Abstract:
To provide for electrical connection of electrical components (14), (16) through a rotating shaft (12) in a manner facilitating assembly and disassembly of the connection for replacement of the components (14), (16), a connector assembly (20) is provided. The connector assembly (20) includes an inset (24) disposed within an insulator (22) both of which are fixed within the rotating shaft (12) in proximity to an opening (18) therein, electrical terminals or contacts (26), (28) associated with each of the electrical components (14), (16) in spaced relation thereto, and a conductive bushing (30) extending through the opening (18) in the rotating shaft (12) in electrically isolated relation thereto. Additionally, the connector assembly (20) includes an externally threaded fastener (32) for releaseably securing the electrical terminals or contacts (26), (28) and the conductive bushing (30) to the insert (24) in the insulator (22) to electrically interconnect the electrical components (14), (16) in a manner accessible externally of the rotating shaft (12).
Abstract:
The hydrostatic transmission (6) has a mechanical limit stop (92) located entirely within hydraulic manifold (90). The limit stop (92) includes a shaft (104) which rotates in direct relation to a motor output shaft (44) of the hydrostatic transmission (6) and causes movement of a sleeve (112) having stops (114, 116) engageable with the wobbler (38) of a variable displacement pump (10) of the hydrostatic transmission to assure return of the wobbler to a neutral or zero position when the driven member (80) has reached a desired limit position and the electro-hydraulic servo valve (50) fails to operate to return the wobbler (38) to neutral position.
Abstract:
Electrically-compensated constant speed drive, CSD, (10) which includes a speed summer (18) having first and second input shafts (20, 36) and one output shaft (22). The first input shaft (20) is coupled to a variable speed prime mover (16) and the output shaft (22) develops a constant speed motive power. A speed-compensating permanent magnet machine (PMM2) couples to the second input shaft (36) of the speed summer (18). A control permanent magnet machine (PMM1) couples to the first input shaft (20) of the speed summer (18). A power converter (30) interconnects the power windings (70, 72) of these two permanent magnet machines (PMM1, PMM2). The power converter (30) comprises first and second bi-directional AC/DC converters (54, 56), a bi-directional DC/DC converter (58), and a circuit (44) for controlling the converters (54, 56, 58) so as to maintain the output shaft (22) of the speed summer (18) at a constant, desired speed.
Abstract:
Conventional rotary-vane hydraulic actuators require external pressure sources. The hydraulic actuator (35) disclosed utilizes the centrifugal head developed in its pressure chambers (52, 54) when the entire actuator (35) rotates as a source of pressure. As actuator (35) rotates fluid exits outlet port (56) and passes through a servovalve (64) into chamber (54) to move vane (49) relative to the actuator (35). To move vane (49) in the other direction, fluid exits outlet port (58) and passes through the valve into chamber (52). This self-powered actuator has utility in systems requiring relative angular positioning between a pair of rotating elements such as a pair of voltage regulator rotors in a dual permanent magnet generator.
Abstract:
For cooling a known electric generator a floating oil transfer tube was utilized, which was unsuitable for cooling a rectifier assembly within the generator. This problem is solved by a cooling arrangement (10) for the electric generator (12) capable of supplying oil to a cyclindrical rotor cavity (18) to maintain a predetermined flow rate therethrough while providing spray oil cooling to the rotating rectifier assembly (26), the stationary non-rotating oil transfer tube (20) extends from one end (14a) of a generator housing (14) within a rotating shaft (16) in generally coaxial relation with the one end (20a) of the tube (20) being in communication with an oil inlet (22) through the housing (14) and the other end (20b) of the tube (20) mounted within a rotating fitting (24) in the rotating shaft (16), the oil transfer tube (20) has a radially extending orifice for spraying oil passing through the tube into the path of travel of the rectifier assembly (26) upstream of the rotating fitting (24) and the rotating fitting (24) has an opening (36) for carrying the remainder of the oil passing through the oil transfer tube (20) into the cylindrical rotor cavity (18) within the rotating shaft (16) downstream of the rectifier assembly (26).
