Abstract: A manipulator device particularly adapted for deep-sea, submersible use utilizes a human-like arm and a novel shoulder arrangement mounted on a base through a base pivot. The manipulator is hydraulically powered and a hydraulic manifold forms a body of the shoulder arrangement and is situated adjacent an azimuth control actuator, an elbow control actuator and an upper arm control actuator all mounted to the body and rotatable with the body about the base pivot. The arm includes an upper arm swingably connected to the shoulder via the upper arm control actuator and a forearm swingably connected to the upper arm at an elbow joint and controlled by the elbow control actuator. A wrist assembly and appropriate actuators are mounted to a distal end of the forearm and a gripper assembly and associated actuators are connected to a distal end of the wrist assembly.

Abstract: Tool-holder B f6r gripping and changing tools for an industrial robot suitable for fixing to a rotary wrist-joint (5) of a robot arm, intended to carry one tool at a time. This tool-holder B comprises an upstream part C able to be fixed to the wrist-joint (5), a downstream part D able to be fixed to a tool (E1, . . . ) and remaining integral with the latter at each tool change, the two parts C and D being equipped with additional means for assembly and for rapid locking as well as unlocking and with detachable connectors (28, 32; 29, 37) for supplying the tool (E1) with fluid and electricity, the upstream part C containing a jack (7, 22) capable of displacing the locking and unlocking components (25, 41, 42, 14, 15, 16), and the downstream part D can be arranged in a tool magazine with the associated tool. The one-piece nature of the tool gripped in the tool-holder B ensures ease and speed of the robot's arm movements in space, maximum robot reliability, as well as rapid and powerful locking and unlocking.

Abstract: An arrangement in an industrial robot for driving translatory motion of a unit which is mounted in a gimbal-type suspension having two mutually perpendicular axes. A motor with associated resolver is mounted in the pivotable frame of the gimbal-type suspension, the frame being capable of being swung in one direction. The motor drives a pinion which meshes with a rack by a shaft, the shaft also constituting one journal of the machine part in which the translatorily movable machine part is movably arranged. The shaft is rotatably journalled to both the frame and the machine part through each of its bearings.

Abstract: A robot toy includes a movable arm which is constituted of alternatingly interconnected three first members and three second members. The first member has a first rotating unit for moving the adjacent second member about its longitudinal axis, and the second member has a second rotating unit for rotating the first member about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The transmission system for transmitting the output motion of a motor to the arm includes a plurality of transmission cords which are made of metal wires twisted together for the transmission along long transmission lines.

Abstract: A flexible wrist mechanism for industrial robots, manipulators and the like, the wrist mechanism having in series two or more wrist articulates each consisting of at least a first wrist element located on a drive side and a second wrist element located on a driven side swingably relative to the first wrist element, characterized in that the wrist mechanism includes a coupling shaft disposed perpendicular to the axes of the first and second wrist elements and connecting the first and second elements pivotally relative to each other; a reducer interposed between the second wrist element and the coupling shaft to restrict the pivoting angle of the second wrist element relative to the first wrist element; and a rotation transfer mechanism rotationally connecting the coupling shafts of adjacent wrist articulates.

Abstract: A joint type robot comprises a fixed bed, a swivel base on the fixed bed, a motor base on the swivel base, an upper arm capable of elevating on the motor base, a front arm capable of elevating at the tip of the upper arm, a wrist at the tip of the front arm, and so forth. The upper arm extends rearward beyond the center axis of rotation of its elevating motion. The rearwardly extending portion can enter a notch of the motor base. A driving motor for turning the swivel base is disposed at a position deviated from the center axis of rotation and in parallel with the center axis of rotation. The pair of driving motors for the upper and front arms are mounted on the motor base parallel to each other yet oriented in opposite directions to keep the robot as small as possible. The wrist driving motors are mounted on the upper arm in similar fashion. All the features of the robot are designed to keep the robot as small and as light as possible.

Abstract: Movable link device with a plurality of freedom degrees between a carrier element (manipulator arm or the like) and a carried element (tool, and particularly gripping tool). The device comprises a support frame (1) adapted to be secured to the carrier element, a movable frame (2) to which the carried element is fixed, a plurality of jacks (5, 6, 7, 7', 8) arranged between the support frame (1) and the movable frame (2) so as to maintain the latter with respect to the former in a relative position as a function of the deformation states of said jacks, and remote control means (13) to control the jacks and comprising a variable capacity tank associated to each jack and forming therewith a closed fluid circuit. The invention is applicable to robotics in order to move a member with high power and precision.

Abstract: An industrial robot comprising: a base; a stand rigidly erected on the base; a shoulder securely mounted on the stand; a first arm consisting of upper and lower levers with the base portion pivoted to the shoulder so that the arm can be turned about a first vertical axis; a second arm having its one end pivoted to the other end of the first arm between the upper and lower levers so that the second arm can be turned about a second vertical axis; a vertically movable shaft so supported by the second arm as to allow the linear movement of the shaft along a third vertical axis; a rack parallel to the vertically movable shaft; a guide means for guiding the rack relative to the second arm in only the vertical direction; a coupling means for connecting the vertically movable shaft and the rack at their both ends; a first drive means secured to the shoulder to rotate, through a first power transmission means, the first arm about the first vertical axis; a second drive means secured to the shoulder to rotate, through

Abstract: A hydraulic snubber suitable for a skidding grapple or the like in which a twisted figure eight housing is provided to oppose free swinging in two mutually perpendicular horizontal directions, each portion of the figure eight body having a cylinder housing a rotor with each rotor and cylinder having radially extending vanes equipped with flexible, orifice equipped vane extensions.

