Patent GB-1245260-A (GB)
Title: Pulse producing system
IPC: H02M7/162
Filed: 1968-11-12
Abstract: 1,245,260. Transistor pulse circuits. WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORP. 12 Nov., 1968 [29 Nov., 1967], No. 53589/68. Heading H3T. [Also in Division H2] A pulse circuit for a polyphase converter comprises a 3 stage ring counter including gate turn-off type thyristor switches 66, 76, 84 (Fig. 2) which are fired in sequence to pass current pulses C, D, E (Fig. 3A) through drive transformers 58, 60, 62, from B + and via diodes 52, 54, 56 to B-, to fire the respective thyristors of the converter. In addition n timing sine wave sources 2, 3 and 1 having outputs phase displaced from each other by 360 degrees/n, are coupled to the switches by transformers 40, 46, 50 so that as each thyristor switch conducts, a timing sine wave of the same frequency as the required converter frequency is applied to a "cross-over detector" 30 via diodes 38, 44, 48 and lines 42, 74 together with a pre-set D.C. voltage level 106 (Fig. 3A) from a source 64. The detector in turn produces clock pulses therefrom to switch the ring counter. The cross-over detector 30 comprises a transistor 96 in parallel with an integrator C100, R102 between B+ and B-. When a negative going portion of a timing sine wave 2, for example, intersects the D.C. voltage level 106 (Fig. 3A) at time t 1 , the base voltage of T96 is lowered and it cuts off, whereupon its collector voltage increases, produces a spiked positive pulse 110, which has no effect on the counter. At time t 2  the waveform 2 again intersects level 106, going positive. Thus T96 conducts again, its collector voltage decreases and a negative spike clock pulse is produced across R102 and is fed via lead 28 causing the ring counter to change state by cutting-off switch 66. The consequent rise in anode voltage 66 is applied to the gate of switch 76 turning it ON. Thus the next firing pulse 114 is initiated, which continues until waveform 3 intersects the D.C. voltage level 106 going positive, when clock pulse 116 is produced to switch off 76 and turn ON 84, and so on. A resistor 104 maintains the diodes 38, 44, 48 in the forward state irrespective of the polarity of the timing sine waves. Figs. 3b, 3c (not shown) illustrate the effect of change in voltage level 106, which can produce a phase shift in the drive pulses C, D, E through a full 180 degrees. The pulse circuit Fig. 2 is for use with a 3 phase bridge converter having 3 thyristors and 3 diodes (Fig. 1, not shown). Two such circuits may be combined to control a six thyristor bridge converter, or alternatively a modified arrangement. Fig. 4 (not shown) using only one cross-over-detector with six timing wave sources and a six-stage ring counter, may be used. In this arrangement when one switching stage is cut-off the next stage will conduct current through the transformer of the cut-off stage for a further 60 degrees in addition to conducting current through its respective transformer. Thus each pulse transformer will have a pulse of width 120 degrees across it, the pulses of successive waveforms overlapping by 60 degrees as Fig. 5A (not shown). The control voltage level may be variable in dependence upon a difference between the converter output and a reference voltage.