Abstract: A cooling plate of the unit is connected to each of the a.c. terminals of the alternator and each cooling plate carries the positive-side diode or diodes, the negative-side diode or diodes and the excitor field diode connected to that a.c. terminal. The cooling plates are mounted on a shaped insulating disk in which wires are embedded for connecting together the connection leads of the diodes. Provision is made for bringing out terminals for the connection of a regulator unit and for bringing out a terminal for one a.c. phase, as well as for attachment of the d.c. output terminals.

Abstract: A rectifier and brush assembly for an alternator has a rectifier comprising two parallel spaced phase plates carrying respective sets of diodes. The terminals of respective diodes of the sets are soldered to respective connectors. One terminal of each of a set of field diodes is also soldered to each connector while the other terminal of each field diode is soldered to a connector common to all the field diodes. This common connector has an integral apertured flange which is secured by a screw against a conductive plate carried by a housing for the brushes. The conductive plate is electrically connected with one of the brushes in the brush housing. The brush housing also carries a voltage regulator of which a lead is crimped to an apertured electrical connector secured by the screw to the conductive plate.

Abstract: Apparatus for cutting, trimming, and edging vegetation, and the like, is provided with a rotatable disc-like head having at least one string-like cutting member removably attached thereto and replaceably extending from its periphery for cutting adjacent vegetation and the like. Metallic bearing elements for enhancing the cutting life of cutting strings are provided, as well as drive means for increasing cutting efficiency.

Abstract: A heat dissipating and mounting structure for an electrical circuit includes a disc which is mounted to a rotatable shaft. The disc extends outward from the shaft to present a front surface upon which the circuit is mounted and a rear surface upon which cooling fins are formed. A pair of openings are formed in the disc and cooling air flows through them when the shaft rotates. The cooling fins are rotated through the air flowing through the disc openings and heat generated by the electrical circuit is carried away with little temperature rise and minimal disturbance of the air flow.

Abstract: A multiphase full-wave rectifier assembly comprises positive and negative plates and an electrically insulating body which are stacked together in spaced apart relationship. The positive and negative plates carry first and second sets of three power diodes respectively while the electrically insulating body has three recesses therein. A field diode is mounted in each recess and a respective electrical connector connects one terminal of each field diode with a respective terminal of one of the power diodes in each of the first and second sets. A common electrical connector mounted on the body serves to interconnect the other terminals of the field diodes and also has portions which engage against the bodies of the field diodes to hold the latter in their respective recesses. The common connector is secured to the electrically insulating body by means of rivets which are disposed adjacent the diode-engaging portion of the common connector.

Abstract: A voltage generator comprising a first and a second mechanical system which systems are arranged for relative rotation to one another by means of a shaft incorporated in the first system being supported in bearings mounted in the second system, the shaft of the first system carrying an off-axis biassing weight of sufficient magnitude to restrain by gravitational force the first system from rotation when the shaft is horizontally orientated and the second system is rotated about an axis coincident with the shaft axis, a permanent magnet forming part of one of the systems and an armature winding being carried by the other whereby rotation of the second system about the first causes voltages to be induced in the armature winding.

Abstract: The heat-sink plates on which the rectifier diodes are mounted are fastened to an insulating base member essentially of the shape of an arc of a circle of between 240.degree. and 320.degree.. Opposite the position of each of the diodes, which each have a lead extending alongside but spaced from the insulating member, a connection device with inwardly and outwardly extending lugs is affixed to the insulating base member, the inwardly extending lug being connected to the diode lead and the outwardly extending lug being connected directly (or indirectly through a strapping wire) to a lead of the stator winding of the alternator. This construction enables diode leads to be connected before installation of the rectifier unit in the alternator casing and facilitates soldering the stator winding leads to the assembly. The connectors may be crimped sleeves or bent-up wire devices.

Abstract: The combination of the brush holder of the alternator and the voltage regulator into a unitary structure mounted on a cover fitting over a hole in the alternator casing enables the complete assembly to be economically made in the mushroom shape conventional for d.c. generators of vehicle engines, so that the device can readily be incorporated into an engine of existing design.

