Direct current machine with switchable stator windings

In a direct current machine, the combination comprising a permanent magnet rotor means having a rotor shaft;

• commutator means including shaft position means coupled for rotation with said rotor shaft and stationary sensing means in spaced proximate non-contacting relation to said shaft position means, said shaft position means including a member with diametrically opposed arm portions and said stationary sensing means including first and second coaxial circumferential arrays of sensing devices and wherein said opposed arm portions are of different length, one of said arm portions coacting with one of said circumferential arrays and the other of said arm portions coacting with the other of said circumferential arrays;
• switch means;
• stator means including a plurality of poles, each pole including a plurality of windings with the ends of at least some of the windings being electrically connected to said switch means;
• and means interconnecting said commutator means and said switch means for enabling varying the interconnection of said windings whereby to alter the operating characteristics of said machine.

In a direct current machine, the combination comprising a permanent magnet rotor means having a rotor shaft;

• commutator means including shaft position means coupled for rotation with said rotor shaft and stationary sensing means including proximity detection means in spaced proximate non-contacting relation to said shaft position means including a member of diametrically opposed arm portions, said stationary sensing means including first and second coaxial circumferential arrays of proximity coils on a common substrate, and wherein said opposed arm portions are of different length with each of said arm portions including a metallic slug means at the end thereof, one of said slug means coacting with one of said circumferential arrays and the other of said slug means coacting with the other of said circumferential arrays;
• switch means;
• stator means including a plurality of poles, each pole including a plurality of windings with the ends of at least some of the windings being electrically connected to said switch means;
• and means interconnecting said commutator means and said switch means for enabling varying the interconnection of said windings whereby to alter the operating characteristics of said machine.

In a direct current machine, the combination comprising a permanent magnet rotor means having a rotor shaft;

• commutator means including shaft position means coupled for rotation with said rotor shaft and stationary sensing means including capacitive coupling means in spaced proximate non-contacting relation to said shaft position means including a member of diametrically opposed arm portions, and said stationary sensing means includes first and second coaxial circumferential arrays of capacitive plate means and wherein said opposed arm portions are of different length with each of said arm portions having a capacitor plate member at the end thereof, one of said capacitor plate members coacting with one of said circumferential arrays and the other of said capacitor plate members coacting with the other of said circumferential arrays;
• switch means;
• stator means including a plurality of poles, each pole including a plurality of windings with the ends of at least some of the windings being electrically connected to said switch means;
• and means interconnecting said commutator means and said switch means for enabling varying the interconnection of said windings whereby to alter the operating characteristics of said machine.

In a direct current machine, the combination comprising a permanent magnet rotor means having a rotor shaft;

• stator means including a plurality of poles, each pole including a winding set having a plurality of windings with ends;
• shaft position sensing means connected for rotation with said rotor means;
• stationary sensing means in spaced proximate non-contacting relation to said shaft position sensing means;
• and means electrically interconnecting said stationary sensing means and said ends of said windings for varying the number of turns of the windings within a winding set whereby to vary the operating characteristics of the machine.

In a direct current machine, the combination comprising:

• a permanent magnet rotor means having a rotor shaft;
• stator means including a plurality of poles, each pole including a plurality of windings with ends;
• shaft position sensing means including a member with diametrically opposed arm portions connected for rotation with said rotor means,
• stationary sensing means in spaced proximate non-contacting relation to said shaft position sensing means, said stationary sensing means including first and second coaxial circumferential arrays of sensing devices and wherein said opposed arm portions are of different length, one of said arm portions coacting with one of said circumferential arrays and the other of said arm portions coacting with the other of said circumferential arrays;
• and
• means electrically interconnecting said stationary sensing means and said ends of said windings.

In a direct current machine, the combination comprising a permanent magnet rotor means having a rotor shaft;

• stator means including a plurality of poles, each pole including a plurality of windings with ends;
• shaft position sensing means including proximity detection means connected for rotation with said rotor means;
• stationary sensing means in spaced proximate non-contacting relation to said shaft position sensing means including a member with diametrically opposed arm portions, said stationary sensing means including first and second coaxial circumferential arrays of proximity coils on a common substrate, and wherein said opposed arm portions are of different length with each of said arm portions including a metallic slug means at the end thereof, one of said slug means coacting with one of said circumferential arrays and the other of said slug means coacting with the other of said circumferential arrays;
• and means electrically interconnecting said stationary sensing means and said ends of said windings.

In a direct current machine, the combination comprising a permanent magnet rotor means having a rotor shaft;

• stator means including a plurality of poles, each pole including a plurality of windings with ends;
• shaft position sensing means including capacitive coupling means connected for rotation with said rotor means;
• stationary sensing means in spaced proximate non-contacting relation to said shaft position sensing means including a member with diametrically opposed arm portions, said stationary sensing means including first and second coaxial circumferential arrays of capacitive plate means and wherein said opposed arm portions are of different length with each of said arm portions having a capacitor plate member at the end thereof, one of said capacitor plate members coacting with one of said circumferential arrays and the other of said capacitor plate members coacting with the other of said circumferential arrays;
• and means electrically interconnecting said stationary sensing means and said ends of said windings.

In a direct current machine, the combination comprising a permanent magnet rotor means having a rotor shaft;

• commutator means including optical sensing means;
• switch means;
• stator means including a plurality of poles, each pole including a winding set of a plurality of windings, said windings being tapped at selected points, said selected points being electrically connected to said switch means;
• and means interconnecting said commutator means and said switch means for enabling varying the effective number of turns of the pole whereby to alter the operating characteristics of said machine.

In a direct current machine, the combination comprising a permanent magnet rotor means having a rotor shaft;

• commutator means;
• switch means;
• stator means including a plurality of poles, each pole including a winding set of a plurality of windings, said windings being tapped at selected points, said selected points being electrically connected to said switch means;
• and means interconnecting said commutator means and said switch means for enabling varying the effective number of turns of the pole whereby to alter the operating characteristics of said machine.