US2407269A - Actuator - Google Patents

Description

Sept 10, 1945 `T. N. HANNANT U 2,407,269

ACTUATOR k Filed Jan. 12, 1944.

Gtkorneg Patented Sept. 10, 1946 ACTUATOR Theodore Norrson Hannant, Cedar Grove, N. J.; assigner to Specialties Development Corporation, Bloomfield, N. if., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 12, 1944, Serial No. 517,923

Claims. (Cl. i4- 502) My invention relates to `actuators and has as y one of the principal objects thereof the provision of an actuator so constructed and arranged as to lend itself to fast operation whereby the means operated thereby is conditioned for performing its duty Within a minimum period of time.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the foregoing described character which is equipped with means for automatically latching the device in a predetermined position upon operation to insure proper functioning of the means operated by said device and for effecting release thereof from said position when desired. l A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the foregoing described character which is simple in construction, durable in use, efcient in operation, easy of assembly, economical in manufacture, and which lends itself to high productivity.

Other and further objects of the invention Will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice. Y

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of an actuator asso ciated with the control head of a high pressure fluid medium container, illustrating an embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional View of the actuator taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are top plan views, partly in H section, illustrating the actuator in non-operated and operated positions, respectively.

As illustrated in the drawing, the actuator or pull-knob assembly 5 comprising a housing or barrel E formed with a longitudinal bore 1 in which a pull-knob shaft or operator 8 is slidably and rotatably mounted. The shaft 8 at one end 9 is provided with a swivel It connected to a flexible control head operating member, for instance, a cable I I. The opposite end of the shaft extends into and is fixed to a pull-knob I2 by means of a pin I 3, the pull-knob being disposed on the outside of the housing 6 for actuating the shaft t longitudinally within the housing to an extended position (Figure 4) and for rotating the shaft While in its extended position -to permit vlongitudinal movement of the shaft to its previous non-` operated position (Figure 3) within the housing as hereinafter made apparent.

The pull-knob shaft 8 is formed with a planocylindrical intermediate section I4, to provide a fiat face I5 (Figure 2) defined by a pair 0f end shoulders le and which flat face coacts with the face of the bore to form a guideway II in which extends the end of a stop-screw I8 carried bythe housing and which screw I8 engages the fiat face I5 to preclude rotation of the shaft while in nonoperated position and during operation to extended position. Although the stop screw I8, in this embodiment of the invention as shown in Figure 3, is disposed substantially about the axis of the shaft 8 from the detent 2|, the screw and the detent may be disposed at some other angle about the shaft axis. The end of the intermediate section IlI, adjacent to the swivel I0, is formed with a circumferential groove I9 having a depth coincident with the depth of the shoulders I6 and with a circumferential bottom face 20 merging with the flat face I5 of the shaft.

The housing is provided with a spring-pressed detent 2l slidably engaging the peripheral face of the shaft when in retracted position and which seats within the groove I9 to positively latch or lock the shaft in extended position when the shaft is so operated.

The housing 6 is mounted on a bracket 25, the latter being secured to the control head 26 of a high pressure fluid medium container 27. Pivotally mounted on the bracket, adjacent to the control head, is a spring-pressed arm 28 having one end connected to the cable I I and the opposite end disposed for operating the control head mechanism in a manner to release fluid medium from the container upon operation of the shaft 8 to extended position. The spring-pressed arm 23 functions at all times to maintain the shaft, through the medium of the cable, under the in iiuence of its spring, thus, when the shaft is disposed in extended position, the spring-pressed arm serves to operate the shaft to non-operated or retracted position when the shaft is released as hereinafter described.

M W hen the shaft is moved longitudinally by the pull-knob to the extended position for operating the control head mechanism through the medium of the cable (Figure 4) the detent 2I engages one of the side walls of the slot I9 to positively retain the shaft in extended position and to thereby cause the actuator to effect continued operation of the control head mechanism. When the shaft is in this extended or operated position the stop-screw I8 is disposed within the vgrooVe 3 I9 to permit rotation of the shaft as about to be described.

In order to return the shaft to its initial or non-operatedv position, the shaft, in this instance, is rotated about 180 to effect disengagement of the detent from its positive locking cooperation with the side Wall of the groove by placing the fiat face I5 at the top of the shaft, as viewed in the drawing, in which position this face slides under the detent, until the stop screw I8 engages the side Wall of the groove which stops further longitudinal inward movement of the shaft toward its retracted position. At this time, the detent is resting on the flat face I5 partially to the lright of the groove I9. Upon further rotation of the shaft for about another 180, in either direction, the detent is cammed out of the guide- Way I'I by movement on the shaft from the flat face I5 to the outer periphery of the shaft, and registry of the stop screw with the guideWay I1 is effected, thus permitting the shaft to be longitudinally guided to its retracted position by the operation of the spring-pressed arm 28, as heretofore described.

