Recording thermometer

Abstract

A thermograph for automatically recording variations of temperature correlated with the passage of time and characterized by a light weight and durable construction protectively combined with a shipping container which serves as a housing enclosing the instrument while exposing a heat transfer element for quick response and a direct recording of prevailing temperature upon a chart. The instrument is a permanent and reuseable unit that is carried within the expendible shipping container to produce a thermogram from a prepared chart of pressure sensitive material that is transported over a thermometer stylus by means of a clock motor drive.

I claim: 
     
       1. .[. An instrument for recording a line variably displaced between opposite side margins of an elongated chart transported therethrough and adapted to be written upon, and including;.]. .Iadd.A thermograph for being preloaded with an elongated chart for recording temperature over time on one side of said elongated chart by recording a temperature line variably displaced between opposite side margins of said elongated chart transported therethrough, for providing access for writing on the other side of said elongated chart, for being impenetrable with no through passages to the interior of a sealable container housing for said elongated chart, for recording temperature and for driving the elongated chart, and comprising: a sealable container housing, and within said sealable container housing, an instrument including .Iaddend.a frame having an upwardly faced planar table portion supportably engaging the chart and having a transverse opening adjacent one end of the table portion and extending between the opposite side margins of the chart, a planar facia spaced from the table portion of the frame forming a chart passage therebetween and having a writing opening substantially coextensive with said planar table portion and having a downwardly faced transverse platen portion overlying the said transverse opening adjacent one end of the table portion of the frame, drive means .Iadd.carried beneath said frame and ep transporting the elongated chart through said passage to pass beneath the platen portion of the facia, and a condition recording means .Iadd.carried beneath said frame .Iaddend.comprising .Iadd.a temperature-responsive element linked to .Iaddend.a stylus engageable with the chart through said transverse opening in the frame and displaceable between the opposite side margins of the chart to record a .Iadd.temperature .Iaddend.line thereon.Iadd., said container housing, said frame, and said planar facia cooperating to provide sealable access for writing on said other side of said elongated chart, and to be impenetrable with no through passages to said one side of said elongated chart and to said condition-recording means and to said drive means.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       2. The .[.instrument for recording a variable displaced line on a chart to be written upon.]. .Iadd.thermograph .Iaddend.as set forth in claim 1 wherein .[.a.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.temperature .[.moveable.]. .Iadd.responsive .Iaddend.element is coupled to a hub journaled on an axis normal to the platen portion of the planar facia by a bracket depending from the frame, the stylus being rotatably carried by said hub to record temperature on said chart. 
     
     
       3. The .[.instrument for recording a variably displaced line on a chart to be written upon.]. .Iadd.thermograph .Iaddend.as set forth in claim 1 wherein .Iadd.the temperature-responsive element is .Iaddend.a bi-metal thermometer .Iadd.and .Iaddend.is anchored to a bracket depending from the frame and is coupled to a hub journaled on an axis normal to the platen portion of the planar facia by said bracket, the stylus being rotatably carried by said hub to record temperature on said chart. 
     
     
       4. The .[.instrument for recording a variably displaced line on a chart to be written upon.]. .Iadd.thermograph .Iaddend.as set forth in claim 1, wherein the instrument is contained within a housing having a window in one wall thereof, wherein .Iadd.the temperature-responsive element is .Iaddend.a bi-metal thermometer .Iadd.and .Iaddend.is anchored to a bracket depending from the frame and is coupled to a hub journaled on an axis normal to the platen portion of the planar facia by said bracket, the stylus being rotatably carried by said hub to record temperature on said chart, and wherein the bracket is made of heat absorbing material and has a planar section of greater area than said window and having marginal portions thereof engaged against the inner side of said one wall, thereby exposing the bracket and anchored thermometer to heat conditions external of the housing. 
     
     
       5. The .[.instrument for recording a variably displaced line on a chart to be written upon.]. .Iadd.thermograph .Iaddend.as set forth in claim 1 wherein a hub is journaled on an axis normal to the platen portion of the planar facia by a bracket depending from the frame, the stylus being rotatably carried by said hub to record on said chart. 
     
     
       6. The .[.instrument for recording a variably displaced line on a chart to be written upon.]. .Iadd.thermograph .Iaddend.as set forth in claim 1 wherein .[.a.]. .Iadd.the .Iaddend.temperature .[.moveable.]. .Iadd.responsive .Iaddend.element is anchored to a bracket depending from the frame and is coupled to a hub journaled on an axis normal to the platen portion of the planar facia by said bracket, the stylus being rotatably carried by said hub to record temperature on said chart. 
     
     
       7. The .[.instrument for recording a variably displaced line on a chart to be written upon.]. .Iadd.thermograph .Iaddend.as set forth in claim 1 wherein .Iadd.the temperature-responsive element is .Iaddend.a spirally shaped bi-metal thermometer.Iadd., and .Iaddend.is statically anchored by a bracket depending from the frame and has a live end coupled to a hub journaled on an axis normal to the platen portion of the planar facia by said bracket, the stylus being rotatably driven by said hub to record temperature on said chart. 
     
     
       8. The .[.instrument for recording a variably displaced line on a chart to be written upon.]. .Iadd.thermograph .Iaddend.as set forth in claim 1, wherein the instrument is contained within a housing having a window in one wall thereof, wherein .Iadd.the temperature-responsive element is .Iaddend.a spirally shaped bi-metal thermometer.Iadd., and .Iaddend.is statically anchored to a bracket depending from the frame and has a live end coupled to a hub journaled on an axis normal to the platen portion of the planar facia by said bracket, the stylus being rotatably driven by said hub to said hub to record temperature on said chart, and wherein the bracket is made of heat absorbing material and has a planar section of greater area than said window and having marginal portions thereof engaged against the inner side of said one wall, thereby exposing the bracket and anchored thermometer to heat conditions external of the housing. .Iadd. 
     
     
       9.  The thermograph of claim 1 wherein said sealable container housing has no through passages to either side of said elongated chart while recording temperature thereon. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. The thermograph of claim 19 further comprising seal means for sealing said container housing for warranting non-access to the temperature recorded on said elongated chart. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. The thermograph of claim 1 further comprising seal means for sealing said container housing for warranting non-access to the temperature recorded on said chart. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. The thermograph of claim 1 further comprising chart take-up means, and means with no through passages to said chart take-up means including said container housing, said frame and said planar facia. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. The thermograph of claim 1 further comprising chart take-up means, means for warranting non-access to said chart take-up means including said container housing, said frame and said planar facia in cooperation with one another, and seal means for sealing said container housing for warranting non-access to the temperature recorded on said chart. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The thermograph of claim 9 further comprising chart take-up means, seal means for sealing said container housing for warranting non-access to said chart take-up means, and means with no through passages to said chart take-up means and including, in cooperation with one another, said container housing, said frame and said planar facia. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The thermograph of claim 10 further comprising chart take-up means, and means with no through passages to said chart take-up means including, in cooperation with one another, said container housing, said frame and said planar facia. .Iaddend.