Abstract:
Dispersion of eutectic material (56) in a thermal disconnect coupling following thermal actuation is avoided by disposing the body (56) of eutectic material in a first axially opening cavity (40) in a driven shaft (24) having teeth (32) normally meshed with teeth (22) on a driving shaft (16). The first cavity (40) is closed by a wall (50) forming part of an output shaft (26) and the interface of the cavity (40) and the wall (50) is provided with seals (92, 94). The first cavity (40) is separated from a second cavity (42) in the driven shaft (24) by a perforated web (44, 46) and together with an element (60) supported by the output shaft (26) defines second chamber into which the body (56) may flow upon thermal actuation. The interface of the element (60) and the second cavity (42) is provided with seals (92, 94) to prevent the escape of eutectic material from the second chamber.
Abstract:
Loose or frayed fibers at the axial end of a fibrous wrap (42) about the periphery of rotor hub (10) mounting permanent magnets (22) are avoided by placing steps (40) between first and second diametral sections (36, 38) in side plates (32, 34) that sandwich the magnets (22), the wrap preventing radial displacement of the magnets, and the side plates preventing axial displacement.
Abstract:
Machines having a boom or arm pivotally disposed thereon wherein the length of the boom or arm and the angle thereof with respect to a reference plane are adjustable by means of actuators are well known. However, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to simultaneously control the actuators in a coordinated fashion to move the end of the boom or arm in a straight line path. In order to overcome this problem, a boom control system for a boom (12) according to the present invention controls the actuators (16, 18) in either of two modes of operation, the first mode of operation comprising independent control over each actuator (16, 18) to afford polar coordinate operation and the second mode of operation comprising synchronized control over the actuators (16, 18) so that the end of the member (12) may be moved in a straight line. Means (34) are provided for manually selecting one of the two modes of operation. Means (110-118) may be provided for calculating the amount of remaining horizontal throw of the boom (12) or arm when a command to move same is issued.
Abstract:
Prior inverter controls have been developed which are capable of controlling switches in an inverter to produce one of a plurality of polyphase output waveforms. Such controls utilize one or more memories to store a plurality of modulation patterns for controlling the switches. However, such types of inverter controls cannot provide individual phase regulation with the required degree of noise immunity. In order to overcome this problem, an inverter control (27) according to the present invention includes a plurality of memories (60, 62, 64) one for each phase, each of which is subdivided into a plurality of memory blocks which store a number of bytes, each of which is eight bits in length. Each bit is a zero or one, with a zero representing a first output condition for the respective phase, such as a notch, and a one representing a second output condition, such as a pulse. Memory address decoding logic (72, 100, 102) includes means for accessing a particular memory block in each memory in accordance with a control signal representing the desired waveform to be generated at each phase output. Also included are means (78) for sequentially addressing the bytes within a memory block so that the bytes stored within the block are sequentially provided at an output of the memory. A multiplexer/latch (76, 115, 117) latches a particular bit of each byte so that a control waveform is developed at the output of the latch. The control waveform is utilized to derive operating signals for switches in the respective inverter phase so that the desired waveform is generated. The inverter control of the present invention accomplishes individual phase regulation of the inverter output and is relatively immune to noise which can cause distortion in the output power.
Abstract:
Deployment mechanism for a ram air turbine has conventionally consisted of a strut pivotally mounted within a storage bay of an aircraft and which pivots to a downwardly-extending position to bring the ram air turbine into deployed position. Such a structure has required a storage bay in the aircraft having a large stowing volume because of the primarily rotational movement of the ram air turbine and has not maximized the speed of deployment of the ram air turbine. The improved deployment mechanism for the ram air turbine (10) has front and rear linkages (40, 42) pivotally connected at one of their ends within the storage bay (24) of the aircraft and their other ends pivotally connected to the ram air turbine and includes a spring-loaded deployment actuator (44) operable to move the ram air turbine from stowed position. The front and rear linkages (40, 42) are constructed and mounted at pivot joints to provide primarily a linear motion of the ram air turbine (10) in moving between stowed and deployed positions to provide for fast deployment and also minimize the volume of the storage bay and the area of the access doors thereto.