Linear linkage manipulator arm

Claim 2

A mechanical manipulator comprising in combination: pivotally supported mounting means for providing shoulder joint movement for said manipulator: a first parallelogram linkage pivotally connected to said shoulder mounting means; a second parallelogram linkage connected to said first parallelogram linkage so as to share a common side therewith: link means pivotally attached to said shoulder mounting means for providing movable connection therefor; and arm means pivotally attached to the distal end of said link means at one end and pivotally attached to one arm of said second parallelogram linkage at an intermediate point therealong, whereby said arm means, said link means, one arm of said first parallelogram linkage, and a portion of the arm of said second parallelogram linkage to which said arm means is attached form a trapezium linkage.

Claim 3

A mechanical manipulator according to claim 1 wherein said link means is pivotally attached to a pivot attachment point of said first parallelogram linkage.

Claim 4

A mechanical manipulator according to claim 1 further including actuator means connected between the support and said mounting means for providing operational pivoting force therefor.

Claim 5

A mechanical manipulator according to claim 1 further including actuator means connected between said link means and said pivotally supported mounting means for pivotal movement or said link means and arm means carried thereby.

Claim 6

A mechanical manipulator according to claim 1 further including: saddle mounting means attached to the arm of said first parallelogram linkage shared by said trapezium linkage for providing attachment structure thereon, and actuator means connected between said saddle mounting means and the aforesaid intermediate point of the one arm of said second parallelogram linkage for altering the relative angles between sides of the trapezium linkage.

Claim 7

A mechanical manipulator according to claim 1 including wrist support means effectively attached to the distal end of said second parallelogram linkage for the support of implements to be positioned by the mechanical manipulator.

Claim 8

A mechanical manipulator according to claim 1 in which the ratio of the effective lengths of said recited structural arms and links to the length of the portion of said second parallelogram linkage included in the trapezium linkage is given by the following chart: Component Greater thanLess than first parallelogram linkage 9.0000 11.0000 second parallelogram linkage 9.0000 11.0000 link means 1.764 2.156 arm means 9.2196 11.2684

Claim 9

A mechanical manipulator for moving an object in relation to a fixed surface comprising in combination: wrist support means attached to said object for movable support thereof; a first parallelogram linkage pivotally connected to said wrist support means to incorporate said wrist as one side thereof; a trapezium arm pivotally attached to one member of said parallelogram linkage which is attached to said wrist support at a point one tenth of the way inwardly from the end thereof remote from said wrist support means and having a length 1.0244 times as long as said parallelogram member; second parallelogram linkage the same size as said first parallelogram linkage attached to said first parallelogram linkage and sharing the side thereof which is opposite said wrist support; shoulder support means pivotally supporting said second parallelogram linkage for providing angular motion thereof; link means 0.1960 times as long as the member of said parallelogram linkage to which said trapezium linkage is attached and pivotally attached to said shoulder support at the same point as said second parallelogram linkage is attached and extending therefrom to pivotally connect to the other end of said trapezium arm forming a trapezium linkage comprising said link means, said trapezium arm, a member of said second parallelogram linkage, and the smaller portion of the member of said first parallelogram linkage to which said trapezium arm is attached; first actuator means connected between said one member of said second parallelogram linkage and the pivotal attachment point where said trapezium arm joins said one member of said first parallelogram linkage for altering the included angles of said trapezium; second actuator means connected between said link means and said shoulder support means for altering the angular position therebetween; and third actuator means connected between said shoulder support means and the aforesaid fixed surface for altering the angular position therebetween.

Claim 10

A mechanical manipulator for moving an object in relation to a fixed surface comprising in combination: wrist support means attached to said object for movable support thereof; a first parallelogram linkage pivotally connected to said wrist support means to incorporate said wrist as one side thereof; a trapezium arm pivotally attached to one member of said parallelogram linkage which is attached to said wrist support at a point one tenth of the way inwardly from the end thereof remote from said wrist support means and having a length 1.0244 times as long as said parallelogram member; second parallelogram linkage the same size as said first parallelogram linkage attached to said first parallelogram linkage and sharing the side thereof which is opposite said wrist support; shoulder support means pivotally supporting said second parallelogram linkage for providing angular motion thereof; link means 0.1960 times as long as the member of said parallelogram linkage to which said trapezium linkage is attached and pivotally attached to said shoulder support at the same point as said second parallelogram linkage is attached and extending therefrom to pivotally connect to the other end of said trapezium arm forming a trapezium linkage comprising said link means, said trapezium arm, a member of said second parallelogram linkage, and the smaller portion of the member of said first parallelogram linkage to which said trapezium arm is attached; first actuator means connected between said one member of said second parallelogram linkage and the pivotal attachment point where said trapezium arm joins said one member of said first parallelogram linkage for altering the included angles of said trapezium; second actuator means connected between said link means and said shoulder support means for altering the angular position therebetween; and third actuator means connected between said shoulder support means and the aforesaid fixed surface for altering the angular position therebetween.