USRE17244E - Meteb strttctxtbe - Google Patents

Description

Reissued Mar. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL MACGAHAN, ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC do MANUFACTURING COMPAIFY, .A. CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

METER STRUCTURE.

Original 350. 1,610,565, dated December 14, 1926, Serial No. 641,071, filed May 24, 1923. Application for reissue filed August 23, 1928. Serial No. 301,668.

My invention relates to electrical'measur- 'ing instruments and particularly to damping and supporting means for the operating mechanisms thereof.

One object of my invention is to provide an electrical measuring instrument that. shall comprise a combined insulating supporting base and air damping structure.

Another object of my invention is to prevent eddy current effects in the supporting structure of electrical instruments.

A. further object of my invention is to provide an electrical measuring instrument that shall be simple and durable in construction,

economical to manufacture and eifective in its operation.

I-leretofore,'in a certain type of electrical measuring instrument, it has been usual to provide a metal. base member for the support of the operating mechanismand to provide an air-damping chamber adjacent to or in the base member. in which a damping vane attached to the instrument shaft was adapted to o, crate. This construction required the use ,3 ofaninsulating bridge across, the top of the supporting structure for supporting the upper bearing of the shaft to prevent undue eddy current efiects in the supporting structure, 1 In practicingmy invention, I provide a preferably single, integral, molded, insulatingmember which constitutes a combination supporting base and air-damping chamber. This construction effectually prevents eddy current effects in the remaining metal sup porting members and permits the employmeut of a metal bridge, to thereby strengthen the upper supporting structure and to improve the structure as a whole.

Figure l, of the accompanying drawing, is a plan view of the combination insulating base and air-chamber member,- with the damping vanes and a portion of a lid or cover member therefor in position,

, Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the de vice shown in Fig. 1, with the meter mechanism and its upper supporting structure thereon, and

3 is a view so HIP-HI of Fig, 'l.

An instrument embodying my invention Mmprises, in general, a combinationinsulat supporting base and air-chamber memtaken along the line her 1, a pair of metal side brackets 2 supported on the base 1, a metal bridge member 3 extending between theupper portions ofthe brackets 2, a shaft 4, an upper bearing 6, supported b the bridge 3, for the shaft 4, a lower bearing in the base member 1, for the shaft i, an armature disk 9, a pointer 10, vanes 12 secured to the shaft 4, and an actuating coil 14. supported by the brackets 2.

The base member 1, constituting the primary portion of my invention, is preferably constructed of a single, integral, molded block or member of fibrous insulating mate-' rial impregnated with a binder and subjected to heat and pressure to render it very hard and durable. This material is well known in the art. The member 1 is also preferably constructed to be ofsubstant-ially cylindrical SlIELllOW-bOX like shape, that is, the major portions 15 thereofare ofsuch shape, but is also provided with diametrically opposite portions 15 that aresolid and relatively heavy. The portions 16 extend both outwardly" and inwardly from the perimeter of the cylindrical portions 15, theinwardly projecting portions being preferably' conical in shape to provide oppositely-disposed, communicating chambers 18 ofsubstantially sector shape for the reception'ofthe vanes 12. The outwardly projecting portionsof. the/portions 16 are provided with molded seat portions or recesses 19 adapted to fit the lower ends of the brackets 2 which are held in position by screws 20. A relatively thin sheet lid or cover member 22 of substantially doublesector shape, but larger in area than the horiaontal area of the chambers 18, is secured in position by screws 23 that extend into open ings 24 in the base member.

Seat portions 25, formed on the base member 1 adjacent to the recesses 19 are provided with openings 26 for the reception of screws (not shown) bywhich the base member 1 may be mounted in an instrument casing or on any other suitable member.

.In operation, when the armature 9 is at tracted by the coil 14, the shaft 4 turns, to thereby turn the vanes 12 in the chambers 18, in a usual and well known manner. This action clamps the action of the movable meter 1 r and a structure includi provides a very rigid base for the meter mechanism and also permits the use of the metal bridge member 3. Heretofore, with a metal base, the bridge member 3 has been constructed of insulating material to prevent the circulation of eddy-currents between the brackets 2.

