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US 4,044,618 AGranted
Machine drive mechanism
OwnerAnton Brauninventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerAnton Brauninventor
Estimating the term…
A machine drive mechanism between a power unit and an energy absorbing unit, such as a compressor unit. The power unit may be connected to a crosshead carrying a pair of spaced and inwardly facing racks or to a double rack member and the compressor unit may be connected to one end of a piston-like guide and seal member which, in turn, is pivotally connected to one end of the double rack or the pair of spaced racks. The double rack extends between a pair of pinion gears mounted on fixed shafts and operably engaging the spaced racks and the double rack. When the power unit is directly connected to the energy absorbing device, the spaced racks merely serve as counterbalancing means. The power unit may also be connected by a relatively long unpivoted shaft to the energy absorbing unit either directly or through the racks by a connection providing transverse flexing movement between the double rack and the shaft. A yoke may also be provided between two parallel piston rods with a central connection with the guide and a floating connection with said rods to prevent transfer of transverse vibrations of either to the other. These arrangements give better load distribution between the gear teeth and thus greater strength and better wear.
A machine drive mechanism for use between a power unit and an energy absorbing unit comprising a counterbalancing and floating rack and pinion mechanism between the units including an axially reciprocable guide means, a pair of spaced and rigidly connected gear racks symmetrically spaced with respect to the axis of said guide means and reciprocable thereon, a double rack member extending between and spaced from said gear racks and reciprocable on said axis, one of said pair of spaced gear racks and double rack member being connected to said guide means so as to permit some lateral movement of the double rack member and spaced gear racks with respect to the axis of said guide means, a pair of gears pivoted on fixed pivots with one each of said gears operably engaging one each of the gear racks on said double rack member and said pair of spaced gear racks for causing said pair of spaced racks and double rack to move in opposite directions and means for connecting one of said pair of spaced gear racks and double rack member to a power source, the masses of the oppositely moving elements of the drive mechanism and the reciprocable elements of the power unit and the energy absorbing unit to be connected thereto being substantially equal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.