Other

Barber Colman Company

Invensys Building Systems, Inc.

Barber-Colman

Tac, LLC

Michael L Hill

Patrick George Hill

A roller-chain conveyor includes a guide plate to support the load carried by the roller-chain conveyor belt, and to maintain the roller-chain on a consistent track. A guide plate is carried on top of a stiff foundation plate to resist load-induced deflection. Foundation plates desirably carry hold-down structure adapted for reception in socket structure formed in the guide plate. Operable socket structure can be formed to include a T-slot. A cooperating hold-down structure is a mushroom-shaped peg affixed to the foundation plate. Such a guide plate is installed by lowering the guide plate onto the foundation plate to place the peg into reception in the socket. Then, the guide plate is slid axially to engage a rim of the T-slot under the mushroom head. One or more fasteners is then typically placed through the guide plate and into the foundation plate to resist axial motion effective to decouple the peg and socket. Guide plates desirably are made from a plastic material, such as Tyvar 88.

Guide plated for roller-chain conveyor

A ball valve operable as an engine brake to resist high rpm operation of the engine on which it is installed. The ball valve has a noncontact seal and can include an aperture through a seal face to permit bypass of sufficient exhaust for operation of the engine at idle while the brake is engaged. If present, the aperture can be tuned, or sized, to provide a desired back pressure matched to a specific engine.

Engine exhaust brake

A system and method of providing floating actuator control is provided. This system and method receives input command signals from an actuator controller, and effectively integrates these signals until the controller has requested a large enough movement of the actuator that the actuator can actually effectuate. At this point, the system and method drive the actuator to the commanded position. As a result, excessive mechanical wear in the actuator caused by small command signal perturbations and dither is reduced or eliminated.

Floating actuator control system and method

A brushless DC motor is controlled by determining a speed of the motor and a line voltage supplying drivers of the motor. Based upon these determined values and predetermined motor performance data, a maximum PWM on-time is determined for drive signals supplied to windings of the motor. This maximum PWM on-time thereby limits motor torque output to a predetermined maximum. Stopping the motor is performed in sequential phases including a loaded generator phase, an active braking phase and a holding phase. During holding, the amount of energy supplied to the motor is reduced to the point just before slippage such that holding energy is minimized. Upon power failure, the motor is driven toward a spring return home position overcoming static friction that may prevent the spring return mechanism from functioning properly. These techniques are applied to a motor in an actuator.

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Rockton, IL, United States of America

Michael L Hill