Charlie & Tupper England wrote:

  Hey Tracy,

Speaking of 'feature creep' on your new engine/air data box, how about
this for the reduction drives (updated to use strain guages?).

Charlie

--> AeroElectric-List message posted by: BobsV35B@aol.com

In a message dated 6/9/03 2:12:26 PM Central Daylight Time,
cengland@netdoor.com writes:

Can you elaborate on the 'movement of the planetary ring gear' ? Was the
thrust of a helical cut gear being measured, or ????

This might have application in alternative engines with reduction drives.

Good Afternoon Charlie,

I can't tell you precisely, but that sounds about right.

The outer ring gear had helical cuts in the outer periphery such that it
would move slightly fore and aft as the torque was applied.  The ring gear pushed
on a series of pistons which then supplied a flow of oil to the instrument.
That was calibrated to be equivalent to the calculated Brake Mean Effective
Pressure which should have been developed in the cylinders to provide that amount
of torque.  By using a constant based on the displacement of the engine and
applying the RPM to the equation, the horsepower being developed could be
determined.

I know that regular oil pressure was supplied to the pistons to be used as a
transfer medium.  I have no idea how the pressure being developed by the
movement of the ring gear was isolated from the engine oil pressure.  I guess we
aviators didn't need to know that detail!

Happy Skies,

Old Bob

 
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