Low-drag electrical contact arrangement for maintaining continuity between horizontally movable members
Abstract
This invention is a low-drag electrical contact arrangement for establishing continuity between upper and lower spaced members which are subject to relative horizontal movement. In one aspect, the invention comprises an electrical commutating arrangement which includes a horizontally disposed linear electrical commutator. A horizontally movable electrically conductive pedestal is positioned below the commutator and defines a clearance therewith. The pedestal is formed with a cavity confronting the commutator. In the cavity is a bead of electrical conductive liquid, the bead being characterized by an upwardly convex meniscus portion which extends across the clearance and contacts the commutator. The surface tension of the bead is sufficient to maintain the bead intact when the commutator and pedestal are displaced horizontally at speeds from zero to at least twelve inches a minute. This arrangement provides a significant advance in highly precise machining processes, such as diamond-turning, where precision is limited by the drag imposed by conventional commutators of the carbon-brush type.
- Inventors:
-
- Clinton, TN
- Knoxville, TN
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 864186
- Patent Number(s):
- 4326137
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01R - ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS
H - ELECTRICITY H02 - GENERATION H02K - DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- low-drag; electrical; contact; arrangement; maintaining; continuity; horizontally; movable; establishing; upper; spaced; subject; relative; horizontal; movement; aspect; comprises; commutating; disposed; linear; commutator; electrically; conductive; pedestal; positioned; below; defines; clearance; therewith; formed; cavity; confronting; bead; liquid; characterized; upwardly; convex; meniscus; portion; extends; contacts; surface; tension; sufficient; maintain; intact; displaced; speeds; zero; twelve; inches; minute; provides; significant; advance; highly; precise; machining; processes; diamond-turning; precision; limited; drag; imposed; conventional; commutators; carbon-brush; type; positioned below; arrangement provides; electrical contact; electrically conductive; surface tension; horizontally disposed; significant advance; machining process; electrical conductive; conductive liquid; upwardly convex; movable electrically; displaced horizontally; low-drag electrical; linear electric; contact arrangement; /310/
Citation Formats
Brown, R Jack, Gerth, Howard L, and Robinson, Samuel C. Low-drag electrical contact arrangement for maintaining continuity between horizontally movable members. United States: N. p., 1982.
Web.
Brown, R Jack, Gerth, Howard L, & Robinson, Samuel C. Low-drag electrical contact arrangement for maintaining continuity between horizontally movable members. United States.
Brown, R Jack, Gerth, Howard L, and Robinson, Samuel C. Fri .
"Low-drag electrical contact arrangement for maintaining continuity between horizontally movable members". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864186.
@article{osti_864186,
title = {Low-drag electrical contact arrangement for maintaining continuity between horizontally movable members},
author = {Brown, R Jack and Gerth, Howard L and Robinson, Samuel C},
abstractNote = {This invention is a low-drag electrical contact arrangement for establishing continuity between upper and lower spaced members which are subject to relative horizontal movement. In one aspect, the invention comprises an electrical commutating arrangement which includes a horizontally disposed linear electrical commutator. A horizontally movable electrically conductive pedestal is positioned below the commutator and defines a clearance therewith. The pedestal is formed with a cavity confronting the commutator. In the cavity is a bead of electrical conductive liquid, the bead being characterized by an upwardly convex meniscus portion which extends across the clearance and contacts the commutator. The surface tension of the bead is sufficient to maintain the bead intact when the commutator and pedestal are displaced horizontally at speeds from zero to at least twelve inches a minute. This arrangement provides a significant advance in highly precise machining processes, such as diamond-turning, where precision is limited by the drag imposed by conventional commutators of the carbon-brush type.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982}
}