Abstract: The apparatus positively induces synchronism in at least two lifting jacks. It has an upwardly and downwardly movable carriage, on the lifting jack, a column, a lifting device extending along the column, a first control device to control the lifting device in the "lift" direction, a second control device to control the lifting device in the "lower" direction, a "lift" switch on the main lifting jack, a "lower" switch on the main lifting jack. For each lifting jack, a motor device acts on the lifting device. Along each column there is an equally spaced marking unit, the spacing corresponding to the maximum admissible lift difference between the lifting jacks. Each marking unit has an `ON` zone and an `OFF` zone. Rigidly fixed to each carriage is a tracer for scanning the marker units. Each tracer, is in an electrical switching device, and inhibits the motor device when the tracer is in the `OFF` zone, until such time as the tracer of the carriage which is lagging most behind is also in the `OFF` zone.

Abstract: An absolute shaft position sensing circuit uses a magnetic sensor and a toothed wheel to produce two pulse trains which are used to determine the absolute position of a shaft which is coupled to the toothed wheel. One pulse train includes regularly spaced pulses which are fed to a phase locked loop to produce an oscillating output signal. A counter counts this signal and produces an output count which is representative of the relative angular position of the shaft. A second pulse train includes an irregularly spaced pulse. Circuitry is provided to detect the occurrence of this irregularly spaced pulse and to reset the counter in response to that occurrence, thereby making the count representative of the absolute angular position of the shaft.

Abstract: A method of detecting and controlling a work start point of a robot of the teaching playback control type is disclosed. The robot has an interpolating function and responds to a position sensor, and a work tool is attached to the robot wrist to be accurately positioned to a work start point of a work object. A shadow of the work tool is produced by an illumination source. The work line of the object, the work tool, and the shadow thereof are image-recognized by a visual sensor. The visual sensor generates position correcting signals along the first and second correcting directions on the basis of the image recognized. The edge of the work tool is moved along the first correcting direction in response to a position correcting signal so as to reduce the distance between the work line and an edge of the work tool on the image recognized.

Abstract: A servosystem for controlling the voltage in X-ray generators includes a system for controlling the voltage of the primary of a high voltage transformer for feeding the X-ray tubes. A servosystem controls the position and adjustment of acceleration, uniform movement and braking, and supplies a direct current motor, of the permanent magnet type and of standard manufacture, which moves the brushes of a three-phase or mono-phase toroidal autotransformer, the operation of which fixes the primary voltage of the high voltage transformer which, in turn, supplies a voltage to an X-ray tube.

Abstract: Direction of rotation of a device is sensed by means of a rotor which is coupled to the device and which carries at least two permanent magnets which are angularly spaced and present opposite magnetic poles to two sensors. One of the sensors is responsive to one only of the magnetic polarities to produce a voltage signal and the other sensor produces a voltage signal whose polarity is dependent on the polarity and direction of rotation of the magnet which induces that signal. The two detector voltage are compared and their correspondence or otherwise indicates the direction of rotation.

Abstract: A plurality of mode switches are electrically connected in parallel to a motor. A conductor plate has a plurality of electric current passages each connected electrically to one of the switches. Each of the passages has a length corresponding to a rotating angle for which the motor is set. A slider is connected to a power source and contacts the passages so that, when one of the switches is closed, the slider may cause an electric current to be supplied to the motor through the passage connected to the closed switch. The slider is slidable along the passages with the rotation of the motor. Each of the passages has a portion at which the contact of the slider therewith is broken so that the supply of the electric current to the motor may be interrupted.

Abstract: A servo system simulator utilizing an electronic equivalent of the servomotor to drive a programmable electronic load which mimics the actual load encountered by the servo system simulated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for positioning a transducing apparatus relative to a rotating storage medium through the use of an externally commutated positioning apparatus under control of a processing element. In addition, a control method is disclosed which includes an initial determination of salient parameters associated with the apparatus. Positioning of the transducing apparatus is achieved through a plurality of control modes which are responsive to the determined parameters. In addition, the accuracy with which position of the transducing apparatus is determined varies among the modes with the remaining distance yet to traverse to a desired destination position.

Abstract: A postage meter system of the type having postage value input selection means, a postage printing means with a settable printing element and a drive means coupled to said postage printing means for setting the postage printing element including a print element setting system. The element setting system employs the drive means such that the drive means is operable to drive said printing element at different operating speeds to set said postage printing element to a selected postage value. The print element setting system further includes a position detecting means and a control means. The position detecting means detects the actual position setting of the printing element.

Abstract: A speed control apparatus for a DC motor operable with a low voltage battery has a reference voltage generating circuit capable of operable with a low voltage such as 1 V and is settable for output voltage and for temperature coefficient independently each other and has a differential amplifier which is operable with a very small input voltage and capable of operable with such a low voltage.

Abstract: There is disclosed a portable system to control and monitor the basic maneuvering functions of marine vessels: The control and monitoring functions are contained on a hand held, small and lightweight consul which can be plugged into multi-pin sockets which are wired from various remote places of the ship to a central electronics logic and control module matrix. Switches on the portable helm control the electronic module matrix which powers servo motors mechanically linked to: engines' throttle controls, shift forward-neutral-reverse controls, and steering apparatus. Feedback loops monitor the positions of these maneuvering functions. Monitored on the portable helm are: rudder angle, engines' idle status, forward, neutral and reverse status of each drive trian, power on, and engines' synchronization.

