Abstract: A new and improved method and apparatus is disclosed for detecting a target location with respect to an inductive tank circuit. A sensing field such as an electromagnetic field is established having an amplitude which changes in value due to the presence of a target in the sensing field. A first energy level is provided to maintain the field at an amplitude. A second energy level is provided to achieve a value for the field within the predetermined amount of time after initiation of the field.

Abstract: A method of cutting material from a workpiece (10) while monitoring the quality of the workpiece includes the steps of:supporting a workpiece,rotating a cutting tool (14) as it engages with the workpiece,moving the cutting tool and workpiece relative to each other through a cycle to enable the cutting tool to remove material from the workpiece,dividing each cycle of the cutting tool and workpiece into a plurality of incremental movements,sensing the torque required to effect relative rotation of the tool and workpiece during each of the incremental movements of the cycle,setting torque limits for different incremental movements in the cycle, andcomparing the sensed torque exerted between the tool and workpiece with the set torque limits and generating a signal indicative of a workpiece of unacceptable quality if the sensed torque is not within the set torque limits.

Abstract: An eddy current coupling (11) includes a housing (13, 15, 17), a rotor member (29), inductor drum means (25) rotatable about an axis of rotation relative to the rotor member and coil means (41) for electro-magnetically coupling the rotor member and inductor drum means. The housing includes a non-circular central portion (13) having an opening at both ends thereof which is expandable in a radial direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation and first (15) and second (17) end members. The central portion of the housing defines a chamber (80) for receiving the rotor member, inductor drum means and coil means. The first and second end members include pilot surfaces (84, 90) thereon.

Abstract: A method of testing an assembly which is adapted to move in a predetermined motion through a cycle including the steps of applying a controlled force to the assembly, dividing each cycle of the assembly into a plurality of increments, sensing the force applied to the assembly during each increment, sensing the difference between the highest force and the lowest force sensed during a particular increment, setting a differential force limit for a particular increment and comparing the sensed difference between the highest and lowest force sensed during a particular increment with the set differential force limit and generating a first signal representative of an unacceptable assembly if the sensed differential force is not within the differential force limit.

Abstract: A universal 3-wire switch module is provided for normally open and/or normally closed load control modes. The universal switch module is field convertible from P type DC to N type DC to P type AC to N type AC configurations as programmed by installation wire connection, without internal changes to the switch module. A single switch module replaces the prior dedicated switch modules used for the various configurations. The switch module is further characterized by its versatile application to a wide range of voltage.

Abstract: A regenerative drive control is connectable to an AC power source and includes a negative converter bridge (10) having an input (12, 14, 16) connectable to the AC power source and an output connectable to a DC bus, including a positive bus (18) and a negative bus (20), a load (24) having inductance and resistance and operable to generate regenerative current and direct regenerative current through the negative converter bridge to the AC power source. The negative converter bridge includes a plurality of SCR's (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46) arranged in a plurality of series connected pairs with each series connected pair forming a leg of the converter bridge which extends between the positive and negative buses. A gating circuit (80) is provided for sequentially gating the SCR's to establish a controllable DC output on the DC bus. Sensing means (110) for generating an inhibit signal indicative of a fault is provided.

Abstract: An eddy current coupling 11 includes an input member 19, an output member 21 rotatable relative to the input member about an axis of rotation, a pole assembly 29, an inductor drum assembly 25 and a field coil 41 for coupling the input and output members. The inductor drum assembly 25 includes a generally cylindrically drum portion 27 and a radially extending drum portion 26. A heat dissipating member 71 integrally formed from a heat conductive material such as aluminum is attached to the radially extending portion 26 of the inductor drum assembly. The heat dissipating member includes heat dissipating fins 75 on one side thereof and rivet means 77 on the opposite side thereof for connecting the integrally formed heat dissipating member 71 to the radially extending portion 26 of the inductor drum assembly. The rivet means 77 act to transfer heat from the inductor drum assembly 25 to the heat dissipating member 71.

Abstract: An electromagnetic coupling device includes an input member, an output member rotatable relative to the input member, and a pole assembly associated with one of the input and output members. The pole assembly includes a pair of annular, oppositely disposed pole members and an annular core member disposed between the pole members and defining an annular cavity therebetween. An electrically energizable field coil element is disposed in said cavity for electromagnetically coupling said input and output members. The pole members each including a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially extending pole slot means disposed for communicating the exterior of the pole assembly with the core member to provide substantially uninterrupted access thereto.

Abstract: A diffuse reflective photoelectric detector head (2) for a solid state limit switch (4) having a photoreceiver with a fixed field of view (FV) and a light source (20) pivotally adjustable to cause its light beam (LB) to intersect the field of view (FV) at varying distances from the detector head, the adjustment being indicated by a mechanical indicator (26f). The head is mountable on a limit switch enclosure (8) in any of four major axis positions, with electrical connections (22a-50a, b, c) for the head being made at the junction of head (2) and enclosure (8).

