Uhing drive keeps throttle steady

Sept. 16, 2004
Throttle controls on ships and tankers traditionally employ a relay signal to a device in the engine room that actually controls fuel flow and how fast the ship's engine turns.

A shipbuilding company making diesel-powered freighters was having problems with their throttle control system. Vibrations and a harsh operating environment were introducing play into throttle linkages in the engine room, reducing accuracy.-The solution involved the Uhing "rolling-ring" drive, a mechanical device that smoothly translates rotary motion into linear motion.

The installed system has a stroke length of 80 mm for the throttle and works despite temperatures that soar to 158F. It tightly couples the throttle controls on the bridge to engine fuel settings and is unaffected by vibrations. The rolling-ring drive does not use a threaded shaft, so there's no place for

dirt and oil to accumulate. And the lack of threads means there is little wear that might inject play into the throttle control. The drive also has no backlash, so rotary motion from the shaft is immediately converted to a linear output, even when put in reverse.

A watertight casing encloses the throttle linkage in the engine room of a freighter. The throttle-adjustment rod controls engine speed, sliding in and out of a gasketed hole to do so. Moving the master throttle on the ship's bridge transmits a potentiometer signal to the electric motor in the engineroom throttle controller. The motor turns the required amount, rotating the rolling-ring driveshaft which is fixed in place linearly, causing the drive itself to move left or right along the shaft. The drive also moves a toothed profile over a gear on the throttle rod and thereby controls the location of the throttle rod. A transmitting potentiometer on the throttle rod detects the rod's actual location and relays it to the bridge so the crew can confirm that the throttle setting and actual throttle position are the same.

 

 

Sponsored Recommendations

March 31, 2025
Unlike passive products - made of simple carbon springs - the bionic prostheses developed by Revival Bionics are propulsive, equipped with a motor and an artificial Achilles tendon...
March 31, 2025
Electric drives are a key technology for the performance of machines, robots, and power tools. Download this guide for an introduction to high-quality mechatronic drive systems...
March 31, 2025
Discover the world of maxon drive technology: motors, gearheads, sensors, controllers, and accessories. Configure your drive system online, including all relevant product and ...
March 31, 2025
Share current page XSun designs and manufactures a drone that is both energy-independent and can make its own decisions, for fully-automated missions. The company needed reliable...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Machine Design, create an account today!