Horton Manufacturing Company Inc.

Horton, Inc.

Utc Fire and Security Corporation

James V Radomski

David R Hennessy

James P LeClaire

Theodore M Hermann

Richard G Christensen

An electronic monitor is disclosed which continuously monitors the sound emanating from rotating machinery, non-rotating equipment, or any other sound-producing process or environment, as a means of detecting abnormalities and thus determining the operating condition thereof. The monitor continuously computes the power spectrum of the monitored sound and has two modes of operation: learn and operate. The monitor is placed in the learn mode during a time when the machine or process to be monitored is known to be operating normally. During the learn mode, the maximum and minimum acoustic power output from each of a plurality of digital bandpass filters is continuously maintained and updated in data memory as the acoustic signature of the machine or process being monitored. During the operate mode, the monitor continuously compares the real-time filter outputs with the acoustic signature stored during the learn mode and activates a panel lamp and relay if the output of any of the bandpass filters deviates from the upper or lower decibel limits of the acoustic signature by more than the setting of the corresponding front panel sensitivity selector switch. In its preferred form, the monitor is capable of storing and utilizing up to five acoustic signatures, selectable by either an operator or a host controller, with the signatures being stored in non-volatile data memory. Two alarm levels are provided by the monitor: warning, to indicate a developing fault, and danger, to indicate a situation requiring immediate corrective action.

Acoustic monitor

An apparatus (10) is disclosed including a friction clutch (12) and an overload apparatus (14) connected in parallel between an input (16) and an output (18). Encoders (20, 22) are provided for separately detecting the rotational positions of the input (16) and the output (18). A microcomputer controller (580) controls actuation of the friction clutch (12) and the overload apparatus (14) in response to the rotational positions detected by the encoders (20, 22) allowing the clutch (12) to bring the output (18) to be generally aligned with a select rotational position of the input (16) at which time the overload apparatus (14) can be actuated to rotatably relate the input (16) and the output (18) at the select rotational position and actuation of the clutch (12) can be removed. The microcomputer controller (580) also removes actuation of the overload apparatus (14) when the encoders (20, 22) detect rotation of the input (16) relative to the output (18) from the select rotational position. In the most preferred form, the encoders (20, 22) include codewheels (500, 501) rotatable with the input (16) and the output (18), respectively, and relative to slotted optical switches (502-505), with the codewheels (500, 501) including 64 evenly spaced slots which rotate past the slotted optical switches (502-505).

Electronically controlled rotational control apparatus

A torque and/or rotational control apparatus is disclosed in a preferred form of a brake (10) including a plurality of pairs of actuators (18) positioned on opposite sides of a friction disc (16) by spacers (120) having tear shaped cross sections. The pads (32) of the actuators (18) are removably held by a slideable locking pin (70) biased by a spring (80) into an aperture (68) of a backing plate (62) for the pad (32). A notch (64) formed in the pad (32) and the backing plate (62) is slideably received on a rail (66) axially extending from the housing (35) of the actuator (18) to prevent rotation about the locking pin (70). The friction disc (16) includes elongated and shortened fins (42, 43) upstanding between and equally circumferentially spaced intermediate first and second component discs (40, 41). The fins (42, 43) are free of circumferential interconnections to allow air to radially pass freely between the fins (42, 43). The elongated fins (42) extend generally tangentially from the inner edges of the component discs (40, 41). The spacers (120) are orientated with their lengths extending generally perpendicular to the fins (42, 43) and generally parallel to the air movement from between the component discs (40, 41). The shape and orientation of the spacers (120) promote laminar flow and reduce air turbulence to increase air flow around the spacers (120) and through the friction disc (16) and the brake (10).

Growing community of inventors

New Brighton, MN, United States of America

James V Radomski