Constant force motor

Abstract

A plurality of translation rods are mounted in a cage for pivoting about a common axis and pass through the pivot axis, being at fixed circumferentially spaced positions but movable bidirectionally along their individual axes during rotation about the fixed axis shaft. Cam follower rods pivotably mounted on respective ends of the translation rods are slidable axially relative to their axis and through their pivot axis. The cam follower rods carry rotatable cam followers through tension springs, which normally maintain the cam followers at a predetermined distance from the cam follower rod pivot axis in the absence of cam follower contact with a fixed cam mounted in juxtaposition to the path of the rotation of the translation rods. The major surface of the fixed cam is generally at right angles to the direction of constant forces applied to respective ends of each translation rod. These constant forces applied at the ends of each translation rod, acting in a given fixed direction and in the plane of rod rotation about the common pivot axis, cause the series of translation rods by force imbalance to rotate, thereby moving cam followers on the ends of the cam follower rods periodically into contact with the cams and cause the translation rod to translate while storing and negating a portion of the energy obtained from the forces applied at the translation rod ends during a portion of each rod rotation by extending the springs, thus a torque is generated which rotates the translation rods continuously in a given direction about the common pivot axis. Reciprocating pistons subject on one side to a constant pressure fluid constitute the constant force applying devices for the translation rods.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.