Discussion about the Lockridge Device

citfta · Nov 12, 2024, 04:38 PM

Hello again to anyone following this thread.

Ufo I so far have not seen anything you have posted that I disagree with. I would like to add some thoughts to your analysis if you don't mind. I will also explain a little of the terminology about motors for those following that may not be as familiar with motors as you and I are.

In a normal shunt wound DC motor the field windings are not connected in series with the armature windings. In the normal use of industrial DC motors the field coils ( windings) are independently controlled. At normal start up the field coils will have full current flowing through them. This gives the strongest reaction between the armature and the field coils. With larger DC motors it only takes a few volts to cause the armature to rotate even under pretty heavy loads. I have seen large 15 HP or so motors moving objects that weigh several tons while the armature was turning so slowly you could easily count the revolutions by eye.

The field coils control the torque of the motor! Now when you increase the voltage on the armature the armature will speed up until the generated back EMF in the armature almost reaches the same value as the applied voltage minus the load and friction losses. The back EMF is of course being generated because the armature coils are moving past the field coils.

When we reach the max voltage of our supply for the armature you would think that that is as fast as we can make the motor go. BUT, it's not! If we then start to reduce the field current the armature will go even faster! WHY? Because the reduced field current has caused a reduction in the generated back EMF in the armature. So the armature speeds up until the back EMF again gets close to the applied voltage.

What we also have to remember is that the armature current is controlled by two things. The strength of the field coils and the speed of the armature. If we were to remove the field coil current completely then the armature current would go very high and if there is any residual magnetic field left for it to act against the armature would speed up until it flew apart. For this reason industrial motor controls for DC motors have a lot of safety features built in that don't allow armature voltage to be applied unless there is full field power. They also don't allow the field strength to be weakened unless the motor is at normal full speed.

Could this field weakening principle be part of the secret of how the Lockridge Device works? If you were to weaken the field strength on the motor side the motor would speed up but have less torque. If the load went through the field coils on the generator side then the generator would put out more current. If that current had the proper polarity to increase the torque on the armature then we should have a self runner.

Some food for thought.

Respectfully,
Carroll

Ufopolitics · Nov 12, 2024, 07:00 PM

@citfta
Excellent Post, Carroll, very, very useful!!
Thans so much!
@All,
Citfta's post contains A LOT of great info about this Device...

Regards

Ufopolitics

Ufopolitics · Nov 13, 2024, 03:13 PM

Hello All,

On this post I want to show specific details about the type of armature that was used on the Lockridge Device...and yes, there was a specific property of this armature, and they were not all the same type.

The Specific Armature used on the Lockridge Device had a coarse wire WOUND ON TOP of the regular windings (which were done with much finer wire and several turns)...

However, this thicker wire winding was NOT hooked on commutator elements "one after the other"...BUT instead, wires were attached to commutator bars ALTERNATIVELY.

And after I have searched around, I found there were "Two Types":

1- The Armature that had Alternated thicker wires on Commutator.

2- The Armature having continuous thicker wires on each commutator bar (not alternated) And it is shown on the last image.

Therefore, these Dynamo's Armatures had Two sets of Windings, one with finer wire and the second or END Layer was made with a thicker wire.

The Armature of the Lockridge Device (taken apart) shown on Bedini's Movie had the Alternated Thicker windings on its last layer...as the Commutator had 28 Bars:

So, that means that thicker wires winding was set on a total of 14 commutator bars, alternatively.

Obviously, this thicker wire will reduce resistance to main winding done with finer wire and including all bars on commutator, it is like a parallel circuit where one side have more resistance (more turns, finer wire) as the other one is closer to a short circuit, with less turns thicker wire.

And as Motor and Generator Brushes ride on this commutator there would be fluctuations between Hi-Lo Resistance resulting in Hi-Lo Currents for both circuits.

So, on image above I have the Motor Brushes as A & B, and Generator Brushes as C & D.
If You noticed, I have set Motor Brushes Contacts "alternated" related to Generator Brushes, in order that when Generator is outputting from the thicker wires circuit, then Motor is on the other (finer wires) circuit.
And of course, this will be changing positioning (Alternating) as commutator rotates...

Regards

Ufopolitics

citfta · Nov 13, 2024, 03:39 PM

Hmmm.
I wonder if that type of armature is what is used on the starter / generators that were at one time used on Kohler engines that were in the old Cub Cadet mowers? I never took the time to closely look at the armature of one of those motor / generators.
For those not familiar with what I am talking about, the old Kohler engines did not have a conventional starter. Power was supplied to the motor / generator and it turned over the engine using the drive belt that connected it to the engine.
And that same system is still used on EZ-GO golf carts. The kind where you just step down on the throttle pedal and that starts the engine turning over. As you move the pedal just a little further the ignition comes on and the engine starts. When you let your foot completely off the pedal the engine stops until you push the pedal down again. The motor / generator keeps switching from a starter to a generator each time you start the engine. There are probably plenty of those starters still around.
Just thinking out loud again.

Carroll

Ufopolitics · Nov 13, 2024, 04:09 PM

Quote from: citfta on Nov 13, 2024, 03:39 PMHmmm.
I wonder if that type of armature is what is used on the starter / generators that were at one time used on Kohler engines that were in the old Cub Cadet mowers? I never took the time to closely look at the armature of one of those motor / generators.
For those not familiar with what I am talking about, the old Kohler engines did not have a conventional starter. Power was supplied to the motor / generator and it turned over the engine using the drive belt that connected it to the engine.
And that same system is still used on EZ-GO golf carts. The kind where you just step down on the throttle pedal and that starts the engine turning over. As you move the pedal just a little further the ignition comes on and the engine starts. When you let your foot completely off the pedal the engine stops until you push the pedal down again. The motor / generator keeps switching from a starter to a generator each time you start the engine. There are probably plenty of those starters still around.
Just thinking out loud again.

Carroll

Hello Citfta,

That was EXACTLY what I was looking for...a Motor Dynamo from a Golf gasoline golf cart...yes, EZ-GO as Club Car, Yamaha...makes them...

Here is a Club Car type...it has Four Fields, Four Brushes, and run on 12V...

I have been looking for the Delco-Remy...first they are all 2 field 2 brushes, what I have been able to see...then you will need TWO, to get parts from one...however, they must be the same type...

This choice of this Dynamo-Motor I believe is the best, and cheaper way to make tests...however, I have not seen what their armature looks like...

Plus parts are available for them...bearings, brushes, etc.

Regards

Ufopolitics