Patent JPS5755239A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3785147A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Digital synchronizing and phasing system
Assignee: Woodward Inc
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Filing: 1972-06-14
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Granted: 1974-01-15
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Expires: 1992-06-14
Abstract
Abstract Digital systems for synchronizing prime movers equipped with magnetic ball head speed governors provide smooth and continuous synchronizing control. A plurality of prime movers may be synchronized by operating one as a ''''master'''' and the other as ''''slaves,'''' in which event each ''''slave'''' is equipped with a magnetic ball head speed governor and the bias coil of each such governor is supplied with a digital control signal which is modulated in accordance with any difference between the speed of the associated ''''slave'''' and that of the ''''master.'''' Alternatively, a pair of prime movers may be synchronized by equipping each of them with a magnetic ball head speed governor and by supplying the bias coils of those governors with digital signals which are complementarily modulated in accordance with any difference between the speeds of the prime movers. The reference level of the digital control pulses may be adjusted manually or automatically to establish and maintain a desired phase relationship between the synchronized prime movers.
Inventors
- 👤 J Leeson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 21:23
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02D; F02D25/00; F02D25/02; B; B64; B64C; B64C11/00; B64C11/46; B64C11/50; H; H02; H02P; H02P5/00; H02P5/46; H02P5/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
A system for controlling the speed of a prime mover comprising the combination of a magnetic ball head speed governor, including a magnetic biasing coil, for regulating the speed of said prime mover; reference means for providing a first electrical sIgnal having a frequency proportional to a desired speed for said prime mover; transducer means for monitoring the actual speed of said prime mover to provide a second electrical signal having a frequency proportional to the actual speed; and bistable means having one input coupled to said reference means, another input coupled to said transducer means and an output coupled to the biasing coil of said governor for applying a digital control signal having a duty cycle modulated in accordance with any difference between said actual and desired speeds to said biasing coil to thereby correctively adjust the speed of said prime mover for operation at said desired speed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
149 words
A system for controlling the speed of a prime mover comprising the combination of a magnetic ball head speed governor, including a magnetic biasing coil, for regulating the speed of said prime mover; reference means for providing a first electrical sIgnal having a frequency proportional to a desired speed for said prime mover; transducer means for monitoring the actual speed of said prime mover to provide a second electrical signal having a frequency proportional to the actual speed; and bistable means having one input coupled to said reference means, another input coupled to said transducer means and an output coupled to the biasing coil of said governor for applying a digital control signal having a duty cycle modulated in accordance with any difference between said actual and desired speeds to said biasing coil to thereby correctively adjust the speed of said prime mover for operation at said desired speed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
The control system of claim 1 wherein said governor is non-polarized, and further including a bias resistor, means for coupling said coil in series with a supply source, and switch means in series with said coil for initially coupling said coil in series with said bias resistor to thereby establish a predetermined, non-zero magnetic bias reference level for said governor and for then coupling said coil to said bistable means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The control system of claim 1 wherein said governor is polarized.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
158 words
The control system of claim 3 wherein said bistable means has first and second outputs for supplying first and second digital control signals having duty cycles complementarily modulated in accordance with said speed difference; and further including a bridge circuit having one set of opposed terminals for coupling said bridge across a supply source, another set of opposed terminals coupled across said coil, first and second pairs of diagonally opposed arms, a respective switch means in each of said arms, means responsive to said first control signal for selectively switching the switch means in said first pair of arms into conduction, and means responsive to said second control signal for selectively switching the switch means in said second pair of arms into conduction, whereby first and second paths for current flow through said coil in opposite directions are alternately completed so that the magnetic bias is varied in a sense dependent on the sense of said speed difference.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
94 words
The control system of claim 1 wherein said governor has a time constant selected so that the coil is energized in response to the digital control signal applied thereto by a current having a dc. component which varies as a function of any duty cycle modulation of said control signal and a superimposed oscillating current which varies relatively rapidly, whereby the magnetic bias on said governor is varied by said dc. component for correctively adjusting the prime mover speed and by said oscillating component to reduce the effects of any friction within the governor.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
190 words
