Tech Development, Inc.

Barber Colman Company

Terry L Coons

Michael Andres

Lance F Miller

Kenneth J Eakman

Robert J Becker

A backup bearing for use with magnetic bearings to support a rotating shaft in the event that the magnetic bearings fail due to the loss of electric power. The backup bearing includes a housing and a fluid film bearing element which is adapted to passively float in the housing and with the shaft during normal operation of the magnetic bearings and which is adapted to support the rotating shaft on a film of fluid if the magnetic bearings fail.

Backup bearing for magnetic bearings

An air cycle machine for producing a supply of cooled air and including a compressor rotor fixed to a shaft which is driven by a turbine rotor, the turbine serving to expand air which is pressurized by the compressor. Magnetic bearings support the shaft radially in a housing for rotation about a precisely established axis while a magnetic thrust bearing keeps the shaft in a precisely fixed axial position. The housing and the bearings are constructed as two split sections to permit the housing and the bearings to be separated radially and facilitate repair and/or replacement of the shaft and other internal components.

Air cycle machine with magnetic bearings

A vehicle engine starter includes a self-contained solenoid-operated valve and a self-contained relay valve which simplify installation of the starter by reducing the number of electrical and pneumatic hook-ups between the starter and the electrical and pneumatic systems of the vehicle.

Electro-pneumatic engine starter

Engine pre-engage starters formed of compactly interfit sections featuring a universally applicable high speed turbine rotor, formed preferably of nylon based plastic, the body of which is distinguished by low tensile strength, high impact resistance, radial growth and adjustment in correspondence with the speed of its rotation, minimal evidence of stress and no material fracture even under the most adverse conditions of its use and a structural composition which reduces to powder form when subjected to friction at such time the speed of its rotation reaches and exceeds a prescribed limit. The rotor is so connected with its power transmission shaft to position beyond and form an axial extension of one end thereof. The rotor is contained by a peripherally encompassing structurally complementary plastic buffer which enhances its fail safe properties. Optionally, the starter housing may be provided with discretely positioned sound deadening inserts. The starters illustrated each feature a highly simplified control system operative to effect a substantially instantaneous shutdown thereof when the speed of rotation of the rotor exceeds a predetermined limit. At the same time the nature of the rotor, the transmission shaft which it powers and the control system which it triggers to couple its transmission in driving relation to the engine to which it relates is such to produce a substantially instantaneous starting of the engine immediately of the energization of the rotor.

Pneumatic and electro-pneumatic starters

Pneumatic starters including a housing formed in sections interfit in telescopic and abutted relation, a cap forming its upstream end, a nozzle unit at the open end of said cap defining therewith a shallow chamber constructed to receive a flow of fluid under pressure to power said rotor and provide for its content a substantial pressure head, said end cap and nozzle unit being coaxially extended by a turbine assembly section, the rotor of which positions outwardly of the end thereof immediately adjacent said nozzle unit, positioning its buckets in coaxially aligned relation to its nozzles, said rotor nesting in a relatively axially extended portion of a cylindrical wall structure which forms a shroud for said nozzle unit, lines the inner wall of said housing and peripherally shrouds the buckets of said rotor, said nozzle unit being separable and interchangeable, said inlet chamber and required interrelation of the nozzles of said nozzle unit and the buckets of said rotor being achieved in assembly of said housing sections, a following downstream section of said housing mounting a trip valve assembly in its all structure and containing a drive transmission including a drive shaft coaxially coupled with and driven by the rotor drive shaft and having means connected therewith for normally maintaining said trip valve in inactive condition, and an associated fluid signalling and delivery system providing fluid to energize said starter and insuring automatic shut down thereof substantially simultaneously with the speed of rotation of said rotor exceeding a preset limit.

Pneumatic starters

Apparatus associated with a component part of the drive system of a turbine assembly reduces the power applied to its drive rotor in a direct and substantially instantaneous response to the speed of its rotation rising to a predetermined level. A turbine starter for an engine embodying this apparatus comprises a housing for its rotor and the drive system of which it forms a part, a flow path for a gaseous fluid, delivered from a source, to power the rotor and a control device in connection with the drive system a component part of which moves radially thereof and, when its speed of rotation rises to a predetermined level, triggers a substantially simultaneous restriction of the flow path through which fluid can be applied to power the turbine rotor, thereby to produce a resulting reduction of the speed of rotation of the turbine drive system. If under such conditions the starter is engaged with a related engine, it will automatically disengage. The apparatus inherently and automatically prevents the occurrence of a speed of rotation of the turbine drive system which might induce self-destruction and explosive fragmentation of its housing and/or its component parts. The construction and arrangement of the control apparatus is such that the components thereof automatically reset once the speed of rotation of the starter drive system is interrupted or falls to a safe level.

Apparatus for preventing overspeed of a turbine drive means

As originally fabricated the rotor of the invention is a unitized structure an outer portion of which, including its outer peripheral surface, is designed to separate shortly after the start of its rotation. As illustrated, this outer peripheral portion is a ring-shaped structure which is initially incorporated by an interference fit which establishes it in a fixed bounding relation to the rotor part immediately inward thereof. At the point in time that said outer portion of the rotor is separated, guide means are rendered operative to maintain a drive coupling as between the outer and inward rotor parts and such guide means then serve as bearings accommodating the radial movement of the outer separated part in correspondence with its changing radius in response to changing speeds of rotation of the rotor. Any failure of the rotor is benign in that at such time the rotor exceeds the designed limit of its speed of rotation the outer part expands sufficient to brake against its adjacent shield or housing.

Growing community of inventors

Dayton, OH, United States of America

Terry L Coons