Drive with oscillator-coupled transversely moving gear elements
AssigneeConsulier Industries, Inc.
InventorJames E. Shaffer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A worm-like drive mechanism has a plurality of axially-spaced eccentrics rotated by an input shaft located at right angles to an output shaft. A wheel mounted on the output shaft has a circumferential surface with periodic undulations. Oscillators in the form of rollers mounted on pins and captured in respective slots of a fixed carrier are reciprocated through contact with the external surfaces of the eccentrics to cause the undulated surfaces of the wheel to move, thereby driving the output shaft. Contact between the rollers and the eccentrics is achieved through the intermediary of bars which are reciprocated with the rollers.
Claims20
Apparatus for transmitting motion between an input and an output, comprising:
- a first element having a first periodically undulated surface and being adapted to move in a first direction;
- a plurality of second elements, each having a cam surface facing said first surface and each being adapted to move in a second direction tangentially transverse to said first direction;
- oscillator means mounted to simultaneously traverse said first and second surfaces for mechanically coupling said first and second elements by driving one of said first and second surfaces in response to being driven by the other of said first and second surfaces;
- said other of said first and second surfaces being shaped to reciprocate said oscillator means between points of maximum and minimum amplitude when moved in its corresponding one of said first and second directions, and said one of said first and second surfaces being shaped to be moved by said oscillator means in its corresponding other of said first and second directions in response to said reciprocation.
Apparatus for transmitting motion between an input and an output, comprising:
- a first shaft having a first axis;
- a generally circular gear having a first circumferential surface with periodic undulations and being mounted for rotation about said first axis in a first direction on said first shaft;
- a second shaft having a second axis and being mounted transversely to said first shaft;
- a plurality of eccentrics, each having a second circumferential surface, and said eccentrics being mounted in axially-spaced positions for rotation about said second axis in a second direction tangentially transverse to said first direction on said second shaft;
- oscillator means mounted to simultaneously traverse said first and second surfaces for mechanically coupling said first and second shafts by driving one of said gear and eccentrics in response to being driven by the other of said gear and eccentrics;
- one of said first and second surfaces being shaped to reciprocate said oscillator means between points of maximum and minimum amplitude when moved in its corresponding one of said first and second directions, and the other of said first and second surfaces being shaped to be moved by said oscillator means in its corresponding other of said first and second directions in response to said reciprocation.
A gear drive mechanism for transmitting motion between an input shaft and an output shaft, comprising:
- an output shaft;
- a gear having a first circumferential surface with periodic undulations and being mounted for rotation in a first direction on said output shaft;
- an input shaft disposed generally perpendicular to said output shaft;
- a plurality of eccentrics, each having a second circumferential surface and said eccentrics being mounted in axially-spaced, different angularly-oriented eccentricities for rotation in a second direction tangentially perpendicular to said first direction on said input shaft;
- a plurality of roller assemblies positioned to simultaneously traverse said first surface and respective ones of said second surfaces;
- said first and second surfaces and said roller assemblies being relatively dimensioned, configured and adapted so that said roller assemblies will be driven in response to rotation of said eccentrics in said second direction by said input shaft to reciprocate between points of maximum and minimum amplitude, and said reciprocation will cause said roller assemblies to drive said gear in said first direction to rotate said output shaft;
- and
- carrier means for mounting said roller assemblies and for retaining said roller assemblies against movement other than said reciprocal movement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.