Torque Motor

Elliott
276/2
Serial 771
Development Model

This item was in the Elliott Collection Ref: 2017

The Torque Motor is the interface between the Autopilot or Autostabiliser system and the hydraulic power actuators that operate the flying surfaces. The Torque Motors position the piston of a secondary hydraulic servo-valve which in turn drives the main actuator servo. These little motors have limited movement but operate accurately and constantly when the systems are engaged.

In the autostabilisation mode a differential linkage adds these signals to those of the pilot, but the differential is locked under autopilot command and the pilot's controls are moved by the ram output, keeping the system in trim. The loop is closed electrically by a position transmitter on the output which is fed back to the Autopilot/Autostabiliser amplifier. Elliotts made torque motors for their Autopilot and Autostabiliser systems for example on the Lightning and later the VC10.

This item may have been designed for the Lightning Autostabiliser.