Abstract: The present invention provides an electromagnetic coupling including a housing (13), the rotor (33), an inductor drum (25), including a generally cylindrical drum portion (27) having an outer heat dissipating surface including at least one generally circumferentially extending heat dissipating groove (57). A coil (47) is provided for coupling the rotor member and inductor drum. The housing includes openings therein for directing cooling fluid into the housing to dissipate heat generated in the inductor drum and a plurality of fluid directing means are attached to the outer heat dissipating surface of the inductor drum for rotation therewith. The fluid directing means (61) are obliquely disposed relative to the axis of rotation of the inductor drum to direct cooling fluid inwardly into heat dissipating grooves to cool the inductor drum.

Abstract: A circuit for a switch which receives an input from a sensor head (18) such as a proximity sensor, limit switch, or other type of condition-responsive sensor. In its most complex form the circuit includes a power supply/regulator (24), an output load current source (12), an output load current sink (14), input logic (16) to receive the signal from the sensing head, a selector (10) to determine whether the source and sink will be normally open or normally closed, and a device (26) for checking the outputs for faults and indicating the presence of such. Other circuits include certain combinations of these parts or variations of these parts.

Abstract: An electronic temperature control having a temperature sensor (10) and a user-adjustable temperature range control (12). A difference amplifier (14) amplifies the difference between the signals from the temperature sensor and range control. A hysteresis comparator (16) then accepts the signal from the difference amplifier and uses it to control a transistor relay driver (18), which in turn controls the clutch coil (20) of the air conditioning system controlled by the temperature control. The transistor relay driver is disabled by an evaporator fan sensor (22) to avoid freeze-up of the evaporator when the fan is turned off. Since auto air conditioning systems rob the car's engine of power, an acceleration cut-out (24) is provided to disable the transistor relay driver when other power demands on the car's engine are great, such as on hard acceleration.

Abstract: An external resistance is presented between the gate and cathode of a thermally sensitive thyristor which varies in accordance with a changing voltage applied across the thyristor. The changing voltage sweeps the varying external resistance through its operating range which in turn expands the region of temperature sensitivity with respect to breakover voltage by sweeping the shifting curves of switching temperature vs. gate to cathode resistance for the thyristor. In preferred form, a field effect transistor (FET) (10) is connected between the gate (8) and cathode (4) of the thermally sensitive thyristor (6) and is biased by the same voltage supply applied across the thyristor. The FET presents an external gate to cathode resistance which varies in accordance with the changing bias level on the FET, which is the same changing bias applied across the thyristor. The range of variance of this added external resistance must be between 10,000 ohms and 1 megohm.

Abstract: A differential assembly 10 includes a first casing member 50 and a second casing member 52 disposed contiguous to the first casing member. The first and second casings 50, 52 are rotatable about an axis of rotation 87. The first and second casing members define a chamber 20 in which is located a pair of side gears 32, 34 each of which is connectable to an output shaft 26, 28, a pinion shaft 40, and a pair of pinion gears 36, 38 supported on the pinion shaft 40. The first casing member 50 includes a first opening 86 which is substantially radially disposed relative to the axis of rotation and the second casing member 52 includes a second opening 80 which is substantially radially disposed relative to the axis of rotation.

Abstract: A frost sensor circuit which employs a thermistor (10, 20) to sense the amount of frost present on the cooling coils of a refrigerator, air conditioner, or the like, and to inhibit defrosting that would otherwise occur at regular intervals, in those cases where the frost present is not enough to justify a defrost function thereby to limit defrost heating to those cycles requiring it, thus saving electrical energy. This is done by mounting the thermistor at or on the coils to collect the same amount of frost as the coils and to have the defrost cycle control (11) energize the same for a timed interval, melting the frost thereon and thereby determining the amount of frost build-up.

Abstract: A viscous fluid clutch (10) rotatable about an axis of rotation (24) and adapted to be controlled by a temperature sensing element (104). The fluid clutch includes an axially extending shaft (22) disposed on the axis of rotation, a first member (14) secured to the shaft for rotation and a second member (16) rotatably disposed on the shaft relative to the first member. Shear surfaces (62, 64) are disposed on the first and second members and form an operating chamber (18) therebetween. A fluid storage chamber (70) is disposed adjacent to the operating chamber and valve means (80) is provided for effecting selective communication between the storage chamber and the operating chamber and includes a valve member (82) having first and second positions, one of which provides fluid communication between the storage chamber and the operating chamber and the other which blocks the fluid communication. A fluid is disposed within the storage chamber and is selectively displaceable into the operating chamber.

Abstract: Various circuits and combinations of radiant energy responsive transducer means such as photovoltaic diodes connected to the gate of a depletion mode FET whose source and drain are connected to the gate and cathode of a thyristor, are disclosed to provide a semiconductor switch which is triggered into conduction solely by a small amount of radiant energy, without the need for a second triggering energy source, and which also affords immunity to unwanted dv/dt and temperature induced turn-on. Various modes of operation are disclosed, including the thyristor self-triggering into conduction, and/or being of the light-activated type itself and being directly triggered by impinging light, and/or being triggered by the light-responsive diode bias, and/or being triggered by a small bias supplied from a second set of photovoltaic diodes connected to the thyristor gate. Other combinations are disclosed providing zero-cross firing.

Abstract: A fiber optic reed switch is disclosed. A pair of fiber optic cables are mounted to the ends of cantilever reed arms by means of supports providing coaxial alignment of the cables upon closure of the reed arms to complete an optical circuit.