Photoelectric pressure transducer

Claim 1

A TRANSDUCER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) A HOUSING DEFINING A LIGHT-TIGHT CHAMBER THEREIN; (B) FORCE-SUMMING MEANS MOUNTED WITHIN SAID CHAMBER AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE EXTERIOR OF SAID HOUSING FOR THE APPLICATION THERETO OF FORCES TO BE MEASURED, SAID FORCE-SUMMING MEANS INCLUDING AN ELEMENT MOVABLE IN RESPONSE TO APPLIED FORCES; (C) A SELECTIVELY ACTUABLE LIGHT SOURCE MOUNTED WITHIN SAID CHAMBER FOR RADIATING A CONSTANT COLLIMATED BEAM OF LIGHT IN A PREDETERMINED DIRECTION; (D) A PHOTOELECTRIC DEVICE MOUNTED TO THE MOVABLE ELEMENT OF SAID FORCE-SUMMING MEANS WITHIN SAID CHAMBER AND HAVING A LIGHT-SENSITIVE SURFACE ALIGNED SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID PREDETERMINED DIRETION, SAID PHOTOELECTRIC DEVICE BEING DISPOSED FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID LIGHT-SENSITIVE SURFACE ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH AT LEAST PARTIALLY ACROSS SAID LIGHT BEAM UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID MOVABLE ELEMENT IN RESPONSE TO APPLIED FORCES; (E) A LIGHT-IMPERVIOUS MASK FIXEDLY SECURED TO SAID LIGHT-SENSITIVE SURFACE, SAID MASK DEFINING A SUBSTANTIALLY TRIANGULAR OPENING THERETHROUGH TO EXPOSE A PORTION OF SAID LIGHT-SENSITIVE SURFACE WITH AN APEX OF THE TRIANGLE POSITIONED ON SAID PREDETERMINED PATH WHEREBY UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID PHOTOELECTRIC DEVICE ALONG SAID PREDETERMINED PATH IN RESPONSE TO FORCES APPLIED TO SAID FORCE-SUMMING MEANS THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT FROM SAID LIGHT BEAM IMPINGING UPON SAID LIGHT-SENSITIVE SURFACE WILL VARY TO THEREBY CAUSE A PREDETERMINED VARIATION IN THE ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SAID PHOTOELECTRIC DEVICE; AND, (F) MEANS FOR MEASURING CHANGES IN THE ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SAID PHOTOELECTRIC DEVICE, SAID MEASURING MEANS COMPRISING ELECTRICAL CONTACTS MOUNTED TO SAID PHOTOELECTRIC DEVICE AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE EXTERIOR OF SAID HOUSING.