Abstract: By providing a plurality of cylindrically shaped tube members nested together in coaxially aligned relationship, with each tube member being connected to a separate and independent control segment, with the control segments being constructed for raising and lowering the associated tube segment, an easily produced, reliable, dependable, and highly portable telescopically extendable and retractable multi-element system is realized. In the preferred embodiment, each control segment incorporates a separate endless loop drive belt which is cooperatively associated with a pair of pulleys mounted at opposed ends of the segment. Furthermore, each control segment is interconnected to the endless loop drive belt of an adjacent segment for causing all of the segments to move simultaneously in response to the initial movement of a first control segment.

Abstract: A power transmission mechanism comprising: a flexible power transmission element; a pair of a drive pulley and a driven pulley on which the flexible power transmission element is wound, each the pulley having a pin-embedding hole formed to extend from the outer circumferential thereof toward the center thereof, and a slit elongated in the circumferential direction of the pulley to extend to opposite sides of the embedding hole and communicating with the embedding hole; and a pair of columnar or tapered anchor pins each having a path hole penetrating the anchor pin across the lengthwise direction thereof to receive the flexible power transmission element inserted therein, wherein each the anchor pin receiving the flexible power transmission element in the path hole thereof is embedded in the embedding hole of the associated pulley under pressure, and the flexible power transmission element is thereby held on the pulley.

Abstract: A three degree-of-freedom robotic manipulator is constructed from three rotary drives. The rotary drive consists of a relatively small diameter cylindrical driving member coupled to a larger diameter cylindrical driven member. The driven member of a second rotary drive is mounted perpendicularly to the driven member of a first drive. The driven member of a third drive is mounted to the periphery of the driven member of the second drive with its axis of rotation parallel to the driven member of the second drive. The driving member of the third drive is located with its axis of rotation coincident with the axis of rotation of the driven member of the second drive. Motors powering the second and third driving members are mounted to the driven member of the first drive roughly centered over its axis of rotation. An extension arm for mounting the end effector is fixed to the driven member of the third drive. This arrangement reduces the number of required components and minimizes motor movement to reduce inertia.