US2453065A - Electric regulation - Google Patents

Description

1943- I J. L. CREVELING 2,453,065

ELECTRIC REGULATION Filed NOV. 15, 1944 INVENTOR:

Patented Nov. 2, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC REGULATION John L. Creveling, near Tucson, Ariz.

Application November 15, 1944, Serial No. 563,502

22 Claims. 1

My invention pertains to that class of electric regulation wherein the voltage upon or the current in an electric circuit is to be controlled automatically.

An object of my invention is to provide a sensitive regulator having relatively wide range which may be of small dimensions and cheaply built.

Another object is to provide an automatic regulator which shall come into action only when its services are required. Other objects will be pointed out in the specification or obvious therefrom to those skilled in the art.

As my invention is particularly applicable to systems wherein the dynamo or generator subject to intermittent operation and wide changes in speed is employed to charge a storage battery and supply lamps or other translating devices, it will be described with particular reference to such a system.

Fig, I is a more or less diagrammatic represen tation of a system included in my invention, showing some parts in elevation, some in section, and some in diagram.

Fig. II includes a section of a commercial type of regulator comprehended by my invention, which is shown in a system having an auxiliary device whi h may be employed if desired. Fig. III is a partial section and partial elevation of a modified form of my invention adapted to control both the current and voltage of a generator.

Insofar as common subject matter appears, this s a continuation of my applications for patent for improvements in Electric regulation, No. 520,739, filed February 2, 1944, and No. 539,931, filed June 12, 1944, now Patent No. 2,441,059 of May 4, 1948.

In Fig. I, which is more or less of a laboratory type of apparatus, l indicates a dynamo or generator having the shunt field coil 2, one end of which is connected with one brush of the generator and the other with the upper end of the carbon pile 3 as by wire 4 while the lower end of the pile 3 is connected with the opposite side of the generator, as by wire 5. The pile 3 is compressed between the upper pressure plate 6 carried by lever l and the lower pressure plate 8 carried by the lever 9 due to the action of spring it which tends to draw the levers together about their pivots H and I2. The pile is insulated from the pressure plates as indicated and may be held in and 9 through the instrumentality of the adjustable screw and nut arrangement indicated at I3 and the headed rod M which has its head bearing upon the arched bi-metallic strip [5, the function of which will be explained. The lower pressure plate 8 is connected with the curved member [6 bearing upon the steel sprin ll having its ends supported in any suitable manner as indicated at l8, tending to move the levers and pile 3 upwardly until arrested by the adjustable screw I9. The screw it is here shown as electrically connected with the wire 4 while the end of lever l is shown as insulated and connected as by wire 2!! with the right-hand brush of the generator to indicate that this contact between I and the screw l9 may be used to short-circuit the pile this time if desired. The spring i1 is clamped between the member I6 and member 2| as by screws indicated at 22 and member 2| is attached to the disc armature 23 of the ironclad electromagnet comprising the shell 24, core 25 and winding 26, which may be supported by any suitable means (not shown) in substantially the position indicated. The right-hand brush of the generator is connected by wire 26 with one side of the storage battery 2? and translating devices 28 having their opposite terminals connected with the wire 29 leading to one side of any suitable automatic switch, the mere presence of which is indicated at 30, as these switches or reverse current relays are well known in the art. The switch 30 has its opposite side connected through the removable link 3! with the left-hand brush of the generator I. The opposite terminals or connectors of the link 3! are connected as by wires 36 and 31 with the ends of the solenoid 38 surrounding the core 39 of iron or other suitable magnetic material adapted when moved upwardly to engage the extension of lever 53 and tend to rotate the lever in a counter-clockwise direction. While the solenoid is short-circuited when the link 3| is in place as shown, if the link be removed the solenoid 38 will be placed in series with the generator and its load and the portion of the generator current which will traverse the solenoid may be adjusted as by the adjustable shunt indicated at 49. Attraction of armature 23 by magnet 24, 25, 26 tends to move the levers l and 9 and pile 3 downwardly against the effort of spring I! without materially affecting the efiect of spring l0 upon the pile until lever l strikes the adjustable screw 35 and then any further downward movement of the armature elongates the spring Hi to relieve the pressure upon the pile 3. Screw '35 is here shown as connected with the wire 34,

which may be connected with any suitable point upon resistor 33, so as to short-circuit a portion thereof for the purpose of adjustment, if this be desired.