Abstract: A three-phase permanent magnet alternator is disclosed employing a fractional pitch stator winding of about two-thirds or 120 electrical degrees for minimizing third harmonic circulating current in the phase windings. The alternator has a rotor supporting permanent magnet poles and a slotted stator having coils disposed in the slots with the pitch of each coil being less than the rotor pole pitch and the coils of each phase connected in series to form a fractional pitch phase winding. The rotor circumscribes the stator and the permanent magnet poles have an arcuate extent nearly as great as the rotor pole pitch.

Abstract: The space heater of the invention features an improved motor-transformer package which may be easily applied to and removed from the heater, as an integrated unit. The design and mount of this package makes it extremely easy to service and insures that in the placement and operation thereof the total package will be surrounded with an insulating flow of air, the cooling effect of which guarantees a longer and more useful operating life for the included components and related apparatus. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the motor and transformer elements of the package are connected, in a superposed relation, to opposite sides of a mounting plate the design of which essentially dictates the required placement of the package in a heater housing.

Abstract: Device for electrically connecting a three-phase current exciter to rotating rectifiers includes support wheels fixed to the shaft of the exciter and insulatedly carrying the rotating rectifiers, the support wheels comprising intermediate rings formed of non-magnetic material mounted on the shaft, three-phase current connecting conductors distributed uniformly around the peripheral surface of the shaft and secured thereon against centrifugal force effects, the three-phase connecting conductors being formed of open-ended tubes, connecting conductor lengths extending through respective passageways formed in the intermediate rings in insulated relationship to the intermediate rings, the connecting conductor lengths being disposed at a greater distance diametrically from the shaft than the open-ended tubes and being of solid construction, and radial connecting members connecting the open-ended tubes to the respective connecting conductor lengths in vicinity of the support wheels, the connecting conductor lengths

Abstract: A multiphase, full wave rectifier assembly comprises a first plate which carries a first set of diodes thereon, and a second plate which carries a second set of diodes thereon, the first and second plates being mutually isolated by an electrically insulating layer. Cathode terminals of the diodes of the first set extend with clearance through respective apertures in the second plate, and an electrical connector connects each of these cathode terminals to the anode terminal of a respective diode of the second set, said electrical connector being connectible to one of said phases to be rectified in use. A third set of diodes is carried by an electrically insulating body, one terminal of each diode of the third set being electrically connected to a respective one of the connectors, the other terminals of the diodes of the third set being connected to a common connector.

Abstract: To simplify manufacture and assembly of automotive alternator-type rectifier combinations, the rectifier structure is made by pressing rectifier diodes, in groups of opposite polarity, into identical cooling plates which are constructed in essentially rectangular form with one corner taken out, the rectangular forms being crossed and located in parallel planes, stacked one above each other, so that the interconnecting links between the positive and negative diodes on the assemblies will have equal distance from each other, and the cooling plates will be identical.

Abstract: A rectifier device fora rotatable electrical machine includes a rotary shaft, a carrier wheel mounted on the shaft, a disc type rectifier, a first clamping member secured to the carrier wheel and disposed radially outwardly from the rectifier, the rectifier having one face mounted on the first clamping member, a second clamping member secured to the carrier wheel and disposed radially inwardly from the rectifier, and mounting means resiliently secured between the second clamping member and the other face of the rectifier to resiliently urge contact between the rectifier and the clamping members.

Abstract: An electrical machine having a rotary shaft includes a rotating rectifier assembly connected in a three-phase current bridge circuit and comprising two support wheels mounted on the shaft in insulated relationship with respect thereto and formed with respective annular flanges, active components of the rectifier assembly comprising heat sinks, rectifier cells and fuses disposed at the inner periphery of the annular flanges, the two support wheels forming direct current poles and comprising an intermediate ring formed of nonmagnetic material insulatedly mounted on the shaft and a support wheel hub directly shrink-fitted on the intermediate ring, the shaft being formed with an axial bore, direct current conductors disposed in the axial bore, and at least one current connecting bolt radially passing through the intermediate ring and into the shaft, the bolt having a head in contact with the support wheel hub and the intermediate ring, and a shank in contact with one of the direct current conductors.

