Oppositely Movable Walls Of Common Chamber (50) (75) Patents (Class 92/69R)
  • Patent number: 6016737
    Abstract: The present invention is for a means for transmission of force whereby linear movement is transferred into rotating movement or reverse. The invention is primarily intended to be used by combustion engines. The invention is for a means to transmit force between a forward and backward movement and a rotating movement by means of a ballbearing which runs in several tracks comprising a ball which is surrounded by ballholder which is fixed onto a piston rod for each respective ball or corresponding device for transmission of the linear movement. Fixed connected to each piston (4,5) is a piston rod (6,7) which in its opposite end has a holding device (17,18) for the ball (15,16) through which the force from the forward and backward movement is transmitted to the rotating disc (13). The balls (15,16) also serve as bearing between the stationary disc (8) and the rotating disc (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Gul & Co Development AB
    Inventor: Gunnar Leijonberg
  • Patent number: 6003432
    Abstract: An actuator including a jack having first and second pistons engaging a control rod, particularly for rotating the shaft of a fraction-of-a-turn plumbing device. The actuator can also include energy storage cartridges and/or damping members placed between the pistons. The energy storage cartridges can engage the first piston on one side and the second piston on the opposite side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: KSB S.A.
    Inventor: Rene Laulhe
  • Patent number: 5950427
    Abstract: An electro-hydraulic valve actuator comprising an actuator casing; a piston/rack means in the casing having walls reciprocating linearly to effect linear movements, the reciprocating walls defining a center chamber therebetween and two outside chambers inside the casing; an output shaft in communication with the piston/rack means for driving a valve, the output shaft effecting rotational movements in response to the linear movements of the piston/rack means; resilient return means in each of the two outside chambers engaging the reciprocating walls of the piston/rack means and inner end walls of the casing, the resilient return means biasing the reciprocating walls of the piston/rack means to a closed position; a pumping means; a primary internal flow path for transferring hydraulic fluid from the pumping means to a first output port and into the center chamber, the hydraulic fluid in the center chamber causing the piston/rack means to expand in the casing to transmit the linear movements to the output shaft;
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Worcester Controls Licensco, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul D. Demerjian, Jr., Douglas A. Robbie, Steven P. Bernard
  • Patent number: 5809864
    Abstract: An opposed piston engine (10) comprising upper (12) and lower (14) cylinders and opposed pairs of pistons (16, 18) slidable therein and interconnected by rocker pivots (24, 26). A crankshaft (56) coupled to the rocker pivots (24, 26) constrains the movement of the pistons (16, 18) and is disposed with the crankshaft axis (58) intersecting the axis (44) of one of the cylinders (12, 14), whereby the geometry of the engine (10) is significantly changed thereby reducing torsional vibration and enabling a two stroke diesel version of the engine to be used as a power source for an aircraft propeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: JMA Propulsion Ltd.
    Inventor: John Ashton
  • Patent number: 4986394
    Abstract: A brake actuator has a body containing a pair of brake-applying members which may be actuated hydraulically to separate the friction elements of a brake into engagement with a rotatable braking surface. The members are interconnected by a mechanism in the form of a shaft of which respective end portions are provided with reversible threaded portions of opposite hand which engage corresponding threads within the members, the shaft being constrained against axial movement between bearings. Any excess movement of one of the members relative to the other is transmitted to that other member such as to cause an opposite and proportional force on the other member to substantially equalize the wear rates on the friction elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1991
    Assignee: Lucas Industries
    Inventors: Philip A. Taft, Michael D. Knight
  • Patent number: 4970944
