Abstract: An apparatus and method used to detect metallized containers or other objects in closed packages traveling in a conveyor stream. The apparatus includes a pair of coil units mounted in association with a packaging conveyor such that the closed packages will pass therebetween. Appropriate field generation circuitry are connected to the coil units for producing a magnetic field. When the metallized containers pass through the magnetic field, the impedance across the coils will vary. The varying impedance is measured continuously, thus giving an indication as to whether the metallized object has been detected. If the package is nonconforming, steps can be taken to automatically remove it from the conveyor stream.

Abstract: A bearing apparatus having one or more integrated load sensors for determining the load imposed on a rotatable shaft. The bearing apparatus includes a bearing housing having a bearing set, such as a bearing insert, located therein. The load sensors are preferably configured as strain gauges having resistance characteristics that vary as the bearing housing is deformed. For example, the strain gauges may be angularly spaced in an arcuate recess defined below the bearing set in the bearing housing. Preferably, circuitry is also provided to condition the deformation signal to provide an indication of loading on the shaft. The conditioning circuitry may be advantageously attached to the exterior of the bearing housing.

Abstract: Insulating slot liners for insertion into stator core winding slots are formed from a narrow-width reel of insulating material. The width of the material is determined by the inner circumferential surface of the winding slot that must be insulated, instead of being based on the axial length of the stator core as has been the practice in the past. As a result, slot liners may be easily produced for stator cores of different axial lengths by simply adjusting the length of material cut from the reel. Preferably, the cutting mechanism used to cut the length of material is adapted to form a pair of opposed cuffs when the material is cut. An insulator blank formed in this manner is pushed into a die, thereby forming a U-shaped slot liner. A transfer mechanism functions to move the slot liner into a respective winding slot. The slot liner preferably passes through a reduced diameter guideway defined in a guide element as it is moved into the winding slot.

Abstract: An improved conduit box assembly for a large electric motor permits placement of busbar units and other such components at various locations therein. The conduit box has a main box in which fixed mounting bases are installed. Preferably, four L-shaped mounting bases are provided, one located in each of the respective corners. The mounting bases are configured to permit attachment of removable terminal support members on which the busbar units or other components are carried. Each terminal support member is mounted in a desired location within the main box across a pair of opposed base elements. Preferably, the support members can be placed in any one of a plurality of rotational and axial positions.

Abstract: An electromechanical machine includes a stator fixed with respect to a housing structure and a rotor fixed with respect to a driven shaft. The stator includes a magnetically permeable core having a plurality of parallel winding slots containing conductive windings. Coilheads are located at opposite axial ends of the magnetically permeable core where the windings turn to extend down a parallel winding slot. The motor is equipped with an electrostatic shield arrangement to reduce capacitive coupling between the stator and rotor during operation. The shield arrangement comprises a grounded conductive layer separated from the conductive windings of the stator by an insulative layer of cured resin material. Preferably, the conductive layer may be formed of a conductive paint.

Abstract: An improved conduit box assembly for a large electric motor permits placement of busbar units and other such components at various locations therein. The conduit box has a main box in which fixed mounting bases are installed. Preferably, four L-shaped mounting bases are provided, one located in each of the respective corners. The mounting bases are configured to permit attachment of removable terminal support members on which the busbar units or other components are carried. Each terminal support member is mounted in a desired location within the main box across a pair of opposed base elements. Preferably, the support members can be placed in any one of a plurality of rotational and axial positions.

Abstract: A rotor assembly for an induction motor has cast end rings located at each axial end of a magnetically permeable core. The end rings electrically connect conductor bars extending through conductor channels in the core to provide a squirrel cage arrangement. The end rings are configured to define an annular peak along which a plurality of mounting sprews are located. Preferably, the mounting sprews are positioned between adjacent pairs of radial fan blades. The annular peak may be formed by a tapered structure which advantageously provides a narrower end ring width near the rotor's outer diameter surface. The reduced width at this location presents a higher resistance in the lock rotor condition, thus yielding an improved lock rotor specification in many cases. Due to the "deep bar effect," current will flow through the thicker portion of the end rings at higher operating speeds (i.e., lower slip frequency). As a result, a lower resistance will be realized as the motor is brought up to speed.

Abstract: A motor brake apparatus includes an improved torque adjustment mechanism. The adjustment mechanism includes an adjusting nut having a outer ring groove aligned with an inner ring groove defined in a receiving bore of the brake housing structure. A snap ring is located in the aligned grooves to connect the housing structure and adjusting ring while allowing free rotation therebetween. Inner threads of the adjusting nut engage outer threads of a spring pushing element such that rotation of the adjusting nut causes axial movement of the pushing element. The pushing element engages one or more springs which are thereby compressed or released, depending on which axial direction the pushing element is moved. The spring force varied in this manner results in varying levels of braking torque.

Abstract: Housing frames for use in electromechanical machines may be advantageously produced using a novel pattern form in a lost foam casting process. The pattern form is made from a cast dissolvable material, and is configured to permit easy modification prior to casting. The pattern form may be adapted to produce footed or footless housing frames, or housing frames of various axial lengths. In addition, the frame area on which a conduit box will be attached can be easily modified prior to casting. After the pattern form has been modified, it is placed in a casting medium of dry particulate material, such as sand. Upon contact with molten metal, the pattern form vaporizes. The molten metal fills the space where the pattern form had been, assuming the desired shape. After the molten metal has cooled to rigidity, the resulting housing frame can be removed from the casting medium.

