A.o. Smith Corporation

Smith Fiberglass Products Inc.

Timothy H Houle

Daher T Wardy

Robert M Schurter

Ronald P Bartos

William Louis Mehlhorn

Wayne Miller

John D Pfeffer

Thomas Gerard Van Sistine

James L Chevalier

J Herbert Johnson

Michael Lee McCoy

Paul M Nyberg

Peter J Fritz

Calvin O Huber

A switched reluctance motor includes a rotor mounted for rotation about an axis, and having a plurality of rotor poles, and a stator surrounding the rotor and including first, second and third stator phases. The motor also includes energizing means for sequentially energizing the stator phases with an energy source to cause rotation of the rotor, based on rotor position information, the energizing means causing one phase to be energized and then deenergized to near a zero current level prior to a point where the rotor pole breaks away from the stator pole. The energizing means further includes limited current turn on means connected to switch operating means for operating a switch on the one phase to permit flow of limited current through the one phase after it reaches a near zero current level but before the break away point. The motor further includes circuit means connected to the one phase for permitting the limited current to circulate through the one phase; and current sensing means for sensing the amount of current in the one phase and for determining when the current exceeds a predetermined regenerative current threshold at about the break away point, the energizing means being connected to the current sensing means to use this excess regenerative current information at about the break away point for rotor position information.

Switched reluctance motor providing rotor position detection at high

A method of attaching first and second lengths of fiberglass reinforced plastic pipe, the method comprising the steps of winding the first length of pipe around a metal female member, threading a metal male member onto an end of the second length of pipe, and threading the male member into the female member.

Method and apparatus for attaching lengths of fiberglass reinforced

A switched reluctance motor (10) provides position and speed detection without a shaft position sensor. At least one of the stator pole faces (54) and/or at least one of the rotor pole faces (60) has an irregularity such as a notch (52 and/or 58) providing a perturbation or blip (70, 82) in the inductance profile (72, 76, 84) of the motor (10) during rotation of the rotor (14) indicative of the position of the rotor (14) relative to the stator (12). The frequency of the perturbations indicates motor speed.

Switched reluctance motor with sensorless position detection

The sacrificial anode in an electrically-heated water heater is protected against excessive current drain and premature dissolution resulting from the cathodic effect of the metal jacket on the heating element by a protective device which provides an effective insulating separation between the jacket and the tank wall to eliminate current flow to the jacket from the protective anode, and a non-linear semiconductor between the jacket and the tank having a breakover voltage allowing it to become conducting at hazardous overvoltage levels. In one embodiment, the heating element jacket is separately insulated from the tank wall and a discrete semiconductor device is separately attached between the jacket and the tank to maintain the insulated condition unless an overvoltage condition occurs and to then become conducting to shunt to overvoltage current to the grounded tank wall. In another embodiment, a voltage breakdown material may be applied directly as the insulating layer between the heating element jacket and the tank wall. The material remains an insulator until it is caused to breakdown at an appropriate overvoltage level, where upon it becomes irreversibly conductive.

Apparatus for reducing the current drain on the sacrificial anode in a

A common source of DC potential is utilized to simultaneously provide power to the protective anode in an electrically heated hot water heater and to the circuit used to bias the heating element jacket to reduce the current load the jacket would otherwise impose on the protective anode. By utilizing a common DC power source, the desired voltage relationship between the protective anode, the positively biased heating element jacket and negatively biased tank wall may be maintained, regardless of changes in the supply. The need for a second separate power supply is obviated and overall construction of the system substantially simplified. The DC power source may comprise a battery or rectified AC current from the power to the heating element.

Apparatus for powering the corrosion protection system in an electric

The adverse effects of the exposed metal jacket on a heating element in an electric water heater on the life and performance of a protective anode are eliminated or substantially reduced with the system that imposes a low voltage differential between the heating element jacket and the tank wall while simultaneously providing a low resistance current path which will provide a direct coductive path between the jacket and tank wall (at ground) in the event of an overvoltage condition. The system includes a potentiometer control which may be adjusted to provide the appropriate low voltage differential sufficient to substantially reduce the anode current. The relatively low resistance path allows an overvoltage current to pass readily to ground.