A system for synchronizing the speeds of prime movers, said system comprising the combination of speed regulating means for at least one of said prime movers, said regulating means including a magnetic ball head speed governor having a magnetic biasing coil; first and second transducer means for respectively monitoring the speeds of said one prime mover and another of said prime movers to provide first and second signals having frequencies respectively proportional to the speeds of said one and said other prime movers; bistable means having a first input coupled to said first transducer and a second input coupled to the other of said transducer for providing a digital control signal having a duty cycle modulated in accordance with any difference between the speeds of said one and said other engines; and means coupled between the bistable means and the magnetic biasing coil of said governor for applying said digital control signal to said coil, whereby the magnetic bias on said governor is varied in response to any speed difference to thereby correctively adjust the speed of said one prime mover in a manner tending to eliminate the speed difference.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
190 words
A system for synchronizing the speeds of prime movers, said system comprising the combination of speed regulating means for at least one of said prime movers, said regulating means including a magnetic ball head speed governor having a magnetic biasing coil; first and second transducer means for respectively monitoring the speeds of said one prime mover and another of said prime movers to provide first and second signals having frequencies respectively proportional to the speeds of said one and said other prime movers; bistable means having a first input coupled to said first transducer and a second input coupled to the other of said transducer for providing a digital control signal having a duty cycle modulated in accordance with any difference between the speeds of said one and said other engines; and means coupled between the bistable means and the magnetic biasing coil of said governor for applying said digital control signal to said coil, whereby the magnetic bias on said governor is varied in response to any speed difference to thereby correctively adjust the speed of said one prime mover in a manner tending to eliminate the speed difference.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
70 words
The synchronizing system of claim 6 wherein said governor is non-polarized, and furtheR including a bias resistor, means for coupling said coil in series with a supply source, and switch means in series with said coil for initially coupling said coil in series with said bias resistor to thereby establish a predetermined, non-zero magnetic bias reference level for said governor and for then coupling said coil to said bistable means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
163 words
The synchronizing system of claim 6 wherein said governor is polarized, and said bistable means has first and second outputs for supplying first and second digital control signals having duty cycles complementarily modulated in accordance with said speed difference; and further including a bridge circuit having one set of opposed terminals for coupling said bridge across a supply source, another set of opposed terminals coupled across said coil, first and second pairs of diagonally opposed arms, a respective switch means in each of said arms, means responsive to said first control signal for selectively switching the switch means in said first pair of arms into conduction, and means responsive to said second control signal for selectively switching the switch means in said second pair of arms into conduction, whereby first and second paths for current flow through said coil in opposite directions are alternately completed so that the magnetic bias is varied in a sense dependent on the sense of said speed difference.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
94 words
The synchronizing system of claim 6 wherein said governor has a time constant selected so that the coil is energized in response to the digital control signal applied thereto by a current having a dc. component which varies as a function of any duty cycle modulation of said control signal and a superimposed oscillating current which varies relatively rapidly, whereby the magnetic bias on said governor is varied by said dc. component for correctively adjusting the prime mover speed and by said oscillating component to reduce the effects of any friction within the governor.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
165 words
A system for synchronizing the speeds of first and second prime movers comprising the combination of first and second magnetic ball head speed governors, each including a respective magnetic biasing coil, for respectively regulating the speeds of said first and second prime movers; first and second transducers for respectively monitoring the speeds of said first and second prime movers to provide first and second electrical signals having frequencies respectively proportional to the speeds of said first and second prime movers; and bistable means having one input coupled to said first transducer, another input coupled to said second transducer, one output coupled to the coil of said first governor and another output coupled to the coil of said second governor, whereby said bistable means provides first and second digital control signals having duty cycles complementarily modulated in accordance with any difference between the speeds of said prime movers for differentially varying the magnetic biases on said governor in a manner tending to eliminate the speed difference.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
165 words
