Abstract: An auxiliary resolver position tracking (RPT) system for an industrial robot includes a resolver excitation and monitoring system which is powered by an uninterruptable power supply which includes a battery. The RPT system generates trapezoidal excitation pulses for the resolvers in the robot when no external excitation signal is applied, for example when the robot is shut down. Since there is relatively little motion to be detected in these instances, the RPT system switches between a slow position sampling rate, when no motion is detected, and a fast sampling rate when motion is detected. When operating on battery power, the RPT only switches to the fast sampling rate when motion is detected. To ensure that no motion data is lost when the system switches back to the slow sampling rate, the high sampling rate is maintained for a time sufficient to capture any residual motion of the robot.

Abstract: An oil ring guide system comprises a shaft mounted for rotation in either of two directions. Bearings support the shaft at two spaced-apart locations. Each bearing is formed with a pair of slots. A reservoir is mounted below each bearing. An oil ring is received in each of the four slots. Each oil ring is supported by and encircles the shaft and dips into the reservoir, whereby rotation of the shaft in either direction causes rotation of the oil rings in the same direction so that the oil rings carry oil from the reservoir into the bearing for lubrication thereof. Eight guide rods extend through the upper portion of the bearings. One pair of guide rods is displaced about the shaft axis 45.degree. in a clockwise direction from the vertical. The pair of guide rods associated with the other oil ring of the same bearing is displaced about the shaft axis 45.degree. counterclockwise from the vertical.

Abstract: An auxiliary resolver position tracking (RPT) system for an industrial robot includes a resolver excitation and monitoring system which is powered by an uninterruptable power supply which includes a battery. The RPT system generates trapezoidal excitation pulses for the resolvers in the robot when no external excitation signal is applied, for example when the robot is shut down. Since there is relatively little motion to be detected in these instances, the RPT system switches between a slow position sampling rate, when no motion is detected, and a fast sampling rate when motion is detected. When operating on battery power, the RPT only switches to the fast sampling rate when motion is detected. To ensure that no motion data is lost when the system switches back to the slow sampling rate, the high sampling rate is maintained for a time sufficient to capture any residual motion of the robot.

Abstract: The addition of an external commutating inductor and two clamp diodes to the phase-shifted PWM full-bridge dc/dc converter substantially reduces the switching losses of the transistors and the rectifier diodes, under all loading conditions. We give analyses, practical design considerations, and experimental results for a 1.5-kW converter with 60-V, 25-A output, operating at 100-kHz clock frequency and 95% efficiency.

Abstract: An auxiliary resolver position tracking (RPT) system for an industrial robot includes a resolver excitation and monitoring system which is powered by an uninterruptable power supply which includes a battery. The RPT system generates trapezoidal excitation pulses for the resolvers in the robot when no external excitation signal is applied, for example when the robot is shut down. Since there is relatively little motion to be detected in these instances, the RPT system switches between a slow position sampling rate, when no motion is detected, and a fast sampling rate when motion is detected. When operating on battery power, the RPT only switches to the fast sampling rate when motion is detected. To ensure that no motion data is lost when the system switches back to the slow sampling rate, the high sampling rate is maintained for a time sufficient to capture any residual motion of the robot.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling a plurality of lids or other predominately flat articles having two discrete sides, such as a top and bottom, delivering them in a common orientation, which includes a conveyor system for carrying the articles along the apparatus from an inlet end to a final discharge end and an air jet nozzle which directs compressed air to engage at least some of the articles to change their orientation. The conveyor system may include a number of orienting surfaces with at least a single disjoined area to provide conditions for article orientation, or re-orientation in specialized cases. The appropriate arrangement of any two of these surfaces provides varying degrees of automated flipping. Various forces, such as, but not limited to, air, vacuum and gravity, either separately or in combination, may assist in the flipping process. Such forces are selectively enabled by the detection of an improperly oriented article.

Abstract: An auxiliary resolver position tracking (RPT) system for an industrial robot includes a resolver excitation and monitoring system which is powered by an uninterruptable power supply which includes a battery. The RPT system generates trapezoidal excitation pulses for the resolvers in the robot when no external excitation signal is applied, for example when the robot is shut down. Since there is relatively little motion to be detected in these instances, the RPT system switches between a slow position sampling rate, when no motion is detected, and a fast sampling rate when motion is detected. When operating on battery power, the RPT only switches to the fast sampling rate when motion is detected. To ensure that no motion data is lost when the system switches back to the slow sampling rate, the high sampling rate is maintained for a time sufficeint to capture any residual motion of the robot.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting streaks in a moving sheet of material utilizes the signal generating and processing means of an existing spot/hole detection system which provides a series of spot measurement signals generated sequentially as a machine direction series of cross-machine sets and assigns a cross-direction location to each signal. Means are provided for calculating an exponential average of the signals for each of the cross-machine locations. This average is compared with a predetermined standard and an output signal, including a cross-machine location, is generated when the average exceeds the standard.

Abstract: An arrangement for producing a signal representative of the vectorial sum of the currents in a plurality of electric conductors in an electrical system. The arrangement includes a current transformer associated with each of the electrical conductors, and a differential current transformer for summing the current produced by each of the current transformers in response to currents in the electrical conductors. The differential current transformer is coupled to a rectifier and resistor arrangement which allows a voltage signal to be produced which is representative of the sum of the currents in the current transformers. The voltage signal is also representative of the sum of currents in the phase conductors of the electrical system.

