An improved power converter apparatus
OwnerWilliam R. Stovallinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for converting the power of a reciprocating member to unidirectional rotation of an output shaft. A reciprocator is connected to a coupling shaft so as to rotate the coupling shaft in alternating directions. Gears and clutches driven by the coupling shaft convert the alternating movement of the coupling shaft to unidirectional rotation imparted to the output shaft. In other embodiments, the reciprocator drives coupling shafts which in turn impart alternating movement to clutch assemblies that cooperate to alternately impart unidirectional rotation to the output shaft.
Claims9
A reciprocator drive apparatus, comprising:
- a frame;
- a reciprocator supported on the frame for movement in a first and a second reciprocating direction in a driven position;
- a first coupling shaft rotatingly supported on the frame;
- a second coupling shaft rotatingly supported on the frame;
- first connecting means drivingly connected to the reciprocator and to the first coupling shaft for rotating the first coupling shaft in a first direction of rotation and in a second direction of rotation, generally opposite the first direction of rotation, in response to the movement of the reciprocator, and, the first connecting means drivingly further connected to the second coupling shaft rotating the second coupling shaft in the first direction of rotation and in the second direction of rotation.
A reciprocator drive apparatus, comprising:
- a frame;
- a reciprocator reciprocatingly supported on the frame for movement in a first and a second reciprocating direction in a driven position;
- a first coupling shaft rotatingly supported on the frame;
- first connecting means drivingly connected to the reciprocator and to the first coupling shaft rotating the first coupling shaft in a first direction of rotation and in a second direction of rotation, generally opposite the first direction of rotation, in response to movement of the reciprocator;
- a first clutch means drivingly connected to the first coupling shaft converting the alternating rotation of the first coupling shaft to a first unidirectional output rotation;
- and,
- a first output shaft connected to the first clutch means and unidirectionally rotated in the first unidirectional output direction of rotation by the first coupling shaft via the first clutch means connected between the first coupling shaft and the first output shaft;
- a second coupling shaft rotatingly supported on the frame;
- a second connecting means drivingly connected to the reciprocator and to the second coupling shaft for rotating the second coupling shaft in the first direction of rotation and in the second direction of rotation, generally opposite the first direction of rotation, in response to movement of the reciprocator;
- second clutch means drivingly connected to the second coupling shaft for converting the alternating rotation of the second coupling shaft to a second unidirectional output rotation, generally opposite to the first unidirectional output rotation;
- a second output shaft and unidirectionally rotated in the second unidirectional direction of rotation by the second coupling shaft via the second clutch means connected between the second coupling shaft and the second output shaft;
- output connecting means connecting the first and the second output shaft rotating the first output shaft in the first unidirectional output direction of rotation in response to rotation of the second output shaft in the second unidirectional output direction of rotation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.