Process for identification of the direction of rotation of two periodic electrical signals at the same frequency

1. A process for identification of direction of rotation of two periodic electrical signals present on two electrical conductors of a multiple-phase voltage system, including:

sampling first and second signals from the two conductors through first and second wires, respectively, with a connection to ground of only the first wire through a person;

shifting the phase of the second signal to compensate for a phase shift introduced by the connection to ground of the first wire through the person;

determining the direction of rotation from the first and second signals, the first signal serving as a voltage reference, by producing a rotation direction signal representing the direction of rotation determined; and

producing a visual indication of the direction of rotation determined, using the rotation direction signal.

2. The process according to claim 1 , including determining the direction of rotation during zero-crossing of a voltage between the two signals.

3. An apparatus for identification of direction of rotation of two periodic electrical signals comprising:

a first wire for sampling of a first phase signal as a reference;

a second wire for sampling a second phase signal;

a connection to ground of the first wire completed by a user of the apparatus;

an input circuit which receives the second phase signal and:

a capacitor connected in the second wire and to the input circuit, compensating the second phase signal for a phase shift introduced by the connection to ground of the first wire through the user; and

at least one first device for producing a signal representative of the direction of rotation of the first and second phase signals using the first phase signal as a reference for the second phase signal.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the first device comprises an input for receiving the first phase signal serving as a reference, an input for receiving of the second signal, after phase shifting, and an input D for receiving a signal representative of the sign of the reference signal with respect to ground.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , including a second device for display of the direction of rotation of the first and second phase signals.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , comprising a second D flip-flop, connected in parallel with the first D flip-flop, having a clock input receiving the second phase signal, after inversion, for confirming the direction of rotation provided by the first D flip-flop.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , including an XOR-gate connected between the first and second D flip-flops and the device for display to prohibit an erroneous indication of the direction of rotation.

8. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the device comprises a first D flip-flop having a reference input receiving the first phase signal, a clock input receiving the second phase signal, after phase shifting, and a data input receiving a sign signal representative of the sign of the reference signal with respect to ground, a signal at an output of the flip-flop indicating the direction of rotation of the first and second phase signals.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the connection of the first wire to ground completed through a user of the apparatus comprises a metal element inside a housing of the apparatus, spaced from a wall of the apparatus, and a contact zone on an exterior surface of the housing at the metal element, a gap between the metal element and the wall serving as a dielectric.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , comprising a second device for establishing the sign signal representative of the sign of the first phase signal with respect to ground and for application of the sign signal to the data input for establishing the direction of rotation.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , for establishing the sign signal identifying existence of the first phase signal.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , comprising a single-pole, single-throw switch for display of the direction of rotation, the switch being closed when the user touches the contact zone of the housing of the apparatus.

13. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein no connection to ground completed by a user of the apparatus is provided for the second wire.

14. A process for identification of direction of rotation of two periodic electrical signals present on two electrical conductors of a multiple-phase voltage system, including:

sampling first and second signals from the two conductors through first and second wires, respectively, with a connection to ground of the first wire through a person;

shifting the phase of the second signal to compensate for a phase shift introduced by the connection to ground of the first wire though the person; and

determining the direction of rotation from the first and second signals, the first signal serving as a voltage reference, with only the first wire having a connection to ground through the person, by producing a rotation direction signal representing the direction of rotation determined, and producing an indication of the direction of rotation determined, using the rotation direction signal.