Linear motor

A linear motor comprising:

• means formed from a non-magnetic material for supporting electrically conductive means, said supporting means including means defining a passageway extending axially of said supporting means;
• an armature mounted within said passageway for axial movement relative to said supporting means between first and second positions, said armature including a pair of permanent magnets and a core, said core being located between said first and second permanent magnets with common poles of said magnets in engagement with opposite axial end faces of said core thereby forming an armature having effective common poles at the axial ends of said armature and an effective pole of opposite polarity located at a point substantially one-half the distance between the ends of said core;
• electrically conductive means wound upon said supporting means for moving said armature from said first position to said second position upon being electrically energized;
• output means mounted on one end of said armature for transmitting the movement of said armature to an apparatus to be driven thereby;
• means for limiting the movement of said armature along said passageway upon energization of said electrically conductive means;
• and
• means formed from a ferrous material mounted on said supporting means substantially in alignment with one of the effective poles of said armature when said armature is in said first position for automatically returning said armature to said first position upon deenergization of said electrically conductive means.