Talk:Amplidyne

Amplifier Until someone writes the article, the brief mention there is better than nothing.
 * I have started the article but it needs expanding. Biscuittin 13:50, 18 May 2007 (UTC)

Needs work - article is wrong
The current text describes Ward Leonard control, not an amplidyne. See for a description of an amplidyne system. An amplidyne is a closed-loop feedback system. It's one of those clever ways of handling high power before high-powered semiconductors. --John Nagle 18:43, 4 December 2007 (UTC)

While Eugene Slover has done us a great service by providing online versions of Navy manuals, anything he writes is seriously risky with regard to technical accuracy—I'm being kind! His description of significant aspects of the Mk.1 fire control computer had elements of almost-religious and nutty regard for True North (pure fantasy; the gyrocompass does that...) and seriously-incorrect information (integrator discs "an inch thick"; they were more like 1/4 inch). I know, because I repaired one of those computers, and have had a lifelong passionate interest in them. Nikevich (talk) 10:48, 18 February 2010 (UTC)

Amplidynes, by themselves, are not closed-loop devices; there is no internal feedback. Nikevich (talk) 10:48, 18 February 2010 (UTC)


 * OK, cleaned up. Amplidynes are obsolete, but some of the related components are still used. We could use more articles on the strange world of magnetic amplifiers, saturable reactors, syncro control transformers, LVDT transducers, and the other components of that family of transformer-like devices. These things are still in use in some applications, especially aircraft, because they're very reliable. --John Nagle 19:26, 4 December 2007 (UTC)

I agree—we could use more such! Nikevich (talk) 10:48, 18 February 2010 (UTC)

Sorry; it is not a Word-Leonard system; please see that article. A Ward-Leonard system, afaik, does not have the opposing pair of brushes that are shorted together, a distinctive feature of Amplidynes. It also, very likely, has a much lower gain. It's been 50 years since I learned about Amplidynes, but I still recall that in effect an Amplidyne is internally really a two-stage amplifier. (Alexanderson was a genius!) Nikevich (talk) 10:48, 18 February 2010 (UTC)

Amplidynes might still be in use within diesel-electric locomotive control systems, as exciters for the main generator. A Google search yields several references; an Amplidyne serve[d] as exciter for the main generator. Nikevich (talk) 10:48, 18 February 2010 (UTC)

Amplidyne was a G.E. trade name, wasn't it?
I seem to recall it being that. Nikevich (talk) 10:02, 18 February 2010 (UTC)

A Navy recollection
The Mk. 37 gun director used Amplidynes in its power drives (Navy term for high-power position servos). The train Amplidyne had a vertical shaft, and weighed perhaps 200 pounds; it was (as I recall) more than a foot in diameter. I found it intriguing that its control input came from a pair of 6L6 beam tetrode tubes (valves), still used in guitar amplifiers, afaik.

The Amplidynes were extremely reliable and trouble-free.Nikevich (talk) 10:02, 18 February 2010 (UTC)

At one time this section was reasonbly accurate. Now it is just junk. I worked and had some design experience with Amplidynes and metadynes. I just do not have the itme at the moment to clean this up. The amplidyne has no relation to the Ward Leonard set. It is a sub set of the Metadyne and the Rosenberg generator that was developed for trains in the early 1900's. It is a cross field machine, and the only difference between metadyne and amplidyne is the amount of compensation used in one axis. The method of turning the shaft and providing the base power can be any type of electrical machine or more often an Internal combustion engine for the military applicaitons. Patents for both types wer filed on the same day, just pre WW2 by GE and Macfarlane eng of Cathcart Scotland. The 2 copmpanies cross licensed and Metropolitan Vickers were the main British licensee for radar scanners and also gun turret aiming. ther key designer was Tustin. it was aslo use for electric welders extensively before modern day power electronics David Turner PhD — Preceding unsigned comment added by David7turner (talk • contribs) 19:07, 5 June 2011 (UTC)

Patent
I think this is the original Patent: https://www.google.co.in/patents/US2236984 -- MichaelFrey (talk) 04:09, 4 August 2015 (UTC)