Abstract: A plurality of shock absorbers 14 are disposed in parallel to each other in different positions on the left and right in a slide table 13 with push rods 14a for expanding and contracting projecting outside from opposite end faces of the slide table 13 in a moving direction of the slide table 13 and a plurality of stoppers 15 with which the respective push rods 14a collide at stroke ends of the slide table 13 are disposed in such positions at opposite end portions of the rail base 11 to face the respective shock absorbers 14.

Abstract: A piston packing has a mounting surface and a seal surface. The seal surface and the mounting surface are fitted with a head and an annular groove portion, respectively, of a piston.

Abstract: Two rods 2 and 3 disposed in parallel to each other are supported through hydrostatic bearings 8 and 9 on a main body block 1, one end portions of the rods project from opposite faces facing each other of the main body block, and the projecting ends of the rods 2 and 3 projecting from the main body block are respectively fixed to both 15a and 15b of a table 15 surrounding the main body block including the opposite face sides from which the rods project.

Abstract: A piston rod-less linear drive whose housing is provided with a linear guide on which a guide slide runs. The guide slide is drivingly connected by way of a dog with a drive part within the housing. The dog extends through a longitudinal slot in the housing, such slot being so arranged that its plane extends obliquely in relation to a guide plane, which is defined by the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction of the linear guide. Furthermore, a housing is proposed which is particularly suitable for the linear drive.

Abstract: A cylinder tube which is a main part of a rodless cylinder is mounted with stopper members through end plates. The stopper members are provided with adjuster bolts to restrict the moving range of a slide table and shock absorbers to buffer impact given when the slide table collides with the adjuster bolts. The stopper members have inner ports provided at the end plates and outer ports in communication with the inner ports.

Abstract: In a cylinder tube of a rodless cylinder, a bore having an approximately rhombic cross section is formed. The approximately rhombic cross section of the bore has a thickness smaller than a width. There is a fluid bypass passage for centralized piping in the vicinity of the bottom of both sides of the bore in the cylinder tube. In addition, in the vicinity of both sides of the bore at the upper and lower surfaces of the cylinder tube, there are thinned portions.

Abstract: A rodless cylinder comprises a cylinder tube having, at its inside, a piston which is movable back and forth in a longitudinal direction; fluid bypass passages defined at the inside of the cylinder tube to extend in the longitudinal direction; and a pair of head covers installed to ends of the cylinder tube. The head cover has a side surface provided with at least one fluid pressure inlet/outlet port, in and an end surface provided with at least two fluid pressure inlet/outlet port. Further, the head cover is provided with at least four or more fluid pressure inlet/outlet ports.

Abstract: A seal member includes a first seal portion inscribed on the outer circumferential surface of a small projection in an end cover, a second seal portion circumscribed around the inner surface of a cylinder tube, and a size expanded portion continuing from said second seal portion.

Abstract: A drive and guide means for a load to be moved which comprises a rodless drive piston adapted to be driven by a pressure medium in a pressure medium cylinder, such piston having at least one force transmission part extending outward through a longitudinal slot in a wall of such cylinder. A flexible sealing tape for seals off the longitudinal slot on either side of the force transmission part. An anti-friction bearing arrangement serves to take up a load and/or to guide the piston, such anti-friction bearing arrangement being arranged in the housing of the pressure medium cylinder. An anti-friction bearing arrangement is arranged within the cylinder space of the pressure medium cylinder in or on the drive piston. This means that pressure medium cylinders with an extremely small cross section and an extremely simple structure may be produced economically.

Abstract: A linear positioning apparatus has a positioning actuator assembly including a cylinder and movable piston to be used for moving a workpiece or a moveable worktable along a rectilinear path or thrust axis. The apparatus includes at least one stop member adjustably mounted on a support such as a plate or hub. To stop the worktable at a selected stop point, each stop member can be positioned to engage an object, for convenience referred to herein as a bumper, that is connected to the moveable worktable to halt movement when the correct position has been reached. The apparatus includes means such as an actuator operatively associated to provide relative aligning movement between the stop member and bumper for placing the bumper and a selected one of the stop members in alignment with each other. The support for the stop member, e.g., a plate or hub, includes a bore or passage that extends entirely through it for each stop member so that each stop member can project out through both sides of the support.

Abstract: A piston rod-less linear drive whose housing is provided with a linear guide on which a guide slide runs. The guide slide is drivingly connected by way of a dog with a drive part within the housing. The dog extends through a longitudinal slot in the housing, such slot being so arranged that its plane extends obliquely in relation to a guide plane, which is defined by the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction of the linear guide. Furthermore, a housing is proposed which is particularly suitable for the linear drive.

Abstract: A linear drive comprising an elongated housing, whose interior space contains a drive part adapted to move in the longitudinal direction. The housing furthermore has a longitudinal slot, which is provided with a sealing tape extending in the interior space, said tape being lifted clear of the longitudinal slot by at least one guide face arrangement at the drive part. A guided slide is arranged outside the interior space, such slide being coupled with the drive part extending through the longitudinal slot. The guide face arrangement is provided on the drive part and furthermore the part of the entraining member fitting into the receiving socket is in the form of an entraining finger having a free end thereof directed toward the sealing tape.

Abstract: A rodless cylinder includes a cylinder body with a longitudinal bore closed at both ends, a piston which reciprocates inside the bore of the cylinder body, a longitudinal slot along a surface of the body communicating the bore to the exterior of the body, a slide table which is connected by a coupling member extending through the slot to the piston and which moves in conjunction with the piston against the surface of the cylinder body, and sealing members to cover the slot in the cylinder body. A pair of generally V-shaped bearing members, formed from a synthetic resin, are interposed between the slide table and the cylinder body. The bearing members are received in channels formed in the slide table, and receive wedge-shaped distal ends of sidewalls projecting axially upward from the cylinder body, and inwardly toward each other.

Abstract: In a piston rod-less pneumatic cylinder, the longitudinal slot (1) is sealed from the inside on either side of the piston with a sealing tape (3) which exhibits fixing elements (9) that engage a fixing edge (10) provided on the cylinder with a positive fit to secure the sealing tape (3) given an unpressurized interior. This ensures a reliable sealing of the interior even in an unpressurized state, and prevents leaks from starting when a previously unpressurized interior is pressurized.

Abstract: An end-closing structure for a rodless cylinder comprises an end cap and a sleeve. The end cap is fitted and inserted into a bore of a cylinder tube. Further, the sleeve is fitted and inserted into a through hole of the end cap through a hole of the cylinder tube. By means of inserting a spring pin into a hole through a hole, the bore is closed such that ends of the end cap and the cylinder tube are positioned substantially in the same plane surface.

Abstract: An actuator device includes a housing having a bore and an internal moving body movable within the bore in the direction along the center axis of the bore. The housing is composed of two housing members which divide the housing along the center axis. An inner surface which forms a part of the wall of the bore and two slit surfaces on both sides of the inner surface are formed on each of the housing members. When two housing members are coupled to each other by fastening the longitudinal portions of the housing members by end members, two slits extending along the entire length of the housing are defined by the slit surfaces of two housing members. Since the respective housing members have relatively simple cross sectional shapes, the housing members can be easily produced, by an extrusion process or a drawing process, at low cost. Further, since two slits are provided on the housing, an external moving body can be connected to the internal moving body by two driving members.

Abstract: A rodless cylinder is coupled to an elongated base. The construction for coupling the rodless cylinder to the base includes a hollow duct formed in the bottom wall of the base and extending along the entire length of the base. A projection extending along the entire length of the duct is formed on the upper inner wall of the duct when the base and duct are formed by a drawing or extrusion process. After the base is formed, the longitudinal ends of the projection are cut off by a predetermined length from both longitudinal ends of the base. The portions of the duct from which the projections are cut off act as receiving portions into which mounting nuts are inserted, and the end faces of the remaining projection act as stoppers which abut the inserted mounting nuts to position them. The upper walls of the duct above the receiving portions are cut off to form slits opening to the upper face of the base. The slits act as mounting bolt passages of the rodless cylinder.

