Position feedback device for rotatable member

1. An indicator device for sensing an angular position of a rotatable element of a machine, the rotatable element including a cam shaft having a central axis and being pivotable about the axis between first and second angular positions, the shaft being configured to displace a valve between an open position and a closed position as the shaft moves between the shaft first and second positions, the indicator device including:

a first indicator member coupled with the rotatable element such that angular movement of the rotatable element angularly displaces the first member, the first member including a drive pinion gear connected with the cam shaft such that shaft rotation angularly displaces the gear generally about the shaft axis;

a second indicator member coupled with the first member such that the angular movement of the first member linearly displaces the second member, the second member including a rack gear engaged with the pinion gear such that rotation of the cam shaft linearly displaces the rack gear between a first position and a second position; and

a sensor configured to sense at least one of linear position and linear displacement of the second indicator member so as to sense the angular position of the rotatable element.

2. The indicator device as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the second member is coupled with the first member such that linear displacement of the second member is proportional to angular displacement of the first member; and

the sensor is configured to sense an amount of linear displacement of the second member.

3. The indicator device as recited in claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to generate and transmit a signal to a control configured to determine the angular position of the rotatable element from the sensor signal.

4. The indicator device as recited in claim 1 wherein the rotatable element is incorporated into a machine and the indicator device further comprises a base configured to support at least the first and second indicator members and connectable with the machine so as to locate the first member proximal to the rotatable element.

5. The indicator device as recited in claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to sense when the rack gear is disposed at at least one of the first position, the second position, and an intermediate position located between the first and second positions.

6. The indicator device as recited in claim 1 wherein the sensor includes a moveable portion coupled with the rack gear and a fixed portion spaced from the rack gear and configured to sense at least one position of the moveable portion.

7. The indicator device as recited in claim 6 wherein the sensor is a linear variable differential transformer, the sensor moveable portion includes an armature linearly displaceable along an axis, and the sensor fixed portion includes a plurality of coils configured to generate an electrical signal corresponding to each position of the armature on the axis.

8. The indicator device as recited in claim 1 wherein:

at least a portion of the sensor is spaced from the rack gear;

the indicator second member includes an elongated bar connected with the rack gear such that displacement of the rack by an amount of distance displaces the bar by a generally equal amount of distance; and

the sensor is configured to sense one of when at least a portion of the bar is located proximal to the sensor and a position of the bar with respect to the sensor.

9. The indicator device as recited in claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to generate and transmit a signal when the sensor determines that the rack gear is located at at least one of the first and second positions.

10. The indicator device as recited in claim 9 wherein the sensor includes a linear displacement voltage transducer configured to generate a plurality of signals, each signal corresponding to a separate one of the first position, the second position, and a plurality of intermediate positions between the first and second positions.

11. The indicator device as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

an idler pinion gear spaced from the drive pinion gear and engaged with the rack gear; and

a retainer member configured to slidably retain the rack gear and having a bearing surface, the rack gear being disposed generally between the retainer bearing surface and the two pinion gears such that the rack gear slides against the bearing surface while the pinion gear drives the rack gear between the first and second linear positions.

12. The indicator device as recited in claim 11 further comprising a base member connectable with the machine so as to locate the pinion member proximal to the rotatable element and configured to support the pinion gear, the rack gear, the sensor, and the retainer member.

13. The indicator device as recited in claim 1 wherein:

each one of the cam shaft and the pinion gear is angularly displaceable about a separate central axis; and

the indicator device further comprises at least one flexible coupler configured to connect the pinion gear with the cam shaft such that the cam shaft and pinion gear axes are one of collinear, parallel and converging.

14. An indicator device for sensing a valve of a fluid machine, the machine including a casing having at least one interior chamber, a valve controlling flow into the interior chamber, and a rotatable shaft configured to displace the valve between open and closed positions when the shaft moves between first and second angular positions, the valve indicator device comprising:

a first indicator member coupled with the shaft such that angular movement of the shaft angularly displaces the first member;

a second indicator member coupled with the first member such that the angular displacement of the first member linearly displaces the second member, the second member linear displacement being proportional to angular displacement of the first member; and

a sensor for sensing at least one of linear displacement and linear position of the second indicator member so as to sense the position of the valve.

