Pneumatic dental scaler

Dental apparatus comprising:

• means for converting a flow of fluid to an output shaft rotation;
• means for engaging and driving a dental tool, said driving means including a pivotally mounted elongated drive shaft, said drive shaft engaging a tool at its first end, said drive shaft first end being constrained by the pivot mounting to move linearly;
• means for translating said converting means output shaft rotation to periodic movement of said driving means shaft about its pivot mounting, said translating means including an irregularly shaped member mounted on said converting means output shaft for rotation therewith, said translating means further including a contact member extending from the second end of said driving means shaft in juxtapositioned relationship to said irregularly shaped member;
• and
• means resiliently biasing said driving means shaft to a position where there is clearance between said contact member and said irregularly shaped member during rotation of said irregularly shaped member, the application of force to the first end of said diving means shaft overcoming the resilient bias and causing said shaft to pivot whereby the second end of said shaft and said contact member are deflected and the portions of said irregularly shaped member having maximum radius will periodically engage said contact member to thereby urge said drive shaft against the resilient bias to impart vibratory motion to a tool engaged by the first end of said drive shaft.