemometer comprising a member mounted for universal movement and adapted to be moved in any direction by wind acting thereon, a plurality of expansible units connected to said member and adapted to be expanded or contracted by movement thereof, a second series of expansible units remote from the rst but operatively connected thereto, means operated by said second series of expansible units to move responsively to movements of said member, and yielding 'means tending to maintain said member in normal upright position and exerting increasing force as said member is moved away from normal position.

12. An anemometer comprising a member mounted for universal movement, a pair of variable resistors connected thereto, said resistors being mounted on perpendicularly disposed axes and being operated by movement of said member to vary the effective resistance thereof, a pair oi solenoids having armatures mounted on perpendicularly disposed axes, said solenoids being in circuit with said resistors and controlled'thereby, and' means operated by lsaid solenoids to move responsively to movements of said member.

13. An anemometer comprising a member mounted for universal movement, a pair of variable resistors connected thereto, said resistors being mounted on perpendicularly disposed axes and being operated by movement of said member to vary the effective resistance thereof, a pair of solenoids having armatures mounted on perpendicularly disposed` axes, said solenoids being in circuit with said resistors andcontrolled thereby,

means operated by said solenoids to move responsively to movements of said member, and yielding means tending to maintain said member in normal upright position and exerting increasing force as said member is moved away from normal position. i

14. An anemometer comprising a member mounted for universal movement, means for producing a beam of light, a pair of solenoids, means operated by said solenoids for varying the direction'of said beam of light, and means controlled by said 'member for 'varying the current flowing through said solenoids.

,a second member remote from said rst member and independently mounted for universal movement, and iiuid pressure means controlled by said irst named member and operating said second named member to 'cause said second named member to move responsively to movements of said first named member.

16. An anemometer comprising a member mounted for universal movement and adapted to be tilted in any direction by wind acting thereon, a second member remote from said rst member and independently mounted for universal movement, and electrical means controlled by said iirst named member and operating said second named member to cause said second named member to move responsively to movements ot said nrst named member.

FRED WALLER.