Roche Engineering Corporation

Fps Inc.

Other

Richard M Roche

Washers partially coated with a thermochromic material are incorporated into bolted electrical connections to monitor or record temperature changes undergone by the electrical connections as indications of the performance or integrity of the electrical connections. For monitoring ongoing performance, the color changes undergone by the thermochromic coated washers can be compared to each other within a common field of view or to a common datum, such as a nearby thermochromic coated washer mounted in a bolted non-electrical connection. Irreversible thermochromic materials can be used to record elevated temperature events such as approaching or reaching a design temperature limit or a fault condition. Different thermochromic materials can be combined within the same washers to monitor different ranges of temperature or to record multiple threshold events.

Thermochromic washer for monitoring performance or integrity of electrical connections

A data acquisition system senses current and voltage from a common electrical circuit supplying a power to load branch circuits containing loads that undergo changes in load condition, such as starting and stopping. Transmitters connected to the load branch circuits identify the loads that undergo load condition changes. A data processor receives information from both the sensors and the transmitters to link the sensed current and voltage information from the common electrical circuit to the particular loads that undergo changes in load condition.

Method and apparatus for monitoring performance of multiple electrical loads from a single source

Directional control valves are arranged with restrictable center passageways connected in series to a fixed displacement pump and with restrictable power and exhaust passageways straddling loads connected in parallel to the same fixed displacement pump. Pressure responsive valves located between the loads and the restrictable exhaust passageways reduce interactions between the loads. Another pressure responsive valve located between the fixed displacement pump and the restrictable center passageways maintains an appropriate division of flow between the restrictable center passageways and the restrictable power and exhaust passageways.

Open center hydraulic system with reduced interaction between branches

A power sensing regenerator includes a pair of displacers (24 and 26) connected in tandem for dividing a flow of fluid from a pump (12) into predetermined proportions for servicing one or more loads (42). Flow control valves (32 and 34) regulate respective flows from the displacers (24 and 26) to the one or more loads (42). A control system, which includes differential pressure regulators of the flow control valves (32 and 34), responds to a difference between discharge pressures of the displacers (24 and 26) for reducing discharge pressure of the pump (12).

Power sensing regenerator

A regenerator for a fluid power system is arranged to control flow rates while converting pressure drops accompanying resulting changes in flow rates into useful work. A gang of displacers are incorporated into a fluid flow network that also includes an array of selectable flow paths through the displacers. A control system, responsive to changes in demand for the flow of fluid, selects among the flow paths to operate the displacers in various combinations as motors, pumps, and recirculators for dividing the flow of fluid into two variably sized portions. One portion of the flow is sized to match the demand for fluid flow, and the other portion of the flow is converted into useful work.

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Gresham, OR, United States of America

Richard M Roche