Wedge mechanism

Means to realize a greater mechanical advantage and reduced sensitivity to vibratory environment in a mechanical force and motion transforming wedge mechanism, said mechanism comprising:

• a base member having at least one contact surface;
• a movable wedge member having first and second non-parallel contact surfaces, and first contact surface conforming with an being in surface contact with one of said contact surfaces of said base member;
• an output member having a contact surface conforming with and in surface contact with said second contact surface of said movable wedge member;
• said movable wedge member being capable of being driven simultaneously in relation to both said base member and said output member while maintaining said surface contacts with said base member and said output member thus realizing mechanical force and motion transformations;
• at least one of said surface contacts between the wedge member and the base member or the output member being maintained through a thin constant thickness shim separating said contact surfaces and comprising at least one thin layer of elastomeric material so that the relative motion between the contact surfaces is accommodated by internal shear in said elastomeric layers;
• said thin elastomeric layers having their length l, width w, and thickness t, such that the ratio of l/t is greater than approximately 10 and the ratio of w/t is greater than approximately 10.