In Fig. II the field coil 2 is connected with the pile 3 as in Fig. I by wires 4 and i4 but wire l is shown as having interpolated therein the winding 4| upon the core 42 of an auxiliary device which may be employed if desired Core 42 rests upon the base 43 of insulating material and has, clamped between it and the base, a flexible strip serving as a hinge at the lower end of armature 44. Armature 44 carries the contact member 45 adapted to strike the contact member 46 carried by the member M when the armature 44 is attracted toward core 48 is a leaf spring tending to hold armature 44 against the stop 49 of non-magnetic material while 56 is a bendable member for adjusting the effort of spring 43. Member 4'! is connected with wire l4 as by wire and core 42 is connected as by wire 52 with the stationary contact member 53 normally in contact with the armature 54 of the electromagnet 55, said contact being due to spring 56. Armature 54 is connected as by wire 51 with one end of the adjustable resistor 58 having its opposite end in communication with the wire 4. Thus, when contact is made at points 45-46 the resistor 58 is placed in shunt to the pile 3 to lighten the load upon the pile to the extent that may be desired. The winding of magnet 55 has one end connected with the wire 26 by wire 59, while the opposite end is connected by wire 83 with the wire 3! and thus with the opposite lead of the generator. The pile 3 is here shown as composed of perforated discs within the bore of the body portion 63 having heat dissipating fins and preferably made of non-magnetic metal. The discs are insulated from the body portion by a thin tube of insulating material 65,

and from the pressure plates 61 and 68, as indicated. The rod 66 passes through. the perforations in the discs without contact and has its lower end attached to the member 5T while its upper portion passes through the pressure plate 68 and its stem 69 surrounded by the threaded sleeve "l0 within the screw plug ll. The washer l2 bears upon the stem 69 and supports the spring 73 against which washer l4 may be drawn as by the nut 75. As rod 66 passes freely through the pressure plate 68 and its stem 69, and stem 63 passes freely through the bore of sleeve It], the pile 3 is compressed between the lower pressure plate 6! and the upper pressure plate 68 by the spring 13 and also by spring 'l'l resting upon the ledges 18 and pressing upwardly against member 16 attached to member 61. Armature 23 is attached to the member 16 as by screws 86 passing through the member I?) and clamping the spring ll between members 16 and 19. Therefore, if armature 23 be drawn downwardly as by magnet 24, 25, 26 it will not materially affect the pressure upon the pile due to spring I3 until washer l2 strikes the top of the adjustable sleeve it, and then any further downward movement of armature 23 will relieve the pressure upon pile 3.

In Fig. III the parts above the magnet 2t, .25, 26 are assumed to be the same as in Fig. II while the lower portion of said magnet carries the member 8|, which in turn carries the magnet comprising shell 82, core 83 and winding 84- here shown as a coarse winding adapted to be placed in series with the generator as by wires 85 and 86. The shell 82 carries the member 81 which supports the spring 88 which may comprise a perill forated leaf or a pair of imperforate leaves clamped between members 39 and 90 carried by the tube 3i which passes freely through the bore indicated in core 83 and which surrounds the rod ill. attached to the armature 23, which rod may move freely through the bore of magnet and tube 9!. Rod 92 is provided at its lower end with a nut 93 which may be adjusted to be engaged by the lower end of tube 9| when the armature 94- carried at the upper end of the tube is drawn downwardly by the magnet 82, 83, 84, so that the magnet may then affect the operation of the regulator by adding its pull to that of magnet 24, 25, 26 upon armature 23. Member 37 carries a flexible insulated spring strip 55 provided with the contact 96 adapted to engage the contact 97 when the parts are in the positions shown in the drawing while the contacts may be separated upon downward movement of rod 32. Member 8| may be provided with windows as shown at 98 while member 87 may have windows as indicated at 59 permitting observation and adjustment of the parts. Tube 9| carries a nut H10 whereby its upward movement may be adjusted and the contact members 96 and SI may be connected by wires I02 and ill! in shunt to the pile 3 (not shown in this figure) so as to short-circuit the pile when the contact is made, as when the parts are in the positions shown in the drawing.

