Abstract: A collision sensor and compliance device for use with computer controlled robotic arms adapted to have a robotic hand disposed on the distal end thereof includes a housing affixed to the robotic arm on one end with a robotic hand affixed upon the other end thereof. The front and rear walls of the housing includes triangular-shaped apertures disposed in a common plane with the apex of each of the triangularly-shaped apertures being positioned equally distant from the lower edges of each of the walls. Light emitting diodes are centrally disposed in one pair of the oppositely disposed walls with photoelectric light sensors disposed in the robotic hand support bracket. The robotic hand or support bracket includes at least a pair of bearings (preferably two pair) disposed at right angles to each other and adapted to be received and cooperate with a pair of the triangularly-shaped apertures provided in the housing.

Abstract: A control system for controlling the rotation of a rotary mechanism such as a propeller housing in a Z-type propulsion apparatus is provided. A command signal and a feedback signal both relating to the rotation of the rotary mechanism are compared with each other. And a control signal which varies at a predetermined inclination is generated when the command and feedback signals differ in amplitude from each other. And a drive unit rotates the rotary mechanism in accordance with the control signal.

Abstract: An industrial robot system for starting a robot moving to a predetermined location according to starting instructions is equipped with detecting devices operating when the location reached by the robot once started is within a predetermined range from the predetermined location. Accordingly, the system is capable of preventing accidents caused by the operation when the work origin has drifted due to an abnormality in the robot. Because the robot is only allowed to do its work after an output is given by the detecting devices operating only when the robot thus started is within the predetermined range from the predetermined location, the robot system is capable of not only preventing accidents caused by the presence of abnormalities, but also controlling the operation of the robot with little chance of trouble.

Abstract: A control system regulates operation of an electrical motor having multiple stator and rotor coils by regulating the phase displacement (1) between the rotor and stator energizing signals, (2) between the signals passed to the individual rotor coils, and (3) between the signals passed to the individual stator coils. A recorder coupled to the lines over which the phase-regulating signals are supplied to the rotor and stator coils can record these signals for later application to the motor to repeat the initial movement. Additionally displacement of the motor shaft produces signals which can be recorded for later duplication of the original shaft displacement. The phase-regulating signals for the rotor and stator coils can be supplied from a variable frequency oscillator, or a data processor, or any other suitable source.

Abstract: A method for positioning the shaft of a motor which can be subject to a rotation force in either direction of rotation by application of drive current of a respective polarity, in order to bring the shaft to a target angular position by the action of a digital control and a position sensor associated with the motor shaft for emitting a displacement step signal in response to each movement of the the shaft through an incremental angle constituting a given fraction of one cycle of shaft rotation, which includes giving the displacement step signal the form of a signal cycle of sinus-like waveform in response to each incremental angle of shaft movement, deriving from the displacement step signal a shaft movement signal having a value represented by the sum of a component proportional to the displacement step signal and a component proportional to the time derivative thereof, and, after the motor shaft has reached a defined angular speed and at the moment when the shaft position is spaced from the target position

Abstract: A system is disclosed for positioning an instrumentality over a predetermined range in response to a digitally coded position signal. To effect a controlled reduction in the instrumentality movement, an operational amplifier is provided having a feedback circuit including a fixed resistor and a controllable switch connected across the resistor. The switch is selectively controlled to short circuit the resistor at a controlled rate to effect a controlled gain reduction for the operational amplifier.

Abstract: Method and device for servo-controlling the distance of an object from a transiting surface to be followed by said object and capable of reflecting microwaves, by exploiting a control signal, wherein a radiating unit fast with said object provides directive microwave radiation and a symmetrical detector compares the phases of the radiated microwaves and the reflected microwaves, said detector providing a control signal to a servo-control circuit. The device is namely intended to automatic metal-welding machines in which the welding member forms said object and a metal workpiece forms the reflecting surface to be followed at a predetermined distance by said welding member.

Abstract: A positioning control system for a manually operated machine tool. When programmed by an operator, the system provides a visual indication of the necessary incremental movement of a movable member, as a machine tool bed, to a series of desired preselected positions. The system displays a zero indication when the operator reaches the desired position. The incremental movement to the next position is then displayed, permitting the operator to move the movable member to that position under the guidance of the display which again goes to zero when the position is reached. The system permits the operator to enter the location of each desired preselected position, and entry of each position may be made with respect to a common reference coordinate. Each position is stored in a memory for repeated use in guiding the operator in positioning the movable member.

Abstract: In a servo system for manipulating a displaceble member in response to movement of a control through corresponding changes of position, which operates by comparing an electrical signal representative of the position of the control with an electrical signal representative of the position of the displaceable member to provide error signals which can drive the displaceable member in either of two opposite directions, a safety interlock circuit is provided which detects the presence of an error signal in either direction immediately after the application of operating voltage or immediately after the switching of the machinery into a different mode of operation and locks the displaceable member in position if an error signal initially appears until the error signal is cancelled by bringing the manual control into a position corresponding with that of the displaceable member. Unexpected sudden movements that may endanger personnel are thereby prevented.

