US3130943A - Actuator - Google Patents

Description

April 28, 1964 A. BERRESHEIM ETAL ACTUATOR Filed Aug. 20, 1962 76 60 12 53 63 ffi J INVENTO RS Alexander Berreshe/m 7 Alfred Eder By 71% M4 ZLW/ ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,130,943 ACTUATUR Alexander Berresheim, Ottobrunn, near Munich, and

Alfred Eder, Munich, Germany, assignors to Military- Entwicidungen Kommanditgesellschaft, Munich, Germany, a firm of Germany Filed Aug. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 218,648 Claims priority, application Germany Aug. 22, 1961 8 Claims. (Cl. 244-4-2) This invention relates in general to actuating means for control surfaces of flying bodies and in particular to a new and useful magnetically actuated spoiler construction and to an improved actuator therefor.

The present invention is particularly applicable in respect to flying bodies having spoilers which are employed for controlling the path of such flying bodies at high speeds and where it is essential that the spoilers operate with very short switching time. It has been known to move spoilers with the armature of an electromagnet, but known arrangements of this kind employ electromagnetic means to move relatively large masses and a constant magnetic reversal occurs in the magnetic circuit during actuation. The mass inertia and the losses which occur during the magnetic reversal delay the rapid deflection or movement of the spoiler.

In accordance with the present invention, an actuator for a spoiler is provided and an improved spoiler mounting provides for the rapid movement of the spoiler and shortening of the reversal time of operation thereof.

In accordance with a preferred arrangement, a coil is movably mounted in a magnetic field and it is mechanically connected with the spoiler. The winding of the coil is actuated by current pulses of adjustable pulse time and current direction. In the arrangement of the invention, the movable masses are kept very small and the losses resulting from magnetic reversal are eliminated since the exciting magnetic field maintains its direction.

In a preferred arrangement, the movable coil is coaxially arranged in the air gap of a pot magnet andvis movably mounted in an axial direction. For this purpose, the coil is advantageously wound on a coil body which is rigidly connected with a spoiler. The coil body may be connected via a centering joint with the potshaped magnet which has parallelly arranged diametrically opposite slots which accommodate portions of the spoiler. Around the pot magnet guide means are provided for axial movement of the coil body without rotation thereof.

In a preferred arrangement, the coil body is situated in a cornmon'branch of two circuits, which branch is alternately charged with a current of opposing directions.

' In a further modification of the invention, one of the ends of the Winding is connected between poles of different polarity of two D.-C. current sources, while the other end of the winding is connected to the collector of a first output transistor, the latter being connected with the emitter of a second output transistor of the same con ductivity type. The emitter of the first transistor and the collector of the second transistor are switched with opposing poles of the two D.-C. current sources which are not connected with each other, and which correspond to the conductivity type of transistors. The basis lines of the two transistors are supplied with a control voltage which alternatively switches one or the other transistor for ICC current passage or flow. Parallel to the emitter and collector path of each transistor there is provided a voltage divider which may advantageously be switched to provide a control voltage for the associated transistor.

According to a further modification of the invention, the transistor is switched or applied to the control voltage by means of a relay of small changeover delay, while the basis of the other transistor is switched to a voltage which blocks this transistor.

Accordingly, it'is an object of this invention to provide an improved magnetically actuated control.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spoiler operating control which includes a movable coil situated in a magnetic field and which is adapted to be mechanically connected with a spoiler, and electric current means exciting the coil by current pulses of adjustable pulse length in current direction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mounting for a spoiler and improved means for deflecting the spoiler for control purposes which includes a movable coil element connected to the spoiler which is mounted for axial displacement around a pot type magnet disposed centrally thereof and including means for energizing the coil with current pulses of adjustable pulse length and direction.

A further object of the invention is to provide an actuator for a spoiler and the like which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

The only figure of the drawing is a fragmentary perspective of a wing of a flying body with a spoiler thereon actuated by an improved magnetic actuator, the electrical circuit for a movable coil of the actuator being indicated schematically.

Referring to the drawing in particular, the invention embodied therein includes a wing 1 of a flying body which contains a magnetically actuated spoiler which in the embodiment illustrated comprises a substantially rectangular plate 6. While the spoiler is indicated in asso ciation with the wing 1, it should be appreciated that it may be employed with other aerodynamically acting surfaces of a flying body.

