US2427688A - Electrical translation apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 23, 1947. D. E. NORGAARD ELECTRICAL TRANSLATION APPARATUS Filed June 12, 1943 Inventor: l Donald. ENoraard,

'torn ey.

Patented Siep-t. 23, 1794.7

ELECTRICAL TRANSLATION APPARATUS Donald E. Norgaard, Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to General vElectric Company, a Acorporation oi New York Application June 12, 1943, Serial No. 490,625

9 Claims. l

My invention relates to electrical translation apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for translating a unidirectional potential subject 'to variations .in intensity and polarity to a unidirectional voltage of any desired greater intensity but subject to the Vsame relative variations in intensity and polarity.

An object of my invention-is to provide improved means for eiecting .suc-h translation of unidirectional potentials.

A further Aobject of my invention is to provide improved means for converting variable alternating potentials subject to polarity reversals to unidirectional potentials having corresponding variations in intensity and having polarity corresponding to the polarity of said alternating potential.

A further .object of -my invention is to provide means for .electing these objects, which means is simple in its circuit structure, and Ywhich is economical to construct and to operate.

The novel features which I believe to rbe characteristic of my invention are .set forth with .particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further ob- `liects and advantages thereof, may best .be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which the single ligure represents an embodiment of my invention.

I have illustrated my invention as 'comprising a part of a radio echo .apparatus in which a unidirectional potential is produced between certain conductors l by echo translative equipment rep- ,resented by the rectangle 2. This potential may have an intensity and polarity dependent upon the direction of a remote target with respect to the axis of a parabolic reflector 3 having within it an antenna 4 from which pulses 'are radiated and upon which echoes from remote targets are received. It is -des'ired to translate such unidirectional voltages, which may be of comparatively small magnitude, to larger unidirectional voltages appearing `between a conductor 5 and ground B subject to the .same variations in intensity and polarity and which 'are suitable for the control of a cathode ray indicating device 1.

Interposed between the conductors land the conductors 5 and 6 nis the translation equipment comprising the network including electron discharge devices 8 and 9, amplier i0, and the 4network including rectifier devices ll and l2. The discharge Vdevices 8 and 9 operate to supply to the 'discharge device lll an alternating upotential having magnitude variable in accordance with the Variations in the potential between conductors l and having polarity reversible in accordance with the -reversals .of polarity Aof the potential between conductors l. This a1- ternating potential is amplied lby the amplifier l0, which preferably is of the high .impedanceconf- *stant anode current type, having screen and suppressor grid electrodes, and is supplied to the 'rectiying network .comprising discharge .devices Ysil and 122 lwhere it is converted toa unidirectional potential between conductors 5 and .6 having in tensity ,and polarity variations reproducing exactly the variations in the potential between con ductors l but being .of any desired greater intensity.

4At I5 is `represented ya ysource of alternating current, which may be of any Vdesired frequency,

,and the voltage .of which is supplied .to aY limiter I6., which preferably squares the alternating current potential, to -produce similar square waves of .thesame polarity on y,conductors Hand il'. Arlfhis square wave alternating electromotive force is supplied through condenser ill to the rectiiication `network comprising the ydiodes I :l ,and 1:2 and ,also throughcondenser I9 tothe control electrode .of the :discharge device 9.

The anode of the ,discharge device i9 is con- .nected to an intermediate point on resistance A2i), which is included in the .anode circuit oi the discharge device .8. The cathodes -of these itwo discharge devices 8 and 9 are connected through a common cathode resistor 23 ,to ground and to the negative terminal of the `source of anode operating `potential 24. Preferably the discharge device 9 passes a larger ,anode 1current than does the discharge device 8 and when it is conducting, as -w-hen the voltage applied to the control electrede thereof from conductor Ell is positive, `it passes suiiici-ent 'current through resistance :23 .to preclude the .flow `of current in device B; 4that is. it renders .the cathode -of devicez :suiiciently positive with respect tothe control elect-rode thereof to interrupt the flow of :anode -.current in that device. The potential at point .24 with respect to ground is then .determined by :the current 2*which allows through device -9 and the Alower por- -tion of resistance 2D. VWhen the control electrode 4,of device 9 is negative with respect tothe cathode, as during thenegative half cycle iof the alternating potential from conductor il', current :in :the device `Si is interrupted and current then flows fin `device 8 and the potential .at ipci-nt 24 is deter- ,.mined by the :current flowing thrcughzrdcvice `8 and the `whole .of lresistante :The avaluesiof these currents and the point on resistance 20 to which the anode of device 9 is connected may be made such that no alternating potential exists at the point 24 with respect to ground for any given value of unidirectional potential between conductors I. Usually this value is zero although this adjustment may be made for any other value of control voltage. The result is that no alternating potential is ampliiied by the device I0. Under this condition, as will presently be seen, no unidirectional potential exists between conductors 5 and 6.

