GB1338035A - Rotary mechanical translating device - Google Patents

Abstract

1338035 Rotary mechanical relays TAWK WATSON 22 Nov 1971 [3 Dec 1970] 54036/71 Heading F2X A rotary mechanical translating device comprises a first and second differential each having a first, second and third connection, a selflocking rotary coupler having an output connection connected to the first connection of the first differential, the self-locking rotary coupler having an input connection connected to the first connection of the second differential, and a prime mover means for driving the second connections of both differentials. In one embodiment, Fig. 1, the spider gear 2 of a first differential 1 and the spider gear 11 of a second differential 10 are meshed and driven through a gear 16 and shaft 17 by an external prime mover. One of the end gears of differential 1 is connected to the output shaft 3 and into other end gear to a shaft 4 connected via a first worm gear 5 and worm 6 to a bevel gear 7. This meshes with a bevel gear 8 connected via a shaft 9 to one of the end gears of differential 10, the other end gear of which is connected via a shaft 12 to a second worm gear 13 and worm 14, connected in turn to the input shaft 15. The ratio and direction of the two drives to the differential 1 is such that a balance occurs, resulting in zero rotation of output shaft 3, when the input shaft 15 is held stationary, rotation of this shaft resulting in an unbalance with consequent rotation of the output shaft 3. This device produces amplified unidirectional rotation at the output and may be operated in the reverse direction by reversing the direction of the prime mover. In order to produce amplified bidirectional rotation at the output, a third differential's first end gear is attached to the second worm and worm gear (Fig. 5, not shown), and its spider gear is also driven by the prime mover. The drive ratios are selected such that the second differential is overdriven by the prime mover, and the third differential drives the second differential so as to cancel its overdrive. A third worm gear is attached to the second end gear of the third differential and co-operates with a third worm which acts as the input and may be driven in either direction, producing rotation in the output in corresponding directions. The system gain, however, is greater in the direction in which the third differential drives the third worm gear. When the third worm drives against the third worm gear, more effort is required. Amplification, however, occurs in both directions. In a balanced device (Fig. 6, not shown) in which the input drives the output with equal effort in both directions and which is constructed from four differentials and four worms and worm gears, the output differential derives its power from two other differentials driven from a prime mover. A fourth differential controls the system balance and is attached to the input connection.