DEVICE FOR INDICATION OF MOVEMENTS OF VEHICLES AND WORKING MACHINES

Abstract: A device indicating movements of vehicles and working machines like a device for control of driving way of a motor vehicle, especially a car. The device indicates the accelerations and slackenings or swayings exceeding a certain limit. The device has a substance (1) moving influenced by accelerations and slackenings or swaying, a light source (11) and a current source (20). The circuit between the light source and the current source has two parallel coupled switches (9). The moving substance (1) has a magnet (8) which in the extreme positions of the moving substance comes to proximity of one of the switches (9), in which case the switch (9) closes and the light source (11) lights. The moving substance (1) has been supported on two crosswise link arms (3) in a way that the lower ends of the link arms (3) have been fastened with bearings to the case (2) and the upper ends have been fastened with bearings to the moving substance (1).

Description: DEVICE FOR INDICATION OF MOVEMENTS OF VEHICLES AND WORKING MACHINES The object of the invention is a device indicating movements of vehicles and working machines, like a device for control of driving way of a motor vehicle, 5 especially a car, which device indicates the accelerations and slackenings exceeding a certain limit and the changes of the position like swayings, and which device has as indicating organ one or more light sources and/or a signal apparatus, a current source, a circuit between the indication organ and the current source, a switch in the circuit and a substance moving influenced by 10 the accelerations and slackenings or swaying. The. substance has been arranged to influence the mentioned switch in a way that with accelerations • , ^ and slackenings or swaying exceeding the mentioned limit the switch closes activating the indication organ. A device of this kind is known e.g. from GB-patent publication 1 * 57 368. 15 There is a quicksilver moving in an inclined pipe as moving substance. The quicksilver orms when rising to the upper end of the pipe an electric contact between the poles. In order to prevent a continuous indication on an uneven road, it has been suggested to use a delay circle which gives the indication only after a fixed time. This device has many disadvantages. First, many 20 guicksilver pipes are needed to notice the accelerations of different directions and second, an electronic circuit comprising many transistors and other components is needed, which circuit forms the mentioned switches and the delay circle. These together make the total excpenses unreasonable for a mass article. From a German patent publication 27 1 071 a very simple and 25 inexpensive device construction is known, where a ball functioning as moving substance at the same time functions as switch and is placed to the end of two concentrical pipes, when the ball normally rests on the middle pipe, but influenced by accelerations and slackenings moves in a way that it touches the both pipes at the same time bringing a contact. However, there are some 30 essential difficulties with the function of this device, for the gable surfaces of the pipes, the diameter of the ball and the outer wall functioning as guard must be measured in relation to each other very carefully, in order that the contact takes place in the extreme position of the ball. This device is also sensitive to the shaking of uneven road and may give continous disturbance 5 indications. When the end of the inner pipe, the surface of the ball and the guard wall become only a little worn-up, the device will be out of function, as the required threepointcontact between the ball surface, guard wall and two pipe ends is no more generated. From the US-patent publication 3 836 738 a device for observing of hits and great accelerations is known, where the moving substance has been fastened with bearings on many link arms forming four-linkmechanisms. The bearing points of the ends of the link arms are at the distance of the motion- orientated space of the gravity center of the substance from each other. When the substance is moving the link arms turn the lever turning in relation of -the case, which lever influences the spring loaded switches arranged between the mentioned lever and the case in order to open and close them depending on the motion direction of the substance. First, this known device does not suit very well to the aims of the invention, for the device is especially sensitive to hitlike shakings, which must be avoided in the invention in a way that an indication for only longer accelerations, slackenings or changes of the position will be brought about. Another disadvantage in this known device is a great number of turnlinks, which causes disturbance tendency owing to wearing-up of the links and changing of the turn sensitiveness. Additionally, the electrocontact poles are liable to oxidizing, when the weaker connection powers have contact disturbances. The purpose of the invention is to further develop the device of the mentioned type in a way that an inexpensive device of simple construction is made reliable and stabile in a way that short swings and shakings will not cause a disturbingly flashing indication, but in spite of that fact the device will be sensitive to indicate the accelerations, slackenings or swayings of the position exceeding a ixed duration and power. In order to achieve this purpose the device according to the invention is known from the fact that the ends of the link arms going crosswise between the bearing points have been turnably fastened with bearings to the case and the moving substance has been turnably fastened with bearings to the opposite ends of the link arms in a way that the gravity center of the moving substance is between the bearing points of the link arms and that the moving substance has a magnet that in the extreme positions of the substance comes to proximity of such known switches which have a ferrite