An operation of my invention as indicated in Fig. I is substantially as follows:

If the generator be at rest the switch will be open and the translating devices 28 may be supplied by the battery 2'! in the usual manner.

If the generator be started and graduall brought up to full speed and the left-hand brush be taken as positive, current will flow through the field coil 2, wire 4, pile 3, 'wire 5 and wire 26 back to the generator, but this will only be a very weak current so long as the end of lever 7 remains in contact with the screw [9, as the pile 3 is then short-circuited through the wire 26 to cause the generator held to build up as rapidly as possible upon starting. Current will also flow through wire 32 to the winding 26 of the magnet 24, 25, 26 and return through adjustable resistor 33 and wire 26 to the generator. This will cause the magnet to tend to draw armature 23 downwardly against the effort of spring l7 and by properly selecting the spring if and adjusting the resistor 33 the magnet may be caused to move its armature to relieve the pressure of II upon the pile and draw the parts connected with the armature downwardly so as to draw lever 9, pile 3, lever 11 and spring 16 downwardly and break the connection at screw it when the desired voltage is. reached upon the generator. At the time the con tact of lever l and screw I9 is broken the pile 3 is at the maximum compression spring in is capable of exerting and remains substantially so until lever i has its downward movement arrested by the screw and then any further downward movement of armature 23 will lessen the pressure upon the pile 3 and increase the resistance thereof. And, as here shown, screw 35 may be connected as by wire 34 with any desired point upon the resistor 33 so as to shortcircuit a portion thereof if desired for the purpose of adjustment of the current in winding 26 at this time. With this type of electromagnet indicated in a general manner in the drawing at 24, 25, 26 the pull per ampere turn increases very rapidly as the armature approaches the magnet and I so adjust the screw 35 that it will arrest the move ment of lever 1 at such a point that the voltage to be held constant throughout the tendency to rise will cause magnet 23, 24, 25 to so attract the armature 23 and relieve the pressure upon pile 3 as to prevent this voltage from being appreciably exceeded. This may be accomplished by allowing the armature to assume a position in the field of the magnet that causes substantially the same number of ampere turns to balance the efiort of spring ID and the elasticity of the pile as is required to move lever 1 into contact with screw 35, while further adjustment may be made by properly varying the efiective value of resistor 33 upon contact with screw 35 if desired through connection of wire 34 with the proper point thereon.

With this arrangement the magnet will not appreciably affect the pressure upon pile 3, due to spring in, during the building u of generator voltage to the maximum value to be held upon the generator, but when this value is reached may cause the same to be held constant throughout its tendency to increase within very narrow limits. And, if the generator be running under such condition that appreciable resistance has been inserted by reducing the pressure upon the pile 3, and then slow down, the reverse cycle will take place in an obvious manner.

It will here be noted that if contact of lever 7 with screw H! be not employed to short-circuit the pile as when the connection of screw I9 with wire 4 is omitted, the initial movement of armature 23 will relieve the pressure of spring II to affect the field current before relieving the pressure due to spring l and that the joint action of spring In and spring i! may cause the resistance of the pile to be so low that short-circuiting may not be desired in many cases.

When the generator voltage, during the above process reaches substantially that of the battery, the main switch 30, if properly chosen, will close and connect the generator with the battery and translating circuit to supply the same in a wellknown manner under voltage regulation. If desired to prevent the generator current from exceeding a certain limit this may be accomplished by removing the link 3|, whereupon the generator current or a portion thereof as determined by resistor 40 may be caused to pass through the solenoid indicated at 38 which is so arranged that when the current therein reaches a maximum desired value, it will raise the core 39 into contact with the extension of lever 9 and prevent this maximum value from being materially exceeded.

As the winding 26 becomes heated, due to the current therein, its resistance will of course rise and tend to alter the adjustment of the regulator. This may be overcome by the well-known method of a swamping resistance at 33 or by the device indicated at I or both. For, as the coil 26 becomes heated, the parts associated therewith will also have their temperature raised and [5 indicates an arched bi-metallic member which flattens upon temperature rise, so as to alter the effort of spring in in such manner as to tend to compensate for the resistance rise in coil 23.

In the structure of Fig. II the carbon pile is connected in series with the field coil 2 across the generator by wires 4 and I4 as in Fig. I, but the Wire M has inserted therein the magnet coil 4|, which may be employed for a purpose which will hereinafter be pointed out, and the coil 26 is across the generator circuit as by wires 60, Si and 62. Therefore, when the generator voltage reaches the value which it is desired not to be exceeded, magnet 24, 25, 26 may, by proper adjustment, be caused to relieve the pressure of spring I! upon the pile and draw the armature 23, members 19, T6, "I, carbon pile 3, rod 66, pressure plate 68 and its stem 69, washer 12, spring 73, washer I4 and nut 15 downwardly until washer l2 strikes the adjustable sleeve 10, without materially altering the pressure upon pile 3 due to spring 13 and then any tendency in generator voltage to rise will cause magnet 24, 25, 25 to draw the armature 23 downwardly against the efiort of spring 13 so as to relieve the pressure upon pile 3, and, by thus raising its resistance prevent the generator from exceeding this desired voltage as explained with respect to Fig. I.

When the generator is operating at a speed just sumcient to produce the desired maximum voltage or when carrying a heavy load, it will require the greatest field current, and as this passes through coil 4| this coil may be caused to attract its armature M and close the contact at 45, 46, which will cause the resistor 58 to be placed in shunt to the pile 3 so as to relieve the same of a part of the field current until action of the pile has so weakened the field, as upon increase of generator speed or lessening of the load, that spring 48 is able to break the contact at 45, 46. And, since the current carried by the resistor 58 passes through the contact member 53 and armature 54, this circuit may be caused to be opened by voltage magnet 55 if for any reason the voltage of the generator tend to increase above a desired value and require the full range of the pile for its control.

In the structure of Fig. III the magnet 24, 25, 2E and the parts assumed to be above the same will operate in the same manner as in Fig. II if connected in the same way, though of course, the shunting device operated by magnet 4|, 42 may be omitted in the structure of either figure unless desired to increase the carrying capacity of the regulator above that of the pile alone.

With this structure, if the wires and 86 be connected as 36 and 37 are in Figs. I and II and the link 31 removed, the generator current will pass through winding 84 and cause the magnet 32, 83, 84 to tend to draw its armature 94, tube 9!, members 89 and 90, and nut I06 downwardly against the action of spring 38. By properly adjusting the parts and the current in winding 84, as by means of a shunt as shown at All} in Fig. I, the desired maximum generator current may readily be caused to bring the end of tube 9| into contact with nut 93 and by drawing the rod 92 downwardly prevent this current value from being materially exceeded.

t will be noted that the members 15 in Fig. I, 16 in Fig. II and 89 in Fig. III all have curved lower faces bearing upon their respective springs. This curvature is such that, as these members are drawn downwardly, they increase the bearing upon the springs in such manner as to give the springs the proper pull characteristic to compensate for the variation in pull of the magnets upon their armatures upon alteration of the air gap. Further, it is obvious that springs I! of Fig. I and E1 of Fig. II may be so designed and arranged that, when the piles 3 are under maximum compression and in the positions shown in the figures the eiTect of said springs upon the piles may be either quite material or inconsequential as desired.

If wires l0! and 102 of Fig. III be connected across the pile 3 as by being connected with wires 4 and I4 shown in Fig. II, the contact 96, 91 may be caused to short-circuit the pile until armature 23 is drawn downwardly and rod 92, by flexing spring 95 opens the contact to produce the same result as breaking the contact between the end of lever l and screw ill in Fig. I.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have produced a regulator which will not affect the generator until its voltage reaches the desired maximum value then will hold the same sub stantially constant throughout further increases in speed and it will be obvious that the current may be controlled in the same manner as the voltage by using a current winding in the structures where I have shown only voltage windings.

I do not here limit myself to any of the exact constructions shown nor to any of the particular modes of operation herein described, which have been set forth merely to illustrate a few embodiments of my invention, which is as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. Regulating means including a regulating element, means tending to decrease the resistance of said element, automatic electromagnetic means having an air gap for moving said element and the resistance decreasing means a p-redetei mined distance functionally to affect the automatic means by changing the length of the air gap without materially affecting the resistance of said element and means whereby further movement of a portion of the resistance decreasing means increases the resistance of said element.

2. Regulating means including a regulating element, means tending to decrease the resistance of said element, automatic electromagnetic means for moving said element and the resistance decreasing means a predetermined distance to a just the electromagnetic operating characteristic of the moving means wi hout materially affecting the resistance of said element, means where-- by further movement of a portion of the resistance decreasing means increases the resistance of said element, said moving means so moving said portion.

3. Regulating means including a regulating element, means tending to decrease the resistance of said element, electromagnetic means for moving said element and the resistance decreasing means a predetermined distance to adjust the electromagnetic operating characteristic the moving means without materially affecting the resistance of element, means whereby further movement of a portion of the resistance decreasing increases the resistance of said element said moving means in luding electro-magnetic means for so moving said portion.

4. Regulating means including a regulating element, means tending to decrease the resistance of said element, electromagnetic means for moving said element and the resistance decreasing means a predetermined distance to adjust the electromagnetic operating characteristic of the moving means without materially affecting the re sistance of said element, means whereby further movement of a portion of the resistance decreas--- ing increases the resistance of said element said moving including electron'lagnetic means for so moi-ing said portion in response to fluctuations in an electrical quantity to be regulated.

5. Regulating means including a regulating element affected. by variation in pressure thereupon, means for exerting pressure upon said element, electromagnetic means for moving said element without materially affecting the pressure exerted by the pressure exerting means thereupon the magnetic effort of which is functionally affected by said movement and means causing further movement of said moving means to alter the pressure upon said element.

6. Regulating means including a regulating element the effect of which is varied by variation in pressure thereupon, means for exerting pressure upon said element, means for moving said element without materially affecting pressure upon said element, said movement functionally affecting the effort of the moving means and means causing said moving means to vary the pressure upon said element.

7. Regulating means including a regulating ele ment the effect of which is varied by variation in pressure thereupon, means for exerting pressure upon said element, electro-magnetic means for moving said element without materially affecting pressure upon said element, said movement functionally affecting the effort of the moving means and means causing said moving means to vary the pressure upon said element.

8. Regulating means including a regulating element the effect of which is varied by variation in pressure thereupon, means for exerting pressure upon said element, electro-responsive means for moving said element without materially affecting pressure upon said element, said movement functionally affecting the effort of the moving means and means causing said moving means to vary the pressure upon said element.

9. Regulating means including a regulating element the effect of which is varied by variation in pressure thereupon, means for exerting pressure upon said element, voltge-responsive means for moving said element without materially affecting pressure upon said element, said movement functionally affecting the effort of the moving means and means causing said moving means to vary the pressure upon said element.

10. Regulating means including a regulating element the effect of which is varied by variation in pressure thereupon, means for exerting pressure upon said element, current-responsive means for moving said element without materially affecting pressure upon s element, said movement functionally affecting the effort of the moving means and means causing said moving means to vary the pressure upon said element.

11. Regulating means including a regulating element the effect of which is varied by variation in pressure thereupon, means for exerting pressure upon said element, electromagnetic voltage and current responsive means for moving said element functionally to vary the effort per ampere turn of the electromagnetic means without materially affecting pressure upon said element and means causing said moving means to vary the pressure upon said element.

12. Means for regulating a generator having a field, comprising means for controlling a generator field including a regulating element, means affecting the re lating effect or said element, means for moving said element and said affecting means without materially affecting the regulating effect of said element including an electromagnet and an armature and means whereby said moving means may affect the effect of said magnet per ampere turn upon said armature.

