Sec. 4-2 Torque and Deflection of The Galvanometer
Sec. 4-2 Torque and Deflection of The Galvanometer
Sec. 4-2 Torque and Deflection of The Galvanometer
INDICATING
INSTRUMENTS
MIRROR
MOVING
COIL
MAGNET SUSPENSI
ON
X3 N = 84 turns
POLE SHOE
T = 2.92 X 10~6 N-m
COIL Coil resistance = 88 ft
Power dissipation = 88 jnW
Figure 4-5 Details of a moving coil for a PMMC movement showing the control
springs and the indicator with its counterbalance weights (courtesy Weston Instru-
ments, Inc.).
are assembled to the coil structure by means of pivot bases, and the entire
movable-coil element is supported by jewel bearings. Different bearing systems
are shown in Fig. 4-6.
-«"-w?s«Hpr
The V-jewel, shown in Fig. 4-6(a), is almost universally used in instrument
Figure 4-4 Phantom photograph of the external moving-coil mechanism shows details of
bearings. The pivot, bearing in the pit in the jewel, may have a radius at its tip
the coil construction, the external horseshoe magnet, and the indicating pointer from 0.01 mm to 0.02 mm, depending on the weight of the mechanism and the
(courtesy Weston Instruments, Inc.). vibration the instrument will encounter. The radius of the pit in the jewel is
slightly larger than the pivot radius, so that the contact area is circular, only a
The Y-shaped member is the zero adjust control and is connected to the few microns across. The V-jewel design of Fig. 4-6(a) has the least friction of
fixed end of the front control spring. An eccentric pin through the instrument any practical type of instrument bearing. Although the moving elements of
cover engages the Y-shaped member so that the zero position of the pointer can be instruments are designed to have the smallest possible weight, the extremely
adjusted from outside the case. Two phosphor-bronze conductive springs, minute area of contact between pivot and jewel results in stresses on the order of
normally equal in strength, provide the calibrated force opposing the moving- 10 kg/mm2. If the weight of the moving element is further increased, the
coil torque. Constancy of spring performance is essential to maintain instrument
contact area does not increase in proportion so that the stress is even greater.
accuracy. The spring thickness is accurately controlled in manufacture to avoid
Stresses set up by relatively moderate accelerations (like jarring or dropping an
permanent set of the springs. Current is conducted to and from the coil by the
control springs. instrument) may consequently cause pivot damage. Specially protected (rug-
gedized) instruments use the spring-back (incabloc) jewel bearing, whose con-
The entire moving system is statically balanced for all deflection positions struction is shown in Fig. 4-6(b). It is located in its normal position by the
by three balance weights, as shown in Fig. 4-5. The pointer, springs, and pivots spring and is free to move axially when the shock to the mechanism becomes
severe.
58 Electromechanical Indicating Instruments Chap. 4 let! 4-3 Permanent-Magnet Moving Coll Mechanism (PMMC)\ -^J.,.,1
Figure 4-6 Details of instrument bearings, (a)
V-jewel bearing, (b) Spring-back jewel
bearing (courtesy Weston Instruments,
Inc.).
Figure 4-7 Construction details of the core-magnet moving-coil mechanism, (a) The
The scale markings of the basic dc PMMC instrument are usually linearly magnet with its poleshoes is surrounded by the yoke, which acts as a magnetic shield, (b)
spaced because the torque (and hence the pointer deflection) is directly pro- The assembled movement, (c) A cutaway view of the yoke, the core, and the
portional to the coil current. [See Eq. (4-1) for the developed torque.] The basic poleshoes (courtesy Weston Instruments, Inc.).
PMMC instrument is therefore a linear-reading dc device. The power require-
ments of the d'Arsonval movement are surprisingly small: typical values range Self-shielding makes the core-magnet mechanism particularly useful in
from 25 jiiW to 200 jLtW. Accuracy of the instrument is generally on the order of aircraft and aerospace applications, where a multiplicity of instruments musfbe
2 to 5 per cent of full-scale reading. mounted in close proximity to each other. An example of this type of mounting
If low-frequency alternating current is applied to the movable coil, the may be found in the cross-pointer indicator, where as many as five mechanisms are
deflection of the pointer would be up-scale for one half-cycle of the input mounted in one case to form a unified display. Obviously, the elimination of
waveform and down-scale (in the opposite direction) for the next half-cycle. At iron cases and the corresponding weight reduction are of great advantage in
powerline frequencies (60 Hz) and above, the pointer could not follow the rapid aircraft and aerospace instruments.
variations in direction and would quiver slightly around the zero mark, seeking
the average value of the alternating current (which equals zero). The PMMC 4-3.3 Taut-band Suspension
instrument is therefore unsuitable for ac measurements, unless the current is
rectified before application to the coil. The suspension-type galvanometer mechanism has been known for many
years. Until recently the device was used only in the laboratory where high
4-3.2 Core-magnet Construction sensitivities were required and the torque was extremely low (because of small
currents). It was desirable in such instruments to eliminate even the low friction of
In recent years, with the development of Alnico and other improved pivots and jewels. The suspension galvanometer (Fig. 4-1) had to be used in (he
magnetic materials, it has become feasible to design a magnetic system in which upright position, because sag in the low-torque ligaments caused the moving system
the magnet itself serves as the core. These magnets have the obvious advantage of to come in contact with stationary members of the mechanism in any other
being relatively unaffected by external magnetic fields, eliminating the magnetic position. This increase in friction caused errors.
shunting effects in steel panel construction, where several meters operating side by The taut-band instrument of Fig. 4-8 has the advantage of eliminating the
side may affect each other's readings. The need for magnetic shielding, in the friction of the jewel-pivot suspension. The movable coil is suspended by means of
form of iron cases, is also eliminated by the core-magnet construction. Details two torsion ribbons. The ribbons are placed under sufficient tension to eliminate any
of the core-magnet self-shielding movement are shown in Fig. 4-7. sag, as was the case in the suspension galvanometer of Fig. 4-1. This tension is
provided by a tension spring, so that the instrument can be used in any