Abstract: A real time adaptive control capable of maintaining stable operation with changing inertia. The controller utilizes a pseudo-derivative feedback (PDF) type control wherein dynamic adjustment is achieved by adjusting only a single variable. The variable can be controlled as a function of the derivation of motor speed divided by motor current for adaptive control with changing inertia. Control may also be achieved as a function of motor speed divided by the integral of motor current over the same interval. In a digital implementation the integral of motor current the time required for a predetermined speed change provides effective control.

Abstract: A high precision controller for an alternating-current multi-phase electrical motor that is subject to a large inertial load. The controller was developed for and is particularly suitable for controlling, in a neutron chopper system, a heavy spinning rotor that must be rotated in phase-locked synchronism with a reference pulse train that is representative of an ac power supply signal having a meandering line frequency. The controller includes a shaft revolution sensor which provides a feedback pulse train representative of the actual speed of the motor. An internal digital timing signal generator provides a reference signal which is compared with the feedback signal in a computing unit to provide a motor control signal. In the preferred embodiment, the motor control signal is a weighted linear sum of a speed error voltage, a phase error voltage, and a drift error voltage, each of which is computed anew with each revolution of the motor shaft.

Abstract: A power antenna control for a motor vehicle comprises a Hall effect device responsive to motor armature rotation to generate pulses for equal predetermined increments of antenna travel. These pulses are applied to both position and stall counters. In extension, the antenna drive is stopped when the position counter reaches a number corresponding to a predetermined extended position, which may be full extension or some lesser extension. In retraction, the stall counter is used with a clock to indicate stall which, when detected, causes the antenna drive to be stopped. Automatic current limiting for drive torque limitation during stall is activated only when the position counter indicates a limited position range near full retraction. Further during retraction, if the antenna is stopped within a small position range of full rectraction, it is reset to a count indicating full retraction. The system eliminates the need for hard stall sensing reaction switches and thus reduces antenna drive cable fatigue.

Abstract: A method for realizing energy saving, for each of a plurality of mills provided in the hot rolling line, during the pause period until a successive work piece arrives a mill from a preceding work piece separates from a mill. The pause period is forecasted on the basis of a supply interval of work pieces supplied to the rolling line and a period of stay of work piece at each mill, and the mill is set in the pause state within the period defined by subtracting the preparation period required by the mill to reach the steady state from start of operation from such foreseen pause period.

Abstract: A mirror position control device for use in an automobile has mirror angle adjusting motors for adjusting the angle of the mirror to a position previously determined by an individual driver, a memory unit for storing the angles of the mirror desired by each of a plurality of drivers, an angle detector for detecting the actual angle of the mirror, and a control unit for comparing the actual angle as detected by the angle detector with the predetermined angle of an individual driver stored in the memory unit and for applying a control signal to the mirror angle adjusting motors to adjust the angle of the mirror to the optimum angle suited for the individual driver.

Abstract: A technique for detecting the occurrence of stall currents in a D.C. motor control circuit and inhibiting the application of drive currents to the motor by monitoring the current flow through the motor and responding to stall currents that are continuous for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: An electric setting drive for an automotive vehicle speed control or regulating system has an electric motor (1), a gearing (2) which is connected to said motor, and has an electromagnetic rapid-disconnect coupling as well as elements for converting a rotation of the gearing into a linear motion. The linear motion can be transmitted via a pull cable to a spring-loaded throttle valve. For the conversion of the rotary movement into linear movement there is provided a threaded spindle (3) which is turnably connected with the gearing (2) and engages into a thread of a displaceably mounted electrically energizable pot magnet (4). Facing the pot magnet (4) there is a linearly movable armature plate (6) to which the pull cable (7) is attached.

Abstract: A drive for a high-voltage isolating switch includes a shaft which acts on a moving contact of the isolating switch, a flywheel which is connected via a coupling to the shaft, a drive motor for energizing the flywheel before a switching process begins and a control circuit. The control circuit is used for determining the direction of rotation of the drive motor during the energizing process and for automatically switching the drive motor from a motor to a generator operation, during a period when the movable contact is to be moved. The motor is preferably a series-wound motor which provides high operational reliability. A rectifier is connected in the current path between the rotor and stator windings of the motor. The rectifier stabilizes the current direction in the stator winding during the switching-over phase of the drive motor from motor to generator operation.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein an apparatus and method for generating a first signal related to the rate of change of a second signal. In particular, a system is disclosed for generating a velocity signal in a sampled data servo system. The apparatus uses three track and hold amplifiers one of which is also a difference amplifier to sample the position error signal at selected times. A "present" track and hold amplifier samples and holds the position error signal during the current frame. After this is done, during the same frame, a "summing" track and hold amplifier having its difference inputs coupled to the outputs of the "present" track and hold amplifier and to a "previous" track and hold amplifier samples the difference between the present position error signal and the value of the position error signal during the previous sample frame. This difference divided by the sample period gives the velocity.