Rotary actuator

Claim 2

A rotary actuator comprising a casing having a substantially U-shaped cavity therein, the mid-portion of said U-shaped cavity being substantially arcuate, said U-shaped cavity having a pair of legs positioned respectively on each side of said arcuate portion of said U-shaped cavity and in substantially the same plane, each of said legs being open at its outer end, and defining chambers substantially circular in cross section, a shaft extending through said casing coaxial with the axis of said arcuate portion, a vane movably mounted in said arcuate portion defining a chamber on each side of said vane, said chambers forming part of the chambers defined by said legs, said vane being operatively connected to said shaft and extending radially therefrom, a pair of bladders positioned respectively in said chambers, each of said bladders having an end portion with a closed end associated respectively with opposed surfaces of said vane, each of said bladders being conformed to effect movement of each of said end portions thereof in an arcuate path in said arcuate portion of said U-shaped cavity, for reaction of the closed end of the bladders against the opposed surfaces of said vane, means to close the open end of each of said chambers defined by said legs and to secure the end of said bladder adjacent thereto in fixed position and means selectively to charge each of said bladders, thereby to effect rotation of said shaft when the associated bladder is charged with fluid under pressure.

Claim 3

A rotary actuator comprising a casing having a substantially arcuate cavity therein, a shaft extending through said casing coaxial with the axis of said arcuate cavity, a vane in the form of a segment of a toroid, having the ends of the segment defining reaction seats, said vane being movably mounted in said cavity defining a chamber on each side of said vane, said vane being operatively connected to said shaft and extending radially therefrom, a pair of bladders positioned respectively in said chambers, each of said bladders having an end portion with a closed end associated respectively with the reaction seats defined by the opposed end surfaces of said vane, each of said bladders being conformed to effect movement of each of said end portions thereof in an arcuate path in said arcuate cavity, for abutment of the closed end of the bladders against said reaction seats defined by the opposed surfaces of said vane to effect rotation of said shaft when the associated bladder is charged with fluid under pressure.

Claim 4

A rotary actuator comprising a casing having a substantially arcuate cavity therein, a shaft extending through said casing coaxial with the axis of said arcuate cavity, a vane in the form of a segment of a toroid, having the ends of the segment defining reaction seats, said vane being movably mounted in said cavity defining a chamber on each side of said vane, said vane being operatively connected to said shaft and extending radially therefrom, a pair of bladders positioned respectively in said chambers, each of said bladders having an end portion with a closed end associated respectively with the reaction seats defined by the opposed end surfaces of said vane, each of said bladders being conformed to effect movement of each of said end portions thereof in an arcuate path in said arcuate cavity, for abutment of the closed end of the bladders against said reaction seats defined by the opposed surfaces of said vane to effect rotation of said shaft when the associated bladder is charged with fluid under pressure.

Claim 5

The combination set forth in claim 2 in which the reaction seat defined by each of the ends of said segment is in the form of a cup-shaped recess.

Claim 6

The combination set forth in claim 2 in which the segment of a toroid defining said vane is substantially circular in cross section, said arcuate cavity is substantially circular in cross section, the end surfaces of said vane extend substantially radially with respect to the axis of said toroid.

Claim 7

A rotary actuator comprising a casing having a substantially arcuate cavity therein, a shaft extending through said casing coaxial with the axis of said arcuate cavity, a vane movably mounted in said cavity defining a chamber on each side of said vane, said vane being operatively connected to said shaft and extending radially therefrom, said casing having a pair of parallel chambers therein, each substantially circular in cross section having an open outer end and an open inner end, said inner ends being in communication respectively with the ends of the chambers defined by said vane in said arcuate cavity, whereby said parallel chambers and the chambers in said arcuate cavity define a subsTantially U-shaped chamber extending in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said shaft, a pair of bladders positioned respectively in said chambers, each of said bladders having a body portion positioned respectively in one of said pair of parallel chambers, each of said bladders having an end portion with a closed end extending respectively into the ends of said arcuate cavity and associated respectively with opposed surfaces of said vane, each of said bladders being conformed to effect movement of each of said end portions thereof in an arcuate path in said arcuate cavity, for reaction of the closed end of the bladders against the opposed surfaces of said vane, means retaining the end of each of the bladders remote from the closed end thereof in fixed position in each of said pair of chambers and means selectively to charge each of said bladders with fluid under pressure, to effect rotation of said shaft when the associated bladder is charged.