Abstract: In a piston rod-less pneumatic cylinder, the sealing tape (5) sealing the lateral longitudinal slot (3) from the inside on either side of the piston (2) is held by an outer band (6) covering the longitudinal slot (3) from outside with the cylinder interior (9, 10) in an unpressurized state. To reduce the forces necessary to engage or disengage this fixing joint, fixing elements (16, 17) interact in a purely frictionally engaged manner on the sealing tape (5) and outer band (6).

Abstract: Internal bearing assemblies for a rodless slide assembly. The internal bearing assemblies are positioned in bearing slots which are provided in portions of a transmission bracket and include inner bearing members and outer bearing shell members. Force applied to the internal bearing members causes them to slide up inclined surfaces of the bearing slots. The inner bearing members press against the outer bearing shell members which in turn press against the inner surface of the rodless slide bore. As a result, a radially inward force is applied to the transmission bracket. This radially inward force is transmitted to a saddle and external bearing assembly. The internal bearing assemblies thus hold the saddle against the outer surface of the rodless slide.

Abstract: An inner seal band having flat surfaces on both sides is used for closing a slit formed on the cylinder tube of a rodless cylinder. An internal moving body is disposed in the cylinder tube and moves along the longitudinal axis of the cylinder tube. The inner seal band passes through a channel groove formed on the bottom face of the internal moving body. Thin plate-like abrasion members made of synthetic resin are adhered on the side walls of the channel groove. The abrasion members contact with the edges of the inner seal band and restricts its movement in the transverse direction. Since the abrasion members are separate members from the side walls of the channel groove, a material different from that of the side walls, such as abrasion resistant material can be used for the guide members.

Abstract: A linear guide having a carrier body that can be moved along a guide track is provided having a brake device with brake shoes acting upon the guide track and a piston which is located in a pressure chamber which can be displaced by a pressure medium in the carrier body. The brake device has a spring acting upon the piston. Pressure plates are provided in the carrier body which are pressed against the brake shoes located on the guide track by the spring when the piston is not being subjected to the pressure medium. This results in a linear guide whose carrier body can be mechanically and reliably locked on the guide track in case of emergencies such as pressure medium outages.

Abstract: A rodless cylinder comprises a cylinder tube and guide shafts which are arranged in parallel to one another. The cylinder tube comprises a piston therein which is displaceable in the axial direction. Driving magnets are provided on outer circumference of the piston. A slider, which is displaceable in the axial direction, is provided on the guide shafts. The slider is supported on the guide shafts by the aid of ball bushes. Driven magnets, which correspond to the driving magnets, are provided in a hole of the slider. Inner circumferential surfaces of the driven magnets are slightly separated from an outer circumferential surface of the cylinder tube. Accordingly, it is unnecessary to apply any surface treatment to the cylinder tube, and it is possible to avoid appearance of dust or the like. It is unnecessary to assemble the rodless cylinder with a high degree of accuracy, and thus the production cost can be reduced.

Abstract: A linear drive comprising a housing, which possesses a cylinder barrel having a longitudinal slot. The interior space of such cylinder barrel is closed by closure plugs axially inserted into the interior space. At the region facing the longitudinal slot the closure plug is provided with a flat, at which it engages the internal face of a sealing tape associated with the longitudinal slot in a fashion preventing relative rotation. The closure plug is anchored by a securing pin on the cylinder barrel.

Abstract: A rod-less linear drive whose housing (2) delimits an interior space (4), in which a drive part (5) is located. The housing (2) is provided with a slot-like longitudinal opening (24), which on either side is flanked by a housing limb (25 and 26). An entraining part (35) connected with the drive part (5) projects through the longitudinal opening (24) to the outside, where it is kinematically coupled with a slide (36). The slide is supported by means of a guide means (41) on the housing (2), one of the two housing limbs (26) being extended through and past the longitudinal opening (24) and on the side, facing the other housing limb (26), bears the guide means (41).