A pot-shaped magnet 3 is secured to the wing structure by means of a spa-r or girder 2 connected to the Wing by means of spacers 4 and 5. He spoiler 6, which in the embodiment indicated has been moved downwardly, reciprocates within slots i l and 12 of the wing 1. The spoiler is formed from leaves or small plates 7 and 8 which are connected together by overlapping plates or flaps 9 by cans of screws ill. The spoiler 6 has a recess 16 adiacent the central portion thereof which accommodates the pot-shaped magnet 3. The spoiler is slidably mounted on a central bushing or bearing 1-3 which is carried on a push rod 19, the latter being slotted at its ends and rigidly connected with the spoiler 6. The cylindrical member or sleeve 20 which surrounds the push rod 19 is disposed in an axial bore 2d of the magnet 3.

The spoiler plate is provided with tour rectangularly spaced openings 26 into which there extends elongated guide tabs or elements 114 which prevent the rotation of the spoiler about the longitudinal axis of the rod 19. The tabs 14 also prevent the bending of the spoiler in the air flow when it is employed for control purposes. An end of each of the tabs 14 is provided with elongated recesses 23 which embrace projections 24 of a bar 25 which is mounted between the spacers '4 and 5. The other end of the tabs 14 is guided through the openings 26 of the spoiler plate 6 and anchored on the exterior thereof by means of T-shaped projections 27 formed at the ends.

In the embodiment shown, the magnet 3 comprises a core 28 and a flange portion 29 at the upper end thereof. In addition, the magnet is provided with an inner jacket formed as a U-shaped extension at the lower end of the core 28 and designated St The inner jacket 3% is secured on a shoulder '33 of the core 28 at the location of an inwardly projecting flange portion 32. In addition, the magnet 3 has an outer jacket 31 which extends downwardly from the outer periphery of the flange 29 and forms the exterior wall of the magnet. An exciter winding 35 is arranged on the core 28 and it is energized through electrical connections 99 and 9d. The exciter winding may be divided and in so doing a portion of its winding can 'be energized by the same current as the movable winding d7 in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter. In this manner, compensations can be made for the variations or fluctuations of the static exciter field, which variations may be caused by the current which flows in the winding 17. The cxciter Winding 35 is ell-minated when the magnet 3 is a permanent magnet. In the embodiment in which the magnet '3 is a permanent magnet, the elements including the core 28, the jacket so and the outer wall 31 are produced as a single element.

The magnet 3 has side slots 36 and 37 at the top and bottom thereof into which slots the spoiler 6 is fitted at the location of the edges 38 and 39.

Up and down movement of the spoiler 6, as viewed in the drawing, is imparted by means of a winding generally designated 16 which includes a coil of wire 17 wound around a cylindrical body 77. The body 77 has slots 46 and 411 which permit the edges 38, 39 of the spoiler to enter thereinto. The winding body is mounted in the air gap 15 formed between the magnet elements 34) and 31. The body is urged upwardly and downwardly into and out of the magnetic field of the magnet 3 when its winding 17 is supplied with a D.-C. current. The direction of the D.-C. current determines the direction of movement of the winding body 77.

