The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 07, 1987
Filed:
Dec. 28, 1984
John P Murphy, Willoughby, OH (US);
Other;
Abstract
A moisture sensing detector of snow, sleet, ice and rain. The detector includes a sensing probe and coacting control circuitry for receiving the moisture signal from the probe and actuating associated equipment such as, for example, a railroad switch heater. The probe includes sturdy substantially elongated electrically charged aluminum electrodes spaced apart a very small distance (1/8' gap for example) by fiberglass strip insulation. Any moisture (even a drop of water) bridging the small gap completes a circuit between the electrodes which triggers the control circuit into actuating the railroad track switch heater or any like equipment. The electrodes are substantially elongated to provide a large sensing area. A heating unit is secured to one electrode to heat the entire length of the probe thereby melting any ice, sleet and snow (since they do not conduct an electrical current) thus permitting the probe to detect resultant moisture. The probe has a sharp upper edge cross sectional profile to forestall the accumulation of debris thereon. If debris should stay on the probe, its long length allows accumulation of significant amounts of debris without affecting sensitivity to moisture detection. A thermostat in the control circuitry turns on the probe at predetermined ambient temperature above the moisture freezing point. In another embodiment, the heating unit structure is substituted for one of the electrodes in the probe.