Claim 8

A rotary actuator comprising a casing having a substantially arcuate cavity therein, a shaft extending through said casing coaxial with the axis of said arcuate cavity, a vane movably mounted in said cavity defining a chamber on each side of said vane, said vane being operatively connected to said shaft and extending radially therefrom, said casing having a pair of parallel chambers therein, each substantially circular in cross section having an open outer end and an open inner end, said inner ends being in communication respectively with the ends of the chambers defined by said vane in said arcuate cavity, whereby said parallel chambers and the chambers in said arcuate cavity define a subsTantially U-shaped chamber extending in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said shaft, a pair of bladders positioned respectively in said chambers, each of said bladders having a body portion positioned respectively in one of said pair of parallel chambers, each of said bladders having an end portion with a closed end extending respectively into the ends of said arcuate cavity and associated respectively with opposed surfaces of said vane, each of said bladders being conformed to effect movement of each of said end portions thereof in an arcuate path in said arcuate cavity, for reaction of the closed end of the bladders against the opposed surfaces of said vane, means retaining the end of each of the bladders remote from the closed end thereof in fixed position in each of said pair of chambers and means selectively to charge each of said bladders with fluid under pressure, to effect rotation of said shaft when the associated bladder is charged.

Claim 9

The combination set forth in claim 5 in which means are provided to close the open outer ends of each of said chambers.

Claim 10

The combination set forth in claim 5 in which each of said bladders has a mouth remote from the closed end thereof, each mouth having a radially extending annular flange, and means closing the open outer end of each of said chambers and clamping the flange of each of said bladders in a fixed position.

Claim 11

The combination set forth in claim 5 in which each of said bladders has a mouth remote from the closed end thereof, each mouth having a radially extending annular flange, a cap associated with each of the open outer ends of each chamber, means to secure said caps in fixed position and to clamp the flange of an associated bladder against said outer end, each of said caps having a port to which a source of fluid under pressure may be connected.

Claim 12

The combination set forth in claim 8 in which one of said ports has a fitting to which a source of liquid under pressure may be connected and the other of said ports has a fitting to which a source of gas under pressure may be connected.

Claim 13

The combination set forth in claim 5 in which the body portion of each of said bladders is substantially cylindrical and is positioned respectively in each of said pair of parallel chambers substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis thereof, each of the end portions of said bladders being bent inwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the body portion in a plane parallel to the plane of said U-shaped chamber, with the axis of each end portion being substantially aligned with the axis of the arcuate cavity, the wall thickness of at least the major portion of the body portion being substantially uniform and the wall thickness of the end portion being greater at its inner side than its outer side, whereby when said bladders are charged with fluid under pressure, the body portion will elongate in direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body portion and the end portion will elongate in an arcuate path, the outer side of the end portion stretching at a faster rate than the inner side.

Claim 14

A rotary actuator comprising a casing having a substantially arcuate cavity therein, a shaft extending through said casing coaxial with the axis of said arcuate cavity, said cavity having a bore through which said shaft extends, an arcuate seat is provided in said casing coaxial with the axis of said shaft, said shaft has a coaxial hub rigid therewith, the ends of said shaft extending in opposed directions from said hub, the latter resting on said seat, a vane in the form of a segment of a toroid having its axis coaxial with said shaft, said vane being movably mounted in said cavity defining a chamber on each side of said vane, said vane being operatively connected to said shaft and extending radially therefrom, a pair of bladders positioned respectively in said chambers, each of said bladders having an end portion with a closed end associated respectively with opposed surfaces of said vane, Each of said bladders being conformed to effect movement of each of said end portions thereof in an arcuate path in said arcuate cavity, for reaction of the closed end of the bladders against the opposed surfaces of said vane to effect rotation of said shaft when the associated bladder is charged with fluid under pressure.

Claim 15

A rotary actuator comprising a casing having a substantially arcuate cavity therein, a shaft extending through said casing coaxial with the axis of said arcuate cavity, said cavity having a bore through which said shaft extends, an arcuate seat is provided in said casing coaxial with the axis of said shaft, said shaft has a coaxial hub rigid therewith, the ends of said shaft extending in opposed directions from said hub, the latter resting on said seat, a vane in the form of a segment of a toroid having its axis coaxial with said shaft, said vane being movably mounted in said cavity defining a chamber on each side of said vane, said vane being operatively connected to said shaft and extending radially therefrom, a pair of bladders positioned respectively in said chambers, each of said bladders having an end portion with a closed end associated respectively with opposed surfaces of said vane, Each of said bladders being conformed to effect movement of each of said end portions thereof in an arcuate path in said arcuate cavity, for reaction of the closed end of the bladders against the opposed surfaces of said vane to effect rotation of said shaft when the associated bladder is charged with fluid under pressure.

Claim 16

The combination set forth in claim 11 in which the inner periphery of said vane has an arcuate surface of curvature complementary to that of the peripheral surface of the hub, said two surfaces being juxtaposed and means securely to retain said vane in fixed position with respect to said hub.