contact strip that 'βURE influenced by the magnet closes the switch. The arrangement is more stabile and more favourable as for space and power use than e.g. the substance hung r on an onearmed pendulum, as the relatively bigsized substance can be influenced, fastened to short link arms, to move along a sloping bow track in 5 a desired shape. A result from the suspension way of the substance is also turning of the substance during its oscillatory motion in a way that the magnet fastened to the substance will be alternately turned to proximity of the different switches, when the magnetic power lines always have effect in a right direction in relation to the switches, which can be far enough from 10 each other to eliminate disturbances. It is true that from the US-patent publication 3 636 71 - an acceleration sensor is known, in one performance example of which two parallel substances both have been supported with their own crosswise spring strips to the case, when the ends of the spring strips have been stiffly fastened to the 15 case and to the substance. Then a turn shaft between the substances and the case will be formed to the crosspoint of the spring strips. The substances have been coupled to each other with spring strips, to which the extension sensors have been fastened. The arrangement is complicated and much more expensive than the object of the invention in hand. The aforementioned 20 ' principles of the invention do not become evident of the publication. An especially stabile and appropriately functioning device according to an advantageous performance form of the invention will be brought about in a way that the lower ends of the link arms have been fastened with bearings to the case and the moving substance has been fastened with bearings to the 25 upper end of the link arms, however, the gravity center of the substance is below the bearing points. In this way the substance has a relatively stabile and unswinging middle position, from which the substance can move as if over a threshold to one of its two extreme positions, which is also relatively stabile and unswinging. The substance will stay in its extreme position until 30 the acceleration or slackening or swaying position orientated to it have been almost totally removed, when the mutual position of the gravity center of the substance and bearing points ensures the returning of the substance to its rest position. In order to achieve the stabile middle position of the substance it is 35 advantageous that the distance of the bearing points of the link arm ends in the case is greater than in the moving substance. The invention offers an additional advantage with the suitable measurements of the link arms and the mutual position, as it is possible to a great extent to in luence the moving tendency of the substance in different directions. For instance the substance should move more sensitively when accelerating than when braking. This can be influenced by making the link arms of different length ans/or by choosing the distances of the link points of the link arms in the case and in the moving substance to be of different size. In order to adjust the sensitiveness of the device afterwards, the distance of the link points of the link arms in the case can be made adjustable. One performance example of the invention will be described in the following with reference to the enclosed drawing, which shows as schematic profile the device according to the invention and the electric circuit scheme connected to it. A round disk-shaped moving substance in supported to the case 2 with the crosswise link arms 3. The lower ends of the link arms 3 have been fastened with bearings to the case 2 in bearing points Ψ and the upper ends have been fastened with bearings to the substance 1 in bearing points 5. The distance of the bearing points is greater than the distance of the bearing points 5, in which case the substance 1 stays in stabile way in its middle position drawn with unbroken lines. When a power influences the substance 1 as result of acceleration, slackening or swaying of the position, it moves supported to link arms 3 to either direction in a way that the gravity center of the substance 1 goes along the curved track 7. The other extreme position of the substance 1 has been drawn with broken lines. It can be seen from the moving curve 7 of the gravity center of the substance that the substance has a rather stabile middle position and stabile extreme position, but on the contrary between these positions the substance 1 is relatively labile. Further, from the position drawn with broken lines can be seen that the gravity center 6 of the substance I will stay in relation to the bearing points 5 in such a position that when the power directed to the substance withdraws, the substance 1 returns to its rest position in the middle. Further, by comparing the position of the substance 1 drawn with unbroken line and the position drawn with broken line, it can be noted that on removing from its middle position to its extreme position, the substance turns round its gravity center 6 about 90°. In this case in the rest position of the substance 1 the magnet fastened to the upper surface turns in a way that it comes in the extreme positions of the substance 1 to proximity of two parallelly coupled switches 9. The switches 9 are known and buyable switches with ferrite strip 10, which drawn by the magnet contacts the other contact strip closing the circuit. In order to indicate the extreme positions of the substance 1 the red LED- lamps 11 have been coupled in series with the switches 9. The current limiter resistance 12 belongs to the same serial coupling. The device would be completely applicable with the aforementioned coupling. However, it is more interesting for the user of the device, if the device indicates e.g. with green light when the abnormal loading or swaying position has been removed. For this purpose along with the switches 9 and the red LED-lamps 11 a green LED-lamps 13 has been