    Abstract: An improved fluid supplying and exhausting arrangement for fluid-powered rotary motion actuating devices of the dual piston rack-and-pinion type. A first conduit arrangement includes a central opening through an axial end wall of the actuator housing and a fluid transfer tube fitted in such opening and extending axially through the adjacent piston into the intermediate fluid chamber between the two pistons for delivering fluid and exhausting fluid from the intermediate chamber, with the adjacent piston being slidable on the transfer tube in sealing contact therewith. A second conduit arrangement includes another axial opening in the end wall into the adjacent outward chamber of the housing and another transfer tube fixed to and extending axially through one piston and extending axially through the other piston to open at the opposite ends of the tube into the two outward fluid chambers of the device, with the other piston being in axially slidably sealing contact with the second tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Conbraco Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Henry R. Killian
  • Patent number: 4905574
    Abstract: The rotary actuator includes at least a precompressed spring assembly comprising a compression coil spring the ends of which are engaged by flanged cups adapted to limit the spring extension and carried slidably on a pin provided, at each end, with a circlip which prevents the cups from coming off the pin itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1990
    Inventor: Giovanni Trevisan
  • Patent number: 4756237
    Abstract: According to the invention, the device comprises a housing (1), two chambers (2, 3) interconnected through a pipeline (4) and disposed in the housing opposite to each other. Each chamber (2 or 3) has a piston made in the form of an elastic sleeve (10 and 11), whose one end is turned inside out and secured to the inner surface of the pipeline (4) at the point of its connection to the chamber (2 to 3). Each piston is kinematically connected to the working member (7) via a shaft (5 or 6) mounted in the chamber (2 to 3), one end of which is kinematically connected to the working member (7), and a drum (8 or 9) connected to the other end of the shaft (5 or 6) and provided with a reverser. Secured on the drums (8 and 9) are the other ends of the sleeves (10 and 11). The pressure space formed by the spaces of the chambers (2, 3) and the space of the pipeline (4) is communicated with a fluid medium supply system (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1988
    Assignee: Trest "Juzhvodoprovod"
    Inventors: Viktor V. Shishkin, Nikolai F. Kryazhevskikh, Jury P. Shapovalov
  • Patent number: 4651627
    Abstract: A fluid-pressure operated actuator comprises a housing, at least one piston reciprocable in the housing, a rotatable output shaft having a portion thereof within the housing, means operatively connecting the piston and the output shaft, and stop means mounted on the housing and engageable with the shaft portion for limiting rotary movement of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Assignee: Hytork Actuators Limited
    Inventor: Duncan R. Stewart
  • Patent number: 4647003
    Abstract: An actuating device operated by a pressure medium, such as compressed air, acting within a housing, can be secured to a valve by a mounting member attached to the valve. The actuating device includes a first piston guided in a cylinder part positioned on one side of the center part of the housing. A toothed rack is attached to the first piston and is in meshed engagement with a pinion shaft located within the center part of the housing. The pinion shaft is connected by a coupling part to the valve shaft. The same actuating device can be used for a larger valve by placing a second piston in another cylinder part on the opposite side of the center part from the first piston with a toothed rack attached to the second piston and in meshed engagement with the pinion shaft. The first and second pistons act in opposite directions and double the torque acting on the pinion shaft as compared to the torque delivered by the first piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1984
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1987
    Assignee: Georg Fischer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Bruno Hilpert, Bruno Hunziker
  • Patent number: 4494442
    Abstract: A valving mechanism for use in machines such as internal combustion engines, steam engines, gas compression engines or air compressors. The mechanism employs a piston valve reciprocating within a cylindrical chamber under the direct action of cam surfaces carried upon a gear-driven flywheel. The cylindrical valve chamber carries a plurality of spaced apart ports, which are interconnected with the cylinder of the machine and with intake and exhaust systems. The machine has a piston reciprocated within the cylinder by means of a crank shaft which carries a crank shaft gear which interconnects with and drives the flywheel gear. One side of the flywheel gear carries cam surfaces which move the piston valve between the several positions required during the compression and exhaust and intake cycles of the machine. The valve chamber is mounted, transversed to the cylinder and in parallel with the crank shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1985
    Inventor: Clark N. Fishel
  • Patent number: 4463662
