Method for determining stress in flexible joints by use of leveling means

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for determining if a flexible joint means is out of alignment, i.e., if excess torque or pressure has caused malformation or malpositioning of the joint means. This is accomplished by incorporating a flexible leveling means onto a visible surface of the joint means. The leveling means has horizontal and vertical markings which permit simple visible inspection of the joint and a simple determination of the position and condition of the joint.

Claims

1. Method for determining if a flexible joint is out of alignment, comprising affixing thereto a flexible leveling means having a horizontal marking and a vertical marking, said markings moving with said flexible joint when pressure is applied thereto, and observing said flexible leveling means for misalignment of least one said marking, said misalignment indicating said joint means is misaligned, wherein said flexible leveling means is incorporated into a visible surface of said flexible joint via being interwoven into a visible surface of said flexible joint means during production of said joint means.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said leveling means is made of rubber.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said rubber is transparent rubber.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said flexible joint leveling means is a different color than said flexible joint means.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows a typical, flexible joint.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a flexible joint, such as that in FIG. 1, in operation.

(3) FIG. 3 shows a typical flexible joint means under compression.

(4) FIG. 4 shows a flexible joint means that has been misaligned.

(5) FIG. 5 shows an embodiment level of a determining means in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(6) The various embodiments of the invention include devices, such as that depicted in FIG. 5, which are made with a predetermined tolerance which is the same as that of the joint or joints with which they will be used. The skilled artisan will understand and appreciate that joints of the type described herein are manufactured with predetermined tolerances. It is when these tolerances are exceeded that the joints experience strain, which in turn is evidenced in a device such as FIG. 5.

(7) The material used to make the devices of FIG. 5 may be metallic or non-metallic. The only structural requirement is that they must be flexible, so that they move with the joint means. Preferably, the leveling means are made of rubber, as are the joint means transparent rubber is preferred. To facilitate visual inspection, the leveling means may be a different, contrasting color from the joint means to which it is joined. Fluorescent, luminescent, and other easily visible colors are all examples of such contrasting colors.

(8) Flexible joint means as used range in diameter from 1 to 120. it will be understood that the leveling means employed will vary in size, based upon the size of the joint means.

(9) In operation, the level indicating means may be incorporated, e.g., by being interwoven, into the joint means during production of the joint. In the alternative, it may be appended to the device via any standard adhesive or other means of fixing it thereto.

(10) Referring again to FIG. 5, the leveling indicating means 10 is provided with both a vertical marking 11 and a horizontal marking 12. These serve to indicate whether excessive torque is placed on the joint, or the joint is out of alignment (11), or if the joint is exposed to excess compression or elongation (12). This can be seen via the movement of the relevant marker. In the case of 11, the marker moves laterally, when the joint is out of alignment or excessive torque has been applied. In the case of 12, the indicator moves vertically, if excess compression or elongation is applied to the joint.

(11) In operation, simple visual inspection allows the operator to observe whether the indicators 11 and 12 have in fact moved, and permits determination of excessive strain or inappropriate positioning of the joint. The ability to determine these criteria rapidly permits prompt alleviation of the condition causing tern, and potentially avoids much greater system failures.

(12) Other features of the invention will be clear to the skilled artisan and need not be reiterated here.

(13) The terms and expression which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expression of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention.