US3637092A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Material-handling apparatus
Assignee: General Electric Canada Co
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Filing: 1970-04-30
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Granted: 1972-01-25
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Expires: 1990-04-30
Abstract
Abstract An articulated boom having a single joint intermediate the ends thereof is pivoted at one end about a horizontal axis of a support member. The support member is in turn connected to a mount member and pivoted about a vertical axis thereof. The other end of the boom has end effectors and end effector positioning elements located thereon. A control member smaller in size but similar in form to the articulated boom having a single joint intermediate the ends thereof is also pivoted at one end about another horizontal axis of another support member and a handle is provided at the other end thereof. The other support member is connected to the one support member and pivotal to a limited extent about another vertical axis. Hydraulic actuators, control valves and control linkages are interconnected with the boom and the control member so that movement of the handle causes the boom to mimic the movement of the control member and also so that forces encountered by the end effector on the boom are reflected back, reduced in magnitude, however, to the handle held by the operator.
Inventors
- 👤 Raymond L George
- 👤 Edward G Kruszona
- 👤 John P Laniewski
- 👤 Norman H Wood
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 05:01
CPC Classifications
B; B25; B25J; B25J3/00; B25J3/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
503 words
In combination, a mount member, a slave support member pivotal about a first vertical axis on said mount member, a slave member including an upper arm element and a lower arm element, one end of said upper arm element pivotally connected to said slave support member and pivotal about a first horizontal axis, the other end of said upper arm element pivotally connected to one end of said lower arm element and pivotal about a second horizontal axis, the longitudinal axes of said slave arm elements lying in a first vertical plane perpendicular to said first and second horizontal axes, a master support member pivotally connected to said support member and pivotable about a second vertical axis, a master control member including an upper arm element and a lower arm element, one end of said upper arm element connected to said master support member and pivotable about a third horizontal axis, the other end of said upper arm element pivotally connected to said lower arm element and pivotal about a fourth horizontal axis, the longitudinal axes of said master arm elements lying in a second vertical plane perpendicular to said third and fourth horizontal axes, first means for transferring angular displacement of said lower master arm element with respect to said upper master arm element about said fourth horizontal axis to a corresponding angular displacement of a first reference arm element about said first horizontal axis, second means for transferring angular displacement of said upper master arm element with respect to said third horizontal axis to a corresponding angular displacement of a second reference arm element about said first horizontal axis, first servo loop means responsive to the displacements of said first reference arm element to maintain alignment of the longitudinal axis of said lower slave arm element with the longitudinal axis of said lower master arm element, second servo loop means responsive to the displacements of said second reference arm element to maintain alignment of the longitudinal axis of said upper slave arm element with the longitudinal axis of said upper master arm element, said first transferring means includes means for transferring an angular displacement of said lower master arm element with respect to said upper master arm element about said fourth horizontal axis to angular displacement about said third horizontal axis and means in turn for transferring angular displacement about said third horizontal axis to a corresponding angular displacement of said first reference arm about said first horizontal axis, the longitudinal axis of said first reference arm oriented in the same direction as the longitudinal axis of said lower master arm element, means responsive to the orientation of the longitudinal axis of said first reference arm and to the orientation of the longitudinal axis of said lower slave arm element to produce a displacement in a differential lever arm, the direction of displacement from a neutral position and the magnitude thereof corresponding to the direction and magnitude of misalignment of said lower slave arm element and said lower master arm element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
503 words
