Mechanical actuator

An actuator comprising:

• a member operable by movement in opposite directions to actuate a controlled unit between different positions;
• means yieldingly urging said member in one of said directions;
• and
• a latching mechanism urged by the pressure of a body of fluid to an active condition releasably retaining said member against movement in said one direction by said yielding means;
• said latching mechanism including an element connected to said member for movement therewith and having a first cam surface disposed generally transversely of said one direction but at a slight camming angle, a latch unit engageable with said first cam surface to releasably retain said member against movement in said one direction and mounted for movement generally transversely of said one direction between an active latching position and a released position, said first cam surface being disposed at an angle urging said latch unit toward said released position under the influence of force exerted by said yielding means through said member, and a part which has a second cam surface engaged by said latch unit and which is urged by the force of said fluid in a direction to cam the latch unit toward said active position thereof.

An actuator comprising:

• a member operable by movement in opposite directions to actuate a controlled unit between different positions;
• a spring yieldingly urging said member in a first of said directions;
• a carriage movable in said opposite directions relative to said member and carrying a confined body of fluid;
• a part carried by said carriage for movement therewith and relative thereto and urged by the pressure of said fluid in said first direction relative to the carriage;
• an element carried by said member for movement therewith in said opposite directions;
• a latching unit connected to said carriage for movement therewith in said opposite directions and for movement relative to the carriage transversely of said opposite directions between an active position engaging said element in a relation holding said element and said member against movement in said first direction by said spring, and a released position;
• said element having a first camming surface engaged by said latching unit and disposed generally transversely of said opposite directions but at a slight camming angle acting to urge said latching unit toward released position by the force of said spring;
• said part having a second camming surface engaging said latching unit and urging it toward said active position upon movement of said part in said first direction relative to said carriage by the force of said fluid;
• said camming surfaces being disposed at angles producing a mechanical advantage enabling a relatively small force exerted by said body of fluid to resist a much greater force applied by said spring to said member;
• and
• a manually operated device for shifting said carriage in said opposite directions to vary the position in which said latching unit holds said member against movement in said first direction.

An actuator comprising:

• a member operable by movement in opposite directions to actuate a controlled unit between different positions;
• means yieldingly urging said member in one of said directions;
• and
• a latching mechanism urged by the pressure of a body of fluid to an active condition releasably retaining said member against movement in said one direction by said yielding means;
• said latching mechanism including a latch element for releasably retaining said member against movement in said one direction;
• said actuator including a screw operable to adjust the position of said latch element in essentially said opposite directions to vary the position at which said latching mechanism releasbly retains said member.

An actuator comprising:

• a member operable by movement in opposite directions to actuate a controlled unit between different positions;
• means yieldingly urging said member in one of said directions;
• a releasable latching mechanism including a first element movable in accordance with movements of said member and a second element engageable with said first element to retain said member against movement in said one direction;
• means for shifting said second element in opposite directions to vary the position in which said latching mechanism releasably retains said member;
• and
• shock responsive means operable automatically when subjected to shock forces to release said latching mechanism and permit movement of said member in said one direction by said yielding means.

An actuator comprising:

• a member operable by movement in opposite directions to actuate a controlled unit between different positions;
• means yieldingly urging said member in one of said directions;
• a releasable latching mechanism including a first element movable in accordance with movements of said member and a second element engageable with said first element to retain said member against movement in said one direction;
• and
• means for shifting said second element in opposite directions to vary the position in which said latching mechanism releasably retains said member;
• said shifting means including a screw actuable to move said second element in opposite directions.

An actuator comprising:

• a member operable by movement in opposite directions to actuate a controlled unit between different positions;
• means yieldingly urging said member in one of said directions;
• a releasable latching mechanism including a first element movable in accordance with movements of said member and a second element engageable with said first element to retain said member against movement in said one direction;
• and
• means for shifting said second element in opposite directions to vary the position in which said latching mechanism releasably retains said member;
• said shifting means including a screw operably connected to said second element, and a hand wheel threadedly engaging said screw and operably by rotation to shift the screw and said second element in opposite directions.

An actuator comprising:

• a member operable by movement in opposite directions to actuate a controlled unit between different positions;
• means yieldingly urging said member in one of said directions;
• a releasable latching mechanism including a first element movable in accordance with movements of said member and a second element engageable with said first element to retain said member against movement in said one direction;
• and
• means for shifting said second element in opposite directions to vary the position in which said latching mechanism releasably retains said member;
• said latching mechanism including a carriage movable in opposite directions by said shifting means;
• said second element being connected to the carriage for movement in opposite directions therewith and for movement relative to the carriage to latch and release said member.

An actuator comprising:

• a member operable by movement in opposite directions to actuate a controlled unit between different positions;
• means yieldingly urging said member in one of said directions;
• a releasable latching mechanism including a first element movable in accordance with movements of said member and a second element engageable with said first element to retain said member against movement in said one direction;
• and
• means for shifting said second element in opposite directions to vary the position in which said latching mechanism releasably retains said member;
• said latching mechanism including a carriage movable in opposite directions by said shifting means, and a body of fluid carried by and movable with the carriage and resisting release of the latching mechanism.

An actuator comprising:

• a member operable by movement in opposite directions to actuate a controlled unit between different positions;
• means yieldingly urging said member in one of said directions;
• a releasable latching mechanism including a first element movable in accordance with movements of said member and a second element engageable with said first element to retain said member against movement in said one direction;
• and
• means for shifting said second element in opposite directions to vary the position in which said latching mechanism releasably retains said member;
• said latching mechanism including a carriage movable in opposite directions by said shifting means, and a body of fluid carried by and movable with the carriage and which is pressurized through the latching mechanism by the force of said yielding means, and which urges said second element to an active position retaining said member against movement in said one direction by said yielding means.

An actuator comprising:

• a member operable by movement in opposite directions to actuate a controlled unit between different positions;
• means yieldingly urging said member in one of said directions;
• and
• a latching mechanism urged by the pressure of a body of fluid to an active condition releasably retaining said member against movement in said one direction by said yielding means;
• said yielding means acting through said latching mechanism to produce a momentary increase in pressure in said body of fluid when the latching mechanism is released to permit movement of said member in said one direction;
• said actuator including an accumulator for receiving some of said fluid during said increase in pressure.