Abstract: A water resistant conduit box has a main box portion with open ends capped by respective cover plates. The main box portion has a perimeter flange structure extending outwardly around the perimeter of one open end. One end plate is removably attached to the main box portion such that a perimeter lip thereof extends about the flange structure. The main box portion has a perimeter seat structure integrally extending about the second open end. The seat structure is configured to create a recessed seat to which another end plate is removably attached. This end plate may itself define a recessed seat in which a mounting flange of the motor housing is received. Due to its construction, the conduit box may be "rotated" into a variety of orientations while still retaining desired water resistance all around.

Abstract: The rotatable shaft of a large machine is blocked using a plurality of preloaded springs held by a collar member secured to the housing of the machine so as to prevent the roller bearing supporting the non-drive end of the shaft from being damaged during shipment of the machine.

Abstract: A device and method are disclosed for inspecting core laminations of an electrical machine, such as an AC induction motor. The core laminations define inner diameter and outer diameter slots preferably in a predetermined orientation with respect to one another. The inspection device of the invention includes a bed plate defining at least one key channel to align with the inner and outer diameter slots in the predetermined orientation. A first key is slidable in the key channel to engage an inner diameter slot. An outer diameter slot is engaged by a second key if the predetermined orientation has been achieved. If the predetermined orientation has not been achieved, the second key will not engage the outer diameter slot. A plurality of post members may be inserted into registered slots provided in a stack of core laminations to facilitate visual inspection of several attributes.

Abstract: An electromechanical machine includes a stator fixed with respect to a housing structure and a rotor fixed with respect to a shaft. The shaft is rotatably supported by a pair of bearing assemblies maintained in the housing structure. A pair of coilheads extend from respective sides of the stator core axially external of the rotor. Shaft shields, preferably configured as tubular members, radially interpose the shaft and the respective coilhead. The shaft shields may be constructed of a magnetically permeable material to divert flux that would otherwise cut through the shaft. As a result, errant currents that could be induced in the shaft by such flux are desirably reduced.

Abstract: A speed reducer apparatus includes an auxiliary seal assembly to inhibit ingress of particulate matter. Preferably, the seal assembly is located axially outboard of a primary seal, such as a land riding seal. The seal assembly includes a plate defining a hole through which a rotatable member extends. The hole is sized to provide a predetermined gap between the inside surface of the plate and the outside surface of the rotatable member. An annular bead member is set in place from a viscous state about the rotatable member. In particular, the annular bead member extends across the gap between the plate and the rotatable member, functioning as a dam. Methods of forming the auxiliary seal assembly are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of transferring firmware to a non-volatile memory of a programmable controller system comprises the steps of establishing a remote network connection and transferring the firmware to the non-volatile memory of the programmable controller system by way of the remote network connection. The remote network connection is established between a first computer system utilized by a firmware provider and the programmable controller system. The first computer system is located remotely from the programmable controller system. Alternatively, the remote network connection may also be established between the first computer system and a second computer system utilized by a user of the programmable controller system and located locally with the programmable controller system. Advantageously, using a network link, firmware upgrade can be downloaded into a processor module of a programmable controller system from a firmware provider, without any transportation delays and without any significant hardware intervention.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing magnetically-permeable cores for use in electromechanical machines, such as electric motors. The apparatus includes a plurality of welding arbors adapted to support a stack of core laminations. A storage structure defines a plurality of arbor storage locations at which respective welding arbors are maintained. A transporter device is operative to individually move the welding arbors to and from a respective arbor storage location. A welding device is operative to weld the stack of core laminations together. A conveyor assembly is also provided for moving the welding arbors between the welding device and the transporter device.

Abstract: Bearing assemblies supporting the shaft of an electrical rotating machine are electrically insulated from the bearing housing. For each bearing assembly, a portion of the housing defines a receptacle into which an insertion ring is positioned. The gap between the insertion ring is filled with an appropriate insulative material, such as a nonconductive binding compound or an insulative polymer. In a preferred construction, nonconductive binding compound is located between spacers of insulative polymer. In another preferred construction, a nonconductive coating is applied to the outer surface and the remainder of the gap is filled with nonconductive binding compound. Insulative polymeric material may be used without binding compound in some embodiments. The bearing assembly is maintained in the insertion ring.

Abstract: An arrangement for measuring the operating temperature of an electromechanical machine utilizes at least one elongate sensor device inserted into a winding slot of the stator core. The sensor device includes a lead attachment portion at which a plurality of relatively large gauge lead wires are attached. The lead wires preferably have a length sufficient to extend to a location outside of the motor housing. The sensor device includes an elongate sensing portion having temperature sensitive conductors. Preferably, the sensing portion is located entirely within the axial extent of the stator core. An elongate transition portion having temperature insensitive conductors provides electrical connection between the lead wires and the temperature sensitive conductors of the sensing portion.

Abstract: An electromechanical machine includes a stator fixed with respect to a housing structure and a rotor fixed with respect to a driven shaft. The stator includes a magnetically permeable core having a plurality of parallel winding slots containing driven windings. Coilheads are located at opposite axial ends of the magnetically permeable core where the windings turn to extend down a parallel winding slot. The motor is also equipped with an auxiliary winding arrangement to reduce capacitive coupling between the stator and rotor during operation. The auxiliary winding arrangement comprises grounded auxiliary windings located in the winding slots and the inside surface of the coilheads to interpose the driven windings and the rotor.

Abstract: An expandable arbor is provided for assembling a plurality of laminas into a lamination, wherein each lamina has a central opening and a plurality of slots extending radially from the central opening. The arbor includes a base portion and an expandable core that is disposed to extend axially from the base portion. The arbor further includes a plurality of key holders disposed around the core. Each key holder is configured in the form of an elongated shaft that extends axially from the base portion and has a polygonal transverse cross-section. Each key holder is further configured with a plurality of faces, and each face defines a key receptacle therein for holding a key.