Abstract: The elastomer dampers are disposed at both ends of the actuator cylinder in order to stop the piston moving in the cylinder at its stroke ends. The elastomer damper includes a pair of the protruding portions which abut the piston at its stroke end. The protruding portion has an tapered shape in which the cross sectional area thereof gradually decreases from the base to the top. Therefore, when the piston abuts the protruding portions and compresses the protruding portions, the braking force exerting on the piston gradually increases without sudden change. Therefore, the piston decelerates smoothly at its stroke ends. Further, since the top surface of the protruding portion is formed as a flat plane and the top surface is connected to the tapered side surface of the protruding portion by a round surface, no stress concentration occurs at this portion. Therefore, cracks or breakage of the material do not occur in the top surface even after a long operating time of the actuating cylinder.

Abstract: A brake for linear movement devices comprising a device. The brake means includes a bar which extends parallel with the path of movement of the device and which accommodates a pressurizable hose-like element that extends along the bar. The invention is characterized by a slat spring accommodated in the bar and extending on one side of the hose-like element, a brake disposed along the slat spring and movable transversely to the longitudinal direction of the hose-like element and the spring and located adjacent one longitudinally extending edge of the spring, for movement transversely to the longitudinal direction and essentially in the plane of the spring when the hose-like element is placed under pressure and the spring is flexed outwardly. The brake also includes a slide shoe which is guided in the rail and connected to the device and actuable by the brake device that is movable towards the slide shoe.

Abstract: A cylinder tube is formed in an integrated manner on a base with a support rib intervening therebetween. A slider is displaced in accordance with a displacement action of a piston which is slidable in the cylinder tube. Since the cylinder tube is supported by the support rib, there is no fear of warpage even when the cylinder tube is lengthy. Therefore, the displacement range of the slider is enlarged.

Abstract: A device in an end wall (3) of a pressure fluid cylinder (1) of the kind including a cylinder tube (2), which is provided with a longitudinal slot and having a transfer means for transferring a movement from a moveable piston (11) inside the cylinder through the slot, and which is sealed by at least an inner (4) sealing band, wherein the device is arranged for fastening the end of the sealing band (4) in the cylinder end wall (3). The invention is distinguished by the end wall (3) being provided with an axially extending recess (5), which includes a first portion (9) adapted for axial reception of the inner sealing band and a second portion (10) for axial reception of a screw (6), said screw being adapted to engage with part of its thread a sealing band (4) which is inserted into the recess (5).

Abstract: Pressure fluid cylinder including a slot type cylinder tube which is shielded and sealed by an outer (11) and an inner (10) sealing band, a piston (2,5) which is arranged inside the tube and a transfer means (3) for transferring the movement of the piston to the outside of the cylinder tube. The invention is distinguished by the piston comprising a central body (2) and two piston end units (5) which surround the respective end thereof and support directly against the body, said units comprising guide elements (17) for the piston inside the cylinder, and by each piston end unit (5) comprising an integral piston sealing member seat (7).

Abstract: A fluid pressure cylinder of the kind including a cylinder tube (23) with a slot and being shielded and sealed by an outer (11) and an inner (10) sealing band and with a cylinder bore (23') and a piston (2,5) which is movably arranged inside the tube and a transfer means (3) for transferring the piston movement through the slot to means (4) at the outside of the cylinder tube, wherein the piston comprises a seat (7) for a piston sealing member (6). The piston comprises a central body (2) and two piston end units (5) surrounding the respective end of the piston body and lying (17) against the cylinder bore, wherein each piston end unit (5) is fitted with play (s) onto the body (2) in order to allow a relative movement between these elements in directions essentially perpendicular to the cylinder axis.

Abstract: A device in an end wall (3) of a fluid pressure cylinder (1), of the kind including a cylinder tube (2) which is provided with a longitudinal slot through which a transfer element is arranged to transfer movement from a piston being moveable inside the cylinder and which is sealed through at least an inner (8) sealing band, said device being arranged for fastening of the inner sealing band (8) in the cylinder end wall, is distinguished by a fastening unit (4) which is insertable and lockable inside a cavity in the end wall (3) and which is comprised of a profile body (4) having a clamping jaw (5) for holding the inner band (8), said jaw being displaceable by deformation (at 6) and being arranged to co-operate with a first tightening screw (10) for obtaining the displacement.

