Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for levitating and moving objects such as vehicles, doors and windows are shown and described herein. The embodiments incorporate a track with lower rails having lower permanent magnets and the object with upper rails having upper permanent magnets aligned with the lower rails and oriented to oppose the polarity of the lower permanent magnets. Ferrous backing plates may be incorporated behind the lower rails and/or the upper rails. Embodiments may also incorporated a third rail of an electroconductive material, and a driving disc positioned near the third rail. Permanent magnets in the driving disc may be rotated with the driving disc in the presence of the third rail to accelerate the upper rails with respects to the lower rails. The driving disc may be coupled one of the lower rails to maintain a desired alignment with the third rail.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for levitating and moving objects such as vehicles, doors and windows are shown and described herein. The embodiments incorporate a track with lower rails having lower permanent magnets and the object with upper rails having upper permanent magnets aligned with the lower rails and oriented to oppose the polarity of the lower permanent magnets. Ferrous backing plates may be incorporated behind the lower rails and/or the upper rails. Embodiments may also incorporate a third rail of an electroconductive material, and a driving disc positioned near the third rail. Permanent magnets in the driving disc may be rotated with the driving disc in the presence of the third rail to accelerate the upper rails with respects to the lower rails. The driving disc may be coupled one of the lower rails to maintain a desired alignment with the third rail.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for levitating and moving objects are shown and described herein. The embodiments incorporate a track with lower rails having permanent magnets abutted against each other and aligned such that the upper surface of each of the lower rails has a uniform polarity; and the object with upper rails having permanent magnets aligned with the lower rails and oriented to oppose the polarity of the lower permanent magnets. Ferrous backing plates behind the lower rails and/or the upper rails may be incorporated. Embodiments may also incorporate a third rail of an electroconductive material, and a driving disc positioned near the third rail. Permanent magnets in the driving disc may be rotated with the driving disc in the presence of the third rail to accelerate the upper rails with respects to the lower rails.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for anchoring and aligning a vehicular track are shown and described. Embodiments of the invention can incorporate a first structural member anchorable to the earth and a second structural member coupleable to the track, spaced apart from each other by a spacing member designed to allow the second structural member to rotate with respect to the first structural member. Fasteners can be incorporated to facilitate adjustment of the second structural member and/or to retain the second structural member in a desired orientation.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for levitating and moving objects such as vehicles, doors and windows are shown and described herein. The embodiments incorporate a track with lower rails having lower permanent magnets and the object with upper rails having upper permanent magnets aligned with the lower rails and oriented to oppose the polarity of the lower permanent magnets. Ferrous backing plates may be incorporated behind the lower rails and/or the upper rails. Embodiments may also incorporate a third rail of an electroconductive material, and a driving disc positioned near the third rail. Permanent magnets in the driving disc may be rotated with the driving disc in the presence of the third rail to accelerate the upper rails with respects to the lower rails. The driving disc may be coupled one of the lower rails to maintain a desired alignment with the third rail.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for levitating and moving objects are shown and described herein. The embodiments incorporate a track with lower rails having permanent magnets abutted against each other and aligned such that the upper surface of each of the lower rails has a uniform polarity; and the object with upper rails having permanent magnets aligned with the lower rails and oriented to oppose the polarity of the lower permanent magnets. Ferrous backing plates behind the lower rails and/or the upper rails may be incorporated. Embodiments may also incorporate a third rail of an electroconductive material, and a driving disc positioned near the third rail. Permanent magnets in the driving disc may be rotated with the driving disc in the presence of the third rail to accelerate the upper rails with respects to the lower rails.

Abstract: A permanent magnet coupler has a conductor rotor assembly mounted on one shaft and a magnet rotor assembly mounted on a coaxial shaft. The magnet rotor assembly provides two magnet rotors spaced by the adjustable air gaps from two conductor elements provided by the conductor rotor assembly. The air gap adjustment includes adjustable stops, such, for example, as swing arms having an adjustable effective length. These stops operate in conjunction with swing arms causing the magnet rotors to move axially in unison in opposite directions. The air gaps are set so that the coupler will automatically release when subjected to an overloaded condition.

Abstract: A permanent magnet coupler has a conductor rotor assembly mounted on one shaft and a magnet rotor assembly mounted on a coaxial shaft. The magnet rotor assembly provides two magnet rotors spaced by the adjustable air gaps from two conductor elements provided by the conductor rotor assembly. The air gap adjustment includes adjustable stops, such, for example, as swing arms having an adjustable effective length. These stops operate in conjunction with swing arms causing the magnet rotors to move axially in unison in opposite directions. The air gaps are set so that the coupler will automatically release when subjected to an overloaded condition.

