Abstract: A magnetic brake provides braking or locking capability and is remotely controlled by electric power. The magnetic brake comprises a rotatable shaft and a brake disc mounted on the shaft. A non-rotating core housing assembly located around the shaft includes a permanent magnet and a bipolar solenoid. A magnetic armature adjacent to the core housing assembly is capable of movement toward the core housing assembly and toward and into engagement with a brake disc to prevent rotation of the shaft. A spring urges the armature away from the core housing assembly and into engagement with the brake disc. The brake does not use any electric power to maintain the brake in the set mode with the rotating shaft fully locked, or in the released mode with the rotating shaft fully released. The permanent magnet is of sufficient strength to hold the armature against urging of the spring until an opposite polarity is supplied by the solenoid.

Abstract: A variable displacement piston pump includes a plurality of axially aligned pumping cylinders with a drive shaft extending therebetween having a pivotable swash plate disposed in a relatively dry cavity at one end of the drive shaft for operating the pumping cylinders, and a reaction thrust plate on the other end of the drive shaft for providing a reaction force on the drive shaft opposite that provided by the swash plate. An inlet shaft seal prevents fluid, which enters the pump at the inlet port, from filling the mounting housing and submerging the mount shaft portion of a rotating assembly supporting the swash plate. Two needle roller bearings support the swash plate and transmit torque from the drive coupling to the swash plate. A high pressure fluid restrictor meters hydraulic control fluid to the two needle bearings.

Abstract: A flexural pivot is configured as a multi-piece device which is specifically configured to tolerate vibration and shock loading. The flex pivot described uses pre-formed unitary (one-piece) support structures which have integral undercut areas, diametrically opposed slots for flexural member placement and key ways and the like, and near net shape geometry. The flexural members are pre-brazed to facilitate the assembly process. The design of the pre-formed support structures eliminates brazed joints which are common locations of fracture due to vibration and shock loading, resulting in a significantly strengthened pivot. The overall configuration and method described provides an economical flex pivot, whereby the flex pivots are accessible for applications which have not heretofore been feasible.

Abstract: A stator assembly for a d.c. electric motor/generator has a pair of permanent magnet segments located on the interior surface of the yoke. The magnet segments are held in place by a pair of wedges which are attached to the yoke. The wedges are tapered inwardly and the magnet segments are tapered outwardly to hold the magnet segments in place against the interior surface of the yoke. The tapered magnet segments also reduce cogging torques produced on the armature due to the gradual fall off of the magnetic flux at the tapered side edges of the magnet segments.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for transmitting condition data from a rotating member to a stationary device is disclosed wherein digitized data obtained from a plurality of sensors is transmitted from the rotating member to the stationary device through a system of light emitting diodes on the rotating member which flash light signals in a preselected digital sequence. The data so obtained is received by a system of stationary receivers, and thereafter decoded and processed for utilization. Electric power for the rotating components is obtained by using the kinetic energy of the rotating member.

Abstract: A spline centering device is arranged on a member having a spline in mating engagement with a spline on a member having a hole not otherwise having spline centering or piloting characteristics. The centering device features a spring loaded tapered member which locks into the hole to provide the required piloting affect and to therby reduce spline motion and spline tooth wear.

Abstract: A throttle valve has a control member which is angularly positioned by two stepper motors which drive the control member through differential gearing. The drives to the control member are arranged so that a single step displacement of the respective motors in the same direction drives the control member by different amounts in opposite directions, providing a high resolution drive. The control member may be driven at a high speed by reversing one of the motors.

Abstract: A control system for a stabilizing apparatus for a rail vehicle body, which is tiltable on a bogey by means of jacks, comprises a lateral accelerometer and an angular accelerometer mounted on the vehicle body, two servo-mechanisms respectively responsive to operation of the lateral and angular accelerometers, and a control valve for the tilting jacks, the control valve being coupled to output members of the servo-mechanisms so that tilting movement of the vehicle body in response to operation of the lateral accelerometer is sensed by the angular accelerometer so as to urge the control valve in a direction to oppose the aforesaid tilting movement.