Abstract: An end cover and a coupler, which construct a load-absorbing mechanism, make sliding displacement in a state of relative surface-to-surface contact respectively. Thus, the load, which is exerted in the horizontal and vertical directions, in the rotational direction about the axis, in the rotational direction about the perpendicular to the axis, and in various directions given by combining these directions in a complex manner, is absorbed.

Abstract: A rodless power cylinder includes a tube having an oblong circular cross section bore and a slit extending along the longitudinal axis of the bore and penetrating the wall of the tube. The bore includes a slit-side inner surface on which the slit opens and a counter-slit-side inner surface which opposes the slit-side inner surface. The slit-side inner surface of the bore is formed as a flat plane or a curved plane having substantially no curvature. Further, recesses are formed on the slit side inner surface at both sides of the slit. The surfaces of the recesses are formed as curved planes having a curvature larger than the curvature of the slit-side inner surface. An inner seal band made of a flat, thin metal band is provided to seal the opening of the slit. The seal band contacts the surface of the recess at its transverse edges. Therefore, a good sealing capability is achieved by the contacts between the surfaces of the recesses and the edges of the seal band.

Abstract: A slot bearing assembly for a member moveable relative to a slot such as a carrier for a slotted rodless cylinder in which the slot bearing is allowed to float relative to the moveable carrier.

Abstract: A rodless power cylinder assembly comprising a cylinder having a pair of side walls, at least two bearing grooves being formed in each of the side walls, each bearing groove extending substantially parallel to a bore. Each bearing groove is operative to receive at least a portion of a bearing which engages a trolley assembly. A slot extends outwardly from the bore through the upper surface of the cylinder. Means are provided for sealing the slot during the reciprocal movement of the piston, the means including at least one external groove formed in the upper surface of the cylinder and at least one internal groove formed in the bore of the cylinder, the internal groove being disposed substantially below and in vertical alignment with the external groove.

Abstract: The slide unit includes a rodless power cylinder having a cylinder tube. End caps are attached to both ends of the cylinder tube. A slit extending in parallel with the axis of the cylinder tube is formed on the wall of the cylinder tube. A piston is disposed in the bore of the cylinder tube and is movable along the slit. An external carriage is connected with the piston by a yoke extending through the slit. An inner seal band and an outer seal band extending along the slit for closing the opening of the slit from the inside and outside, respectively, are provided. The ends of the inner seal band and the outer seal band are inserted into corresponding recesses formed on each of the inner end faces of the end caps. A pin hole crossing the recesses and extending to the upper face of each end cap is provided. A fitting hole is disposed on each end of the inner seal band and the outer seal band at the position corresponding to the pin hole.

Abstract: A rodless cylinder rope tensioning apparatus maintains tension in an endless rope system operable for threading a web in a paper-making apparatus and includes at least one rodless cylinder having at least one yoke sheave attached to the internal piston in the rodless cylinder. A rope is stretched around an entry guide roller and the yoke sheave and is stretched by operation of the rodless cylinder, which selectively causes the piston to relocate the yoke sheave along the length of the rodless cylinder and apply a selected degree of tension to the rope. In a preferred embodiment a pair of entry guide rollers is provided in a frame containing a pair of parallel rodless cylinders, each having a yoke sheave independently movable along the respective rodless cylinder by operation of the corresponding rodless cylinder piston, to effect tensioning of a pair of ropes in the paper-making apparatus.

Abstract: Internal bearings for a rodless piston assembly. The internal bearings are seated on inclined rail structures of a transmission bracket. Force applied to the internal bearings causes them to slide up the inclined rail structures and press against the inner surface of the rodless piston bore. As a result, a radially inward force is applied to the transmission bracket. This radially inward force is transmitted to a saddle and external bearing assembly. The internal bearings thus hold the saddle against the outer surface of the rodless piston cylinder. Piston elements for rodless piston assemblies are movably coupled to the transmission brackets so that the piston elements float with respect to the transmission bracket. The floating piston elements can self-align with the rodless piston bore.

