Abstract:
In an aircraft or other multi-wheeled vehicle equipped with strain-gage transducers for sensing the loading conditions extant at sites of ground support, defective or potentially hazardous degradations and faults of tire and/or strut suspensions are signalled automatically by way of electrical comparisons of the outputs from diagonally disposed transducer installations; the transducer provisions of on-board aircraft weight and center-ofgravity systems afford a convenient means for obtaining the outputs needed to excite computing and indicating equipment which insure that any such malfunctions, once detected, are locked into displays commanding corrective attention.
Abstract:
An AC to DC system is provided for measuring with high accuracy the low-level output voltage signals from an AC-excited Wheatstone-bridge-type circuit arrangement including electrical strain-responsive elements in its arms. In such a circuit arrangement, output voltages from the initially balanced bridge will be caused by a change in impedance of the strain-responsive elements due to external influences which are to be measured. The output signals from the bridge circuit arrangement are operationally amplified, demodulated to DC, and then read by a digital indicator, such as a digital voltmeter, to give an indication proportional to the to-be-measured influences upon the electrical strain responsive elements. A second demodulator may be used to compensate for system lead resistance and any demodulator inaccuracy, by using the output thereof to control the AC excitation applied to the bridge circuit arrangement input. The second demodulator output may also be directly applied as a reference input for a ratiometer-type digital indication. In one particular application, the strain-responsive elements are mounted as part of a load cell or transducer, and, when loads are applied to the same, the system output indications will be accurately related to the applied load.
Abstract:
Automatic zero circuitry for low-level signal indicating devices is provided which includes a capacitor at the output of an amplifier for storing a charge, during a given period of time, equal to the drift or offset voltage of the amplifier such that during a measuring period of time, the indicating device will give a true and correct reading. A dual slope integrator in combination with a plurality of field-effect-transistors enables the proper time periods for the storing and reading operations described above.
Abstract:
The effects of leakage resistance in a precision measuring system are minimized by providing a guard strip for shielding the power input terminals from the low-level signal output terminals in an electrical connector, by grounding the center tap of the secondary of the power input transformer, and by both twisting and shielding the pairs of power input leads and signal output leads.
Abstract:
An aircraft gross weight and center of gravity determination system is provided for measuring, computing and displaying the aircraft gross weight and to determine the center of gravity thereof. The weight of the aircraft and the distribution of the weight are sensed with strain gage transducers mounted in the landing gear axles and in the nose restraint. The output voltage from the transducers is a function of the vertical load thereon. The system incorporates circuitry for determining when the aircraft center of gravity is beyond a preset limit, selfchecking circuitry for determining if each channel and component part of the system is functioning properly, and fault override circuitry for utilizing a complimentary and symmetrical channel in place of a detected faulty channel whereby accurate measurements may be obtained despite the faulty channel.