Abstract: A robot assembly includes a support for mounting at least two arm portions and a wrist portion about an upright axis. The wrist has three axes of movement that are mutually perpendicular, and they are controlled by a single motor through an arrangement of electromagnetic clutches and gears so that one motor controls movement about all three axes of movement of the wrist. Additionally, gear drives are used for other movements on the robot arm to provide movement about seven independent axes in the arrangement shown with only two drive motors.

Abstract: A modular, multi-configuration robotics system having basic interchangeable component parts including a base (10), turret (110), rails (20), mounting blocks (30), motors (80), arm links (60) as the primary components and also including bearings (180), pillow blocks (170), gears (176, 178), various shafts, pulley, belts, electronic controller and optical encoders (184) as additional essential component parts. The system is intended as a tutorial device in the field of educational robotics.

Abstract: A setting device for the conformal positioning of, for instance, a working member on a robot, has a driving motor and a reduction gearing. The latter consists of at least one spindle drive which moves a steel band or the like which is disposed around the take-off shaft and which is pretensioned against the torque applied by the tensioning means. The pretensioning can be applied by a spindle drive opposingly running in the same direction. Furthermore or alternatively it is possible to apply the pretensioning by spring force which acts on the steel band or steel bands.

Abstract: The robot articulation device includes a first arm pivoted on a support stand for rotation about a first axis and a second arm is pivotally mounted on the free end of the first arm for rotational movement about a second axis. The first and second axes may be vertically or horizontally disposed. Opposed recessed are located in the first and second arms concentric with the second axis and a sleeve secured to one of the arms extends into the recess in the other arm. A projection is secured to the other arm and extends into the sleeve and bearings are disposed between the projection and the sleeve and the sleeve and the recess, respectively. A gear reduction unit is located in the other recess and is provided with an input shaft which may be driven from a drive motor mounted on the support stand.

Abstract: A robot joint includes an electric drive motor and step-down transmission ranged in a tubular inner part. The output of the step-down transmission is coupled to a tubular outer part coaxially surrounding the inner part. The outer part is guided on the inner part by bearings. The joint can be disassembled axially after screw connections holding the tubular parts together are loosened.

Abstract: A novel mechanical hip joint for attaching a robotic leg to a body member is described, which comprises, a housing adapted for connection to the body member, a spherical socket defined within the housing, a ball joint received by the socket for rotational movement about a first horizontal axis, a bearing member rigidly interconnecting the leg and the ball joint and presenting a bearing surface confronting the housing and socket, and a motor interconnecting the housing and bearing surface for selectively imparting rotary movement to the leg, about a second horizontal axis transverse of said first axis, between first and second angular limits.

Abstract: A robot system is disclosed comprising a robot having a plurality of articulated members, actuator jacks for effecting movements (locomotion or other operations) of the articulated members, and a data processing unit controlling the jack actuators. One articulated member is pivotally mounted about three separate axes intersecting at a first fixed point. Two jack actuators are provided for the one articulated member. Two ball joints articulate the jack actuators to the one articulated member about two points separate from and out of alignment with the first fixed point and two other ball joints articulate the jack actuators about respective second and third points also separate from and out of alignment with the first fixed point. The one articulated member comprises a perpendicular plate, the two points articulated to the jack actuators being disposed at the plate and the axes of the two jack actuators lying in mutually perpendicular planes.

Abstract: A robot arm with upper and lower arm sections having shoulder, elbow and wrist joints. The shoulder joint is triaxial having a sweep axis, a swivel axis and a roll axis, the three axes being mutually perpendicular and intersecting at a point. The elbow joint has a single extension axis parallel to the swivel axis of the shoulder joint. The wrist joint has a pitch axis parallel to the elbow extension axis. Wrist roll motion is provided by roll motion of the shoulder joint so that the robot wrist may have low mass.

Abstract: A manipulator apparatus comprises an elongated member having a number of arm sections interconnected by rotary actuators and supported by a vertical member rotatably mounted on a console. The other end of the elongated member terminates in a terminal motion actuator adapted to support an article handling member. Each rotary actuator comprises a stepping motor coupled to a harmonic drive device, wherein control pulses fed into the stepping motor will initiate motion which is reduced by the harmonic drive device and then imparted to the respective arm section. The vertical member is similarly controlled. The terminal motion actuator comprises a stepping motor rotatably supported by a rotary actuator comprising a combination of a stepping motor and a harmonic drive device. The terminal motion actuator has mounting means for supporting article handling members. The vertical member is rotatably supported in such manner that free play is totally eliminated.

Abstract: A flexible arm particularly a robot arm comprising a plurality of elements arranged in a series with adjacent elements in abutting relationship, said elements being interconnected via cables and if desired a power transferring actuating device. The arm has very good rigidity in the bending plane of each element and high torsional resistance together with low manufacturing costs. Each element is designed with opposed single or double-curved segments, or flat surfaces, or combinations thereof with the curved surfaces of each segment engaging the curved or flat surfaces of the adjacent segments, whereby the elements when actuated by the power transferring device have a rolling motion relative to each other.

Abstract: A joint device has each of its arms jointed at joint sections arranged at front and back ends thereof. The arms are allowed at the joint section to move relatively in two directions perpendicular to each other. Semi-circular guide members are rotatably attached to support member of each of arm by pins at each of the joint sections. The guide members of adjacent arms are fixed with their rotation axes directed substantially perpendicular to each other. A driving structure for driving one of these guide members around the rotation axis of the other is arranged to the support member of an arm adjacent to the arm to which the guide member is attached. When the guide member is driven by means of the driving structure, the support member on which the driving structure is arranged is rotated relative to the guide member. As the result, the whole of the arm is rotated.