Method and apparatus for reducing the current drain on the sacrificial

An improved combination anode mount and hot water outlet for a water heater. The water heater includes a tank to contain water to be heated and the tank has an upper head with an opening therein. An annular internally threaded spud is welded to the upper surface of the head in alignment with the opening in the head. The anode mount and hot water outlet includes a tubular metal body having an upper threaded end which is threaded to the spud. A wall or closure extends transversely across the body intermediate the ends and divides the body into an upper chamber and a lower chamber. Ports are provided in the body and establish communication between the tank and the upper chamber and serve to conduct heated water from the tank. The upper end of an anode formed of a metal electro-negative to steel is mounted in the lower chamber of the body and the steel core wire of the anode is welded within a hole in the transverse wall. The tubular body can be coated with a corrosion resistant metal and the portions of the body exposed to water in the tank and also be provided with an outer plastic coating.

Combination anode mount and hot water outlet for water heater

A combination anode mount and hot water outlet for a water heater. The water heater includes a steel tank to contain water to be heated and has an upper head formed with an opening therein. An annular internally threaded spud is secured to the upper surface of the head with the axis of the spud being located eccentrically with respect to the axis of the head opening. An elongated body or support formed of an electrically insulating material, such as plastic, extends through the opening in the head and a cam shaped flange extends laterally from the upper end of the body and is disposed within the spud and is supported on the upper surface of the head. The body is formed with an outlet passage which communicates with the interior of the tank so that heated water in the tank can flow through the passage for discharge. An anode is secured to the lower end of the body and an electrical connector embedded in the body is connected to the anode and extends upwardly and is exposed at the cam flange. By rotating the body within the opening in the head, the cam will wedge against the threads of the spud to lock the body against rotation and provide a positive electrical connection between the electrical connector and the spud.

Combination anode mount and hot water outlet utilizing a cam lock

An anode cap assembly comprising a stamped metal cap having a generally cylindrical inner section and a closed outer section. An anode rod formed of a metal electronegative to steel is disposed in the cylindrical inner section and the steel core wire of the anode projects outwardly of the anode rod and is electrically connected to the outer section of the cap. The outer section of the cap preferably has a smaller cross sectional area than the inner section and is formed with a plurality of external flat surfaces to receive a wrench or tool. After assembly of the anode rod to the cap, threads can be rolled in the outer surface of the outer section of the cap so that the cap can be threaded to a spud welded to the outer surface of a tank.

Method of forming an anode cap assembly

Stamped metal anode cap assembly

A cathodic protection system for a water heater tank incorporating a resistor anode assembly. The steel water heater tank is provided with an opening and an internally threaded spud is secured to the outer surface of the tank bordering the opening. An anode rod composed of a metal electro-positive to steel extends through the opening to the interior of the tank and the anode is connected to the spud by an electrically conductive plastic cap. The cap provides a resistance to the flow of current between the anode rod and the steel tank to reduce the consumption of the anode.

Cathodic protection system for a water heater tank

An improved anode mounting construction for a water heater. The inner surface of a steel water heater tank is coated with a corrosion resistent material, such as glass, and the tank is provided with an opening which receives an anode rod. The outer end of the anode is secured to a metal cap and the cap is carried by a steel spud which is welded to the outer surface of the tank bordering the opening. The internal diameter of the spud is greater than the diameter of the opening in the tank and a resislent sealing member or gasket is employed to seal the gap between the anode and the annular edge of the tank ordering the opening. The sealing member seals and protects the annular edge against corrosion, as well as protecting the spud, thereby eliminating accelerated consumption of the outer end of the anode adjacent the tank.

Anode mounting construction for a water heater

A method of making a laminated structure for use in an electrical apparatus. A female mold is produced having an upwardly facing cavity of a shape corresponding to the laminated structure. A layer of a ferrous metal is sprayed onto the bottom surface of the mold and subsequently an electrically insulated layer is applied to the layer of metal. Alternate layers of the ferrous metal and the insulating layer are deposited in the cavity of the mold to provide a laminated structure in which the metal and insulating layers are integrally bonded together. Through use of the method of the invention, a ferrous metal with the most desirable electrical characteristics can be employed.

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Wauwatosa, WI, United States of America

Timothy H Houle