Read out system

Claim 2

In a system including a spectrophotometer having transducer means for generating a signal proportional to the transmittance of a solution being analyzed, means for directly indicating the rate of chemical reaction of the solution, comprising: conversion means coupled to said transducer means for generating a signal which is the logarithm of the transmittance proportional signal, including means for limiting the rate of change of at least one of said signals; differentiator means coupled to said conversion means for differentiating the logarithm signal; and indicator means coupled to the differentiator means for producing an indication directly proportional to the differentiated signal, whereby said indication directly indicates the rate of chemical reaction of said solution.

Claim 3

The rate indicating means of claim 1 wherein said limiting means includes adjustment means for selecting different limits for the maximum rate of change of said at least one signal.

Claim 4

The rate indicating means of claim 2 wherein said adjustment means includes variable resistance means and means for varying the value of said variable resistance meaNs, a plurality of diode elements, and circuit means interconnecting said plurality of diode elements and said variable resistance means to form said adjustment means.

Claim 5

The rate indicating means of claim 1 wherein said logarithm signal corresponds to the optical density of the solution, and second indicator means coupled to the conversion means for producing at the same time as the rate indication an indication directly proportional to the optical density of the solution.

Claim 6

The rate indicating means of claim 1 wherein said conversion means includes an amplifier, means connecting an input of said amplifier to said transducer means, a nonlinear element, and circuit means connecting said nonlinear element in a feedback path across said amplifier for generating said logarithm signal.

Claim 7

The rate indicating means of claim 5 wherein said nonlinear element comprises a device having a semiconductor junction using predominately minority carrier conduction.

Claim 8

The rate indicating means of claim 5 wherein said conversion means includes a second amplifier, a second nonlinear element, a source of fixed signal, means coupling said source to an input of said second amplifier, means connecting said second nonlinear element in a feedback path across said second amplifier, and means for subtracting the signal from said second amplifier from the signal from said first amplifier, for temperature compensating said conversion means.

Claim 9

The rate indicating means of claim 7 wherein said conversion means includes thermal conduction means in contact with both said first nonlinear element and said second nonlinear element for subjecting said nonlinear elements to the same changes in temperature.

Claim 10

In an analyzing system including transducer means for generating a transducer signal representative of a characteristic being analyzed, read out means for producing indications of quantities related to said characteristic, comprising: calculating means coupled to said transducer means for selectively generating calculated signals corresponding to said related quantities; servomechanism means for producing a mechanical movement directly related to a signal at a servo input, said movement corresponding to said indications; and servoamplifier means coupled to said calculating means for translating the calculated signals to said servo input including translating means having a signal input, a signal output, and a bias input for controlling the translation of a signal from said signal input to said signal output, means connecting said signal input to said calculating means, means connecting said signal output to said servo input, and selectable bias means coupled to said bias input for generating selectable values of bias which control the translational characteristics of said translational means, whereby selection of the bias adjusts the deadband of said servomechanism, wherein said translational means includes differential amplifying means generating a signal coupled to said signal output equal to the difference between the signals from said signal input and said bias input.

Claim 11

In an analyzing system including transducer means for generating a transducer signal representative of a characteristic being analyzed, read out means for producing indications of quantities related to said characteristic, comprising: calculating means coupled to said transducer means for selectively generating calculated signals corresponding to said related quantities; servomechanism means for producing a mechanical movement directly related to a signal at a servo input, said movement corresponding to said indications; and servoamplifier means coupled to said calculating means for translating the calculated signals to said servo input including translating means having a signal input, a signal output, and a bias input for controlling the translation of a signal from said signal input to said signal output, means connecting said signal input to said calculating means, means connecting said signal output to said servo input, and selectable bias means coupled to said bias input for generating selectable values of bias which control the translational characteristics of said translational means, whereby selection of the bias adjusts the deadband of said servomechanism, wherein said translational means includes differential amplifying means generating a signal coupled to said signal output equal to the difference between the signals from said signal input and said bias input.

Claim 12

The read out means of claim 9 wherein said servoamplifier means includes dynamic deadband compensation means coupled to said translating means for varying the maximum rate of change of the signal at said signal output in response to changes in the rate of change of said calculated signals.

Claim 13

The read out means of claim 9 wherein said servoamplifier means includes logic means coupled to said translating means for generating an energizing signal as said servomechanism approaches the amount of mechanical movement corresponding to the calculated signal, read out means coupled to said servomechanism for producing indications directly proportional to said mechanical movement, and detent means for detenting the indication when said energizing signal is generated.

Claim 14

In an analyzing system including means for generating a signal having continuous variations representative of a charaCteristic being analyzed, read out means for producing incremental indications of the continuous variations, comprising: servomechanism means coupled to said generating means for producing a continuous mechanical movement directly proportional to said signal from said generating means, said servomechanism having a null state for each different value of said signal from said generating means to cause different amount of mechanical movement; read out means coupled to said servomechanism and having whole increment indications driven by the continuous mechanical movement, the indications occurring between whole increments for mechanical movement which does not correspond to a whole increment; and index means for aligning said read out means to whole increments, including means coupled to said servomechanism means for actuating said index means as said servomechanism approaches said null state, wherein said index means includes selectable means for disabling said actuating means, whereby said read out means produces incremental indications directly proportional to the continuous mechanical movements of said servomechanism means.

Claim 15

In an analyzing system including means for generating a signal having continuous variations representative of a charaCteristic being analyzed, read out means for producing incremental indications of the continuous variations, comprising: servomechanism means coupled to said generating means for producing a continuous mechanical movement directly proportional to said signal from said generating means, said servomechanism having a null state for each different value of said signal from said generating means to cause different amount of mechanical movement; read out means coupled to said servomechanism and having whole increment indications driven by the continuous mechanical movement, the indications occurring between whole increments for mechanical movement which does not correspond to a whole increment; and index means for aligning said read out means to whole increments, including means coupled to said servomechanism means for actuating said index means as said servomechanism approaches said null state, wherein said index means includes selectable means for disabling said actuating means, whereby said read out means produces incremental indications directly proportional to the continuous mechanical movements of said servomechanism means.

Claim 16

The read out means of claim 12 wherein said servomechanism means includes a servo motor, means for producing a rapid rate of change of mechanical movement for a first range of signals representing a first amount of movement necessary for said servomechanism to reach said null state, means for producing a slow rate of change of mechanical movement for a second range of signals representing a second amount of movement necessary for said servomechanism to move from said first movement to said null state, said actuating means being coupled to said slow means for actuating said index means as said servomechanism moves through said second range of signals and to continue actuation while said servomechanism is at said null state, said index means includes means for producing a first and a second detent torque for aligning said read out means, said first torque exceeding said second torque, said actuating means generating said second torque for aligning said read out means, and further means effective when said servomechanism is at said null state for producing said first torque to align said read out means.