Alternating-current machines

Claim 1

AN ALTERNATING-CURRENT MACHINE FOR PROVIDING VARIABLE-SPEED DRIVE, COMPRISING A MOTOR HAVING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL HOUSING OF MAGNETICALLY PERMEABLE MATERIAL A STATOR INTERNALLY SECURED TO SAID HOUSING, POLYPHASE WINDINGS ON SAID STATOR, A MAGNETICALLY PERMEABLE ROTOR SLEEVE AND AN ARMATURE CARRIED BY SAID SLEEVE IN CONFRONTING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID STATOR; AN OUTPUT SHAFT COAXIALLY ROTATABLE WITHIN SAID HOUSING, SAID ROTOR SLEEVE COAXIALLY SURROUNDING SAID SHAFT WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND BEING FREELY ROTATABLE AROUND SAID SHAFT; AND AN EDDY-CURRENT COUPLING IN SAID HOUSING INCLUDING TWO ROTOR MEMBERS AND FIXED TO SAID SLEEVE IN SUBSTANTIALLY SYMMETERICAL POSITION ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID ARMATURE, TWO CO-OPERATING COUPLING MEMBERS JUXTAPOSED WITH SAID ROTOR MEMBERS AND FIXED TO SAID SHAFT, SAID COUPLING MEMBERS HAVING PORTIONS INTERPOSED IN A FLUX PATH BETWEEN SAID ROTOR MEMBERS AND SAID STATOR, AND EXCITATION MEANS FOR SAID COUPLING DISPOSED WITHIN SAID STATOR FOR PRODUCING LINES OF FLUX ALONG TWO LOOPED PATHS RESPECTIVELY INCLUDING SAID ROTOR MEMBERS, SAID PORTIONS AND DIFFERENT PARTS OF SAID STATOR AND SAID SLEEVE, SAID PATHS FURTHER INCLUDING SAID STATOR AND SAID ARMATURE.