Abstract: A timepiece including a mechanical movement is disclosed and a movable system for driving the movement. The movable system includes a balance wheel formed by a pair of plates and a magnetic member mounted on each plate. The magnetic members include a magnetic north and south pole arranged to provide a magnetic field. A coil is disposed in position so that its winding may be swept with the magnetic field which induces a voltage to which a circuit is responsive to develop a feedback signal to be applied across the winding to add energy to the movable system in replacement of energy losses of friction, and so forth. A feedback signal is developed if the movable system is sweeping the coil briskly. If movement of the movable system is not brisk, or the movable system has stopped, then a start pulse is developed for self-starting. The start pulse is normally prevented by the feedback signal which also serves as a reset signal to reset a start signal counter before completion of a counting operation.

Abstract: A circuit for controlling the intermittent application of a dc potential to a device, such as a striker mechanism for a gong, having a member reciprocally moveable between rest and active positions. The reciprocating member shunts and unshunts a capacitor when the member is in its rest position and moved away therefrom, respectively. While the capacitor is shorted, and during its charge time, dc power is applied to the device. When the capacitor is charged to a predetermined potential, dc power is disconnected from the device thereby allowing the reciprocating member to return to its rest position to shunt the capacitor and initiate a new cycle of operation. The system is substantially independent of mechanical characteristics of the device and the current interrupted or made by the contact pair may be at least an order of magnitude less than the peak current in said device.

Abstract: A control circuit is provided for controlling operation of an electrical or electromechanical system which oscillates at a basic frequency, such as a coil-operated compressor of a vehicle cooling system.The control circuit has a power output stage which feeds operating power to the oscillating system, and a generator which drives the power output stage and is synchronized with the oscillating system.The generator comprises an oscillator which produces a pulse sequence at twice the basic frequency of the oscillating system and a converter which modifies the pulse sequence of the oscillator so that every second pulse fed to the power stage has the same polarity. Feedback from the oscillating system is applied to an input of the oscillator to synchronize the oscillator with the oscillating system.

Abstract: A constant-volume increment pipetting arrangement for use particularly in connection with analysis of minute specimen volumes of biological fluids. The arrangement, which is designed to have a very low inertia factor, comprises a pumping unit having a pair of two-port valves with a duct running between a port from each valve, wherein at least a portion of the duct wall is movable to provide a variable volume pipetting chamber. The second port of one valve serves as the intake port for the fluid to be pipetted and the remaining port of the other valve serves as the delivery port. Three reciprocating drive elements are provided, connected one each to the valves and to the movable portion of the duct wall. Associated with the drive elements is a sequential control means, wherein the control means portion for the drive element connected to the moving portion of the duct wall constitutes an electromagnet arrangement energizable by a periodic supply.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to electric motor/actuators and in particular to an electric motor/actuator including multiple non-magnetic armatures having commutated windings rotatable in a single air gap formed between opposing permanent magnets having their opposed polarized poles facing said armatures and wherein individual ones of said armatures are capable of different output functions from others of said armatures.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an on-demand fluid pump having a solenoid actuated reciprocating piston. The pump's electrical circuit comprises an oscillator generating at predetermined intervals short duty cycle sample signals which are applied to the solenoid. The reciprocating piston is nonresponsive to the applied sample signals, however, the sample signals induce a signal in a position sensor. The value of the signal induced in the position sensor is a function of the piston's position. A detector circuit generates a signal switching a bi-stable electronic switch to a SET state in response to an induced signal having a value indicative of the piston being at the end of its spring actuated pump stroke. The bi-stable switch in the SET state activates the solenoid to retract the piston against the force of the spring. The next sequential sample signal resets the bi-stable switch to its RESET state deactivating the solenoid.

Abstract: An amplitude control apparatus utilizing an oscillator with an amplitude regulation loop to provide positive feedback to the oscillator and thereby providing zero amplitude error.

Abstract: An electrical vibration type compressor comprising a drive coil vibratably supported in a mechanical vibration system, a piston driven by the drive coil, at least one main semiconductor element with a control electrode which performs the switching control of a drive current to the drive coil, and a detecting means consisting of at least one detecting semiconductor element with a control electrode detecting the vibration of the drive coil to control the conduction and cutoff of the main semiconductor element with a control electrode and at least one timeconstant circuit; whereby the feedback transformer which has so far been used in a device of this type to supply a feedback current to the main semiconductor element with a control electrode is eliminated, and the switching operation is properly performed at the top and bottom dead centers of the piston.

Abstract: A radiation-to-electrical energy converter in which transmission of radiation from a radiation source is controlled by radiation gates to alternate the build up of positive potential on a pair of radiant energy absorbers and in which the positive potentials on the absorbers are employed to produce an alternating current. The radiation gates are liquid crystals which are specially constructed to pass radiation when in an un-energized state.

Abstract: A mechanical oscillator for swinging an optical or other load element back and forth with a substantially constant amplitude. The oscillator is constituted by an erect torsion rod sustained in torsional vibration at its natural frequency by a drive motor energized by drive signals supplied by an external drive generator. The load element is secured to the free end of the rod, and in order to maintain the desired swing amplitude, a fixed pick-up coil is associated with an armature attached to the rod adjacent the free end thereof. Induced in the coil is a control signal whose frequency corresponds to the swing frequency and whose amplitude is proportional to the amplitude thereof. This control signal is applied to a controller adapted to so vary the output of said generator as to maintain a substantially constant swing amplitude.

Abstract: According to one feature a bearing-free oscillation motor, e.g. for driving an optical scanner or chopper comprises a torsion shaft fixed at one end for rotational oscillation about its axis, a rotor support member substantially more rigid in bending than the torsion shaft attached to the free end of the shaft and extending back therealong, a magnetically interactive rotor rigidly joined to the support member at the midlength of the torsion shaft, and a magnetically interactive stator adjacent the rotor for inducing rotational oscillation of the rotor, the torsion shaft and the rotor support member cooperating to provide a stiff system in bending. Preferably the rotor torsion shaft and rotor support member assembly are cooperatively constructed to restrain the rotor, in response to radial forces acting on it, to substantially translational motion without tilting of the rotor or the attached mirror or other device.

Abstract: Controlling movements of reciprocating table by switching means positioned at limit in each direction; includes plurality of pairs of such switching means, selectively presettable in programming arrangement for automatic control, with means for selective changing between automatic and manual control; also includes low amperage control circuit for controlling high amperage circuit which directly controls the reciprocating table.