If the control electrode of device 8 is varied in potential in the positive direction, device 8 passes more current when conducting with the result that an alternating potential appears at point 24 having a certain phase and polarity relationship to the potential of the source I5. Ii the potential of the control electrode of device 8 is varied in the opposite direction, as in the negative sense, then this device passes less current when conducting and an alternating potential appears at the point 24 which is opposite in polarity to the potential produced in the first instance. Of course the value of this alternating potential corresponds to the value of the potential between conductors I. Thus the unidirectional potential of device I is translated to an alternating potential between point 2li' and ground having intensity variations corresponding to the intensity variations of the source I and haVing one phase or the opposite phase dependent upon the direction of the variation of the potential between conductors I.

As previously indicated the alternating potential between point 24 and ground may be zero when the voltage between conductors I is zero and may have polarity corresponding to the polarity of the voltage between conductors I, or it may be zero when the potential between conductors I is of any other value and have polarity corresponding to the direction in which the potential varies from such value.

The network comprising the devices 8 and 9, and the resistance 20 is thus seen to be balanced with respect to the voltage of the source I5 when the voltage between conductors I has a certain desired predetermined value, and this alternating voltage varies in intensity and phase in accordance with the variations of the unidirectional voltage between conductors I from such desired value.

This alternating voltage at point 24' is supplied through condenser 26 to the control electrode of the discharge device I by which it is amplified and supplied through condenser 21 to the cathode of the diode II.

The network comprising the diodes II and I2 comprises a second network balanced with respect to the alternating potential from the source I5. Diodes II and I2 comprise two rectifiers, the diode I I having a load resistance 28 and the diode I2 having a load resistance 29. These diodes each rectify the voltage supplied thereto from limiter I6 to produce opposing unidirectional voltage on the resistances 28 and 29. In the absence of any voltage from the amplifier I0 these voltages on resistances 28 and 29 are equal and zero voltage exists between conductors and 6. When alternating voltage is supplied by amplifier IB, however, it is supplied only to the cathode of the rectifier II and not to rectiiier I2. Thus the balance oi this network is disturbed and a voltage appears between conductors 5 and -I 5. Capacitance 3l is present between these conapplication.

ductors to smooth any variation in this voltage occurring at the frequency of source I5 or at higher frequencies. This capacitance may be that of a single condenser connected between conductors 5 and 6 or that oi diierent condensers connected across resistances 28 and 29 individually. The polarity of this voltage is dependent upon the polarity relationship between the alternating potential supplied through condenser 21 to diode II and that supplied through condenser I8 to the diode II. If these two potentials are of like polarity, i. e. if the anode and cathode of device II are varied in the same sense, the current flowing in the diode II and through resistances 28 and 30 is reduced with the result that the potential on conductor 5 becomes positive with respect to ground. If the potential supplied through condenser 21 is opposite in polarity to that supplied through condenser I8, then the current in diode I I is increased and conductor 5 becomes negative with respect to ground. Of course, the extent to which conductor 5 becomes positive or negative with respect to ground is dependent upon the intensity of the voltage supplied through condenser 21 by the amplier I0.

The result is that the potential between conductors 5 and 6 is subject to the same variations as those present in the potential between conductors I and has corresponding polarity. This output potential, however, may be made as great as magnitude of poten- I6 to the network II, I2, 28, 29, and the voltage output of device I0.

As shown in the drawing, this potential may, if

desired, be supplied between the horizontal plates 33 of a cathode ray device. The vertical plates are supplied with a corresponding potential from la similar equipment represented by the rectanvgle 34 which responds to a unidirectional potential between conductors 35. Thus, for example, the potential between conductors I may vary in -accordance with the orientation of the axis of reector 3 with respect to the remote target in azimuth, and the potential between conductors 35 may vary in accordance with this orientation in elevation. In this way the ray of the cathode ray device may be caused to deiiect over the screen thereof in accordance with the position of the remote target with respect to the axis of the reflector 3 thereby to indicate the direction of such remote targets. If desired, the alternating potential suppliedv from the network 8, 9, 20, 26

may be .supplied` over conductor 40 to suitable motor mechanism 4I to rotate the antenna 3 in azimuth, and similar potential may be supplied -from the equipment 34 to motor mechanism 42 torotate the reflector 3 in elevation thereby to lmaintain the axis of the parabola 3 directed at i the remote target during movements either of the 60Y equipment described is carried.

remote tar-get or of the craft upon which the The network 8, 9, I5, 20, 23 of my present in- 'vention is described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 468,406, iiled December 9, 1942,.entitled Pulse control system which is assigned to the same assignee as my present My present application is a continuation-in-part of that application.

