Abstract: An air or gas bearing supports a moving mass on a thin column of gas which is partially constrained in a pressurized cavity. The gas to the cavity is supplied through a fluidic amplifier. Pressure in the thin supporting column above the bearing pad, or the position of the mass surface relative to the open end of the pressurized cavity, is sensed. The resulting feedback pressure signal is dynamically compensated to produce a pressure signal to the input ports of the fluidic amplifier which is a function of the velocity of the mass. The compensation network consists of orifices, or flow resistors, and volume cavities, or compressible fluid capacitors. The compensated feedback pressure is amplified by the fluidic amplifier to provide an output pressure to the bearing cavity which is indicative of and nearly proportional to the mass velocity perpendicular to the bearing pad and achieve a high degree of damping without use of extremely small orifices or complicated electromechanical damping means.

Abstract: A fail-passive electro-mechanical actuator utilizing dual controllers and a two-phase brushless motor is provided.

Abstract: A contactless rotary shaft position sensor provides for precision computation of shaft angle for a wide range of input shaft rotational angles. The sensor includes two annular two-pole magnets which are connected by a precision, motion-transmitting gear train. An optional second gear train between one of the magnets and the input shaft can provide additional angular rotation scaling to accurately measure either fractional or a large number of multiple turns of the input shaft. The gear ratios are selected such that one of the magnets does not rotate more than one revolution. Pairs of ratiometric Hall-effect or magnetoresistive sensors provide differential voltage signals which are used for sensing angular position of each magnet over a full 360 degrees of rotation. The single-turn magnet provides an absolute, coarse indication of input shaft rotation with a typical accuracy of 2%. The gear ratio between the magnets produces several turns of the second magnet for each turn of the single-turn magnet.

Abstract: A contactless rotary shaft rotation sensor includes a two-pole annular magnet attached directly to the shaft, pairs of diametrically opposed magnetic field sensors, and electronic processing circuits to produce linear output signals proportional to shaft speed and position. The annular magnet has two diametrically opposed poles on its outside circumference and is magnetized with a magnetic iron pole piece temporarily placed through its inner diameter to magnetically shape the poles and provide an extremely linear flux variation over plus and minus sixty degrees from the neutral position between the poles. Positioning one pair of magnetic field sensors around the magnet enables provision of a voltage signal that is proportional to the angular position and/or speed of the shaft through 120 degrees of rotation. Placing three pairs of magnetic field sensors around the magnet with 120-degrees of spacing provides three linear sensor output segments, each with a useful range of 120-degrees of shaft rotation.

Abstract: A contactless rotary shaft position sensor provides for precision computation of shaft angle for a wide range of input shaft rotational angles. The sensor includes two annular two-pole magnets which are connected by a precision, motion-transmitting gear train. An optional second gear train between one of the magnets and the input shaft can provide additional angular rotation scaling to accurately measure either fractional or a large number of multiple turns of the input shaft. The gear ratios are selected such that one of the magnets does not rotate more than one revolution. Pairs of ratiometric Hall-effect or magnetoresistive sensors provide differential voltage signals which are used for sensing angular position of each magnet over a full 360 degrees of rotation. The single-turn magnet provides an absolute, coarse indication of input shaft rotation with a typical accuracy of 2%. The gear ratio between the magnets produces several turns of the second magnet for each turn of the single-turn magnet.

Abstract: A contactless rotary shaft rotation sensor includes a two-pole annular magnet attached directly to the shaft, pairs of diametrically opposed magnetic field sensors, and electronic processing circuits to produce linear output signals proportional to shaft speed and position. The annular magnet has two diametrically opposed poles on its outside circumference and is magnetized with a magnetic iron pole piece temporarily placed through its inner diameter to magnetically shape the poles and provide an extremely linear flux variation over plus and minus sixty degrees from the neutral position between the poles. Positioning one pair of magnetic field sensors around the magnet enables provision of a voltage signal that is proportional to the angular position and/or speed of the shaft through 120 degrees of rotation. Placing three pairs of magnetic field sensors around the magnet with 120-degrees of spacing provides three linear sensor output segments, each with a useful range of 120-degrees of shaft rotation.

Abstract: A laminar jet angular rate sensor senses inertial angular rate in flight control and stabilization systems for aircraft and other vehicles. The sensor utilizes fluid as a power source and may be interfaced directly with fluid powered actuators for closed loop rate stabilization of the vehicle. To be practical, the rate sensor must exhibit consistent operation over the side range of supply fluid temperatures seen in a typical application. This invention involves apparatus for providing constant sensor gain over a wide range of fluid viscosity conditions. To achieve this, the pressure drop across the rate sensor is varied proportional to supply fluid viscosity to overcome viscous momentum losses in the jet and provide a constant gain characteristic. The specific apparatus of the invention utilizes a pressure regulator with a fluid viscosity sensor to accurately provide the required supply pressure proportional to fluid viscosity schedule.

Abstract: An improved rolling element jackscrew includes at least three planetary rollers interposed between an inner shaft and an outer nut, wherein one of the shaft and nut is formed with grooved threads of zero pitch and the other bears a spiral or pitched thread having a different number of threads per unit length. The different thread numbers on the nut and shaft are chosen to provide a pattern of nodal points at which the thread crests intersect, with the nodal points arranged along a plurality of equiangularly spaced axial contact lines corresponding with the number of rollers and defining positions of roller installation. The rollers each include axially spaced pairs of enlarged ribs defining axially spaced grooves meshing between the shaft and nut at the respective nodal points.

Abstract: An anti-ice control system for controlling flow of heated air in response to the temperature of the heated air and ambient air.

Abstract: A plurality of aspirating ejector nozzles are fed with primary fluid which is admitted successively past a modulating valve and throttling orifice to the inlet ports of the nozzles with a portion of the primary fluid being arranged for bypassing the nozzle past a bypass valve controlled by pressure responsive means subject to the pressure of the primary fluid upstream of the throttling orifice.

Abstract: A true mass flow sensor utilizing a bluff body in the mass flow to generate periodic vortices therein, in combination with method and apparatus for adjusting generation of the vortices such that the frequency thereof is indicative of the mass flow.

Abstract: A pure fluidic fuel control system for a gas turbine engine in which engine speed and compressor discharge pressure are sensed and utilized to control the flow of fuel to the engine. In the system an analog fluid signal proportional to engine speed is applied to two separate fluidic circuits, one circuit to generate a signal for controlling the engine during acceleration and the other for controlling the engine during steady state operation. The difference between these two signals is multiplied by a signal proportional to the compressor discharge pressure, the product signal being proportional to the necessary fuel flow for any engine condition. The product signal is amplified and applied to a fuel flow valve, the position of which is sensed and fed back to the input of the product signal amplifier for closed loop control.