Abstract: A gear reduction system is provided including two-stage gear reducers that may be converted to three-stage gear reducers by addition of a modular input stage. The modular input stage converts the input stage of the two-stage reducers to an intermediate stage of the three-stage reducers. Gearing, preferably including both drive pinions and driven gears, of the input stages of the two-stage reducers are used in the intermediate stages of the three-stage reducers, thereby reducing the overall number of parts needed for a family or series of reducers. Gearing is also common between input (and intermediate) stages of smaller gear reducers and modular input stages used with larger gear reducers, further reducing the number of different parts. The two-stage reducers and modular input stages of the three-stage reducers are preferably driven by modular transmission adapters that support the drive pinions of the input stages.

Abstract: An X-Y positioning machine has a forcer, with armature coils, that moves around on a platen, supported by an air bearing. Magnets embedded in the motor platen generate a fixed magnetic field with which the armature coils interact. Perpendicular elongated coils interact with the fields of magnets in columns and rows. When a traditional rectangular pattern of the magnets is provided, a packing density and average peak magnetic flux intercepted by the coils are limited to 50%. The present invention provides magnet configurations that provide greater than 50% maximum peak flux density and up to 100% packing density. Several magnet arrangements are provided: a first in which round magnets are used instead of square, and a second in which diamond shaped magnets are used. The latter can be used at 100% packing density arrangement. In addition to high peak flux density for a narrow coil, these embodiments exhibit low cogging forces. A method of making the magnet is also provided.

Abstract: A redundant controller employs two controller chassis having replaceable functional modules interconnected electrically within the chassis. System back up modules in the chassis coordinate the switching of control from a primary to a secondary chassis according to chassis redundancy state information of the chassis stored in the backup modules and module redundancy state information stored in the modules unique to the modules.

Abstract: A latch for connecting a switch operator, such as a push button, to contact blocks in an industrial switch employs opposed spring loaded teeth to engage detent surfaces on the operator. The teeth are attached to jaws generally along a line parallel to the line between the opposed teeth but to one side of a sleeve receiving the operator. The jaws and teeth are connected so that separation of the jaws separate the teeth allowing disengagement of the operator. The space between the jaws is accessible along an axis extending toward the back of the switch so as to permit release of the operator by means of a tool such as a screwdriver without clearance about the switch. The teeth may be wedge shaped to permit the operator to snap in place, only, without the use of the tool.

Abstract: A programmable controller governs the operation of a piece of equipment by executing machine language instructions compiled from a ladder diagram type control program. The control program as stored in the controller includes not only compiled machine language instructions, but also a tokenized version of the source code from which certain machine language instructions were compiled. The source code is provided only for those portions of the machine language program which cannot be easily decompiled to produce the corresponding source code. This program storage facilitates subsequent editing of the stored program via a terminal connected to the programmable controller. During the editing process, the original ladder diagram can be reconstructed from a combination of the machine language instructions and the tokenized version of the source code. In doing so, the machine language instructions, which have a one-to-one correspondence with the source code instructions, are decompiled using conventional techniques.