15. The valve indicator device as recited in claim 14 wherein:

wherein the sensor is configured to generate and transmit a signal when the second indicator member is located at at least one predetermined position; and

the valve indicator further comprises a control coupled with the sensor and configured to sense a position of the valve from the sensor signal.

16. The valve indicator device as recited in claim 14 wherein:

the first member includes a drive pinion gear connected with the rotatable shaft such that shaft rotation angularly displaces the gear about the shaft axis; and

the second member includes a rack gear engaged with the pinion gear such that rotation of the shaft linearly displaces the rack gear between a first position and a second position.

17. The valve indicator device as recited in claim 16 wherein the sensor is configured to sense when the rack gear is disposed at at least one of the first position, the second position, and an intermediate position located between the first and second positions.

18. The valve indicator device as recited in claim 16 wherein the sensor includes a moveable portion coupled with the rack gear and a fixed portion spaced from the rack gear and configured to sense at least one position of the moveable portion.

19. The valve indicator device as recited in claim 18 wherein the sensor is a linear variable differential transformer, the sensor moveable portion includes an armature linearly displaceable along an axis, and the sensor fixed portion includes a plurality of coils configured to generate an electrical signal corresponding to each position of the armature on the axis.

20. The valve indicator device as recited in claim 16 further comprising:

an idler pinion gear spaced from the drive pinion gear and engaged with the rack gear; and

a retainer member configured to slidably retain the rack gear and having a bearing surface, the rack gear being disposed between the retainer bearing surface and the two pinion gears such that the rack gear slides against the bearing surface while the pinion gear drives the rack gear between the first and second linear positions.

21. The valve indicator device as recited in claim 20 further comprising a base member configured to support the drive and idler pinion gears, the rack gear, the sensor, and the retainer member, the base member being connectable with the machine casing so as to locate the drive pinion gear proximal to the shaft.

22. The valve indicator device as recited in claim 16 wherein:

each one of the rotatable shaft and the pinion gear is angularly displaceable about a separate central axis; and

the indicator device further comprises at least one flexible coupler configured to connect the pinion gear with the rotatable shaft such that the shaft axis and the pinion gear axis are one of collinear, parallel and converging.

23. The valve indicator device as recited in claim 16 :

wherein the fluid machine further includes a follower configured to displace the valve between the open and closed positions, a cam mounted to the rotatable shaft and configured to drive the follower when the shaft rotates between the first and second shaft positions, an actuator configured to rotate the shaft between the first and second positions, and a control configured to operate the actuator such that the actuator periodically rotatably displaces the shaft to move the valve through a plurality of desired positions within a predetermined period of time; and

the sensor generates and transmits a signal to the control when the rack is located at each one of a plurality of a predetermined positions, the control being further configured to sense valve position from each rack position signal and to adjust actuator operation when the sensed valve position varies from the desired valve position such that the valve is periodically displaced between the open and closed positions within the predetermined time period.

24. The indicator device as recited in claim 23 wherein the fluid machine is a steam turbine having a plurality of valves, a plurality of followers each operatively connected to a separate one of the valves, a plurality of cams mounted to the cam shaft and operatively engaged with a separate one of the followers.

25. A steam turbine comprising:

a casing having at least one interior chamber:

a valve controlling flow into the interior chamber;

a rotatable shaft mounted to the casing and configured to displace the valve between open and closed positions when the shaft moves between first and second angular positions;

a pinion gear coupled with the shaft such that angular movement of the shaft angularly displaces the pinion gear;

a rack gear engaged with the pinion gear such that the angular displacement of the pinion gear linearly displaces the rack gear, the rack gear linear displacement being generally proportional to angular displacement of the pinion gear; and

a sensor for sensing at least one of linear displacement and linear position of the rack gear so as to sense the position of the valve.