coupled through the limiter resistance 14 and the transistor 15. To the base of the transistor 15 a condensator 17 has been cdupled through the high-ohm resistance 16. The condensator 17 takes a charge through the diode 18 when one of the switches 9 is closed. The diode 19 prevents the green lamp 13 from lighting when the red LED-lamps 11 are lighting. When the closed switch 9 opens, the potential in the condensator 17 keeps the transistor 15 conductive for some time e.g. 10 - 30 seconds, when the red LED-lamps light. When driving evenly longer time, no lamp 11, 13 is lighting, and the batteries 20 are not used in vain. In order to increase the sensitiveness of the device in spite of the fact that the heavy substance 1 is used, the case 2 can be hung on the stationary case of the device with link arms 21. The unit connected with the link arms 21 has a different resonance swing frequency from the substance 1 connected with the link arms 3. Their resonance swing frequencies can be adapted in a way that the swings damp each other, in which case the powers from shakings or other sudden movements will not cause continuous swaying of the substance 1, which would lead to vague indication. Though the arms 21 in this way increase the stability of the device in the rest position of the substance 1, they on the other hand sensitize moving of the substance 1 to extreme position when a su ficient power as or duration and strength is orientated to the substance 1. When the case 2 moves supported by the link arms 21 the substance 1 receives motion energy with which it, when the case 2 stops, continues its movement in order to raise the gravity center 6 on the curve 7. When the power keeping the substance 1 in extreme position ceases, the movement of the case 2 causes more sensitive return of the substance 1 to its rest position. The substance 1 consequently moves muffled without swayings back and forth, but anyway sensitively always when a power exceeding a fixed duration and strength is directed to it. The motion sensitiveness of the substance 1 can be influenced in many ways. One possibility is to adjust the distance of the bearing points . The other possibility is to adjust the distance of the bearing points 5. For this purpose the substance 1 can have at different mutual distances and different heights more fastening holes, rom which the suitable ones will be chosen to devices of di ferent sensitiveness. On the other hand the arms 3 can be of di ferent length, if the function sensitiveness of the device in different directions is desired to be different, as the motion of the substance must be more sensitive on accelerating than on braking. Also the mutual heights of the link points 5 or in the same part 1 or 2 can be chosen to be different. Though the device has been mainly developed for motor vehicles, it is clear that the device is suitable for indication and control of swaying and position for working machines like cranes and trucks e.g. as sealer of swaying in connection with hydraulic and pneumatic devices, in which case instead of LED-lamps electric guiding elements like relays are used. The adjustment of the sensitiveness of the device can be realized e.g. with the adjustable limiter guard of the moving case. The guard limiter can be formed of a screw, screwed through the case of the device. The end of the case corresponds to the screw. -BU EA OMPI

Claims: Claims 1. A device indicating movements of vehicles and working machines, like a device for control of driving way of motor vehicle, especially car, which device indicates the accelerations and slackenings exceeding a certain limit or changes of the position like swayings and which device has as indicating organ one or more light sources (11) and/or a signal apparatus, current source (20), circuit between the indicating organ and current source, a switch (9) in the circuit and a substance moving influenced by accelerations and slackenings or swaying which substance has been arranged to influence the mentioned switch (9) in a way that with accelerations and slackenings or swaying exceeding the mentioned limit the switch (9) closes activating the indicating organ (11), and the moving substance (1) has been supported on at least two link arms (3), the bearing points (4,5) of the ends of these link arms are at a distance of motionorientated space of the gravity center (6) of the substance from each other, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the ends of the link arms (3) going crosswise between the bearing points have been turnably fastened with bearings (4) to the case (2) and the moving substance (1) has been turnably fastened with bearings (5) to the opposite ends of the link arms (3) in a way that the gravity center (6) of the moving substance (1) is between the bearing points of the link arms (3) and that the moving substance has a magnet (9) which in the extreme positions of the substance (1) comes to proximity of such known switches (9) which have a ferrite contact strip (10) which influenced by the magnet (8) closes the switch (9). 2. A device according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the lower ends of the link arms (3) have been fastened with bearings (4) to the case (2) and the moving substance (1) has been fastened with bearings (5) to the upper end of the link arms in a way that the gravity center of the substance (1) is below the bearing points (5). 3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the mutual distance of the bearing points of the link arm ends (3) in the case (2) is greater than the mutual distance of the bearing points (5) in the moving substance. 4. A device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the case (2), to which the lower ends of the link arms have been fastened with bearings, has been hung with link arms (2) on the stationary case. IJUR OM

Inventors: RAHIKKA VEIKKO, RAHIKKA, VEIKKO
Applicants: RAHIKKA VEIKKO, RAHIKKA, VEIKKO
Application year: 1982
Main classification: G01P15
IPC codes: G01P15, H01H35