US2887928A

US2887928A - Binocular stroboscope

Info

Publication number: US2887928A
Application number: US537332A
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis J Misuraca
Original assignee: MORGAN L MISURACA
Current assignee: MORGAN L MISURACA
Priority date: 1955-09-29
Filing date: 1955-09-29
Publication date: 1959-05-26
Anticipated expiration: 1976-05-26

Description

- May 26, 1959 J. MISURACA BINOCULAR STROBOSCOPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 29, 1955 IN VEN TOR.

Tram/EM I May 26, 1959 L. J. MISURACA BINOCULAR STROBOSCOPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 29, 1955 Lou/s Max/e404,

INVENTOR.

W 4 M ng lrrapmsy United States Patent" 2,887,928 BINOCULAR srnonoscorn Louis Misuraca, Glendale, Calif, assignor of one-half to Morgan L. Misuraca, Gardena, Calif.

This invention relates to a stroboscope and, more particularly, to a compact, light-weight stroboscope which can be utilized without the provision of the usual light source commonly necessary in the use of conventional stroboscopes.

Most stroboscopic instruments available for use and purchase at the present time are relatively complex expensive instruments which necessitate the darkening of a room in which they are utilized and the provision of a built-in or auxiliary light source operated in conjunction with the stroboscope. Therefore, the use of stroboscopes by small machine shops, automobile mechanics, and the like, has been limited because of the cost and environmental factors inherent in the use of conventional stroboscopes.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a stroboscope which is of light-weight, compact construc tion and which can be utilized without thenecessity for darkening the area in which it is applied and which will function properly in ordinary room or outdoor light. Because of its adaptability in this regard, the stroboscope of my invention can be utilized in field applications of various types and it is particularly useful because of its relatively small size and light weight. I

An additional object of my invention is the vprovision of a stroboscope of the aforementioned character which includes a housing incorporating a binocular eyepiece, said housing having mounted; therein an elongated, cylindrical shutter which is rotatable by a motor secured to said housing. A headband or support is provided to which the housing is secured and thus the entire stroboscope assembly, with the exception of the means for individual utilizing said assembly, thus freeing the hands of the individual for adjusting a device being analyzed, for taking notes, or the like.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a energizing the same, can be mounted on the head of an 1 stroboscope of the aforementioned character wherein the his eyes during the observation of a device being analyzed.

The binocular construction of the stroboscope is advantageous because it permits natural, three-dimensional .observation of a mechanism with consequent improved analysis of the structure and operation thereof. This is in contrast to conventional monocular constructions wherein the light transmitted is reduced and there is a loss of definition and depth.

A further object of my. invention is the provision of a stroboscope of theaforementioned character wherein.

the aforesaid facilitate the viewing of a device being ob served. I j

An additional object of my invention is the provision,

in a stroboscope of the aforementioned character, of a revolution counter, said revolution counter being in- 2,887,928 Patented May 26, 1959 corporated in the housing of the stroboscope and being energizable by means of an extension on the rotatable shutter.

It is a general object of my invention to provide a light-weight, compact stroboscope which can be used under exacting field conditions and which can, nevertheless, be manufactured at a reasonable cost and sold for a moderate price.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawings which are for the purpose of illustration only and in which:

Fig. 1 is a partly sectional view of an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 isa perspective View of a modified form of the stroboscope shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view taken in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the stroboscope shown in section in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal, sectional view taken on the broken line 5 5 of Fig. 4; v

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary view taken on the broken line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing the rotatable shutter located in a different position from Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a vertical, sectional view taken on the broken line8-5-8 of Fig. 5; and

Fig; 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, but showing a differentposition of the extension on the rotatable shutter.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1-5 thereof, I show a stroboscope 10 constructed in accord;- ance with the teachings of my invention, said stroboscope including a substantially rectangular housing 12 which incorporates, as a portion thereof, a binocular eyepiece 14 adapted, as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, to be juxtaposed to the eyes of a user of the device to facilitate the utilization of the stroboscope 10 in viewing the operation of a mechanism, generally indicated at 16.

