Magnetic pulse generator

Claim 2

In a magnetic pulse generator apparatus, the combination of, a housing, a magnet assembly means having a north and south pole slidably positioned within said housing, magnetic shunt means slidably positioned within said housing in alignment with said magnet assembly means, actuator means adapted to respond to a reset force by providing a contact between said magnet assembly means and said magnetic shunt means to establish magnetic coupling therebetween, said magnetic shunt means completing a magnetic circuit between said north and south poles of said magnet assembly means to provide a magnetic flux path therebetween, said magnetic shunt means further including coil means operatively associated therewith, first means for moving the magnetically coupled combination of said magnet assembly means and magnetic shunt means within said housing in a first direction in the absence of said reset force, second means for decoupling the magnetically coupled magnet assembly means and magnetic shunt means after predetermined movement of said magnetically coupled combination by said first means and producing rapid separation of said magnet assembly means and said magnetic shunt means thus producing a change in magnetic flux, said coil means responding to saId change in magnetic flux by developing in electrical signal pulse.

Claim 3

A magnetic pulse generator apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said magnetic shunt means comprises a soft iron element for shunting said north and south poles when saId magnet assembly means and magnetic shunt means are magnetically coupled, said coil means being wound about said soft iron element.

Claim 4

A magnetic pulse generator apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator means includes a rod member extending through an aperture in said housing and contacting said magnetic shunt means to slidably move said magnetic shunt means into magnetic coupling contact with said magnet assembly means in response to said reset force.

Claim 5

A magnetic pulse generator apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said first and second means are spring members.

Claim 6

A magnetic pulse generator apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further including a transmitter circuit positioned within said housing and operatively connected to said coil means, said transmitter circuit responding to said electrical signal pulse by transmitting a signal of a predetermined frequency content and exhibiting a pulse width corresponding to the pulse width of said electrical signal pulse.

Claim 7

A magnetic pulse generator apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pulse of the electrical pulse signal developed by said coil means is a function of the inductance of said coil means.

Claim 8

A magnetic pulse generator apparatus as claimed in claim 5 further including a receiver means remotely positioned for responding to the signal transmitted by said transmitter circuit means by producing an output signal corresponding thereto, and discriminator circuit means operatively connected to said receiver circuit means for analyzing the frequency content and the pulse width of the signal produced by said receiver circuit means and generating an output signal when said frequency content and pulse width correspond to predetermined values.

Claim 9

A magnetic pulse generator apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said first spring member is compressed in response to the presence of said reset force, said first spring member causing the magnetically coupled combination of said magnet assembly means and said magnetic shunt means in a first direction following termination of said reset force, said second spring member being in operative contact with said magnetically coupled combination is compressed by movement of said magnetically coupled combination in said first direction until the force developed by said second spring member under compression exceeds the force of said magnetic coupling at which time said second spring decouples said magnet assembly means and said magnetic shunt means and produces rapid separation of said magnet assembly means and said magnetic shunt means.

Claim 10

A magnetic pulse generator apparatus as claimed in claim 8 further including a stationary spring support member, said first spring member acting between said stationary spring support member and said magnetic shunt means, said second spring member acting between said stationary spring support and said magnet assembly means.

Claim 11

A magnetic pulse generator apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the rate of separation of said magnet assembly means and said magnetic shunt means is a function of the design of said second spring member.

Claim 12

In a magnetic pulse generator apparatus, the combination of, a tubular housing, first magnet assembly means having a north and south pole fixedly positioned within said tubular housing, a second magnet assembly means having north and south poles slidably positioned within said tubular housing, magnetic shunt means including a coil element associated therewith slidably positioned within said tubular housing intermediate said first and second magnet assembly means and aligned with said first and second magnet assembly means to provide a magnetic circuit between the north and south poles of the respective magnet assembly means when brought In contact therewith, said contact providing a magnetic flux path between said north and south poles, actuator means slidably positioned within said tubular housing and adapted to respond to a reset force by moving said second magnet assembly means in a first direction for contacting said magnetic shunt means and establishing magnetically coupling between said second magnet means and said magnetic shunt means to complete the magnetic circuit therebetween, bias means in operative contact with said second magnet assembly means for developing a force opposing the movement of said second magnet assembly means in said first direction in response to said reset force, said opposing force increasing with the continued movement of said second magnet assembly means in said first direction, said bias means responding to the absence of said reset force by moving said magnetically coupled combination of said second magnet assembly means and said magnetic shunt means in the opposite direction, means for limiting the movement of said magnetic shunt eans in said opposite direction and causing separation of said second magnet assembly means from said magnetic shunt means, said bias means providing a rapid acceleration of said second magnet assembly means from said magnetic shunt means producing a rapid change in magnetic flux, said coil means responding to said rapid change in magnetic flux by developing a first electrical output pulse, said first magnet assembly means magnetically attracting said magnetic shunt means following separation of said magnetic shunt means from said second magnet assembly means, said attraction causing rapid movement of said magnetic shunt means in said first direction to produce contact and magnetic coupling between said magnetic shunt means and said first magnet assembly means, said magnetic shunt means completing the magnetic circuit between the north and south poles of said first magnet assembly means, said rapid acceleration of said magnetic shunt means towards said first magnet assembly means producing a rapid change in magnetic flux therebetween, said coil means responding to said rapid change in magnetic flux by developing a second electrical output pulse.

Claim 13

In a magnetic pulse generator apparatus, the combination of, a tubular housing, first magnet assembly means having a north and south pole fixedly positioned within said tubular housing, a second magnet assembly means having north and south poles slidably positioned within said tubular housing, magnetic shunt means including a coil element associated therewith slidably positioned within said tubular housing intermediate said first and second magnet assembly means and aligned with said first and second magnet assembly means to provide a magnetic circuit between the north and south poles of the respective magnet assembly means when brought In contact therewith, said contact providing a magnetic flux path between said north and south poles, actuator means slidably positioned within said tubular housing and adapted to respond to a reset force by moving said second magnet assembly means in a first direction for contacting said magnetic shunt means and establishing magnetically coupling between said second magnet means and said magnetic shunt means to complete the magnetic circuit therebetween, bias means in operative contact with said second magnet assembly means for developing a force opposing the movement of said second magnet assembly means in said first direction in response to said reset force, said opposing force increasing with the continued movement of said second magnet assembly means in said first direction, said bias means responding to the absence of said reset force by moving said magnetically coupled combination of said second magnet assembly means and said magnetic shunt means in the opposite direction, means for limiting the movement of said magnetic shunt eans in said opposite direction and causing separation of said second magnet assembly means from said magnetic shunt means, said bias means providing a rapid acceleration of said second magnet assembly means from said magnetic shunt means producing a rapid change in magnetic flux, said coil means responding to said rapid change in magnetic flux by developing a first electrical output pulse, said first magnet assembly means magnetically attracting said magnetic shunt means following separation of said magnetic shunt means from said second magnet assembly means, said attraction causing rapid movement of said magnetic shunt means in said first direction to produce contact and magnetic coupling between said magnetic shunt means and said first magnet assembly means, said magnetic shunt means completing the magnetic circuit between the north and south poles of said first magnet assembly means, said rapid acceleration of said magnetic shunt means towards said first magnet assembly means producing a rapid change in magnetic flux therebetween, said coil means responding to said rapid change in magnetic flux by developing a second electrical output pulse.

Claim 14

In a magnetic pulse generator apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the orientation of the north and south poles of said first and second magnet assembly means are such that the sum of the first and second electrical output pulses exceeds the value of the individual first and second electrical output pulses.