Abstract: An improvement in lift and carry conveyor systems includes the use of fixed guide rails which guide lower portions of a part as the part moves between sequential conveyor sections. The guide rails ensure that the part continues to be properly guided as it moves between the sequential stations, or between a workstation and a conveyor section. Further, the lift members are formed of aluminum extrusions and have plastic inserts.

Abstract: Disclosed is an in-line electrolytic deflash system and method for removing resin bleed and other materials from the leads of an encapsulated electronic component. An encapsulated electronic component is carried on a continuous belt through the system. The component first passes through an electrolytic deflash station which includes tanks filled with a deflash solution for loosening the resin bleed. The component is then rinsed in a low pressure rinse station, and then carried through a high pressure rinse station where the loosened resin bleed is removed from the component. The component is then further rinsed with both tap water and a deionized water. Once the component has been sufficiently rinsed any remaining moisture is blown off the part in an air knife station and the component is then passed through a dryer which completely removes any moisture remaining on the component.

Abstract: Paperboard sheets are fed by a feeder including driven wheels which engage the lowermost sheet of a stack and drive it through the nip rolls of a box-finishing machine is synchronism with the latter. Supporting the sheets is a grate movable between a raised position wherein the wheels are spaced from the sheet and a lowered position wherein the lowermost sheet engages the wheels and is fed thereby to the nip rolls. Below the grate is a vacuum box for holding the sheet on the wheels. Raising and lowering of the grate is effected by a cam which may be adjusted to vary the feed stroke in accordance with the length of the sheets. For driving the wheels there is provided a dual input drive mechanism including a constant velocity input drive and a variable input drive which are resolved at a single output drive to the wheels.

Abstract: A pivoting lower contact arm arrangement and a circuit breaker including the arrangement. The pivoting lower contact arm arrangement includes a pivoting lower contact arm and a biasing arrangement. The biasing arrangement maintains the contact arm in an operating position with a first force and biases the arm from a blown-open position toward the operating position with a second force. The first force is greater than the second force to provide increased separating speed when the pivoting lower contact arm blows apart from a pivoting upper contact arm of the circuit breaker and moves from its operating position. The biasing arrangement also variously provides magnetic shielding and coupling between the pivoting lower contact arm and other current carrying components of the circuit breaker. The magnetic shielding enhances the blow-apart forces between the pivoting upper contact arm and the pivoting lower contact arm.

Abstract: A muffler for an air-cooling system used for channeling air for cooling an electric motor comprises a housing mounted on the electric motor and formed with an air inlet; and an air outlet and an air passage extending between and connecting the inlet and the outlet. Air from outside the housing employed to cool the motor enters through the inlet, flows through the passage and exits through the outlet. Noise having a spectrum of frequencies including a relatively low main discrete frequency, which corresponds to a relatively long wave-length, and a plurality of higher frequencies is generated in the cooling air during operation of the motor and its cooling system. A baffle is positioned within the housing adjacent to the outlet to interrupt lines of sight from the air passage to the outside of the housing. The housing and the baffle are made of a metal or plastic and have sufficient mass to attenuate the higher frequencies of the noise spectrum to a substantial degree.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dynamoelectric machine having an improved ventilation system including a housing using accurately sized openings which permit efficient intake and exhaust of coolant, while restricting inadvertent access to the interior of the housing without external attachments. The openings are integrally cast in the yoke and extend upwardly to prevent entry of precipitation.

Abstract: An articulated arm transfer device employs a rhomboidal link structure defined by two separated pairs of forearms pivotally joined at the elbows and at the wrists. Each wrist supports a holding structure and the elbows are driven in mirror-image semicircular paths by a pair of upper arms which are superimmposed alternately under each pair of forearms as the upper arms are rotated about mutually adjacent shoulder joints. The motion is such that at any time one holding structure is moving rapidly between an extended position and a park position while the other holidng structure is slowly traveling a negligible distance between a park position and a retracted position.

Abstract: A tablet extractor includes a housing which defines a cylindrical chamber having a bottom wall and a side wall. A relief is formed in a sector of the chamber side wall which creates a relatively sharp knife edge. An impeller rotatably mounted in the housing includes a rigid finger which extends along the chamber, that finger having a leading face which extends generally radially and a radially outer surface which follows closely the unrelieved portions of the chamber side wall. There is an opening in the bottom wall of the chamber and a second opening in the chamber side wall. When the impeller is rotated so that the finger rotates toward the knife edge, the extractor can recirculate liquid and a tablet and parts thereof entrained in the liquid through the chamber for mixing and can position the tablet while in the chamber for impaction against the knife edge to pulverize the tablet. A complete automated extraction and analysis workstation incorporating the tablet extractor is also disclosed.

Abstract: A linear weight actuator includes a clamp assembly adjustably connecting the power screw to the output spindle. The assembly includes an integrally formed key, riding in a slot formed in the actuator housing, which obviates the need for a separate key element. A mounting plate is adjustably clamped to the actuator housing, by a threaded mounting nut, such that the plate may be conveniently rotated relative to the housing. A linear bearing disposed in the mounting nut provides lateral support for the output spindle at a point spaced from the clamp assembly. A clamping ring encircles a thinned segment of the power nut and urges it against the power screw to prevent backlash.