Baker International Inc.

Ramsey Engineering Company

Motorola Corporation

James V Motsinger

Russell L McCombs

Jose I Suarez

Tom Lee Erb

George Revtai, Jr

James Edward Jesse

An apparatus is provided for monitoring and indicating the amount of material in a hopper or a bin includes self-test circuitry for automatically testing both a material level sensor and circuitry for storing the output signal generated by the sensor. During the normal operation of the monitoring apparatus, the value of the sensor output signal is compared with the values of predetermined maximum and minimum reference signals. If the sensor output signal is greater than the predetermined maximum value or less than the predetermined minimum value, the test circuit generates a failure indication to the operator of the apparatus. In order to test the sensor output signal storage circuitry, the test circuit disables the sensor and generates a simulated sensor output signal to the storage circuitry. The test circuit then compares the stored signal with the simulated signal and generates a failure indication if they are different.

Self-test circuit for multi-point level indicator

An apparatus for monitoring and indicating the amount of material at a given level in a plurality of hoppers or bins includes a detector for sensing and indicating the build-up of the material on the side walls of the hoppers. A sensor positioned at each hopper senses the amount of material at the given level and generates a pulsed output signal which is accumulated over a predetermined time interval to represent the amount of the material at the given level in the hopper. The value of the accumulated output signal is compared with the values of first and second reference signals to generate 'full' and 'not full' indications respectively. Typically, the indications are a continuous 'not full' light when the hopper is empty, a flashing 'not full' light as the hopper is filled, a continuous 'full' light when the hopper is full, and a flashing 'full' light as the hopper is emptied. If there is a significant material build-up on the sides of the hopper, either the continuous 'full' light will remain on or the flashing 'full' light will remain on to indicate that a material build-up condition exists when the hopper is emptied.

Wall build-up detector for a multi-point level indicator

An apparatus for monitoring the level of material in a plurality of hoppers or bins includes a radiation source and sensor associated with each hopper. Each sensor generates an output signal representing the incidence of radiation passing through the material in the respective hopper. The sensor output signals are supplied to individual sample/hold circuits where they are temporarily stored. A central control circuit cyclically reads the stored signals from the sample/hold circuits and then generates a reset signal to clear the sample/hold circuits. The central control circuit compares the sum of the sensor output signals for each sensor over a predetermined time interval with at least one reference signal representing a predetermined material amount to generate a status signal for each hopper. A plurality of indicator circuits are responsive to respective condition of the status signals for visually and/or audibly indicating to an operator the status of the material level in the associated hopper.

Multi-point level indicator system

A method and apparatus are disclosed for making threaded joints, such as pipe joints, within a range of predetermined applied torque and turns values. A pipe or a pipe and a coupling are threaded onto the end of a pipe string. The applied torque is monitored and, when a reference torque value is exceeded, the number of turns are counted. When either the actual torque or the actual turns exceeds a predetermined minimum value for that parameter and the value of the other parameter exceeds a predetermined minimum value, but is less than a predetermined maximum value, a good joint is indicated and the make-up is stopped. A bad joint is predicted and make-up is stopped when the value of the actual torque divided by the actual turns falls outside a range of values defined by the slopes of a pair of boundary lines and predetermined minimum torque and minimum turn values. The actual turns value is a count which is initiated the first time the actual torque value equals the reference torque value, the count being incremented when the actual torque value is greater than the reference torque value and being decremented when the actual torque value is less than the reference torque value.