In order to produce rapid deflection of the spoiler plate 6 the winding 17 and the body 77 are supplied with direct current which is poled in a reverse manner in rapid exchange or alteration and the pulse time period is controllable in each current direction. Such control is accomplished by means of a generator (not shown) which is switched at the eXciter clamps 71 and 72 of a relay 70. The relay responds with an inertia which is relatively small with respect to the required deflection period. The relay 70 actuates contacts 74 and 75 via its armature 73. The reversing contacts 74 and 75 are connected with the bases 58 and 62, respectively, of two equal or similar transistors 59 and 63 of the pup type. The collector 56 of the transistor 59 is connected with the emitter 60 of the other transistor 63 and with the end 51 of the Winding 17, the other end 50 of which is connected to the poles '2 and 53 of two D.-C. current sources, such as batteries 54, 55. The batteries are connected together with the positive pole of one connected to the negative pole of the other. The positive pole 64 of one of the D.-C. current batteries 54 is connected with the emitter 57 of the first transistor 59 while the negative pole 65 of the other D.-C. source 55 is connected with the collector d1 of the other transistor 63. Therefore, two circuits indicated I and I are formed. The first circuit 1; leads from the plus pole 64- of one of the two D.-C. current sources 54 by way of the emitter 57 and the collector 56 of the first transistor 59 to one end of the winding 17. The other end of the winding 17 leads to the interconnected dissimilar poles 52 and 53 of the two D.-C. current sources 54 and '55. The other circuit I leads from the positive pole 53 of the D.-C. current source 55' via the winding 17, the emitter 6t and the collector 6d of the other transistor 63 to the negative pole 65 of the other D-C. current source 55. Thus, the winding 17 forms in this manner a common branch 76 of the two circuits and is supplied alternatively from the oppositely directed currents. The transistors 59 and 63 act as electronic switches to open and close the circuits I and I associated therewith so that the bases 58 and re are supplied via the reversal contacts 74 and 75 of the relay 79 alternatively with their voltage. The voltage blocks one or" the transistors while it switches the other for current flow. In the blocking position the base of one of the transistors 59 or 63 is always switched tor emitter potential while in the flow position it is switched for negative potential. The voltage which is negative relative to the emitter is produced at two voltage dividers 68 and 69 or" which each is situated parallel to the emitter 57 or 65 and the collector 56 or 61 of one of the transistors and is tapped at 66 and 67 of the voltage dividers 68, 69.

The electrical circuit described above is easily accommodated within the small space requirements of a flying body and is preferably arranged or accommodated in the vicinity of the magnet 3 in the wing 1 or in the fuselage of a flying body. Instead of a relay 70, it is sometimes desirable to employ an electronic switch which takes over the functioning of the relay.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A magnetically actuated spoiler for controlling flying bodies of high velocity, characterized by a coil which is movably mounted in a magnetic field, said coil being mechanically connected with a spoiler and having a winding, and means for actuating said winding by current pulses of adjustable pulse length and current direction.

2. A magnetically actuated spoiler according to claim 1, including a body rigidly connected to said spoiler, said coil being wound on said body.

3. A magnetically actuated spoiler according to claim 1, wherein said means for directing current through said coil includes separate D.-C. current supplies connected together at opposite poles and said poles being connected to the one end of said coil, a first and a second transistor of the same conductivity type, the collector of the first transistor and the emitter of the second transistor being connected to the other end of said coil, the emitter of the first transistor and the collector of the second transistor being connected to said D.-C. current sources at poles of different polarity, respectively, the bases of said transistors being supplied with a control voltage which alternately switches one or the other of said transistors for current passage through said coil.

4. A magnetically actuated spoiler according to claim 3, including a voltage divider connected parallel to the emitter collector path of each transistor, the control voltage for the associated transistor being tapped therefrom.

5. A magnetically actuated spoiler according to claim 4, including relay means for switching said transistors to the control voltage.

6. A control device for a flying body including a control surface, a spoiler plate mounted on said control surface and being movable to project therefrom for control purposes, a magnet mounted in said control surface adjacent said spoiler plate, a movable member in the field of said magnet connected to said spoiler plate, a coil arranged on said movable member, and means for actuating said coil by current pulses of adjustable pulse length and current direction.

7. A control device according to claim 6, wherein said magnet is a pot type magnet arranged centrally of said movable member, said member being mounted for axial movement around said magnet, said spoiler being disposed around said member and connected thereto for movement therewith.

8. A control device according to claim '6, wherein said means for actuating said coil includes first and second transistor circuits connected to said coil, separate energy sources energizing said circuits for current flow through said coil in a particular direction, and relay means for switching said circuits to said coil for energizing said coil for current flow in -a selected direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,750,961 Uritis June 10, 1956 2,754,921 Dinsmore July 17, 1956 2,768,801 Bitner Oct. 30, 195-6 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,123,920 Germany 'Feb. 15, 1962

Claims (1)

1. A MAGNETICALLY ACTUATED SPOILER FOR CONTROLLING FLYING BODIES OF HIGH VELOCITY, CHARACTERIZED BY A COIL WHICH IS MOVABLY MOUNTED IN A MAGNETIC FIELD, SAID COIL BEING MECHANICALLY CONNECTED WITH A SPOILER AND HAVING A WINDING, AND MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID WINDING BY CURRENT PULSES OF ADJUSTABLE PULSE LENGTH AND CURRENT DIRECTION.

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