Abstract: A method for assisting the steering forces to be produced in a vehicle by means of an electric motor acting on the steering column is proposed. This method is characterized in that the additional torque produced by the electric motor is controlled in dependence upon the steering torque to be produced for actuating the steering and upon the steering torque supplied overall. The additional torque is thus dependent on the torque which is produced at the steering wheel by the driver and, in addition, on the torque which is supplied by the steering arrangement on the wheels to be steered. The electric motor is controlled by a controller 5 via an actuator 6, an additional torque M*.sub.R, which is dependent on the vehicle speed, being input into the controller. As characteristic shaper, the controller has a dead-time element by which the control intervenes only from a certain limit value of the torque M*.sub.R input into the controller 5.

Abstract: A measuring device for determining a torque of a rotating mechanical part includes a torsion element formed as a spoke wheel with at least one radially extending bending rod, a rigid part, and at least one spoke, and a measuring pickup having a measuring element connected with the rigid part, and another measuring element connected with the one spoke. Each of the measuring elements has a disc having a layer of an electroconductive non-magnetic material and a plurality of uniformly spaced regions of an electrically non-conductive material. The measuring device further includes at least one coil which changes impedance in accordance with a relative position of the measuring elements which relative position changes dependent on bending of the bending rod.

Abstract: An arrangement comprising a torsionally stressed machine part including two operatively connected torsional spring elements spaced from each other, extending parallel to each other, each spring element being subjected to a separate input torque and having a different spring constant, and a sensor located at a comparision point of the two spring elements for detecting a differential of two input angles of rotation of the two spring elements whereby a differential of the two input torques is determined.

Abstract: The battery energized electric motor vehicle has a main driving motor connected to the battery via a footpedal operated control circuit; an auxiliary electric motor for a steering device is connected to the battery in series with the main driving motor and across the control circuit of the latter so that a difference voltage between the battery voltage and the instant driving voltage applied to the main driving motor controls the steering device.

Abstract: To reliably turn OFF a pulse-controlled thyristor in series with a battery supplied motor circuit, in case of malfunction of the control circuit, or even of the supervisory circuit itself, the voltage across the thyristor is sensed and, if an ON condition of the thyristor, as represented by sensed voltage, is determined while the pulse source does not provide an ON command, a disabling control signal is applied to the pulse source to provide an OFF command; in case of failure of the sensing element, an additional voltage is supplied, through a time delay circuit to the disabling input. Time delay circuits are interposed between the respective sensed signal and command signal and applied through a logic circuit to prevent spurious operation of the monitoring and safety circuit.

Abstract: To provide a dual-voltage network for the on-board electrical system of automotive vehicles, for example to provide a higher voltage for starting of the vehicle and a normal on-board voltage for operation of vehicle appliances such as lamps, fans, motors, and the like, while using only a single voltage regulator to control the charge voltage for the vehicle battery, a voltage doubler circuit is provided which is connected to the on-board network by a diode and a coupling capacitor connected to an a-c output of a vehicle alternator, the diode being connected between the d-c output and the rectifier connected to the alternator and the capacitor so that a voltage regulator, connected to the d-c output, can accurately control the output voltage of the alternator.

Abstract: Separate three-phase windings are connected to individual rectifiers arranged for series-parallel switching to improve the current-voltage output characteristic. The common exciter winding is fed through a voltage regulator. The switching of the rectifiers is controllable in response to alternator frequency, output current, temperature or efficiency and may be provided with a manual override switch.