Abstract: A powered rope ascender that supports a person or a load while ascending a vertical rope. The rope ascender has a motor driven capstan drum that engages the rope. A pinch roller grips the rope against the capstan drum. A load limiting assembly releases the grip by the pinch roller when the load supported by the ascender exceeds a predetermined amount. A centrifugal clutch reduces starting torque required by the motor and the outer drum of the centrifugal clutch interacts with a brake to hold position on the rope. For heavy loads a motion activated brake is used. Hand controls provide a freewheeling, a braking and an ascending mode of operation. A harmonic drive or planetary reduction gears provide speed reduction from the motor to the capstan drum. The powered rope ascender can be threaded on the rope without access to a rope end.

Abstract: A powered rope ascender that supports a person or a load while ascending a vertical rope. The rope ascender has a motor driven capstan drum that engages the rope. A pinch roller grips the rope against the capstan drum. A load limiting assembly releases the grip by the pinch roller when the load supported by the ascender exceeds a predetermined amount. A centrifugal clutch reduces starting torque required by the motor and the outer drum of the centrifugal clutch interacts with a brake to hold position on the rope. For heavy loads a motion activated brake is used. Hand controls provide a freewheeling, a braking and an ascending mode of operation. A harmonic drive or planetary reduction gears provide speed reduction from the motor to the capstan drum. The powered rope ascender can be threaded on the rope without access to a rope end.

Abstract: An integrated system for providing 3-axis attitude-control, energy-storage, and electrical power in which two counter-rotating inertia-wheels are tandem mounted with rotational axis oriented on and parallel to the longitudinal-axis of an airframe. A horizontal- and vertical-translating support is centrally-located between the wheels and houses a common wheel-bearing mount communicating with and supporting both inward-pointing inertia-wheel shafts. The preferred embodiment further consists of two outwardly-mounted tilt wheel bearing and suspension means, each communicating with and supporting an inertia-wheel outward-pointing shaft. Taken together, these supports and their associated two-axis actuator enable both wheels to be tilted equally in opposite directions to generate a combination of pitch and yaw reaction torque. Further, an electric generator integrally mounted to each inertia-wheel, and an electric load controller connected to each electric generator enable the creation of reaction roll torque.

Abstract: An integrated system for providing 3-axis attitude-control, energy-storage, and electrical power in which two counter-rotating inertia-wheels are tandem mounted with rotational axis oriented on and parallel to the longitudinal-axis of an airframe. A horizontal- and vertical-translating support is centrally-located between the wheels and houses a common wheel-bearing mount communicating with and supporting both inward-pointing inertia-wheel shafts. The preferred embodiment further consists of two outwardly-mounted tilt wheel bearing and suspension means, each communicating with and supporting an inertia-wheel outward-pointing shaft. Taken together, these supports and their associated two-axis actuator enable both wheels to be tilted equally in opposite directions to generate a combination of pitch and yaw reaction torque. Further, an electric generator integrally mounted to each inertia-wheel, and an electric load controller connected to each electric generator enable the creation of reaction roll torque.

Abstract: A pneumatic/mechanical actuator described herein consists of a variation of a Brayton-cycle machine for generating actuation force. The system avoids the continues heat problem of a Brayton-cycle by using compressed gas to drive a reversible turbine. The turbine only is driven when a change of actuation position. The system includes an internal-combustion engine-air compressor, a pneumatic energy storage and transfer system, a fuel/air mixing means, two electric pilot valves, two lean-ratio high-pressure catalytic-bed burners, a small-diameter and reversible turbine, a ratio speed-reducing transmission, an optical-encoder feedback position and speed sensor and a ball-screw push-rod mechanism. An alternative embodiment uses a free piston engine compressor hybrid to provide the compressed air. Manual or computer control may be used to monitor and direct desired changes in actuator position.

Abstract: A pneumatic/mechanical actuator described herein consists of a variation of a Brayton-cycle machine for generating actuation force. The system avoids the continues heat problem of a Brayton-cycle by using compressed gas to drive a reversible turbine. The turbine only is driven when a change of actuation position. The system includes an internal-combustion engine-air compressor, a pneumatic energy storage and transfer system, a fuel/air mixing means, two electric pilot valves, two lean-ratio high-pressure catalytic-bed burners, a small-diameter and reversible turbine, a ratio speed-reducing transmission, an optical-encoder feedback position and speed sensor and a ball-screw push-rod mechanism. An alternative embodiment uses a free piston engine compressor hybrid to provide the compressed air. Manual or computer control may be used to monitor and direct desired changes in actuator position.