Dual ratio force transfer apparatus

Claim 2

A dual ratio force transfer device, comprising: a housing having a bore therein; sleeve means located in said bore having a plurality of radial openIngs; pad means located in said radial openings; deformable means located in said sleeve means; output means located in said sleeve means having an area in contact with said deformable means for transferring an operational force to another mechanism; and input means having an area in contact with said deformable means for communicating an actuation force through said deformable means to cause said output means to move and create said operational force, said deformable means initially acting as a rigid body which transfers said actuation force from said input means directly to said output means until a predetermined resistive force transforms the characteristics of said deformable means to that of a liquid-like body, said actuation force then being transmitted through said area in contact with said liquid-like body to develop a fluid pressure in the liquid-like body, said fluid pressure moving said pad means into contact with said housing to frictionally prevent said sleeve means from moving and allow said actuation force to be applied to said output means as a product of said fluid pressure and the area of said output means in contact with said liquid-like body.

Claim 3

The dual ratio force transfer device, as recited in claim 1, wherein said sleeve means includes: a first section having a first central bore, said first section containing said radial openings; and a second section having a second central bore connected to and of a smaller diameter than said first central bore, said second section extending through an opening in said housing for guiding said input means into contact with said deformable means retained in said first section, said second section having a smaller peripheral circumference than said first section, said first section being retained in said housing upon abutting the portion of the housing surrounding said opening.

Claim 4

The dual ratio force transfer device, as recited in claim 2, wherein said input means includes: a piston having a cylindrical body with a first face projecting into said deformable means, said piston being located in said second central bore; and first keeper means secured to said second section for retaining said piston in said second central bore.

Claim 5

The dual ratio force transfer device, as recited in claim 3, wherein said input means further includes: a first push rod having a sphere on one end and an eye on the other end, said sphere being connected to said piston; a lever arm pivotally retained on a support; and a pin extending through said eye for joining said push rod to said lever arm; said lever arm moving in response to an operator to transfer said actuation force to said first push rod causing said piston to slide in said second central bore and communicate said first force to said deformable means.

Claim 6

The dual ratio force transfer device, as recited in claim 4, wherein said output means includes: a second push rod having a secnd face retained in and with a diameter equal to the first central bore; a second keeper means secured to said first section for retaining said second face in said first bore; and resilient means for urging said second face against said deformable means, said resilient means moving said sleeve means in said bore of the housing until said pad means becomes engaged with the housing.

Claim 7

The dual ratio force transfer device, as recited in claim 5, wherein said housing includes a slot which extends through said bore, said slot permitting air at atmospheric pressure to enter said bore and exert a balancing pressure across said sleeve means, said slot further permitting any condensation of liquid in the bore a free passage to the atmosphere without damage to the deformable means.

Claim 8

A pressure ratio power transfer apparatus, comprising: a tubular housing having a plurality of passages adjacent one end and retaining means on the other end, said retaining means having an axial opening; first piston means having a first porTion located in the tubular housing and a second portion extending through said axial opening, said first piston means having a plurality of slots in the first portion, said first piston means having a larger bore in said first portion connected to a smaller bore in said second portion; pad means located in said plurality of slots; output means having a surface area located in and substantially equal to the larger bore of said first piston means for supplying an energizing force to a pressure controlled power device; second piston means located in said smaller bore of said first piston means; input means connected to said second piston means for communicating an operational force in response to an operator; and a confined medium located in said larger bore of said first piston means between the output means and the second piston means, said confined medium during a first operational mode acting as a solid-like body transferring said operational force directly from said input means to correspondingly move said first and second pistons, and said output means until a predetermined force created by the opposition of said energizing force with the operational force transforms said solid-like body into a liquid-like body to initiate a second operational mode, said second piston means moving in said smaller bore during said second mode of operation to develop a fluid pressure in the created liquid-like body, said fluid pressure moving said pad means into contact with the tubular housing to prevent further movement of said first piston means, said fluid pressure being applied to the surface area of the output means in the larger bore to deliver a corresponding energizing force which moves said output means.

Claim 9

A pressure ratio power transfer apparatus, comprising: a tubular housing having a plurality of passages adjacent one end and retaining means on the other end, said retaining means having an axial opening; first piston means having a first porTion located in the tubular housing and a second portion extending through said axial opening, said first piston means having a plurality of slots in the first portion, said first piston means having a larger bore in said first portion connected to a smaller bore in said second portion; pad means located in said plurality of slots; output means having a surface area located in and substantially equal to the larger bore of said first piston means for supplying an energizing force to a pressure controlled power device; second piston means located in said smaller bore of said first piston means; input means connected to said second piston means for communicating an operational force in response to an operator; and a confined medium located in said larger bore of said first piston means between the output means and the second piston means, said confined medium during a first operational mode acting as a solid-like body transferring said operational force directly from said input means to correspondingly move said first and second pistons, and said output means until a predetermined force created by the opposition of said energizing force with the operational force transforms said solid-like body into a liquid-like body to initiate a second operational mode, said second piston means moving in said smaller bore during said second mode of operation to develop a fluid pressure in the created liquid-like body, said fluid pressure moving said pad means into contact with the tubular housing to prevent further movement of said first piston means, said fluid pressure being applied to the surface area of the output means in the larger bore to deliver a corresponding energizing force which moves said output means.

Claim 10

The pressure ratio power transfer apparatus, as recited in claim 7, wherein said first piston means further includes: resilient means for biasing said surface area of the output means into contact with said confined medium and for moving said first piston means during said first mode of operation in the tubular housing.

Claim 11

The pressure ratio power transfer apparatus, as recited in claim 8, wherein said first piston means further includes: keeper means located in said small bore for retaining said second piston means in contact with said confined medium.

Claim 12

The pressure ratio power transfer apparatus, as recited in claim 9, wherein the plurality of passages in said tubular housing are located in a semi-circle along the lower side of said tubular housing for balancing the pressure on the first piston means by freely admitting atmospheric pressure to the interior of said tubular housing and for draining any condensation concentrated in the tubular housing.

Claim 13

A multi-ratio force transfer mechanism comprising: a housing having a bore therein; sleeve means located in said bore; braking means operatively connected to said sleeve means, said braking means having a first force condition for permitting relative movement between said sleeve.

Claim 14

A multi-ratio force transfer mechanism comprising: a housing having a bore therein; sleeve means located in said bore; braking means operatively connected to said sleeve means, said braking means having a first force condition for permitting relative movement between said sleeve.