By m invention, such eddy currents are efiectiv y prevented and, by permitting the use of the metal bridge member 3, the

strength and durabilty of the mechanism are of an insulatingmbase member constituting a damping cham rvenclosure for said vane, and a structure including a pair of metal bracket portions mounted on the base member extending substantially normal to a face of the base member and a bridge portion, constituting a support for said shaft, extending between said racket portions.

2. The combination with a meter mechanism, a meter shaft and a damping-vane device therefor, of a structure constituting a.

combined insulating supporting base for said mechanism and damping-chamber enclosure for said vane, comprisin a-single homogeneous substantially cylin rical box-like body of molded insulating material having integral walls surroundin a air of intercommunlcating recesses 0 Sn s'tantially sector shape constituting said chamber and a pair of diametrically-opposite portions project ing from the sides of said cylindrical body, a pair of'metal bracket portions mounte 'on said portions extending substantially normal -to a face of the body and a bridge portion, constituting a support for said shaft, extending between.

said bracket portions.

3. The combination with a meter mechanism, a meter shaft and a damping-vane, of

an insulating basemember of substantially discoidal shape constituting a dampingchamber enclosure for said vane, a pair of metal brackets mounted on the base member extending normal to a face of the disc, and a metal bridge/member, constituting a support for said shaft, extending between said brackets.

4. A meter comprising an insulating member of substantially. discoidal shape constituting a combined supporting base and damping chamber, a pair of metal brackets mounted thereon and extending normal to a surface thereof, a metal bridge member extend- I claim as my invention:

ing between said brackets adjacent to the outer ends thereof, a meter shaft, a bearing for the shaft supported by said base member,

another shaft bearing mounted on said bridge 7 and a damping vane carried by the shaft in said base member. g

5. The combination with a meter mecha nism including a meter. shaft having a damp ing vane thereon, of abase of insulating niaterial embodying means constituting a damping chamber for said vane, and a structure I for supporting said shaft comprising means associated with said base and extending substantially normal with respect to a face there- 7 of, and a bridging portion supported by said means for operatively engaging said shaft.

6. The combination with a meter mechavane secured thereto, of a base of insulating material embodying means constituting a damping chamber for said vane, and a struc-,

ture for supporting said shaft comprising bracket portions secured to said base and extending substantially normal with respect to a face thereof, and a metallic bridge portion .nism including a meter shaft anda damping I secured to said bracket fportions for opera tively engaging said sha a 7. The combination with the operating mechanism of an electrical instrument including a rotatable shaft and a damping vane secured thereto, of means for rotatably s'u porting said shaft comprising a base of mol ed insulating material embodying means constituting a damping chamber for said vane, hearing means within said chamber for engaging one end of said shaft, and means secured to said base and pro ecting therefrom for en.- gaging the other end of said shaft. 8. The combination with a meter mechanism, a. meter shaft and a damping-vane device therefor, of a'structure constituting a combined insulating supporting base for said mechanism and damping-chamber enclosurefor said vane comprising a single homogeneous substantially cylindrical box like body .of molded insulating material having integral walls surrounding a pair of intercommunieating recesses of substantially sector sha e constituting said chamber and a pair of dlametrically-op osite portions projecting from the sides of said cylindrical body, and a structure including a pair of bracket portions,

mounted on said portions extending substantially normal to a face of the body and. a bridge portion, constituting. a support for said shaft, extending between said bracket portions. v

t 9. The combination with a meter mechadiscoidal shape constituting a damping- -chamber'enclosure for said vane a pair of brackets mounted on the base mem er extending normal to a face of the disc, and a metal bridge member, constituting a support for nism', a meter shaft and a damping-vane, of

an insulating base member of substantially said shaft, extending between said brackets. ends thereof, a meter shaft,a bearing for the 10. A meter comprising an insulating meme shaft supported by said base member,another ber of substantially discoidal shape constishaft bearing mounted on said bridge and a 10 tutingacombined supporting base and dampdamping vane carried by the shaft in said 5 ing chamber, a pair of metal brackets mountbase member.

ed thereon, a metal bridge member extending V between said brackets adjacent to the outer PAUL

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