Abstract: A robot forearm has a pivotally mounted proximal end, a distal portion axially rotatable with respect to the remainder of the forearm, and a wrist connected to the distal portion and being angularly tiltable with respect thereto. A gear on the distal end of a first output shaft rotatably mounted in the remaining portion of the forearm drives a tilt gear assembly mounted in the distal portion of the forearm to tilt the wrist. A second output shaft concentric with the first shaft is connected to the distal portion of the forearm for imparting rotation thereto. Motors mounted in the forearm are coupled to the ouput shafts through concentric input shafts and harmonic speed reducing drives. The drives are axially spaced and concentric and are coupled to the output shafts by flexible cup-like members. Encoders connected to the second output shaft and the tilt gear assembly encode the position of those elements and produce corresponding feedback signals which are used to control the motors.

Abstract: A robot forearm is counterbalanced by a drive arm. A main arm has two parallel sections whose ends are pivotally connected to the forearm and drive arm to maintain a parallel relationship between the forearm and the drive arm. A medial portion of one main arm section is pivotably mounted on a turntable pedestal. A drive motor and drive system mounted on the drive arm are connected to the other main arm section for moving the drive arm relative to the main arm. The drive system includes a harmonic drive speed reducer.

Abstract: A remote manipulator of the force reflecting servomaster-slave type comprises manipulator elements capable of at least seven distinct motions corresponding to respective degrees of freedom. The manipulator elements include an upper arm journalled in a shoulder assembly and a lower arm operatively connected to the upper arm by an elbow assembly. A gripping device such as a conventional tong is secured to the lower end of the lower arm through a wrist mechanism. Two cooperating motors establish an input output transmission through a differential gear system which permits two motions about axes extending perpendicularly to each other. One axis defines the longitudinal axis of the shoulder assembly. The other axis defines the longitudinal axis of the upper manipulator arm. The parallel drive shafts of the two motors transmit the drive power through parallel gear trains to the differential gear system, whereby coaxial shafts are avoided for the two motions.

Abstract: An articulated master slave manipulator has a lower arm pivoted at a main idler pulley at one end of an upper arm, and a counter-balance mass pivoted at an idler pulley at the other end of the upper arm. A coupling system maintains the angle between the axis of the upper arm and the axes defined by the centers of gravity and the respective main pulleys of the counter-balance mass and the lower arm equal. A flexible, non-stretchable cable or so called tape extends from an actuator pulley on the counter-balance mass, around an auxiliary idler pulley on the counter-balance mass, thence around the main idler pulley and an auxiliary pulley on the lower arm to an output pulley on the lower arm. The actuating pulley, auxiliary pulleys, and output pulley are mounted to have a constant distance between their axes and the axes of the respective main idler pulleys.