. While I have shown a particular embodiment of `my invention, it will, of course, be understood -that I do not wish to be limited thereto since different modifications both in the circuit arvrangement 'and in the instrumentalities employed may be made, and I contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l. In combination, a pair of networks connected in cascade, means to supply alternating potential to both networks and means to supply unidirectional potential variable in either direction from a predetermined value to one network to be reproduced at the output of the other network with polarity corresponding to the direction of variation from said predetermined value, said first network including means to supply alternating potential to said other network with polarity corresponding to the polarity of said unidirectional potential and said other network including means to produce unidirectional potential of polarity corresponding to the polarity of the alternating potential supplied by the first network.

2. In combination, a pair of networks connected in cascade, means to supply alternating potential to both networks and means to supply unidirectional potential variable in either direction from a predetermined value to one network to be reproduced at the output of the other network with polarity corresponding to the direction of variation from said predetermined value, both networks being balanced with respect to said alternating potential to produce zero output when said unidirectional potential is of a desired value, and said first network being unbalanced by variation of said unidirectional potential to supply to said other network alternating potential of polarity corresponding to the direction of said variation, and said other network including unbalancing means responsive to said polarity to produce unidirectional potential at its output corresponding to the direction of variation of said first mentioned unidirectional potential.

3. In combination, a source of unidirectional potential variable in either direction from a predetermined value, means to produce an alternating potential having one polarity or the opposite polarity in accord with the direction in which said potential varies, and means responsive to said alternating potential to produce a unidirectional potential having magnitude greater than said rst unidirectional potential and having polarity corresponding to the direction of variation of said first unidirectional potential from said predetermined value.

4. In combination, a source of alternating voltage, a pair of rectiers connected to rectify said voltage and to supply equal and opposite voltages to a common output circuit, means to produce a second alternating voltage of the same frequency and phase and having either the same polarity as said rst voltage or opposite polarity, and means to supply said second voltage to one of said rectiiiers to aid or oppose said first voltage as applied thereto.

5. In combination, a pair of sources of alternating voltage, said voltages being of the same frequencyand phase and one of saidvoltages being subject to polarity reversal in accord with variations of an independent variable, a pair of rectifiers having outputs connected in opposed relation in a common output circuit, means to supply the voltage of the other of said sources to both of said rectiers for rectification thereby and to supply the voltage of the said one source to one of said rectifiers to increase or decrease the output 6 thereof in accord with the polarity relation between said two sources, whereby a unidirectional potential exists in said common output circuit having polarity controlled by said independent variable.

6. In combination, a source of alternating voltage, a pair of rectifiers connected to rectify said voltage and to supply equal and opposite voltages to a common output circuit, means to produce a second alternating voltage of the same frequency and having voltage peaks occurring simultaneously with voltage peaks of said first alternating voltage, said peaks being of either the same polarity as said rst voltage or opposite polarity, and means to supply said second voltage to one of said rectiers to aid or oppose said first voltage as applied thereto.

'7. In combination, a source of alternating voltage, a pair of rectiiers connected to rectify said rst voltage and to supply equal and opposite voltages to a common output circuit, means to produce a second alternating voltage of the same frequency and including a voltage component with peaks occurring simultaneously with voltage peaks of said rst alternating voltage of either the same or opposite polarity, and means to supply said second alternating voltage to one of said rectiiers to selectively aid or oppose said iirst alternating voltage in accordance with the polarity of said component only as applied thereto.

8. In combination, a source of alternating voltage, a pair of rectifiers connected to rectify said voltage andV to supply equal and opposite voltages to a common output circuit, means to produce a second alternating voltage of the same frequency and having voltage peaks occurring simultaneously with voltage peaks of said rst alternating voltage of either the same or opposite polarity, and means to supply said second voltage to one of said rectiers to proportionately and selectively aid or oppose said first alternating voltage in accordance with the relative intensities and polarities respectively of said alternating voltages.

9. In combination, a pair of sources of alternating voltage, said voltages being of the same frequencyand phase and one of saidvoltages being subject to polarity reversals and intensity variations in accord with variations of an independent variable, a pair of rectifiers having outputs connected in opposed relation in a common output circuit, means to supply the voltage of the other of said sources to both of said rectiers for rectification thereby and to supply the voltage of the said one source to one of said rectiers to proportionately increase or decrease the output thereof in accord with the polarity and intensity relation between said two sources, whereby a unidirectional potential exists which is controlled in intensity by the intensity of said independent variable and in polarity by the relative polarities of said two sources.

DONALD E. NORGAARD.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,194,516 Anderson Mar. 26, 1940 2,192,022 Wills Feb. 27, 1940

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