, The housing 12 may be formed from plastic, die-cast metal, or the like and is, as best shown in Figs. 1-2

"and 4-9 of the drawings, provided in the forward portion thereof with a shutter receiving chamber 18 whose forward wall 20 is configured to define a semi-cylindrical enclosure 22 having an elongated viewing aperture or slot 24 provided therein.

Located within the chamber 18 is an elongated, hollow, cylindrical shutter 26 which is fabricated, in the present embodiment of my invention, from an aluminum tube ;28. Formed in the tube 28 constituting the shutter 26 are diametrically opposed pairs of

viewing openings

30 and 32 whichare successively registerable with the viewing aperture 24 in the semi-cylindrical enclosure 22,to

permit an individual utilizing the stroboscope 10 to obtain an intermittent view of'the operation of the mecha- -nism 16.

The elongated tube 28 constituting the shutter 26 has trunnions 34 and 36 mounted in its opposite extremities the trunnion 34 being mounted for rotation in a ball bearing 40 located in a boss 42 on the forward wall 20 of the shutter receiving chamber 18. j l

The trunnion 36 is of greater diameter and length than the trunnion 34 and extends through an'opening 44 into an auxiliary counter chamber 46. A diametrical slot 48 is provided in the trunnion 36 and the portion of said trunnion incorporating said slot is' encompassed by a cylindrical enclosure 50 which is mounted in a web 52 dividing the auxiliary, counter chamber 46 into a light source compartment 54 and a photocell compartment 56. i

A pair of oppositely disposed openings 58 is formed in the wall of the cylindrical enclosure 50 and the opposite ends of the diametrical slot 48 in the trunnion 36 are registerable therewith. Disposed in the light source compartment 54 of the housing 12 is a light bulb 62 and there is located in the photocell compartment 56 a conventional photoelectric cell 64 which is connected in a conventional flip-flop electronic circuit, not shown.

A motor housing 70 is threadedly engaged upon the housing 12 adjacent the light source and

photoelectric cell compartments

54 and 56, respectively, and incorporates a motor 72, the armature 74 of which is operatively connected as at 76 to the end of the trunnion 36 of the shutter 26, thus causing rotation of the shutter 26 within its compartment 18. Instead of direct securement of the motor 72 to the shutter 26, it is possible to interpose a flexible shaft therebetween to establish the operative connection thereof. To prevent possible injury to the eyes of a user of the stroboscope 10 by the breaking or shattering of the shutter 26, there is provided in the housing 12 a protective viewing glass 78 which isolates the shutter chamber or compartment 18 from physical, but not visual, relationship with the eyes of the user of the stroboscope 10.

A cord 80 is connected to the electric motor 72 through a plug 81 and there is interposed in said wire a rheostat 84, as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, for controlling the speed of rotation of the shutter 26 and thus synchronizing the speed of rotation of saidmotor with the movement of the mechanism 16.

If desired, the rheostat 84 can be incorporated in the motor housing 70, as best shown in Figs. 23 and 5 of the drawings. Since the stroboscope is designed for field and other uses, there is usually provided in conjunction therewith a battery, not shown, for providing electrical energy through the cord 80 to the motor 72. Thus the cord 80 will incorporate at least four conductors, two for the motor circuit and two for the photocell circuit. In addition, a fifth conductor might be included to ground the stroboscope, if desired.

In order to facilitate the temporary use of the stroboscope 10, there is provided a demountable handle 86 upon the motor housing 70 whereby the user of the stroboscope 10 can hold the eyepiece 14 adjacent his eyes in viewing the operation of the mechanism 16. However, when the need for continued use of the stroboscope 10 arises, or when it is necessary for the user of the stroboscope to adjust the mechanism being observed with both hands, a headband 90 can be utilized for mounting the stroboscope 10 in juxtaposition to the eyes of the user of the same. The headband 90 is provided with mounting arms 92 which engage in loops 94 formed on the sides of the housing 12. Both the headband 90 and the arms 92 are adjustable to facilitate the movement of the eyepiece 14 and the headband 94 when used by particular individuals.