In order to discourage unauthorized operation of the actuator and to indicate whether the same has been operated, the bracket 25 and the arm 28 are formed with openings 29 through which extends a seal wire 38, the ends of the latter being connected together by means of a seal 3 I When the arm 28 is operated by the actuator the seal of the Wire is broken, thus indicating that actuation of the control head mechanism has been effected.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that my invention is especially adaptable for use in connection with fluid pressure medium operated devices, where it is desired to effect an initial operation of the control head mechanism and to retain the control head mechanism in operated position to continue discharge of the pressure medium for a desired period without manual manipulation of the actuator. This leaves the hands of the operator free to attend to other details. This is particularly advantageous Where the actuator controls Various emergency devices, such as flotation gear, emergency bomb bay door operating equipment or emergency landing gear mechanism because it enables the operator to Work other controls during an emergency while the actuator controlled device performs its functions.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and Without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the generic and vspecific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, control means including a movable arm biased in one direction,.a exible element connected to said arm, a rotatively and axially movable shaft, a swivel connection between said element and one end of said shaft, said shaft having a peripheral groove one side of which next to said element constitutes an annular shoulder and the other side of which constitutes an abutment of less than complete annularity by an amount substantially as defined by a peripherally narrow fiat surface of said shaft flush with the bottom of said groove and extending from said groove toward the other end of said shaft, a handle at said other end, a bearing for said shaft, a stationary stop in said bearing cooperating with said flat surface to prevent rotation of said shaft in initial position and until said shaft is moved axially from such position by a pull on said handle against said bias to a position in which said shoulder engages said stop, and a detent in said bearing maintained by said shaft in retracted position until engagement of said stop by said shoulder at which point the detent is movable into said groove for cooperation with said abutment, said shaft operating under said bias when said handle is released to be disengaged from said stop and to cause said abutment to engage said detent, partial rotation of said shaft causing said abutment to disengage said detent and providing for axial movement of said shaft to place said detent on said flat surface and said abutment against said stop, and further partial rotation of said shaft moving said detent to retracted position and placing said flat surface in line with said stop for axial movement of said shaft under said bias t0 initial position.

2. In combination, a rotatively and axially movable shaft having a peripheral groove one side of which constitutes an annular shoulder and the other side of which constitutes an abutment of less than complete annularity by an amount substantially as defined by a peripherally narrow flat surface of said shaft extending from the groove along the shaft, a bearing for said shaft, a stop on said bearing cooperating With said flat surface to prevent rotation of said shaft in initial position and until said shaft is moved axially from such position to a position in Which said shoulder engages said stop, and a detent in said bearing maintained by said shaft in retracted position until engagement of said stop by said shoulder at which point said detent is movable into said groove for cooperation with said abutment, said shaft operating in response to axial movement thereof toward initial position to disengage said shoulder from said stop and to cause said abutment to engage said detent, partial rotation of said shaft causing said abutment to disengage said detent and providing for axial movement of said shaft toward initial position to place said detent on said fiat surface and said abutment against said stop, and further partial rotation of said shaft moving said detent to retracted position and placing said flat surface in line with said stop to provide for axial movement of said shaft to initial position.

3. In combination, a rotatively and axially movable shaft having a peripheral groove one side of which constitutes an annular shoulder and the other side of which constitutes an abutment of less than complete annularity by'an amount substantially as defined by a depression of said shaft surface extending from the groove along said shaft, a stop cooperating With said depression to prevent rotation of said shaft in initial position and until said shaft is movedv axially from such position to a position in which said shoulder engages said stop,'a detent maintained by said shaft in retracted position until in registration with said groove, and means for urging said detent into said groove-partial rotation-of said shaft causing said abutment to' disengage said detentvto placeY said detent in said depression and providing for placing said abut-,.

ment against said stop, and further partial rotation of said shaft moving said detent to retracted position and placing said depression in line with said stop to provide for axial movement of said shaft to initial position.

4. In combination, a member adapted for movement along and for movement about an axis and having a depression, one side of which transverse to said axis constitutes a shoulder and an opposite side of which constitutes an abutment through which a guide extends from said depression along said axis, `a stop `cooperating with said guide to prevent movement of said member about said axis in initial position and until just before said member is moved axially from such position to a position in which said shoulder engages said stop, and a detent maintained by said member in retracted position until engagement of said stop by said shoulder at which point said detent isvmovable into said depression for cooperation with said abutment, said member being operative to disengage said shoulder from said stop and to cause said abutment to engage said detent, certain movement of said member about said axis causing said abutment to disengage said detent and certain further movement of said member about said axis moving said detent to retracted position and placing said guide in line with said stop to provide for axial movement of said member to initial position and providing for placing said abutment against said stop.

5. In combination, a shaft having a peripheral groove one side of which constitutes an annular shoulder and the other side of which constitutes an abutment, said shaft having a at surface therealong communicating with said groove through said abutment, a stop cooperating with said surface for preventing turning of said shaft in an initial position and during axial movement of said shaft to just before a final position wherein said shoulder engages said stop, a detent disposed adjacent to said stop spaced peripherally of said shaft from said stop, and means for urging said detent toward said shaft, said detent being maintained in retracted position by said shaft until the latter is moved to said final position whereupon said detent moves into said groove for cooperation with said abutment.

THEODORE NORRISON HANNANT.

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