United States Patent Bird et al. (54) THREE-PHASE INDUCTION-MOTOR, SPEED-CHANGING METHOD AND CONTROL CIRCUIT Inventors: Brian Michael Bird; Gordon Hindle Raweliffe, both of Bristol, England Assignee: National Research Development Corporation Filed: April 26, 1971 Appl. No.: 137,533 (721 (731 (22) (21) [30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 5, 1970 Great Br .-21,653/70 [52] isi] [58] 318/227, 318/230, 318/231 neeHO2p 5/40, 318/138, 227, 230, 231 (56) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,387,195 6/1968 Piccand et al. .rrono318/227 A PHASE) 20-044 SINE 3 puns us) 3,703,672 {451 Nov. 21, 1972 3,247,432 4/1966 Robinson. 3,364,414 1/1968 Paulus 3,493,838 2/1970 Gyugyiet al.......318/227 X 3,536,970 10/1970 Costaet al. 3,611,087 10/1971 Sht \Primary Examiner—Gene Z. Rubinson \Attorney—Larson, Taylor & Hinds [s71 ABSTRACT ‘A method of changing the speed of a three-phase in- ‘duction motor by deriving from the A.C. supply a modulating wave of sub-multiple frequency, deriving ‘therefrom a corresponding rectangular wave, modulat- ing each phase of the supply by three such modulating ‘waves, with the same sequence or opposite sequence to the supply phases. Modulation of the supply is ef- fected by gating thyristors from the modulating waves. By varying the modulation frequency, the motor speed is varied stepwise over a speed range. 16 Claims, 8 Drawing FiguresPATENTED ov 21 i972 3.703.672 SHEET 1 OF 8 Fic.1. PRIMARY 3-PHASE TRANSFORMER Bi~ DIRECTIONAL SWITCH 3-PHASE STAR WINDINGPATENTED NOV 21 72 3.703,672 SHEET 2 OF 8 FiG.2. MAINS Bi-DIRECTIONAL SUPPLY i SWITCHES A 3-PHASE DELTA WINDING t