Abstract: A cage carrying two axially adjustable conductors is mounted on one shaft and a rotor is mounted on a second coaxial shaft to occupy a position between the conductors. Permanent magnets on the rotor have poles spaced by air gaps from the conductors. The air gaps are adjusted by sliding the conductors toward and away from one another along slide members on the cage by use of adjustment units engaging the conductor rotors. Alternatively, the conductors can be mounted on the rotor, and the magnets can be adjustably mounted on the cage.

Abstract: An adjustable coupler has a group of magnet rotors with permanent magnets separated by air gaps from non-ferrous conductor elements presented by a group of conductor rotors. The air gaps are adjusted by axial movement of one of the groups relative to the other to vary the slip of the coupler and control the load speed under varying load conditions.

Abstract: An adjustable coupler has a group of magnet rotors with permanent magnets separated by air gaps from non-ferrous conductor elements presented by a group of conductor rotors. The air gaps are adjusted by axial movement of one of the groups relative to the other to vary the slip of the coupler and control the load speed under varying load conditions.

Abstract: A magnetic coupling device has an electroconductive rotor presenting a band of electroconductive material and has a magnet rotor with permanent magnets which may be slide-mounted to move radially outward responsive to centrifugal force in opposition to a spring bias. When the magnet rotor is stationary the magnets are radially inward of the orbit of the electroconductive band, and when the magnets have moved outwardly when the magnet rotor is rotating, the magnets are spaced by an air gap from the electroconductive band so that eddy currents are induced in the band resulting in coupling of the rotors. In the alternative the magnets may be always at least partly opposite the electroconductive band. The electroconductive rotor preferably has two electroconductive bands positioned on opposite sides of the magnet rotor. One or both of the rotors may have sheaves mounted thereon.

Abstract: The soft start of a permanent magnet coupler of the type in which magnetic flux from permanent magnets on a rotary magnet rotor bridges an air gap between the magnets and an electroconductive element on a rotary conductor rotor to magnetically couple said rotors together responsive to relative rotary motion between said rotors, is adjusted by changing the amount of flux which bridges the air gap. This is accomplished by attracting some of the flux to magnetic material selectively positioned on said magnet rotor adjacent one or more of said magnets.

Abstract: An adjustable coupler has a group of magnet rotors separated by air gaps from a group of conductor rotors. The air gaps are adjusted by axial movement of one of the groups relative to the other to vary the slip of the coupler and achieve a constant load speed at various load torques.

Abstract: An adjustable coupler has a group of magnet rotors separated by air gaps from a group of conductor rotors. The air gaps are adjusted by axial movement of one of the groups relative to the other to vary the slip of the coupler and achieve a constant load speed at various load torques.

Abstract: An adjustable coupler has a rotary magnet rotor with magnet modules gaps from electroconductive elements on an electroconductive rotor. The magnet modules each have two side-by-side permanent magnets with their respective poles reversed and have a neutral plane between the magnets. The magnet modules can be turned for torque adjustment between a maximum torque position in which the neutral planes intersect at the rotary axis of the coupler, and a minimum torque position at which the magnet modules are turned 90 degrees from the maximum torque position.

Abstract: A conductor rotor presents a pair of electroconductive rings spaced apart to receive magnet carrying shoes with permanent magnets to induce eddy currents in the rings and thereby retard rotation of the conductor rotor. The shoes are moved in and out in a controlled manner to move between a retracted brake-off position and an extended brake-on position.

Abstract: A power transfer assembly has a magnet rotor with permanent magnets co-acting with a pair of electroconductive rings on a conductor rotor. The rotary axes of the two rotors are in laterally spaced parallel relation with one of the rotors being greater in diameter than the other.

Abstract: A magnetic coupling device has an electroconductive rotor presenting a band of electroconductive material and has a magnet rotor with permanent magnets which are slide-mounted to move radially outward responsive to centrifugal force in opposition to a spring bias. When the magnet rotor is stationary the magnets are radially inward of the orbit of the electroconductive band, and when the magnets have moved outwardly when the magnet rotor is rotating, the magnets are spaced by an air gap from the electroconductive band so that eddy currents are induced in the band resulting in coupling of the rotors. The electroconductive rotor preferably has two such bands positioned on opposite sides of the magnet rotor. The rotors may have sheaves mounted thereon.

Abstract: A magnetic coupler has a magnetic disc containing permanent magnets located between two electroconductive plates and separated therefrom by air gaps. The magnetic disc and electroconductive plates are mounted on coaxial or parallel-spaced input and output shafts so that rotation of the input shaft causes rotation of the output shaft by way of magnetic friction between the permanent magnets and the electroconductive plates.