Unitary supporting structure for superconducting field assembly

Claim 1

In a dynamoelectric machine having an annular stator member and a rotor having a field assembly including a core member with a superconducting winding disposed thereon, an improved arrangement for supporting said field assembly comprising: a unitary structure for enclosing said field assembly, said unitary structure having a drive shaft portion for transmitting torque from a prime mover to said field assembly and a tubular portion integrally formed with said drive shaft portion, said tubular portion having a circumferentially extending annulus which in combination with said drive shaft portion defines a chamber having a closed end with which said drive shaft portion is integrally formed and an opened end for receiving said field assembly; means for securing said field assembly to said unitary supporting structure within said chamber, said field assembly being enclosed within said chamber and being secured to the closed end of said tubular portion in a cantilever mounting arrangement therewith; an end plate secured to the opened end of said tubular portion to seal said chamber; a support shaft secured to said end plate, said support shaft cooperating with said drive shaft portion to support said unitary structure for rotational movement within said annular stator member; a dewar vessel in the form of a generally concentric annulus having thermally insulating portions, said dewar vessel being concentrically disposed within said chamber, said field assembly being enclosed within said dewar vessel which thermally isolates said superconducting winding from said unitary supporting structure; an eddy current damper shield formed of conducting material concentrically disposed intermediate of said circumferentially extending tubular portion and said dewar vessel; and a radiation shield concentrically disposed intermediate of said eddy current damper shield and said dewar vessel.