Abstract: This system for controlling the operation of several electric motors notably for blinds and similar devices comprises a plurality of decentralized control devices each associated with one motor and controlled from a central control means via a common control line. Each decentralized control device comprises, for each direction of rotation of the motor concerned, a relay and, for each motor, control means connected in parallel to the common control line. The control means for each relay comprise a switch connecting the common line to the middle point of the pair of inverters controlling the two directions of rotation of the motor. The front contact of each inverter controls the energization of the corresponding relay and the back contact of each inverter controls the self-energization of the relay of the other inverter via a self-energization contact provided on the other relay.

Abstract: A control system is described for use in a web transport in which a web is advanced from a supply spool to a take-up spool by a pair of drive motors, the latter of which are actuated by a servo control. The system includes a variable gain network which enhances the gain of the servo system at very low speeds without sacrificing system stability at higher speeds, and a circuit for adding a hold-back torque to the motor driving the take-up spool to smooth its rotation under low torque conditions. In addition, the system includes a device for inhibiting the rotation of the spools when an operator has removed the web from the spools, thereby preventing the servo control from rotating the spools in an uncontrolled manner in response to inadvertent operator movement of one of the spools.

Abstract: An apparatus for positioning is characterized by the fact that the circuit for generating a reference velocity, the existence of which is primarily responsible for the disadvantages in the conventional apparatus for positioning by analog feed-back of the velocity, is eliminated and a data processing unit is substituted for this circuit. Thus, the positioning is controlled by a group of predetermined reference velocity values stored beforehand in the memory of the data processing unit.

Abstract: A search mount for a telescope and a method of operation in which a telescope mount is provided which is indexable about a vertical axis and also about a horizontal axis so as to lay the telescope in any desired direction. The mount is provided with motors, and the movement of the motors is under the control of digital circuitry, and manual switches. The drives between the motors in the telescope mount embody backlash free reduction gearing of novel design and construction. In particular, the motors operate without requiring any feedback to effect control thereof.

Abstract: An electrical propulsion control system for self-propelled traction vehicles having an electric generator supplying energy to separately excited traction motors, each motor field being normally excited with a substantially constant field excitation providing magnetic saturation such that motor load variations produce minimal changes in back emf, and means for equally boosting the excitation of each motor field responsive to the largest one of the individual motor armature currents exceeding a predetermined magnitude which is greater than the maximum attainable armature current during dynamic retarding operation.

Abstract: An electrical propulsion control system for self-propelled traction vehicles of the type having a prime mover-driven electric generator supplying energy to traction motors and regulating means for maintaining the electrical output of the generator within desired limits, wherein the limit of generator output voltage is varied between zero and a predetermined maximum level as a function of desired vehicle speed.

Abstract: A control system for controlling the relative movement of a head member over a surface such as a plate member in accordance with digital input information. The head member and the surface form a linear, two-axis synchronous motor and the input signal to the head member is controlled to be a translating field vector to produce movement of the head member relative to the surface. The phase of the translating field vector is controlled to lead or lag the position vector of the surface by an electrical angle which is a direction function of the acceleration or deceleration required. An initial acceleration is used to bring the head member up to the desired terminal speed as quickly as possible and with the head then moved at a constant speed until a point when a signal is applied to produce a deceleration to slow down the head so that the head may be stopped at the position on the surface. Additional acceleration and deceleration vectors are provided to control the movement of the head member.

Abstract: A miniature DC motor is connected to a DC source through a PNP type driving transistor. The back electromotive force of the motor which is proportional to the speed is applied to the base electrode of an NPN type control transistor through a variable resistor and the output of the control transistor is applied to the base electrode of the driving transistor through an NPN type amplifier transistor. A capacitor is connected between the base and emitter electrodes of the control transistor for smoothing the voltage applied to the base electrode of the control transistor. The sensitivity of the speed control system can be improved by connecting a Zener diode in the input circuit to the control transistor. Further the effect of the variation in the ambient temperature can be compensated for by using a thermister.

Abstract: Two movable members driven by individual motors are positioned accurately at any given time and are tracking each other for all displacements. Individual positioning is used with differential positioning to force a follow-up of one member relative to the other. One feedback position loop provides a master reference for a second position loop of the slave motor drive, and the differential position signal makes the second loop operate as a vernier of the master loop. A limiter prevents the master drive from running ahead of the slave drive.

Abstract: A maneuvering control system particularly for use in controlling a vehicle such as a submarine or surface craft, which utilizes both manual and automatic control. Electrical signals in accordance with the manipulation of a manual control device are generated by means of a synchro transmitter and fed to a synchro differential transmitter. Automatic control signals generated in an automatic control signal generator are converted to a mechanical form by a synchro follower which provides a mechanical input to the differential transmitter. Adjustable limit stops are provided for the synchro follower output shaft to limit the automatic signal input to the differential transmitter, thereby preventing an "out-of-control" condition in the event of a malfunction in the automatic control signal generator. The output of the differential transmitter which represents the algebraic sum of the manual and automatic inputs is used to drive a synchro control transformer, which in turn drives a servo amplifier.

Abstract: A forced commutation chopper control for regulating speed of a DC series tractive motor limits peak motor current by sensing the voltage across the commutation capacitor during the on-time of the current pulses and gating the commutation SCR on in response to a predetermined magnitude of sensed voltage to thereby terminate current pulses to the motor.