Abstract: In a rotor mounting system, a tab is welded to the outer race of a bearing assembly extending in a radial direction beyond the diameter of the outer race. The motor bracket housing includes a boss projecting upward from the housing proximate to the receiving cavity for the bearing assembly, such that when the bearing assembly is seated in the receiving cavity, interference between the tab and the boss prevents rotation of the outer race within the receiving cavity.

Abstract: An inverter for the supply of one or more discharge lamps with heated electrodes includes a load circuit with a series resonant circuit and at least one lamp, two controllable switches and a control circuit for the switches, causing the switches to conduct alternately. A normally isolated dissipative component is connected, when the voltage across the load circuit exceeds a given value, to the load circuit, thus modifying its figure of merit to limit the maximum voltage without varying the resonant frequency of the load circuit.

Abstract: An improved method is provided for the design of high-efficiency electric machines. The maximum practical value of air gap flux density B.sub.g is selected, consistent with maintaining acceptable noise and vibration levels. The value of B.sub.g selected is then used to determine the dimensions of the stator and rotor laminations so as to result in flux density levels that minimize core loss, stator I.sup.2 R and rotor I.sup.2 R losses, and magnetizing current requirements.

Abstract: A housing of electrical insulating material for a thermal protector used with an inductive device, such as a ballast transformer, in which the housing has an open portion through which the case of the thermal protector is accessible to be placed adjacent a part of the inductive device to sense its temperature. The housing also has an aperture through which a current carrying inductor device lead wire connected to the protector extends. An adhesive tape on the housing is used to fasten the housing to the inductor. An insulated part of the housing protects a junction of a current carrying wire connected to the protector and a wire of a coil of the inductive device.

Abstract: An AC motor is provided with a motor housing and a photoelectric sensor associated with the housing. The sensor is part of a motor control circuit which is thereby responsive to the ambient light condition to control the motor by selectively switching At on and off, or alternatively by selectively switching between higher and lower speeds. The control circuit derives its power from the motor's AC input terminals, thereby yielding a self-contained motor control unit, which requires no timer unit and no wiring or mounting by the user. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the photoelectric sensor extends through an aperture in a motor housing end cap with the associated control circuitry fitable within the end cap, thereby providing a retrofit for existing motors.

Abstract: An electric motor that includes a case having an axially oriented stamped steel endhead, a motor output shaft projecting from the endhead for coupling to a motor load, and a self-aligning spherical bearing mounted on the endhead for rotatably supporting the shaft. The bearing has a cylindrical extension that projects axially outwardly from the motor case coaxially with the shaft. The bearing extension is constructed and arranged to be engaged by the support structure and/or load coupled to the shaft for locating the same coaxially with the shaft. The bearing, including the extension, is of homogeneously integral unitary construction, preferably of lubricant-impregnated porous metal.

Abstract: In a position detection probe having a magnetostrictive wire stretched between a head and a reflective foot end termination, and a magnet displaceable along the probe and using the sonic pulse propagation time from the magnet to the foot end termination as a position detection parameter, compensation for thermal expansion and thermal change of propagation velocity is made by measuring the wire resistance and calculating a compensation from the resistance. The probe is excited by an electrical pulse having a known current. The voltage across the wire is measured at a time when the current has stabilized to a precise value, and resistance is determined from the current and voltage.

Abstract: An assembly tool helps connect an electrical external half-connector to an internal half-connector at an aperture in a ballast case. The tool includes a fulcrum for stabilizing the tool against the case, and tongue for pushing the external half-connector into engagement while clearing the connector wires, to avoid damage. A handle of the tool is used to rotate the tool about the fulcrum. If the connector has a latch to deter pull-out, the tool also preactuates or depresses the latch to eliminate frictional resistance to inserting the latch--and so reduce the required engagement force. Latch depression is simultaneous with the point in the insertion process where the latch hook passes its mating engagement member. The tool dimensions provide a high mechanical advantage to help push the two connector halves together against friction. The tool converts the connector-engaging task from wrist action to a stress-free upper-body movement.

Abstract: A power drive system for use in a linear motor propulsion system for powering and propelling a train of a predetermined length along a track. The power drive system includes a plurality of drive coils spaced along the track electrically connected together to form a set of coils. The distance along the track between adjacent coils in a set is greater than the train length. A plurality of sets of coils are interdigitated with each other, with the distance between adjacent coils from different sets spaced closely together to provide that a group of coils, each from different sets is adjacent the train at all locations along the track. The drive system also includes a plurality of inverters, each inverter connected to a set of coils.

Abstract: A draft inducer blower motor mounting and cooling construction comprising an electric motor including a housing having openings therein and a rotor mounted on a shaft, a fan blade fixed on the shaft and interposed between the motor and the draft inducer blower, and a heat shield interposed between the motor housing and the fan blade. The heat shield is fastened to the electric motor and to the housing of the inducer blower and has portions spaced from the blower housing. The heat shield further preferably includes a portion surrounding at least a part of the motor housing such that rotation of the fan blade draws cooling air through the electrical motor and about the housing of the electric motor and thereafter radially outwardly between the heat shield and the inducer blower housing to cool the electric motor and the shaft end bearing nearest the inducer housing. In another form, the portion surrounding the motor may be eliminated.