Abstract: A wheel suspension arrangement for a wheel carrier including a suspension spring and a damper has a valve, controlling the damper. A displacement transducer detects the position of the wheel carrier relative to the vehicle body and provides an input to a function generator which produces an output corresponding to the required value of the acceleration of the wheel carrier. A comparator compares the actual acceleration with the desired acceleration and controls the valve accordingly.

Abstract: A gear pump or motor includes a housing having an 8-shaped chamber, a pair of meshed gears in the chamber and a pair of ports opening into the chamber on opposite sides of the zone of mesh of the gears. The teeth of the gears have on their non-working flanks relieved portions adjacent the tip and the root of the tooth which are arranged to leave an unrelieved land across the entire non-working flank.

Abstract: A fuel control system for a gas turbine engine has a pump which delivers fuel to a supply passage. A spill valve downstream of the pump is responsive to a servo pressure signal to spill fuel from the supply passage. A pilot valve is controlled by a torque motor to regulate the servo pressure signal. The torque motor is responsive to an electrical signal dependent on a difference between desired and actual engine speeds.

Abstract: A priming valve for a liquid fuel supply system is arranged in parallel with a fuel metering device and includes a shuttle control element which opens the priming valve during movement, the priming valve being shut at opposite ends of movement of the shuttle. The shuttle is moved by an operating pressure derived from the priming valve inlet via a restrictor and applied to respective ends of the shuttle by a change-over control valve which is operated to deliver a priming charge of fuel.

Abstract: An electromagnetic force applying device comprises a core with an annular air gap, a coil for creating a radial magnetic field in the air gap and an armature ring movable axially in the air gap. The core and the ring are of different magnetic materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion so that the force applied to the ring when a given current flows through the coil varies with temperature.

Abstract: A gear pump or motor includes a housing having an 8-shaped chamber, a pair of meshed gears in the chamber and a pair of ports opening into the chamber on opposite sides of the zone of mesh of the gears. The teeth of the gears have on their non-working flanks relieved portions adjacent the tip and the root of the tooth which are arranged to leave an unrelieved land across the entire non-working flank.

Abstract: A remote-controlled circuit breaker apparatus has a pulse generator operable to provide a single output pulse. A change over switch is operable to select the polarity of the pulse applied to a conductor. A circuit breaker device has two electro-magnets arranged to be responsive to conductor pulses of respective opposite polarities to open and close the circuit breaker device. It is arranged that in the absence of a pulse, and with the circuit breaker device open a constant voltage signal appears on the conductor. A visual indicator is responsive to this signal to provide an open-circuit warning. The circuit breaker device also becomes open circuit in response to thermal overload, thereby causing the visual indicator to be energized.

Abstract: A speed-responsive governor arrangement has a lever which is movable by a governor device. A spring-loaded transmission device is engaged between an arm of the lever and an opposed face of a cam element, so that a torque applied to the lever, opposing that applied by the governor device, is dependent on the positions of the transmission device and the cam element. The cam element has a further face which rests on rollers, so that the position of the cam element may be varied. The positions of the rollers are themselves adjustable.

Abstract: A liquid sprayer for a gas turbine engine comprises a body formed with one or more air passages therein and one or more fuel passages. The fuel passages open into the air passages over portions thereof whose dimensions change smoothly and continuously longitudinally of the passage. Each air passage may be of rectangular cross-section over said portion with the cross-sectional shape thereof changing from one dimension being smaller than the other to said one dimension being greater than the other. The fuel passage opens into the air passage at a location at which the two dimensions are substantially the same.This liquid sprayer device promotes efficient mixing of the fuel with the air.

Abstract: A thrust reversal system for a jet aircraft engine, comprising thrust reverser buckets movable between a stowed and a deployed position, an air motor operable under pilot's control to impart movement to the buckets, a piston movable in a cylinder having restricted outlet orifices for automatically decelerating the motor when the buckets approach both the stowed and the deployed position, a locking mechanism for locking the buckets in the stowed position and a flow control valve for controlling the direction of flow of operating air to the motor, the flow control valve, upon selection of deploy, initially occupying a position corresponding to movement of the motor in the direction to stow the buckets and, after release of the locking mechanism, moving to its alternative position to enable the motor to move the buckets to the deployed position.