A system for synchronizing the speeds of first and second prime movers comprising the combination of first and second magnetic ball head speed governors, each including a respective magnetic biasing coil, for respectively regulating the speeds of said first and second prime movers; first and second transducers for respectively monitoring the speeds of said first and second prime movers to provide first and second electrical signals having frequencies respectively proportional to the speeds of said first and second prime movers; and bistable means having one input coupled to said first transducer, another input coupled to said second transducer, one output coupled to the coil of said first governor and another output coupled to the coil of said second governor, whereby said bistable means provides first and second digital control signals having duty cycles complementarily modulated in accordance with any difference between the speeds of said prime movers for differentially varying the magnetic biases on said governor in a manner tending to eliminate the speed difference.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
98 words
The synchronizing system of claim 10 wherein the governor for each prime mover has a time constant selected so that the coil is energized in response to the digital control signal applied thereto by a current having a dc. component which varies as a function of any duty cycle modulation of said control signal and a superimposed oscillating current which varies relatively rapidly, whereby the magnetic bias on said governor is varied by said dc. component for correctively adjusting the prime mover speed and by said oscillating component to reduce the effects of any friction within the governor.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
169 words
A system for synchronizing the speeds of and controlling the phase angle between first and second rotating prime movers, said system comprising the combination of a magnetic ball head speed governor, including a magnetic biasing coil, for regulating the speed of the first prime mover; first and second transducer means for monitoring the speeDs of said prime movers to provide first and second electrical signals having frequencies respectively proportional to the speeds of said first and second prime movers; bistable means having one input coupled to said first transducer and another input coupled to said second transducer for providing a digital control signal having a duty cycle modulated in accordance with any difference between the speeds of said prime movers; means for supplying a phase reference voltage; means coupled to said bistable means and said phase reference means for algebraically summing said phase reference voltage and said digital control signal to supply a sum signal; and means for applying said sum signal to energize the coil of said governor.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
169 words
A system for synchronizing the speeds of and controlling the phase angle between first and second rotating prime movers, said system comprising the combination of a magnetic ball head speed governor, including a magnetic biasing coil, for regulating the speed of the first prime mover; first and second transducer means for monitoring the speeDs of said prime movers to provide first and second electrical signals having frequencies respectively proportional to the speeds of said first and second prime movers; bistable means having one input coupled to said first transducer and another input coupled to said second transducer for providing a digital control signal having a duty cycle modulated in accordance with any difference between the speeds of said prime movers; means for supplying a phase reference voltage; means coupled to said bistable means and said phase reference means for algebraically summing said phase reference voltage and said digital control signal to supply a sum signal; and means for applying said sum signal to energize the coil of said governor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The synchronizing and phasing system of claim 12 wherein said phase reference voltage is provided by a manually variable means, whereby the phase angle between said prime movers is manually controllable.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
The synchronizing and phasing system of claim 13 wherein said phase reference voltage and said digital control signal are summed by a non-saturating operational amplifier having an output coupled to said biasing coil.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The synchronizing and phasing system of claim 14 wherein said governor is non-polarized and has a predetermined, non-zero magnetic bias reference level.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
55 words
The synchronizing and phasing system of claim 12 wherein said phase reference voltage is provided by an integrator means having an input coupled to said bistable means and an output coupled to said summing means for supplying a voltage dependent on a time averaged level of said digital control signal as said phase reference voltage.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
114 words
The synchronizing and phasing system of claim 16 wherein said governor and said integrator means have respective time constants; the time constant of said integrator means being selected to be long relative to the time constant of said governor; and the time constant of said governor being selected so that said coil is energized by a current having a dc. component, which varies as a function of the duty cycle of said digital control signal and variations of said phase reference voltage to correctively adjust the speed of said first prime mover and the phase angle between it and said second prime mover, and a superimposed oscillating dither signal component which varies relatively rapidly.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The synchronizing and phasing system of claim 16 wherein said phase reference voltage and said digital control signal are summed by a non-saturating operational amplifier having an output coupled to said biasing coil.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The synchronizing and phasing system of claim 18 wherein said governor is non-polarized, and said reference voltage further includes a voltage for establishing a non-zero magnetic bias reference level for said governor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-01-14 | 1977-07-16 | 1978-01-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-14 | 1981-07-16 | 1982-01-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-14 | 1985-07-16 | 1986-01-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |