FR2471682A1 - IMPROVEMENT TO VERTICAL AXIS ROTATING COLLECTORS - Google Patents

Abstract

MULTI-PASS ROTATING COLLECTOR DESIGNED TO OPERATE ON A SENSITIVELY VERTICAL AXIS. THE ELECTRICAL PASSAGES ARE ESTABLISHED BY MEANS OF MULTIPLE CONTACTS SUCH AS FIGURES 11 IN FIGURE 1, THESE CONTACTS BEING PLACED ON INSULATING SUPPORTS 12 JOINT WITH A TUBULAR SKIRT 13 MOBILE IN ROTATION WITH RESPECT TO AN ASSEMBLY 14 FORMING THE COVER OF A TANK 15 SUPPOSED FIXED, THE LID BEING MOBILE IN ROTATION IN RELATION TO IT. CONTACTS 11 ENSURE THE ELECTRICAL LINK WITH VERTICAL CONDUCTIVE STRIPS 16 CARRIED BY INSULATING PLATES 17 AND PLACED BELOW THESE PLATES. BETWEEN THE VARIOUS STAGES OF THE COLLECTOR ARE PROVIDED WITH DEFLECTORS 18. THE SKIRT 13 CARRYING THE CONTACT SUPPORTS IS JOINED WITH THE TANK 15 BY A REMOVABLE FINGER 19. THE ELECTRIC PARTS ARE EASILY MOUNTED OR REMOVABLE WHEN THE ASSEMBLY FIXED ON THE COVER 14 IS LIFTED OVER THE TANK 15.

Description

The subject of the present invention is an improvement in the

  rotating machines operating along a substantially vertical axis, making it possible to enhance their safety and reliability, while simplifying their construction, their

maintenance and repair.

  Vertical-axis rotary manifolds are used for the transmission of continuous or alternating electric currents between a fixed part and a movable part capable of a rotation of more than 3600. These collectors transmit power currents, measurement control or signaling currents. continuous voltage, or low or high

  frequency and may have a large number of passages.

  They must bring as little disruption as possible to the trans-

  mission of these currents, which is particularly important for signals

at low level.

  In general, they are asked for a high level of security

  operation and a long service life.

  In some cases, for example for observatory domes, marine turrets or oil platforms, they may be large in size.

  Finally, they are often employed under difficult conditions

  for example, use in a marine and tropical environment with

  corrosive and explosive and harsh vibratory conditions.

  According to current conventional techniques, these collectors are

  killed by rings or conductive rings connected either to the fixed part of the installation or to the mobile part and on which are supported by

  solid electrical contacts of the other party.

  Incidents encountered in use generally result from the presence of internal condensation or dust from the wear of moving parts, or the introduction of solid foreign bodies, liquid or gaseous. This results in electrical disturbances, internal short circuits

  or other incidents prejudicial to the safety and longevity of the operation.

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  On the other hand, in the case of large diameter collectors,

  Protection and protection of crowns or rings pose practical problems increasing with their size, whereas their large size is generally imposed by the need to mount the collector around other organs occupying the central part. The present invention is characterized by the use of tapes

  in the form of rings or rings and by a special arrangement

  of the various constituent bodies.

  To understand the object of the present invention, reference will be made to

  figures of the attached plates.

  Figures 1 and 2 give the schematic description of the solutions

  currently used and the following figures the arrangements according to the present invention to show the essential points by which it differs

  and the possibilities of realization.

  Figure 1 shows the schematic sectional view of a rotating collector

  ring type conventional for use in a substantially vertical position.

  This rotating manifold comprises a tubular body (1) integral with a base (2), this assembly constituting the inner envelope that we assume to be fixed.

facilitate this explanation.

  The inner tubular body (1) allows passage to various organs,

  fixed or mobile, which we will suppose contained in a cylindrical volume (3).

  The entire collector is contained between this inner envelope

  fixed and a movable outer casing (4).

  The electrical passages, figured to simplify the number of four, are made using conductive rings such as (5) housed in an insulating support (6) mechanically secured to the fixed envelope and electrically connected

  by cables to the fixed part of the general installation.

  The electrical connection with the mobile part is established by conductive wipers (7) constituted by carbo-metal brushes or contacts of suitable metals or alloys adapted to the voltages and currents to be transmitted. These

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  wipers are in electrical connection with the cables for transmitting currents to the moving part by means of supports (8) with which they are in contact.

flexible connection.

  The wiper supports such as (8) are mechanically fixed on an insulating part (9) which allows their attachment to the outer casing (4)

supposedly mobile.

  It can be seen in the present schematic description that

  the rings such as (5) are separated from each other by insulating partitions such as (10) which have the role of increasing the isolation distance between them in order to remedy to a certain extent the disadvantages

countered in practice.

  These disadvantages result mainly from the fact that after a certain period of operation, the presence of abrasive and conductive deposits is observed.

  arising from the normal wear of rotating contacts combined with

  internal results resulting from the breathing of the enclosure as a function of temperature variations. It can be added to the adverse influence of an introduction of conductive liquids (seawater for example) or fat introduced by the lubricating agents of the rotating members. These deposits or runoff follow mainly the path indicated by the arrows (f) and remain partly enclosed in the circular housings of the rings, causing the disadvantages

previously reported.

  Despite all the precautions taken to improve the surface conditions in order to reduce the wear and to increase the tightness, it is very difficult to eliminate these troubles and even the overpressure of the internal atmosphere, a compliqated solution and

  cooteuse, can not remedy entirely.

  FIG. 2 shows the general schematic arrangement of crown-type collectors, which comprise, as in the previous case, an inner envelope consisting of a tubular body (I 1) and a sole (12), this inner envelope leaving free passage to a cylindrical volume (13) and

being assumed fixed.

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  The outer casing (14) is rotated relative to the inner casing and the connections between the fixed part and the movable part are established by conductive rings such as (15), mounted on the insulating support (16), on which are supported contacts such as (17) and (18) fixed on the insulating part (19) integral with the rotating part. Note that this arrangement of contacts above and below the crowns stems from the need for resistance to accelerations in the vertical direction. What has been previously said disadvantages due to deposits on the internal surfaces obviously applies to this provision. It should be noted here that the problems of wear will be especially important for the upper contacts such as (17) by the fact that these deposits preferably remain

  at the top of the horizontal surfaces.

  To understand the refinement at the proposed commutators

  by the present invention, reference will be made to FIG. (3) which gives

  schematic elevation and section.

  As in the previous descriptions, the collector has a

  inner casing (2) and an outer casing (22) rotating relative thereto

  this. The electrical connections between the fixed portion and the movable portion are formed by conductive strips such as (24) and (25) embedded in circular positioning grooves established at the bottom of an insulating plate (26). On these strips come contacts such as (27) and (28) mounted

  on insulating supports such as (29) integral with the movable part.

  It will be noted that for another band such as (25) the movable contacts (30) and (31) are mounted on a support (32) remote from the support (29) of

the neighboring ring.

  Finally, between an upper stage as described above and an identical floor located below is interposed a deflector (33) which bears no bare electrical part and which aims to protect the lower floor of

dep8ts may come from above.

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  Figures 4 to 10 give, by way of indication and not limitation, schematic examples to better understand the present invention.

  and to see the practical possibilities of realization.

  FIG. 4 gives the developed view of a collector band which comprises the actual strip (41) on which are brazed at each end.

  mate, legs (42), of the same thickness as the band, between which are also

  brazed other legs such as (43), said tabs for fixing

  and the electrical connection of the band as it will be exposed later.

  Figure 5 shows the same circular shaped band as it

  after installation in the grooves of the belt support plate.

  Figure 6 shows the half-sectional view of a collection tray and contacts assembly. The circular insulating plate (51) being fixed by screws such as (52) on a tubular support (53) assumed fixed. This tray includes,

  under its lower part (58) circular grooves in which come

  castrate the collector strips (54) to (57) and between these grooves are vertical partitions such as 59 intended to lengthen the isolation lines between

  rings and channel down the dep8ts and condensations.

  For the same purpose insulating baffles such as for example that in (72) can be placed between the various stages of the collector. For examples of fixing and connecting slip rings we can see on

  this figure that the band (54) is held by conductive elastic keys

  such as (60) having a rolled portion (61) in which the conductor (62) is soldered. Another possibility is given with respect to the strip (56) whose lugs have tapped holes o are screwed threaded rods such as (63) under the heads of which are clamped pods

(64) receiving a driver (65).

  All the connections made at the top

  of the tray is blocked and protected by compounding (66).

  It will be noted that the strips (54) and (56) receive double contacts (66), (67) and (68), (69) which come to bear on the vertical lateral faces of said strips. This arrangement is intended to ensure good resistance to vibration in the direction perpendicular to the XY axis. On the other hand, if these contacts

  are, to simplify the description, figured in the cutting plane, they are

    beautifully offset slightly on both sides of it as will be explained later. These contacts (66) to (69) are placed on an insulating support (70) fixed on a tubular body (71) which rotates relative to the body (53) according to the same

vertical axis XY.

  The contacts relying on the strips (55) and (57) are mounted on

  very insulating supports similar to (70) in order to increase the isolation distance

  between two successive contacts, such as (67) and (68), placed on the same support.

  FIG. 7, which gives a schematic view in elevation, makes it possible to better understand the reasons for a disposition of the contacts in the kind of that indicated above by considering that the axis AB corresponds to the cutting plane.

  of the previous figure and taking again the same marks of bands.

  If, for example, there is the inner band (54) and the inner band

  median (56) so that for each of these bands their two ends close in the part marked m, n, we see that due to their angular offset when contacts such as (66) will pass to the place connection, the other contact such as (67) will be cleared. If, on the other hand, another support of contacts corresponding to these two bands is placed in the symmetrical part p, q, the electrical connections will surely be provided for each band by at least

three contacts.

  Finally, if the contact supports-of the collector strips (55) and (57) are placed in the parts r, s and t, u of the axis CD, we see that as a result of their

  remoteness it will be easy to ensure a good isolation from each other.

  The contacts used can be of any known type and for example metal alloys or carbo-metallic materials and mounted on elastic blades or suitable supports made according to the rules of art, depending

  of the nature of the transmitted currents and the particular servitudes imposed.

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  By way of indication, FIG. 8 gives a developed section in an exemplary embodiment making it easier to assemble and dismount the contacts. It is seen in this figure that the insulating plate (80) carries the band (81) housed in the circular groove seen in (82), which band is fixed by the elastic key (83) passing through an opening of the tab (84) which key also serves as a current supply. On the part (85) of the strip, released below the groove of the plate are supported, on both sides, the contacts (86) and (87) on one side, (88) and (89) on the other side. These contacts are mounted on elastic blades O held by the insulating supports (90) and (91) which can rotate around the

  0 and 0 'axes perpendicular to the plane of the figure.

  It is understood that the contacts can be disengaged for disassembly by turning the supports in the sense f and f 'or else engaged by the reverse maneuver. Note also that said supports being mechanically fixed on a workpiece (92) movable relative to the plate (80) the contacts mounted on (90)

  or (91) are arranged in opposite directions so that there is no scrambling phenomenon.

  on both sets of contacts regardless of the direction of rotation.

  The present invention also provides that in order to facilitate the assembly or disassembly of the collector the (or) tray (s) door strips can be made

  in one piece or in more than one and for the same reasons a collection tape

  trice can be split into two or more parts put end to end. In this case, the contacts will be arranged according to the rules of the art to ensure good

  safety of electrical connections.

  It is also intended that trays and other insulating

  can be made by any known means of suitable materials and that electrical or mechanical parts can be directly incorporated by

example to molding.

  Figures 9 and 10 give examples of the general layout

  possible collectors according to the present invention.

  According to FIG. 9, the collector comprises an outer envelope (100)

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  of cylindrical shape movable in rotation along the vertical axis XY and rotating with respect to an inner circular envelope (101), these two envelopes constituting an annular enclosure and leaving in their center a free cylindrical passage (103) The support plates are fixed on the tubular piece (104) mechanically secured to the casing (101). The contact supports are mounted on the tubular piece (105) which is rotatable relative to the casing (101) and can be driven by the casing (100) when secured to it by a drive finger (106). We see that with a

  such arrangement all internal electrical equipment can be easily

  The assembled assembly is then assembled on the casing (101), then being capped by the outer casing (100) with which the electrical connections are established by flexible cables. To facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the internal elements the part (105) has large openings such as (107) and the intermediate parts such as (108) for fixing the supports

of contacts.

  According to the arrangement shown schematically in Figure 10 the provisions are similar but all the electrical assemblies are arranged on the cover (110) closing the upper part of the tank (111). The trays are mounted on the tubular support (112) integral with the cover (110) and the contact supports on the tubular piece (113) supported by a raceway (114) which piece can be secured in rotation with the tank (111). ) by

via a finger (115).

  Such a provision is particularly applicable to these

  explosion-proof collectors or filled with insulating liquids.

  From the schematic descriptions previously given for

  indicative and not limiting it will be understood that a collector according to the present invention differs from those currently made by the following main points A first point lies in the fact that the collector surfaces are

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  formed by metal strips shaped circular and embedded in grooves located below an insulating plate so that their contact faces are vertical. As a result, foreign bodies accidentally introduced, or resulting from internal damage and wear of moving parts will have little tendency to settle and survive in the path

contacts.

  A second point results from the fact that the moving contacts of two adjacent strips are placed on different supports, which makes it possible to increase the distance between the contacts placed on the same insulating support and to give it the most suitable form for lengthen the isolation lines and

  avoid the presence of harmful debris.

  A third point lies in the saving of metal resulting from the adoption of strips for conductive surfaces, especially vis-à-vis crown type collectors. These bands are, on the other hand, easier to supply than

  leaves or tubes of large size to have an excellent surface.

  For large collectors, it should also be noted that it is easier to electrolytically protect long strips than

big surface.

  Another important difference between the present invention and the conventional solutions lies in the fact that the mounting of the collector neconsist more in a stack of closed parts which triggers an important addition of mechanical tolerances, but in the establishment of open parts in of the

  mechanically well-defined dwellings.

  Finally, we must consider the problem posed in case of repair when it is a conventional collector whose central passage is occupied by organs difficult to dismantle. Indeed, when, for example, as a result of an external short circuit, the rings or crowns of such a collector are damaged their replacement requires disassembly of I 'whole

  of the installation, whereas with a strip collector it is sufficient to separate vertical-

  the two envelopes and to open the damaged bands so that they can be taken out

It is yours. p c cui.

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Claims (4)

  1. A rotary electrical collector for operating along a substantially vertical axis for transmitting electric currents between a fixed part and a movable part, each electrical passage being established by means of several contacts resting on a collecting band, these devices connection between protected by electric screens or arranged on several floors, all   electrical parts being placed in a sealed, anti-defla-   grante, pressurized or filled with an insulating liquid, this collector being characterized in that the collector strips, shaped circular, are located below an insulating plate, their slice being parallel to the axis of the -collector.   2. Collector according to claim 1 characterized in that the contacts corresponding to adjacent electrical passages are placed on   different electrical supports in order to increase the isolation paths LEMENT.   3. Collecteur4s.Ir'les 1 or 2 characterized in that   the collector strips and the insulating trays supporting them are   divided into several parts to facilitate their assembly and demon- floor.   4. Collector according to any one of the preceding claims   characterized in that the web support plates are fixed on a cylindrical piece integral with the lid of a tank, which lid is rotatable relative thereto and that the contact supports are fixed on a tubular part mechanically connected to the lid in the vertical direction, but mobile in rotation relative thereto, its mechanical connection with the tank being provided by a locking pin and its electrical connections by flexible cables.