Other

Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Ipco Hospital Supply Corporation

Paul Beckman

Robert P Benedict

A thermal flowmeter to measure the rate of flow of a fluid in a conduit is provided. An important characteristic of the flowmeter is that it includes two radial junction thermocouples, one of them a downstream radial junction thermocouple and the other an upstream radial junction thermocouple. A heat source to supply heat to the conduit and fluid is provided. The heat source supplies heat preferentially to one of the radial junction thermocouples, preferably to the downstream one. The differential output of the two radial junction thermocouples is measured and is an index of the rate of flow of the fluid. Compensating temperature sensing means is provided to measure the base or process temperature of the fluid before it is affected by the heat source, to provide a base for the differential output. The flowmeter can be constructed in many different embodiments. A method of measuring flow, mass flow and viscosity using radial junction thermocouples is provided.

Radial junction thermal flowmeter

The lower end of a hollow thermocouple well is removed and replaced by an end cap of a different thermocouple material than the well so that the junction between the end cap and the end portion of the well defines a radially activated thermocouple junction. A wire of the same material as the end cap is affixed to the end cap and electrical connections are made to the wire and to the well to provide a thermocouple output signal indicative of temperature measurement. In another embodiment two end caps are utilized at the end of the thermocouple well with the two end caps being of two dissimilar thermocouple elements and which have the necessary electrical connections made thereof to provide a thermocouple output signal.

Radially activated thermocouple assembly

An improved thermometer which is case hardened and includes a total enclosure composed of a pair of first and second layer members covering the stem portion and the bulb portion respectively of the thermometer. A substantially transparent plastic material layer member covers the stem portion of the improved thermometer and has an index of refraction which is sufficiently high to allow a user to visually interpret the location of an internally contained heat expandable substance in relation to indicia formed on the stem portion. Additionally, the first layer member is irradiated from a source of soft Beta rays for hardening the outer surface layer of the first layer member. The bulb section of the improved thermometer is enclosed by a second thermally conductive layer member. Both the first and second layer members are joined to form a total enclosure for the thermometer throughout the extended length of both the bulb and stem portions. Additionally, an increased amount of substantially transparent plastic material is added to the terminal end of the stem portion of the improved thermometer in order to provide a cushioning effect under dynamic load when the thermometer inadvertently falls to an external surface.

Case hardened thermometer

Method of covering a thermometer which includes forming a total enclosure composed of a pair of coatings covering the stem portion and the bulb portion of the thermometer. A substantially transparent plastic material covering the stem portion of the improved thermometer has an index of refraction which is sufficiently high to allow a user to visually interpret the location of an internally contained heat expandable substance in relation to indicia formed on the stem portion. The bulb section of the improved thermometer is enclosed by a thermally conductive layer. Both layers are joined to form a total enclosure for the thermometer throughout the extended length of both the bulb and the stem portions. Additionally, an increased amount of substantially transparent plastic material is added to the terminal end of the stem portion of the improved thermometer in order to provide a cushioning effect under dynamic loads when the thermometer inadvertently falls to an external surface.

Method of forming a protective covering about a thermometer

A partial oxygen pressure measuring system for quantitating the amount of dissolved oxygen in solution of a fluid sample. The system includes a sensor electrode within which a volume of fluid whose oxygen is to be measured is inserted. The sensor has a silver chlorided tube with an insulated nickel wire of reduced diameter passing coaxially and internal thereto. The nickel wire terminates in an end section which is platinum plated to form a polarizing surface. Both the silver chloride tube and wire pass external to the sensor and are electrically coupled to a pair of contact rings which represent cathode and anode junctions respectively. A biasing voltage is placed across the contact rings to form a circuit path through the wire, platinum coated surface, fluid sample and base reference silver chlorided tube in order to determine the current flow which is a measure of the oxygen level in the fluid sample. The system further includes a resistance thermal device in combination with a heater assembly in order to heat the fluid sample to a predetermined temperature and maintain it for a predetermined time interval. Both the voltage application and the heating assembly are initiated simultaneously by the closing of a lid of a portable housing within which the sensor is inserted. After a time interval, subsequent to the housing lid closure, a display of the partial oxygen pressure in the fluid sample is provided.

Partial oxygen measurement system

An improved thermometer which includes a total enclosure composed of a pair of coatings covering the stem portion and the bulb portion of the thermometer. A substantially transparent plastic material covering the stem portion of the improved thermometer has an index of refraction which is sufficiently high to allow a user to visually interpret the location of an internally contained heat expandable substance in relation to indicia formed on the stem portion. The bulb section of the improved thermometer is enclosed by a second thermally conductive layer. Both the first and seconds layers are joined to form a total enclosure for the thermometer throughout the extended length of both the bulb and the stem portions. Additionally, an increased amount of substantially transparent plastic material is added to the terminal end of the stem portion of the improved thermometer in order to provide a cushioning effect under dynamic loads when the thermometer inadvertently falls to an external surface.

Growing community of inventors

Huntingdon Valley, PA, United States of America

Paul Beckman