When the headband is in use, the handle 86 can be demounted from the motor housing 70 and the headband 90 will maintain the stroboscope 10 in operative relationship with the eyes of the user thereof.

In utilizing the stroboscope 10, it is merely necessary to juxtapose the eyepiece 14 thereof to the eyes of the viewer of the mechanism 16. Energization of the electric motor 72 by the rheostat 84 is readily accomplished and as the speed of rotation of the shutter 26 increases, it will ultimately reach a point wherein it is in synchro nism with the movement of the mechanism 16 being observed. The rheostat 84 permits minute adjustment of the current fed through the lead 80 to the motor 72 and, thus, the speed of rotation of the shutter 26 can be adjusted to permit continuous obsrevation of the mechanism '16 and to permit the viewing of the parts thereof as if they were stationary through the

opposed viewing openings

30 and 32 in the shutter 26 and the juxtaposed viewing aperture 24 in the forward wall 20 of the shutter receiving chamber 18.

Since it is frequently desired to determine with suitable accuracy the speed of rotation of a mechanism being observed, and since the speed of rotation is in direct ratio with the speed of rotation of the shutter 26, a rotation counter energizing means 96 constituted by the light source 62, the trunnion 36 and its associated photocell 64 is provided. Of course, the flip-flop circuit in which the photocell 64 is incorporated also constitutes an essential part of the rotation counter since, when the trunnion 36 rotates within its cylindrical enclosure 50, the opposite ends of the slot 48 will register with the oppositely disposed openings 58 in the wall of the cylindrical enclosure 50 to permit the light from the light bulb 62 to reach the photocell 64 at each half revolution of the trunnion 36 and thus the shutter 26. Therefore, the flip-flop circuit in which the photoelectric cell 64 is incorporated will be energized for each complete revolution of the shutter 26 to energize a counting mechanism, not shown, and to indicate the speed of rotation of the shutter 26.

I thus provide by my invention a stroboscope which is characterized by its simplicity of construction, ease of utilization, and relatively low cost of manufacture and selling price. The stroboscope is particularly adapted for field use because of the fact that there is no necessity for providing auxiliary, intermittent light sources, nor is there any necessity for incorporating in the stroboscope itself a light source to illuminate the mechanism being observed.

The incorporation in the stroboscope of my invention of a light-weight, cylindrical shutter permits the overall size of the housing incorporating the same to be reduced and facilitates the mounting of said shutter in bearings which permit it to be rotated at relatively high speeds by a relatively low powered motor.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a stroboscope, the combination of: a housing having an eyepiece thereupon and incorporating an elongated shutter chamber having a viewing aperture in a wall thereof, said housing having an auxiliary counting chamber and a motor chamber in axial alignment with said shutter chamber at one end thereof; a motor mounted in said motor chamber; an elongated, hollow, cylindrical shutter in said shutter chamber connected to said motor and having a plurality of opposed viewing openings successively registerable with said aperture, said shutter having a spindle extending into said counting chamber, said spindle having a light passing opening therein; a light source in said auxiliary chamber; a lightenergizable counter actuating means mounted in said auxiliary counting chamber for determining the speed of rotation of said shutter, said light-energizable counter being energized by the passage of light through said opening in said spindle; and speed regulating means connected to said motor for regulating the speed of rotation of said motor.

2. In a stroboscope, the combination of: a housing having an eyepiece thereupon and incorporating an elongated shutter chamber having a viewing aperture in a wall thereof, said housing having an auxiliary counting chamber and a motor chamber in axial alignment with said shutter chamber at one end thereof; a binocular shutter having opposed viewing openings successively registerable with said aperture, said shutter having an extension projecting into said auxiliary chamber and provided with a diametrical light passing opening therein; a motor in said motor chamber operatively connected to said shutter; a light source in said auxiliary chamber; light-energizable counter actuating means mounted in said auxiliary chamber in juxtaposition to said light passing opening in said extension-whereby light passing through said, opening will activate said light-energizable counter mamas actuating means for indicating the speed of rotation of said shutter; andspeed regulating means connected to said motor for regulating the speed of rotation of said motor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS