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US 4,455,094 AGranted
Motion apparatus
OwnerRobert G. Russellinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerRobert G. Russellinventor
Estimating the term…
Apparatus is provided for moving an object in an oscillatory manner and in an arcuate path through the use of a fluid. The apparatus basically includes a hollow member or elongate tube having a curved portion and means for supplying fluid in pulses or at an increasing rate and then at a decreasing rate of flow to the tube on one side of the curved portion. The change in velocity of the fluid and the rate of change cause the movement of the tube due to inertia and, to a lesser extent, friction of the moving fluid within the tube. The density of the fluid also has a substantial effect on the movement of the tube, although gas alone will cause movement. The object to be moved is engagable by the tube and is usually supported by it. The object moved by the tube and fluid can take many forms, including signs, ornaments, figures, chimes, and clock dials.
Apparatus for moving an object in an arcuate path, said apparatus comprising an object, an elongate tube having a generally U-shaped portion, said U-shaped portion being engagable with and supporting said object, means for supporting said elongate tube for pivotal movement in an arcuate path, and means for supplying fluid in pulses to said elongate tube on one side of said U-shaped portion with the fluid moving toward said U-shaped portion when entering said tube to cause said object and said U-shaped portion to move together back and forth in the arcuate path.
Apparatus for moving an object is an oscillatory manner in an arcuate path, said apparatus comprising an elongate tube having two ends and a non-lineal portion therebetween with the non-lineal porton being engagable with the object, means movably supporting at least one end portion of said elongate tube on one side of said non-lineal portion to enable said non-lineal portion to move in an arcuate path, and means for supplying fluid intermittently at an increasing rate of flow and then at a decreasing rate of flow to said elongate tube on one side of said non-lineal portion with the fluid moving toward said non-lineal portion when entering said elongate tube and as the rate of flow increases to cause said U-shaped portion and said object to move together in an arcuate path.
A clock comprising an elongate hollow member having end portions and a lower curved portion, means movably supporting said end portions, a supporting member carried by the curved portion of said hollow member, a rotatable hour-indicating member, a rotatable minute-indicating member, means supporting said rotatable members in parallel relationship from said supporting member, means for supplying fluid intermittently to at least one end portion of said hollow member with the fluid moving toward said curved portion when entering said hollow member, means for rotating said minute-indicating member relative to said supporting member at a predetermined rate, and means for rotating said hour-indicating member relative to said supporting member at a predetermined rate as said supporting member and said rotatable members move in an arcuate path with said hollow member under the influence of the supplied fluid.
A clock comprising an elongate pendulum member having an upper end portion and a lower portion, means pivotally supporting the upper end portion of said elongate member, means for swinging said elongate pendulum member to and fro, a rotatable minute-indicating member, a rotatable hour-indicating member, means rotatably supporting said rotatable members in parallel relationship from said elongate member, means for rotating said minute-indicating member relative to said supporting means at a predetermined rate, means for rotating said hour-indicating member relative to said supporting means at a predetermined rate, said supporting means comprising said lower portion of said elongate member being curved, and a supporting member carried by said curved portion of said elongate member and rotatably supporting said minute-indicating member and said hour-indicating member.
A clock comprising an elongate pendulum member having an upper end portion and a lower portion, means pivotally supporting the upper end portion of said elongate member, means for swinging said elongate pendulum member to and fro, a rotatable minute-indicating member, a rotatable hour-indicating member, means rotatably supporting said rotatable members in parallel relationship from said elongate member, means for rotating said minute-indicating member relative to said supporting means at a predetermined rate, means for rotating said hour-indicating member relative to said supporting means at a predetermined rate, said pendulum swinging means comprising said elongate pendulum member being hollow and of generally U-shaped configuration, and fluid-supply means for supplying fluid to an end portion of said hollow member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.