Method for counting turns when making threaded joints

A pipe or a pipe and a coupling are threaded onto the end of a pipe string. The applied torque is monitored and, when a reference torque value is exceeded, the number of turns are counted. When either the actual torque or the actual turns exceeds a predetermined minimum value for that parameter and the value of the other parameter exceeds a predetermined minimum value, but is less than a predetermined maximum value, a good joint is indicated and the make-up is stopped. A bad joint is predicted and make-up is stopped when the value of the actual torque divided by the actual turns falls outside a range of values defined by the slopes of a pair of boundary lines and predetermined minimum torque and minimum turn values. The actual turns value is a count which is initiated the first time the actual torque value equals the reference torque value, the count being incremented when the actual torque value is greater than the reference torque value and being decremented when the actual torque value is less than the reference torque value. The zero torque value of a torque transducer output signal is offset by an amount in excess of the maximum drift expected during the operation of the torque transducer. The value of the transducer output signal, before any torque is applied, is stored and subtracted from the actual torque signal value during the joint making operation to obtain an actual torque signal which is compensated for drift.

Method and apparatus for generating an actual torque signal during the

A method and apparatus are provided for making threaded joints, such as pipe joints, within a range of predetermined applied torque and turns values. A pipe or a pipe and a coupling are threaded onto the end of a pipe string. The applied torque is monitored and, when a reference torque is exceeded, the number of turns made is counted. According to a representative aspect of the invention, when either the actual torque or the actual turns are within a predetermined percentage of a predetermined minimum value for that parameter and the other parameter has exceeded a predetermined minimum value, an indication is generated to the operator of the apparatus that he should be ready to stop the joint making operation.

Method and apparatus for making threaded joints

An apparatus is provided for making threaded joints, such as pipe joints, including means for storing and indicating values of the actual torque applied to one of the members being rotated with respect to the other member and values of actual turns made by the one member and a d.c. power supply for powering the storage and indicating means. The power supply is connected to a first source of power such as an a.c.-to-d.c. converter for normal operation. The power supply generates a predetermined magnitude voltage and has means responsive to the predetermined magnitude value for switching to a second source of power, such as a battery, when the first source of power fails. The power supply also includes a d.c.-to-d.c. inverter having transistor switching means connected between a transformer and a power source. The transistor switching means are switched on and off to induce current flow in the transformer secondary to generate the power to the storage and indicating means. A transistor is connected to be responsive to the turning off of the transistor switching means for rapidly discharging a stored base charge to increase the efficiency of the power supply.

Threaded joint making apparatus having a d.c. power supply

Method and apparatus for counting turns when making threaded joints

A combined encoder and decoder circuit which uses a single frequency selective resonant reed in a closed loop oscillator configuraion permitting simultaneous encoder and decoder operation. A closed loop oscillator has a resonant reed connected in series between an input and output terminal and produces a signal at the resonant frequency of the reed. Positive signal feedback from the output to input terminal is provided by an amplifier, operated between saturation and cut-off, and a controllable attenuator. A level detector and the attenuator effectively form a limited range negative feedback loop which effectively maintains the signal magnitude at the output terminal at a substantially constant level. A decode detector monitors the signal level at the output terminal and produces a decode signal when an input signal, having the same frequency as the resonant frequency of the reed, has a magnitude which is so large that the negative feedback circuitry cannot maintain a constant signal level at the oscillator output terminal. The output of the positive feedback amplifier always provides a constant amplitude output signal which can be used for encoding purposes. Because of the use of both positive and negative feedback, the circuit as a fast decoding response to large input signals while preventing responses to small amplitude input signals.

Combined encoder and decoder circuit

A phase locked loop including a reference oscillator connected to one input of a loop phase detector the output of which is connected through an integrating low pass filter to a voltage controlled oscillator with the output of the voltage controlled oscillator being mixed with a second frequency and compared to the reference in the loop phase detector. The mixer output is also compared to an output of the reference oscillator shifted 90.degree. in a quadrature phase detector, the output of which controls a lock detector which in turn controls a fixed current sink. The fixed current sink is connected to the integrating low pass filter when the loop is in an unlocked condition so that a linear voltage, ramp signal is applied to the voltage controlled oscillator from the output of the integrating low pass filter. An RF gate attenuates the voltage controlled oscillator output until lock is achieved and subsequent power amplifiers are in operation at which time the RF gate gradually connects the power amplifiers to the output of the voltage controlled oscillator.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

James V Motsinger