In combination, a mount member, a slave support member pivotal about a first vertical axis on said mount member, a slave member including an upper arm element and a lower arm element, one end of said upper arm element pivotally connected to said slave support member and pivotal about a first horizontal axis, the other end of said upper arm element pivotally connected to one end of said lower arm element and pivotal about a second horizontal axis, the longitudinal axes of said slave arm elements lying in a first vertical plane perpendicular to said first and second horizontal axes, a master support member pivotally connected to said support member and pivotable about a second vertical axis, a master control member including an upper arm element and a lower arm element, one end of said upper arm element connected to said master support member and pivotable about a third horizontal axis, the other end of said upper arm element pivotally connected to said lower arm element and pivotal about a fourth horizontal axis, the longitudinal axes of said master arm elements lying in a second vertical plane perpendicular to said third and fourth horizontal axes, first means for transferring angular displacement of said lower master arm element with respect to said upper master arm element about said fourth horizontal axis to a corresponding angular displacement of a first reference arm element about said first horizontal axis, second means for transferring angular displacement of said upper master arm element with respect to said third horizontal axis to a corresponding angular displacement of a second reference arm element about said first horizontal axis, first servo loop means responsive to the displacements of said first reference arm element to maintain alignment of the longitudinal axis of said lower slave arm element with the longitudinal axis of said lower master arm element, second servo loop means responsive to the displacements of said second reference arm element to maintain alignment of the longitudinal axis of said upper slave arm element with the longitudinal axis of said upper master arm element, said first transferring means includes means for transferring an angular displacement of said lower master arm element with respect to said upper master arm element about said fourth horizontal axis to angular displacement about said third horizontal axis and means in turn for transferring angular displacement about said third horizontal axis to a corresponding angular displacement of said first reference arm about said first horizontal axis, the longitudinal axis of said first reference arm oriented in the same direction as the longitudinal axis of said lower master arm element, means responsive to the orientation of the longitudinal axis of said first reference arm and to the orientation of the longitudinal axis of said lower slave arm element to produce a displacement in a differential lever arm, the direction of displacement from a neutral position and the magnitude thereof corresponding to the direction and magnitude of misalignment of said lower slave arm element and said lower master arm element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
143 words
The combination of claim 1 in which said means for transferring an angular displacement of said lower master arm element with respect to said upper master arm element about said fourth horizontal axis to angular displacement about said third horizontal axis includes a sprocket having the rotational axis thereof coincident with said third horizontal axis and a first lever arm pivotally connected to an intermediate point on said lower master arm element and pivotally connected to a point other than the center of said sprocket and said means for transferring angular displacement about said third horizontal axis to a corresponding angular displacement of said first reference arm about said first horizontal axis includes another sprocket having the rotational axis therein coincident with said first horizontal axis and an endless chain with a small amount of slack intercoupling the peripheral portions of said sprockets.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
The combination of claim 2 in which said second transferring means includes a second lever arm connected by a ball joint with a small amount of tolerance therein to an intermediate point on said upper master arm element and connected by another ball joint with a small amount of tolerance therein to a tab means pivotal about said first horizontal axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
135 words
The combination of claim 2 in which said second vertical axis of said master support member is horizontally displaced along said first horizontal axis from said first vertical axis of said slave support member and a slave support extension element member is provided, said slave support extension member having one end connected to said slAve support member and the other end pivotally connected to said master support member, a pair of transverse members extending along said first horizontal axis and having axes coincident therewith and rotatable thereabout, one of said transverse members connected at one end to said second sprocket and at the other end to said first reference arm and the other of said transfer members connected at one end thereof to said tab and at the other end to said second reference arm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
The combination of claim 4 in which an eccentric cam member is provided fixed to said slave support extension having its axis coincident with said second vertical axis and in which a button is provided on a valve secured to said master support member which bears on the peripheral surface of the cam.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
72 words
The combination of claim 4 in which an operator support platform is provided displaced along said horizontal axis beyond the displacement of said master support member for supporting an operator thereon, said platform being constituted to position an operator facing away from said plane including said first horizontal axis and said second vertical axis and at a height at which an adjacent arm of said operator is adjacent said master control member.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3280991A
Cited
US3428189A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-01-24 | 1975-07-26 | 1976-01-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-24 | 1979-07-26 | 1980-01-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-24 | 1983-07-26 | 1984-01-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |