Patent GB-1160782-A (GB)
Title: Motor Control Circuit
IPC: H02P7/298
Filed: 1966-08-10
Abstract: 1,160,782. Converter systems; control of D.C. motors. SUNDSTRAND CORP. 10 Aug., 1966 [10 Aug., 1965], No. 35915/66. Headings H2F and H2J. [Also in Division G3] Relates to the control of the speed and direction of a D.C. motor, e.g. a low inertia servomotor, by a phase-controlled (i.e. combination of D.C. bias with a Ramp waveform) rectifier circuit supplied from a three-phase A.C. source. The three-phase source 10 (Fig. 1) is coupled to a D.C. motor armature 12 by gating means 15 comprising a rectifier bridge including antiparallel rectifiers 20, 21 respectively (components are referenced in the drawing as 20<SP>1</SP> &c. in one phase, 20<SP>11</SP> &c. in the second phase and 20<SP>111</SP> in the third phase) which are alternatively utilized to pass current in one or the other direction through the armature 12, the rectifiers 20 being controlled by respective "forward" pulse circuits 23 and the rectifiers 21 by respective "reverse" pulse circuits 24. Error circuit.-Each pulse circuit has two inputs 102, 120, and outputs 26 or 27. The input 120 is a bias voltage the level of which corresponds to the difference between a desired speed signal (e.g. from a tape recording) input at terminals 60 of an error signal circuit 28 and the actual speed of the motor signal from a tachometer 62. The polarity of the error signal, on line 69, indicates the desired direction of rotation. The error signal is fed via limiting diodes 71, 72, a differential amplifier, and limiting diodes 88, 89 to a line 29. The signal in line 29 is coupled via an emitter follower 31 including TR116, TR117 to a " forward bias circuit" 32 including potentiometers 35 and to a reverse bias circuit 33 including potentiometers 38, which circuits produce adjustable bias outputs on lines 36, 39, respectively, to the pulse circuits, varying in accordance with the magnitude and polarity of the control signal on line 29. The outputs are adjusted to give a fixed value in the absence of a signal on line 29. The second input at 102 is a ramp signal (Fig. 4) derived from source 10 by clipping with diodes 95, 96 and charging capacitors 100 through resistor 99. A common ramp waveform input is fed to the two pulse forming units 23, 24 for the thyristors associated with the same phase of the source. Trigger pulse forming circuits.-In pulse forming unit 24, for example, transistor 108 is held off by the bias until the ramp input wave and bias voltage level cross at point 129 (Fig. 4), when it becomes conducting. Assuming a negative signal on line 29, the follower 31 will cause both the forward and reverse bias levels to go more negative, the reverse bias to level 127<SP>1</SP> (Fig. 4) and forward bias to level 128<SP>1</SP>. Thus the "reverse" pulse forming transistor 108<SP>1</SP> will conduct and the "forward" pulse transistor 105<SP>1</SP> (unit 23) will not conduct. Transistor 132<SP>1</SP> will begin to conduct and an R.C. feedback network 135<SP>1</SP>, 136<SP>1</SP> quickly switches 108<SP>1</SP>, 132<SP>1</SP> to conductive state. A pulse 139<SP>1</SP> (Fig. 5) is developed across R133<SP>1</SP> which switches on transistor 143<SP>1</SP> producing a pulse 150<SP>1</SP> (Fig. 6) across a transformer 147<SP>1</SP> and thus turns on S.C.R. 21<SP>1</SP>. The shaded portion of power waveform 171 (Fig. 2) is thereby passed on in the correct direction to the motor delivering an amount of power proportional to the magnitude of the signal in line 29. When the motor is not running and in the absence of an input signal at terminals 60 it receives alternate positive and negative pulses (Fig. 7) just insufficient to overcome friction, each thyristor being made conductive consecutively for a conduction angle of 15 degrees, by adjustment of potentiometers 35, 38. These pulses or spikes are referred to as "dead band reducing" power spikes. In a modification, Fig. 8 (not shown), braking action of the motor is assisted, by retarding the firing angle of the S.C.R.'s that are conducting when braking is required. In a further modification, Fig. 9 (not shown), the motor current is limited to a predetermined value, again by automatically retarding the firing angle of the S.C.R.'s. Surge protection of the thyristors is provided by "thyrectors" 55 (i.e. face to face diodes).