Jan. 9, 1934. A. M.

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LIGHT VALVE
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 Patented Jan. 9, 1934 1943,112
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
1943,112
LIGHT vALVE
Austen M. Curtis, East Orange, N. J., assignor,
by mesne assignments, to Western Electric
Company, Incorporated, a corporation of New
York
Application November 26, 1930
Serial No. 498,257
3 Claims. (C. 171-95)
This invention relates to indicating devices vide an improved device of the type described
Such as galvanometers and has special refer which will operate uniformly regardless of the
ence to improvements therein for increasing the effects of temperatures to which the device may
efficiency of operation of such devices. be subjected in practice.
5 This invention has particular reference to the A feature of the invention lies in the provision
type of galvanometer in which a conducting of means associated with the fibre or flament to
fibre Or flament is maintained in a magnetic maintain constant the Original tension applied
field and its movement observed or recorded thereto regardless of any conditions of tem
when a current passes therethrough. Such in perature.
O struments having a single fibre are employed for A further feature of the invention lies in the
measuring Small currents or as telegraphic Or provision of a tension compensating member
wireless receivers and those having a double which is sensitive to slight temperature varia
String are employed with Success in film Sound tions and which is adjustable so as to compen
recording systems. sate for different degrees of temperature change.
5 In indicating devices of this type it is the usual Heretofore, the flament has been attached at 70
practice to adjust the fibre or filament, before its end to a spring member which takes up any
the device is put into operation, by applying a slack in the filament caused by expansion of the
tension thereto to a point at which its resonant filament with temperature. A disadvantage in
frequency will be above the range of frequencies this method of compensating for reduction in
2 to be applied during operation. Therefore, to tension caused by expansion is that the spring 5
obtain uniform operation it is necessary that member forms an important part of the vibrat
this applied tension remain constant throughout ing system when low frequencies are supplied to
the period of operation." the filaments.
In Such instruments employing electrically In accordance with this invention, means are
25 magnetized fields the temperature may rise as provided in association with the tensioned fibre 80
much as 30° C. above the surrounding air due to automatically compensate for tension varia
to the heating effect of the current in the mag tions therein produced by temperature changes.
netic coil. This temperature variation will have The filament or fibre is attached to a holding or
a detrimental effect on the operation of the de Supporting member made of so-called thermo
30 vice in a manner to be described. The flament stat metal which consists of two metals having 85.
is usually attached to a holding or supporting widely dissimilar coefficients of expansion
member which is in turn attached to the body of welded together, so disposed with relation to the
the device. The Supporting member and the fibre that a change in temperature will cause
body of the device are usually made of iron while the support to act in such a manner as to com
35 the filament itself consists of a strip or wire of pensate for the resulting variation in tension of 90
duralumin, aluminum, or some other suitable the fibre. W
material. As the temperature coefficient of ex In Order that the invention may be more clear
pansion of the filament is greater than that of ly understood, reference is made to the accom
iron, expansion of the metals caused by the rise panying drawings in which:
95
40 in temperature, is unequal. This results in an Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a light valve section;
increase in length of the flament which is Fig. 2 is a plan view of the interior of the casing
greater than the increase in distance between cover showing the general arrangement of the
the supports, the effect being to reduce the ten different adjusting and supporting devices;
sion in the flament. It is obvious that a reduc Fig. 3 is an elevation partly in section of the 00
45 tion of the originally applied tension in the filla device shown in Fig. 2; .
ment will decrease its natural period of vibra Fig. 4 is a detail of the thermostatic supporting
tion to a point which may be within the range of member for the movable element; and
frequencies to be applied during operation. Fig. 5 is a detail of an adjustable thermostatic
Another cause of reduction in tension with
50 change of temperature is produced by the change Supporting member for the movable element.
The accompanying drawings disclose the in
05
in elasticity of the material making up the filla
ments. A rise in temperature will so change vention as applied to a light valve employed in
the elasticity of the material as to cause a re film Sound recording systems, the principle of op
sulting reduction of the originally applied tension. eration of which is disclosed in U.S. Patent
55 The principal object of this invention is to pros 1,638,555, August 9, 1927, to E. C. wente. 10
 1948,112
Referring to Fig. 1, the reference numeral. 1
indicates a light valve casing provided with a cause them to bend away from the pole pieces.