13. Means for regulating a generator having a field, comprisin means for controlling a generator field including a regulating element, means affecting the regulating effect of said element, means responsive to a function of generator output for moving said element and said affecting means functionally to affect the mOVing means by varying the responsiveness thereof without affecting the regulating effect of said element and means whereby said moving means may affect the effect of said element to regulate a generator by controlling said field.

14. Means for regulating a generator having a field, comprising means for controlling a generator field including a regulating element, means affecting the regulatin effect of said element, automatic means for moving said element and said affecting means to adjust the operating characteristic of the moving means without materially affecting the regulating effect of said element and means whereby said moving means may be caused to affect the effect of said element to regulate a generator by controlling said field in response to fluctuations tending to take place in a function of the output of the generator.

15. A generator regulator including a compressible rheostat, compressing means therefor, an electro-magnet adapted to be energized by a function of a generator output, an armature for said magnet located in a relatively weak portion of the field of said magnet till said function reaches a predetermined Value and then moving toward said magnet into a relatively strong portion of said field and moving the compressing means Without materially affecting the effect of the compressing means upon the rheostat and means whereby said armature While in said strong portion of said field may affect the compression of said rheostat.

16. Regulation means suitable for use in a system wherein a generator driven at variable speed is used to charge a storage battery, including a regulating element for affecting the generator voltage upon changes in pressure applied to said element, means for applying pressure upon said element, means for controlling the pressureapplying means comprising an electro-magnet having a field which varies rapidly with respect to distance therefrom, an armature in said field, means for holding said armature in a weak portion of said field until a predetermined voltage is reached upon said generator and then permitting the armature to move into a strong portion of said field and while so doing move the said element and pressure-applying means without materially affecting the pressure applied by said means to said element, and means whereby movement of said armature while in said strong portion of said field affects the pressure upon said element to regulate the generator.

17. Regulating means including a regulating element, means for short-circuiting said element, and electro-magnetic means for moving said element to affect the magnetic circuit of the electromagnetic means functionally and breaking said short-circuit without materiall affecting the resistance of said element.

18. In a system employing a variable speed generator and a storage battery charged thereby, automatic means for regulating the generator against speed and load changes including a compressible rheostat controlling the generator output, means for compressing said rheostat, means responsive to a function of the generator output including an electro-magnet and an armature for moving the rheostat and compressing means without materially affecting the pressure exerted by the compressing means to vary the effect of said magnet per ampere turn upon said armature and means whereby said responsive means may be caused to affect the pressure upon said rheostat.

19. A regulator suitable for use in combination with a variable speed generator, and a storage battery charged thereby, including a carbon pile for regulating the generator and means responsive to a function of the generator output for operating said pile to regulate the generator by controlling the field current thereof, means responsive to changes in field current for varying the amount of said field current carried by said pile and means actuated by change in value of a function of generator output for affecting the operation of the said varying means.

20. Regulating means including a regulating element the effect of which is varied by variations in pressure thereupon, means applying pressure upon said element, means for adding pressure upon said element and electro-responsive means for moving the element and relieving the pressure due to said pressure adding means and then relieving the pressure due to the pressure applying means.

21. An electric regulator including a regulating element in an electric circuit, electromagnetic responsive means operating said element to control the current in said circuit, means controlled by the current in said circuit for diverting current around said element and automatic voltage responsive means for controlling the operation of said diverting means.

22. An electric regulator including a regulating element in an electric circuit, electromagnetic responsive means operating said element to control the current in said circuit, means controlled by the current in said circuit for diverting current around said element and automatic responsive means for affecting the operation of said last-mentioned means.

JOHN L. CREVELING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,217,858 Crevelin Feb. 27, 1917 1,394,148 Creveling Oct. 18, 1921 1,420,820 Creveling June 27, 1922 1,622,282 Hulse Mar. 29, 1927 1,939,870 Wike Dec. 19, 1933 2,233,772 Creveling Mar. 4, 1941

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