    Abstract: A compact rotary power cylinder including a pair of pistons fitted in a cylinder housing, separating the housing into a first chamber and a pair of second chambers, so as to be reciprocally movable when a pressure impact is supplied selectively to the first and second chambers, and a torque stem provided through the housing perpendicularly to the reciprocal motion of the pistons so as to be rotatable in response to the reciprocal motion, in which a pair of connecting members are provided between the stem and the pistons so as to be movable in a radial direction of the stem.A relatively large breakaway torque is achieved with such structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1984
    Assignee: Aoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukio Okuyama
  • Patent number: 4354424
    Abstract: A pneumatic operating device, e.g. for controlling valves, includes a cylinder (2) in which a piston (12) is movable. The piston has an axially extending rack part (11) having teeth which engage with teeth on an operating element (10) arranged in the cylinder wall (2b) for rotation transversely of the longitudinal axis of the piston and passing sealingly through said cylinder wall. The piston (12) is provided on the side opposite its rack part with a recess (24) for receiving a part of a spring (26) for the return movement of the piston. The recess (24) extends substantially into the rack part (11) of the piston, preferably through a distance of such length that it extends axially approximately up to or beyond a radial line perpendicular to the piston axis through the center of rotation of the operating element even when the piston is in a position in which the spring is compressed to its maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1982
    Assignee: Wire Matic Regler AB
    Inventor: Sven Nordlund
  • Patent number: 4272999
    Abstract: A piston-and-cylinder type actuator, for use particularly in steplessly-variable-ratio transmission units of the toroidal race rolling friction type. In such units the actuator may serve to thrust the input and output members and their intermediate rollers into engagement, so that drive will be transmitted. According to the invention enhanced thrust is obtained by interposing auxiliary pistons (6, 7) in the space between the main piston (1) and the end (4) of the cylinder (2). One of pistons 6, 7 is linked to the main piston 1 and the other to cylinder 2, and they divide the said space into two pressurized zones (16, 18) with a vented zone between them. Where the actuator has to rotate about the cylinder axis, unwanted centrifugal forces generated within zones 16, 18 may be diminished by forming the vented zone so that a quantity of fluid may accumulate in it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1981
    Assignee: National Research Development Corporation
    Inventor: Forbes G. B. Perry
  • Patent number: 4260128
    Abstract: A valve actuator has at least one piston in a cylindrical chamber that has a segmental skirt provided with transverse teeth on its chordal face meshing with lengthwise teeth on the hub of a rotor extending diametrically through the chamber with one rotor end exposed and provided with a portion for mating engagement with a valve stem portion when the valve is clamped to the actuator. Air is delivered into the chamber on opposite sides of the piston and the skirt is provided with anti-friction elements. Single and dual piston embodiments are disclosed as well as the use of springs by which the valve is operated in a wanted manner in the event of loss of piston operating pressures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1981
    Inventor: Kostag V. Tito
  • Patent number: 4221155
    Abstract: A vibration-free hydraulic power system having an opposing pair of pistons adapted to be moved in unison with the same stroke and equal force, but in opposite directions, one of the pistons being operatively connected to an external mass to be moved, the other of the pistons being operatively connected to a reactive mass the weight of which is identical to the weight of the mass being moved, the reactive mass acting to maintain the system in an equilibrium state during its complete operating cycle, the system incorporating a pair of control valves each having a series of sequentially acting valve elements which control fluid flow to and from the system, the pistons and control valves working at all times against solid columns of fluid under positive but variable pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1980
    Assignee: Ongaro Dynamics, Ltd.
    Inventor: Theodore Ongaro
  • Patent number: 4203351
    Abstract: Fluid motor actuator having two pistons reversely movable in a common cylinder, the pistons each carrying at least three extensions on their proximal sides, one of which being provided with a rack camming with one common spur gear fastened on a transverse shaft projecting from the cylinder, the extensions with their outer surfaces lying in one common cylindrical outer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1980
    Assignee: Griesel B.V.
