Education and demonstration – Fluid flow or wave motion
Patent
1992-09-30
1994-04-05
Mancene, Gene
Education and demonstration
Fluid flow or wave motion
434283, G09B 900
Patent
active
052999386
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a display apparatus, and particularly to a display apparatus suitable for illustrating the operation of an Archimedes screw.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The Archimedes screw is a well known device originally designed for the purpose of raising water. Such a device generally comprises a rotating broad-threaded screw or spirally bent tube positioned within an inclined hollow cylinder. The screw or tube is turned within and about the axis of the cylinder with the bottom of the cylinder immersed in the liquid to be raised and the top of the cylinder open. A portion of the liquid is then trapped between adjacent turns of the screw or tube as a result of the inclination of the supporting cylinder and the entrapped liquid is transported up the cylinder and discharged from the upper end of the cylinder.
The basic operation of the Archimedes screw has been known for thousand of years but its operation is difficult to illustrate graphically. It is an object of the present invention to provide a display apparatus which can clearly and conveniently illustrate the operation of an Archimedes screw.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided a display apparatus defining a passageway within which a body of fluid may be retained, wherein the passageway comprises an elongate first passage and an helical second passage which is connected to an extends between the ends of the first passage, the walls of at least the second passage being transparent, and the second passage being formed such that if the first passage is positioned with a predetermined inclination to the vertical, fluid can be transferred through the second passage from the lower to the upper end of the first passage by rotating the apparatus about an axis extending parallel to the length of the first passage.
The word "helical" is used herein without any precise mathematical significance and is intended to cover any spiral formation capable of being used in an apparatus operating in the manner of an Archimedes screw.
The helical second passage may extend around the first passage or alternatively may be enclosed within the first passage. In the latter case the wall of the first passage must itself be transparent to enable the flow of liquid through the second passage to be seen.
The second passage may be defined by a tube wound around the first passage and that tube may be in form of a closed loop. The closed loop of tube may be received within a cylindrical casing.
At least one end of the first passage may communicate with a cavity extending beyond an adjacent end of the second passage to provide a space to receive unwanted bubbles or the like.
In an alternative arrangement the first passage may be defined by a first tube located coaxially within a second tube, the first tube communicating with opposite ends of the second tube, and a helical web being disposed between the first and second tubes to define with the tubes the said second passage.
The passageway may be partially filled with a single liquid, for example colored water, or the passageway may be substantially fully filled with at least two immiscible liquids of different densities and different optical properties, e.g. different colors.
The apparatus is preferably mounted on a rotatable spindle supported by a suitable base.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a conventional Archimedes screw:
FIG. 2 illustrates a closed loop embodying the present invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates the tube of FIG. 2 mounted within a cylindrical casing;
FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate further embodiments of the invention similar to the embodiment of FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention mounted on a support block;
FIG. 7 is an axial section through the embodiment of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a view similar to that of FIG. 7 through a further embodi
REFERENCES:
patent: 2714260 (1955-08-01), Burckhardt
patent: 2752725 (1956-07-01), Unsworth
patent: 2871617 (1959-02-01), West
patent: 4595369 (1986-06-01), Downs
patent: 4778430 (1988-10-01), Goldfarb et al.
Mancene Gene
Smith Jeffrey A.
LandOfFree
Display apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Display apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Display apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-507764