Abstract: According to the rodless power cylinder of the present invention, a pressure relieving passage which opens to the space between the inner seal band and the outer seal band at one end, and to the outside of the cylinder barrel at the other end is provided in the end cap of the cylinder barrel. Further, a cap cover is provided on the end cap. The cap cover includes a valve element portion which resiliently fits into the end of the relieving passage opening to the outside. When the pressure in the space between the seal bands increases to a predetermined level due to leak of the inner seal band, the valve element opens outward due to the pressure in the relieving passage to allow the fluid in the space to escape to the outside. Thus, the pressure in the space between the seal bands are kept at a low level even if a leak in the inner seal band occurs and, thereby, a blow off of the outer seal band and damage to the rodless power cylinder is prevented.

Abstract: A linear pneumatic actuator stopping and positioning apparatus has a pneumatic actuator connected to a worktable for moving the worktable along a rectilinear path as well as a selector shaft that is mounted for rotational indexing movement at one side of the actuator and is operatively associated with one or more extendible stop arms for selecting a stop arm located at a selected stop point so as to contact the worktable and stop the movement of the worktable at the stop point selected. The shaft can be mounted to allow it to be shifted along its own central axis for moving one or more sleeve members that are connected to the shaft a short distance for extending a stop arm to an operating position. In one form, a stop arm actuator and locking bar is positioned to be engaged by the sleeve and to press the stop arm to its extended position.

Abstract: In a rodless cylinder unit with brake, which comprises a sliding table slidably held on a cylinder tube, brake bands inserted into the sliding table and both ends thereof fixed on both ends of the cylinder tube, and said sliding table provided with a brake for squeezing the brake bands, a slit with open upper end is formed on a side of the rodless cylinder of the cylinder tube, an air supply tube is accommodated in the slit, one end of the air supply tube is connected to the sliding table, and the other end of the air supply tube is connected to an end of the cylinder tube. When the air for brake release is supplied to the brake through the air supply tube, the brake is released, and the sliding table becomes movable. When the sliding table is moved, the air supply tube accommodated in the slit is overlapped or not overlapped with very low friction depending upon the moving direction of the sliding table.

Abstract: A linear actuator comprising a guide section formed along a longitudinal direction to protrude on a bottom surface of a slide table, a pair of guide blocks formed mutually opposingly and seperated from each other by a predetermined spacing distance on an upper surface of the main cylinder body, attachment holes for attaching the main cylinder body to another member in any direction of attachment from a side of the slide table or from a side of the main cylinder body, and an adjuster bolt for adjusting an amount of displacement of the slide table.

Abstract: In a rodless cylinder device, an inside moving unit is slidably inserted in a cylinder and an outside moving unit is slidably inserted on the cylinder, the inside and outside moving units being magnetically coupled. The inside moving unit has inner sliding guide rings on the two opposite ends with an inside magnet device disposed therebetween. A sealing ring or packing is provided between the inside magnet device and one of the inner sliding guide rings in such a manner that a grease retaining space is formed between the packing and the inner sliding guide ring. While the outside moving unit is moved together with the inside moving unit under the magnetic coupling force between the two moving units, the packing is lubricated by grease supplied from the grease retaining space, whereby the lubricating performance of the rodless cylinder is improved.

Abstract: A hydraulic actuator is described which has a layered structure and a flattened piston assembly to enhance production speed and reduce the costs of assembly. A system for performing surgery is also described incorporating the hydraulic actuator, having a sensory glove, a computer, and a slender robot manipulator which can be inserted into the human body through a small incision. The robot manipulator has a layered structure with integrated hydraulic pistons. This design allows the use of a novel manufacturing process in which all of the parts are formed from laminated sheets of material. Seals are formed to prevent leakage of hydraulic fluid by introducing castable rubber into enclosed channels in the structure.

Abstract: To reliably seal an elongated slit (8) passing through an essentially tubular guide body (6) against contamination by dirt, machine cutting chips and the like, while permitting passage of a movable projecting element through the slit, a cover tape (14) is placed over the slit, but removable therefrom. The cover tape (14) is locked to the guide body (6) by a releasable locking arrangement which includes interengaging, interlocking projection (26) and recess (35) means, located at the sides of the tape (14) on the guide body (6), respectively. The projection means is formed by a headed elongated rib (27), preferably located on the guide body, and the recess means (35) are formed by a groove between a pair of laterally deflectable lips (36, 37), which can snap over the head portion (28) of the rib for positive engagement, while requiring only little force to lift them off the head portion.

Abstract: According to the rodless power cylinder of the present invention, plug members are inserted in the bore of the cylinder barrel. A slit is provided on the cylinder barrel and extending in parallel to the axis of the cylinder barrel. A piston is disposed in the bore of the cylinder barrel and is movable along the slit. An external carriage which is connected with the piston by a yoke extending through the slit is provided. An inner seal band which closes the inner opening of the slit is disposed in the cylinder barrel along the slit. The ends of the inner seal band are clamped between the securing screws and the shank of the plug members, The securing screw extends through the slit from a fitting plate disposed on the outer wall of the cylinder barrel. The fitting plate is secured to the outer wall of the cylinder barrel by mounting bolts threaded into the plug members through the slit. Therefore, the inner seal band and the outer seal band can be secured without any machining of the cylinder barrel.

Abstract: A positioning device having a high rigidity and smooth positioning characteristics. The positioning device holds a piston formed integrally with a table within a cylinder and has pressure-adjusting elements in two pressurizing chambers in the cylinder partitioned with the piston. A gas is ejected into a clearance between the piston and the cylinder to hydrostatically support the piston. The emitted gas is introduced into the two pressurizing chambers to drive the piston and the table by the pressure difference between the pressurizing chambers. The pressure-adjusting elements include nozzles for emitting the gas in the pressurizing chambers and pressure-adjusting bodies for changing the opening degree of the ejecting port of the nozzles.

Abstract: The linear actuating device of the present invention has a rodless power cylinder unit with a cylinder barrel. An external carriage is disposed on the cylinder barrel and is movable along the axis of the cylinder barrel. A base on which a guide rail is mounted is provided. A slide table is driven by the external carriage of the rodless power cylinder unit and guided by the guide rail. According to the present invention, the external carriage is disposed on the side of the cylinder barrel facing the guide rail. This construction allows the external carriage and the slide table to be accommodated within the height of the cylinder barrel. Therefore, the height of the linear actuating device as a whole can be reduced to substantially the same as the height of the cylinder barrel.

Abstract: A coupling device for linear drives for linking a drive part performing a linear movement in an axial direction with a guide part guided for longitudinal movement on a longitudinal guide parallel to the direction of movement. A force input part connected with the drive part and a force output put part connected with the guide part are provided, the force input part and the force output part being coupled together kinetically by means of an intermediately placed link member. As a link member and a elongated or longitudinal spring member is provided which is able to be bent in at least one transverse direction in a resiliently elastic manner and is non-yielding in its longitudinal direction, said spring member being aligned at least substantially in the axial direction. It is secured at a first connection point to the force input part and at a second connection point spaced from the first connection is connected with the force output part, in each case non-movably in the axial direction.

Abstract: A double-acting pneumatic cylinder is characterised by the provision of a pair of sealing elements respectively located on either side of the piston by means of rods slidably mounted in longitudinal bores formed in the piston. At the commencement of the cylinder's in-stroke, the rod and its associated sealing element is in an extended position and serves to seal off the main exhaust port while the piston is still relatively distantly located from the end of its in-stroke. During further in-stroking the piston, air can therefore exhaust only through the auxiliary exhaust port and the motion is thus cushioned. The out-stroke of the cylinder is similarly cushioned over a relatively large distance by virtue of the sealing element adopting an extended position and closing off the main exhaust port, the air exhausting through the auxiliary exhaust port.