    Inventor: Heinz G. Schwind
  • Patent number: 4167897
    Abstract: A piston rack rotary actuator, devoid of guiding tubes or rods along which the pistons reciprocate, is provided with guide bearings which eliminate or at least reduce the incidence of the separating forces which otherwise act on the racks (particularly when the pistons are moved towards one another) to displace them towards the cylinder wall and which thereby otherwise cock the pistons in the cylinder and cause scoring of the cylinder wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1979
    Inventor: Alan D. Bunyard
  • Patent number: 4125076
    Abstract: A positioning device for transferring a plurality of carriages or the like into desired positions along a guide, and for holding the carriages in said positions, said device having at least one transfer bar extending along the guide and being movable reciprocally within certain end positions and each carriage having a locking mechanism which, in one condition, locks the carriage to the transfer bar for movement therewith and, in another condition, locks the carriage to the guide, wherein said locking mechanism comprises two pistons movable axially in relation to each other and provided with means for engagement with the guide and with the transfer bar respectively, a pressure medium channel leading to a space between said pistons and one of the pistons being provided with spring means so that with no pressure medium applied said one piston is forced into engagement by the spring force while, upon application of pressure between the pistons, said one piston is released and the other piston forced into its enga
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1978
    Assignee: A. Ahlstrom Osakeyhtio
    Inventors: Gerhard W. Dorfel, Bernd D. Gorner
  • Patent number: 4094227
    Abstract: An opposed piston fluid motor having a pair of angularly related cylinders rigidly joined at adjacent ends in a common plane is mounted above a base with the common plane normal to the base and the cylinders inclined downwardly from the common plane toward the base in the manner of an inverted V. A crankshaft is rotatably supported above the base with its axis parallel to the base and lying in the common plane below the cylinders. A piston is reciprocably mounted in each cylinder, and an expansible working chamber is provided within the cylinders between the pistons. Working fluid is supplied to the working chamber through a fluid port located at the apex of the cylinders under the control of a rotary motor control valve driven by the crankshaft. The crankshaft has a pair of cranks which are displaced 180.degree. apart. Each piston is connected to a different one of the cranks by a piston rod and a connecting rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1978
    Inventor: Samuel A. King
  • Patent number: 4092829
    Abstract: A compressor for a cryogenic cooler such as the Stirling cycle type or eqalent related types is provided in which all the forces and moments generated by its moving parts are balanced to eliminate noise and vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1975
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1978
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Peter Durenec
  • Patent number: 4087074
    Abstract: A fluid actuator for 90.degree. rotating valves having a return spring coupled to an independent fluid actuated piston to assist in spring compression on the forward stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1978
    Assignee: The Parker & Harper Mfg. Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Roger G. Massey, David G. Holloway
  • Patent number: 3987767
    Abstract: An internal pressure engine comprises at least three like members called hedrons movable between two parallel end plates. Each of the hedrons has opposite end faces engaging the end plates, an inner face extending between the end faces and a sealing face disposed relative to the inner face at an angle equal to 360.degree. divided by the number of hedrons. The sealing face of each hedron engages the inner face of the next adjacent hedron so as to form a working chamber bounded by the end plates and the inner faces of the hedrons. The hedrons are supported and guided for translatory movement along rectilinear paths to vary the volume of the working chamber while maintaining the sealing faces of the hedrons in engagement with the inner faces of adjacent hedrons. Movement of the hedrons is synchronized by means of an oscillating member which is pivotally connected with each of the hedrons. Oscillatory movement of the synchronizing member is converted into rotary movement of a drive shaft by a crank mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1974
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1976
    Assignee: Quadratics Inc.
    Inventor: Norman L. Buske
  • Patent number: 3982725
    Abstract: A low profile fluid powered actuator particularly for valves of the type in which the valve element is rotated to open and close the flow passageway through the valve body, the actuator having a novel internal porting system, means for direct attachment of the valve stem to the shaft of the actuator, and a novel manual override for manually operating the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1974
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1976
    Assignee: Keystone International, Inc.
    Inventor: Malcolm D. Clark
  • Patent number: 3971296
    Abstract: A pneumatic actuator having a double-acting piston separating two pressure chambers, spring means to urge the piston in one direction; and valve means adapted to admit compressed air to one of the chambers and thus to load the spring means, then to transfer some of said air into the other of the chambers at a selected phase-position of said piston, and then to open the one chamber to atmosphere so that the combined forces of the spring means and of the compressed air acting on the piston in said other chamber complete the power stroke of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1974
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1976
    Assignee: Kelor Limited
    Inventor: John Tugwell