Compact gearbox provides light relief for US landmark
Fourth Quarter 2004
Shaft power components
The historic Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse in Florida has taken a turn for the better thanks to the combined efforts of Miller Bearings and the ultra compact design of David Brown gear technology.
The 120-year-old landmark has undergone a much-needed renovation and the finishing touch was a new mechanical drive to rotate the lens on the 1 kW lamp enabling it to flash the characteristic six times every 30 seconds.
Miller Bearing's Leon Grobaski climbed the 204 steps to the top of the 53,6 m tower to see for himself the cramped confines of the tower where the monument's concerned technicians wanted a reliable mechanism that could rotate the table at 2,2 rpm with a 450 kg load - and still fit within the limited space.
Leon explains: "There were issues with the envelope dimensions in order to fit the system because we could not tamper with the historic support superstructure. We were not allowed to do any cutting or otherwise alter the four bronze supports already in place. That seriously limited our drive dimensions; we were looking for an 800:1 reduction but most reducers of sufficient torque capability for that type of application were too large for the space available."
The problem was solved using the David Brown Series B Conex unit which has a new design helicoidal gear shaped like an hourglass. The design developed by David Brown Engineering, part of Textron Fluid & Power, provides a significantly greater power and torque rating in a comparatively small package. The David Brown unit is linked to a 234 W, 1750 rpm electric motor.
Although superseded by a more modern structure operated by the US Coastguard, the Ponce de Leon lighthouse is now able to operate once again as a private aid to navigation - and a delight for tourists visiting the area.
The Series B ConexTM helicoidal right angle gear motors and reducers provide a flexible and compact solution to meet the low to medium power range. With power capabilities up to 15 kW and maximum output torque of 565 Nm, the Series B units benefit from the David Brown motor interface that eliminates fretting corrosion and facilitates easy motor removal.
Available in sizes 02-06, 08, 09, 10 and 11, the Series B offers gear ratios from 5:1 to 60:1 in single reduction, and 100:1 to 3600:1 in double reduction.
For more information contact David Brown Engineering, +27 (0) 11 748 0000, www.textronpt.com
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