Transducer and components therefor

Claim 2

A transducer comprising: a base; first and second leaf spring cantilever beams each having first and second ends; first means mounting the first end of said first beam in a position fixed relative to said base; second means mounting the first end of said second beam in a fixed position relative to the second end of said first beam, said beams being movable in tandem over a predetermined range at said first end of said second beam and at said second end of said first beam; third means actuable to hold said second and first ends of said first and second beams, respectively, in fixed positions relative to said base; and at least one strain gage bonded to one side of said second beam between the ends thereof to take either a compression load or a tensile load.

Claim 3

The invention as defined in claim 1, including a member to deflect the second end of said second beam relative to said base, said base having fourth means to guide movement of said member, and fifth means carried by said member for applying a force to said member to deflect said second beam as aforesaid.

Claim 4

The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said first means includes an approximately upright U-shaped bracket having a bight portion and two legs attached to and extending upwardly from each end of said bight portion, and fourth means fixing the upper ends of said legs to said base, said first end of said first beam being fixed at the center of said bight portion so that said first beam extends upwardly between said legs, a block, fifth means to fix one side of said block to the other end of said first beam, said block extending upwardly to a position above the said second end of said first beam, sixth means to clamp said one end of said second beam to a side of said block opposite said one side, said block having first and second screw driver slots in said one and opposite sides thereof at a position above the upper end of said first beam, the upper end of said second beam being below the position of said slots, first and second threaded shafts, first and second ferrules threaded to said first and second shafts, respectively, said first and second shafts having first and second axial screw driver projections extending into said first and second slots, respectively, seventh and eighth means to hold said first and second ferrules, respectively, in fixed axial but rotatable angular positions relative to said base, rotation of one or both of said ferrules causing said shafts to be placed in axial compression and to hold said block in a fixed position relative to said base, the threaded connection of said shafts and said ferrules wedging and freezing said block between said shafts in the manner of a jam nut, said shafts both having a common symmetrical axis.

Claim 5

The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said second means includes an extension fixed relative to the said first end of said second beam and the said second end of said first beam, and fourth means mounted on said base and actuable to move said extension, and fifth means to freeze the position of said extension relative to said base at any selected point within a predetermined range of movement of said extension.

Claim 6

The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein said second means includes a block, fourth means to fix one side of said block to the second end of said first beam, fifth means to clamp said first end of said second beam to a side of said block opposite said one side, and sixth means actuable to clamp said block at any point within a predetermined range of positions to hold said block at a selected angle relative to said base.

Claim 7

The invention as defined in claim 5, wherein said sixth means is releasable to allow movement of said block to a different point and is actuable to clamp said block at a position different from that at which it was previously released.

Claim 8

A transducer comprising: a Wheatstone bridge including first, second, third and fourth legs connected between first and second, second and third, third and fourth, and fourth and first junctions, respectively; means to maintain said second and fourth junctions at different D.C. potentials; a base; a leaf spring cantilever beam having one end fixed to said base, said first and fourth legs including first and second resistance strain gages, respectively, said first and second strain gages being fixed to first and second opposite sides of said beam, respectively, between the ends thereof; means actuable to move the other end of said beam to stress said strain gages; an operational amplifier having plus and minus inputs and an output, said plus and minus inputs being connected from said first and third junctions, respectively; an emitter follower connected from said output to circuit ground, said emitter follower including a transistor having an emitter and an emitter resistor connected from said emitter to circuit ground; and a feedback circuit connected from the junction of said emitter resistor with said emitter to one of said second and fourth junctions.

Claim 9

A transducer comprising: a Wheatstone bridge including first, second, third and fourth legs connected between first and second, second and third, third and fourth, and fourth and first junctions, respectively; means to maintain said second and fourth junctions at different D.C. potentials; a base; a leaf spring cantilever beam having one end fixed to said base, said first and fourth legs including first and second resistance strain gages, respectively, said first and second strain gages being fixed to first and second opposite sides of said beam, respectively, between the ends thereof; means actuable to move the other end of said beam to stress said strain gages; an operational amplifier having plus and minus inputs and an output, said plus and minus inputs being connected from said first and third junctions, respectively; an emitter follower connected from said output to circuit ground, said emitter follower including a transistor having an emitter and an emitter resistor connected from said emitter to circuit ground; and a feedback circuit connected from the junction of said emitter resistor with said emitter to one of said second and fourth junctions.

Claim 10

The invention as defined in claim 7, wherein said second and third bridge legs include second and third resistors, respectively, said second and third resistors having approximately the same resistance.