cover 2 adapted to be held in definite position by As the ends of the filament are connected to these
projections 3 and secured to the casing by means supports, the decrease in tension in these fla
of a knurled annular ring 4 which is provided ments caused by their expansion will be compen
with an internal screw thread to engage the sated for by the simultaneous increase in the dis
thread 5 (Fig. 3) of the cover. The casing 1 con tance between the supports 31 and 32 and the
tains a field winding 6 and one pole piece 7. A L-shaped member 14. It has been found that
strip 8 provides a mounting to which the field Such fixed supports may be designed and employed
O winding leads are attached to facilitate connec to compensate for tension variations in filaments
tion to an external source of current. caused by all temperature changes encountered
Referring now to Fig. 2 which shows a plan in actual operation. Sound modulating current is
view of the interior of the casing cover, a pole applied to the flament through conductors 42 and
piece 9 is secured to the casing cover by some 43 which are connected to the binding posts 40
5 Suitable means such as screws. The pole pieces and 41.
7 and 9 have aligned apertures 10 and 11 respec Fig. 5 discloses a detail of a V-shaped adjust
tively, through which light rays from a suitable sists able supporting member. An upper arm 45 con
light source are projected. A conductor or filla of a metal of higher coefficient of expansion
ment 12 forming the movable element of the than the metal forming a lower arm 46. The
20 valve is drawn across the pole piece 9, but is not in filament 12 may be Secured to the support by
engagement therewith. The flament is then may means of tapering pin 47. This type of support .
passed around a pin 13 attached to an L-shaped greesbeofadjusted to compensate for different de
temperature change. The degree of
member 14 of Some suitable insulating material. compensation will be higher the closer the sepa
The flament is next passed back over the pole rate arms 45 and 46 are placed to each other.
piece 9 and terminated in a supporting member Therefore, by changing the length of the base
15 which will be hereinafter discussed. Ivory the triangle of the height of the supporting 100
frets 16 are placed in the position shown to form of member 48, the degree of compensation desired
a bearing Surface or bridge for the filament.
In Order to obtain accurate space relation be may be obtained. An increase in temperature
30 tween the filaments 12 and keep them in align affecting this support will cause the upper arm
ment across the face of the pole pieces, two ad arm 45 to expand to a greater degree than the lower 105
justing elements 17 and 18 are placed on oppo Ward 46 thereby forcing the tapered pin 47 down
site sides of the pole piece 9. The adjusting thus maintaining the tension in the fila
device comprises a block of insulating material temperaturement 12 which rise.has been expanded due to such
17 shaped as shown and attached to the cover 2. While this invention has been described in
This block 17 contains adjusting members lo with a light valve employed in sound O
cated On opposite sides of the filament. The ad connection recording, it is to be understood that it may be
justing members comprise pincer elements 19 and employed efficiently in instruments of a similar
adjustment screws 20. The movement of the nature employing
pincer members is accomplished by means of a movable elements. either one or more separate
vernier differential screw arrangement (not It is obvious from the above description that 5
shown) actuated by the adjustment Screws 20.
Spacer studis 21 and 22 are affixed to the casing with the use of thermostat metal supports as
described the applied tension to the filament may
cover, and are of a height exceeding the coin
45 bined height of the pole pieces an amount Sufi be maintained for all operating temperatures.
cient to allow the proper space between the pole What 1. In a
is claimed is:
light valve, the combination of means 20
faces. The pin 13 around which the filament 12 for producing a constant magnetic field, a pair
is looped is attached to the L-shaped member 14 of conductors supplied with modulated electrical
of suitable insulating material, which is flexibly
50 connected by a thin metallic strip 24 to an in currents suspended in said field, said conductors
Sulating block 25 secured to the casing cover by being tehsioned to have a frequency of mechani 25
means of screws 26 and 27. Adjusting screws 28 cal resonance above the highest frequency to be
and 29 are associated with the L-shaped member for supplied with said modulated currents, and means
14 and provide a means of applying the proper maintaining constant the frequency of me
55 tension to the conductor or filament. By means chanical resonance of said conductors at all oper
of Screw 28 proper tension may be applied and ating temperatures, said means comprising simi
lar bi-metall thermostatic supports for each of 30
this applied tension maintained by means of a Said conductors. .
screw 29 in combination with a spring 30.
accordance with this invention the support. means forcombination
60 ingInmembers
2. The in a light valve having
producing a constant magnetic field
are constructed of so-called thermo and a movable element suspended and tensioned 35
stat metal which consists of two metals having in said magnetic field to have a frequency of
widely
together. dissimilar coefficients of expansion welded mechanical resonance above any frequency likely
In Fig. 4 the supporting members 31 and 32 are to be supplied thereto during Operation, of means
65 shown as mounted in a block of insulating mate for maintaining constant the frequency of me
rial 33 secured to the casing cover by means of chanical resonance of said element at all operat
temperatures, said means comprising a bi 140
screws 37 and 38. The ends of the filament are ing metall thermostatic support for said movable elle
fastened to tapered pins 34 and 35 affixed to the ment.
supporting members 31 and 32 respectively. 3. The combination with an - indicating device
0 These thermostat metal supports are arranged so
that the metal having the higher coefficient of ex in having a tensioned movable element suspended 145
pansion is nearer the pole pieces. Therefore, an saida element, magnetic field of a bi-metallic Support for
said support responsive to tempera
increase in the temperature of the surrounding air ture changes in such manner as to maintain con
75
which might cause an expanson and lengthening stant the original tension in said movable elle
of the filament will likewise affect the supports to ment, AUSTEN M. CURTIS. 50