Abstract: A half-connector body has lateral ears that fit in small notches in the ends of the side walls of a ballast can, preferably at the top. An end wall, if present, traps the ears longitudinally in the notches; resilience of that wall, and of its attachment to the can bottom, enhance tight longitudinal fit. The half connector (a receptacle) presses against, and partly protrudes through an orifice in, the end wall (if present). Outside the ballast, in a new fixture, a jack slides freely in the receptacle to make wiring-harness connections. The jack has a ratchet-like manually operable hook to secure the jack until manually released. Each contact or lead in either half connector is preferably provided with individual strain relief by permanent deformation (as for example using a die punch, without heating or plastic flow) of the connector wall inward, to displace material irreversibly around the wires.

Abstract: This inexpensive, small half connector includes at least one electrical terminal (usually a female contact). The half-connector body defines a hole to receive each terminal. Each terminal has at least one retaining element for engaging the half connector (e.g., a springy tang that snaps into behind an internal flange) to retain the terminal in the half connector. Each hole has a segment of relatively large transverse dimension to receive its terminal, generally with transverse clearance about the circumference of the terminal. Each hole also has a segment of reduced transverse dimension to receive the terminal and engage the retaining element(s) of that terminal to retain the terminal. Each hole has some integral feature--in other words, some structural element(s) integral with the half-connector body--for centering the terminal in the large-dimension segment of the hole.

Abstract: An integral housing for mounting and operating one or more elongated fluorescent lamps. The housing is frame shaped having a center arm with a section for holding the ballast transformer and a side arm at each of the ends of the center arm which have sockets for holding the lamps. The housing is preferably of two hollow sections for holding the ballast, wiring and various components and the sections are fastened together.

Abstract: A one-piece, plastic, integrally formed deflector for a motor includes a generally annularly shaped shroud portion, an axially offset generally annularly shaped mounting ring portion, and four generally axially extending webs interconnecting them. The deflector may be conveniently mounted to an end bracket with a screw placed through a mounting hole in the mounting ring located at each web such that as the end bracket is assembled to the motor, the shroud portion closely fits nearly adjacent the rotating rotor blades and the inside of the motor shell to restrict the flow of ventilating air through the motor and prevent its re-circulation past the blades.

Abstract: A cylindrical shell for a motor/generator may be formed by cutting a rectangular blank, offsetting an edge, rolling the blank into a cylinder with the offset edge overlapping its opposite edge, punching through the overlapping edges to interlock them and form the cylinder, and then joining a base to the cylinder through a similar interlocking, punching process. In a variation, the base may be simultaneously joined to the cylinder as the edges are punched. Holes, or holes with locating nibs, may be used to align the blank in a cylindrical shape to reliably control the shell I.D. during fabrication.

Abstract: Equipment for the generation of a stabilized high direct voltage is described, and includes: a step-up transformer (2) whose primary is supplied with a direct voltage and which is designed in such a way as to have dispersed inductances and parasitic capacitances which cause a resonance effect on the opening of the primary; a rectifying circuit (3) to rectify the voltage at the terminals of the secondary winding of the step-up transformer (2); a switch (11) which, when in the closed condition, connects the primary winding of the step-up transformer (2) to ground; and circuits (6,7,8,9) for controlling the opening and closing of the switch (11).

Abstract: In a position detection probe having a magnetostrictive wire stretched between a head and a reflective foot end termination, and a magnet displaceable along the probe and using the sonic pulse propagation time from the magnet to the foot as a position detection parameter, compensation for thermal expansion and thermal change of propagation velocity is made based on the property of the total propagation time along the wire length being a unique function of temperature and calibrating the probe at different temperatures to yield either equations or look up tables of true positions as functions of the total propagation time and the position detection parameter. By mapping wire characteristics at a plurality of magnet positions and temperatures to construct look up tables, wire nonlinearities as well as thermal effects can be compensated for.

Abstract: A half-connector body has lateral ears that fit in small notches in the ends of the side walls of a ballast can, preferably at the top. An end wall, if present, traps the ears longitudinally in the notches; resilience of that wall, and of its attachment to the can bottom, enhance tight longitudinal fit. The half connector (a receptacle) presses against, and partly protrudes through an orifice in, the end wall (if present). Outside the ballast, in a new fixture, a jack slides freely in the receptacle to make wiring-harness connections. The jack has a ratchet-like manually operable hook to secure the jack until manually released. Each contact or lead in either half connector is preferably provided with individual strain relief by permanent deformation (as for example using a die punch, without heating or plastic flow) of the connector wall inward, to displace material irreversibly around the wires.

Abstract: A position detection probe having a magnetostrictive wire stretched between a head and a reflective foot end termination, and a magnet movable along the probe uses the sonic pulse propagation time from the magnet to the head as one parameter and the time from the magnet to the foot and reflected back to the head as another parameter for determining the magnet position. The sum of the propagation times is a constant which is used as a reference value. Upon receipt of the first two pulses the propagation times are summed and compared to the reference value, and the data is accepted if the sum is within a prescribed window around the reference value. When noise occurs, it creates a false measure of propagation time so that the sum of the propagation times is no longer equal to the reference value and the data is rejected.

Abstract: Charging voltage and current control circuits for battery chargers provide for a constant output voltage above a first predetermined value of charging current and an increasing output voltage below the first predetermined value of charging current. The charger makes use of a pulse-width modulated control circuit utilizing a variable duty cycle proportional to charging current and couples a signal proportional to charging current via a diode-resistor network to the pulse-width modulator for values below the first predetermined value of charging current. A current limit control circuit provides a current limit function by driving the pulse-width modulator to a minimum duty cycle during overcurrent conditions.