Abstract: An electrical machine having a rotary shaft includes a rotating rectifier assembly comprising two support wheels mounted on the shaft in insulated relationship thereto and formed with respective ring flanges, the two support wheels forming direct current poles, the shaft being formed with an axial bore, at least two direct current conductors disposed in the axial bore, and three current connecting bolts extending radially from each of the two support wheels at uniformly spaced divisions about the periphery thereof, two of the current connecting bolts extending directly to one of the direct current conductors of given polarity and the remaining one of said current connecting bolts extending insulatedly through the other of the direct current conductors having a polarity opposite to the given polarity.

Abstract: Rotating rectifier assembly in a multiphase bridge circuit for electric machines has active components including cooling members, rectifier cells and safety fuses and also includes a carrier wheel having a radially inner hub and a radially outer annular flange, the active components being radially outwardly braced at the inner side of the annular flange, the annular flange being formed of two parts, one of the parts being a radially inner flange ring connected to the hub and formed with openings for receiving therein and for securing the active components to the annular flange, and the other of the parts being a radially outer cap ring formed of very rigid material and being in press-fitting engagement with the flange ring.

Abstract: Multiphase bridge circuit for electric machines includes a rotating rectifier assembly having cooling members, rectifier cells and fuses, and including a carrier wheel having a radially outer annular flange extending therefrom, the rectifier cells being radially outwardly braced at the inner side of the annular flange, the cooling members being current-conductive and being interposed between the rectifier cells and the inner side of the annular flange, the cooling members being electrically connected with the rectifier cells and being insulated from the carrier wheel, and the fuses being directly braced at the annular flange, one of the fuses, respectively, being serially connected with each of the cooling members, the outer annular flange having a free side spaced from the carrier wheel, the fuses being fastened at the free side of the outer annular flange at locations thereof alternatingly offset from one another in axial direction of the carrier wheel.

Abstract: An automotive alternator rectifier bridge comprising a pair of generally flat heat-conducting laminated bases each having a central layer of aluminum with layers of copper bonded to the opposite surfaces thereof. A plurality of first diodes have their cathodes solder-connected to one surface of one of the bases. The anodes of a plurality of second diodes are solder-connected to one surface of the other of these bases. Each diode is constituted by a discrete semiconductor chip having a metallic layer in ohmic contact with one face thereof and each diode is secured to one of the bases by having its metallic layer soldered to the laminated base. Electrical conductors are solder-connected to the anodes of the first diodes and to the cathodes of said second diodes and extend generally parallel to the bases for connection to automotive alternator terminals. Methods of fabricating these bridges are also described.

Abstract: A rectifier assembly is installed in an alternating current generator for providing D.C. current. The rectifier assembly includes a positive and negative cooling fin on which positive and negative diodes are respectively fixed, and interconnecting leads for respectively connecting each of the positive diodes with each of the negative diodes, wherein at least one of the interconnecting leads is disposed in slots of the stator core of the generator, whereby the interconnecting leads become resistant to line-failure or the like due to violent vibration.

Abstract: An alternator rectifier assembly for rectifying the output of a poly-phase AC alternator and its method of assembly are disclosed. The alternator assembly comprises a pair of heat sinking DC terminal plate members having a plurality of diode containing recesses with a generally U-shaped circuit board member. The circuit board member is riveted to each of the heat sinking terminal plate members to form a unitary composite body.The generally U-shaped circuit board member is comprised of a plurality of mutually insulated conductive strips embedded within a plastic material. The ends of the conductors within the circuit board member are exposed for contact with terminals of the diode elements. A plurality of alternator terminal members may be situated within suitably formed recesses or voids within the circuit board member so as to be in contact with the conductive strips and all electrical connections may be soldered by a single pass through a soldering oven.