Claim 17

The combination set forth in claim 11 in which the hub and the arcuate surface of the vane each has an aligned radial bore and a pin secured by force fit in said bores securely retains the vane in fixed position with respect to said hub.

Claim 18

A rotary actuator comprising a casing comprising two substantially identical sections defining a front and rear section, each of said sections having a pair of parallel cavities and an arcuate cross member each substantially semicircular in cross section, said pair of parallel cavities and the associated arcuate cavity defining a substantially U-shaped cavity, each of said sections having an outwardly extending perimeter flange and an abutment section between the pair of parallel cavities, said sections when juxtaposed defining a substantially U-shaped chamber substantially circular in cross section, with an arcuate cavity being defined by the juxtaposed cross members, a gasket interposed between the juxtaposed perimeter flanges, and an additional gasket interposed between said abutment sections, means clamping said sections together, the lower ends of said abutment sections being arcuate and defining a seat, a bore coaxial with the arcuate cavity defined by said arcuate cross members extending through said front and rear sections and aligned with said seat, a shaft extending through said bores coaxial with the axis of said arcuate cavity and having a portion resting on said seat, a vane movably mounted in said arcuate cavity defining a chamber on each side of said vane, said vane being operatively connected to said shaft and extending radially therefrom, a pair of bladders positioned respectively in said chambers, each of said bladders having an end portion with a closed end associated respectively with opposed surfaces of said vane, each of said bladders being conformed to effect movement of each of said end portions thereof in an arcuate path in said arcuate cavity, for reaction of the closed end of the bladders against the opposed surfaces of said vane to effect rotation of said shaft when the associated bladder is charged with fluid under pressure.

Claim 19

A rotary actuator comprising a casing comprising two substantially identical sections defining a front and rear section, each of said sections having a pair of parallel cavities and an arcuate cross member each substantially semicircular in cross section, said pair of parallel cavities and the associated arcuate cavity defining a substantially U-shaped cavity, each of said sections having an outwardly extending perimeter flange and an abutment section between the pair of parallel cavities, said sections when juxtaposed defining a substantially U-shaped chamber substantially circular in cross section, with an arcuate cavity being defined by the juxtaposed cross members, a gasket interposed between the juxtaposed perimeter flanges, and an additional gasket interposed between said abutment sections, means clamping said sections together, the lower ends of said abutment sections being arcuate and defining a seat, a bore coaxial with the arcuate cavity defined by said arcuate cross members extending through said front and rear sections and aligned with said seat, a shaft extending through said bores coaxial with the axis of said arcuate cavity and having a portion resting on said seat, a vane movably mounted in said arcuate cavity defining a chamber on each side of said vane, said vane being operatively connected to said shaft and extending radially therefrom, a pair of bladders positioned respectively in said chambers, each of said bladders having an end portion with a closed end associated respectively with opposed surfaces of said vane, each of said bladders being conformed to effect movement of each of said end portions thereof in an arcuate path in said arcuate cavity, for reaction of the closed end of the bladders against the opposed surfaces of said vane to effect rotation of said shaft when the associated bladder is charged with fluid under pressure.

Claim 20

The combination set forth in claim 14 in which each of the inner surfaces of said bore extending through said front and rear sections has an annular recess coaxial with said bore, said shaft has an enlarged diameter hub between its ends resting on said arcuate seat, a pair of thrust washers encompass said shaft and straddle said hub, said washers being seated respectively in said annular recesses.

Claim 21

The combination set forth in claim 14 in which complementary pins and recesses are provided in said perimeter flanges to align said front and rear sections when they are juxtaposed.

Claim 22

The combination set forth in claim 14 in which said abutment sections each has a recess therein and the additional gasket is positioned in said recess.

Claim 23

The combination set forth in claim 14 in which one end of said shaft protrudes beyond the outer surface of an associated plate, a hub is secured to said protruding end of said shaft, said hub having a radially extending stop finger and abutment means positioned on the other surface of said plate to limit the arcuate movement of said stop finger and said shaft.

Claim 24

A rotary actuator comprising a casing having a substantially U-shaped cavity therein, said U-shaped cavity having a pair of legs and an arcuate Cross member connecting one end of each of said legs, each of said legs being open at its other end, said arcuate cavity being substantially circular in cross section and said legs defining cylindrical chambers substantially circular in cross section, a shaft extending through said casing coaxial with the axis of said arcuate cross member, a vane movably mounted in the chamber defined by said arcuate cross member, said vane being operatively connected to said shaft and extending radially therefrom, a pair of bladders positioned respectively in the cylindrical chambers defined by each of said legs, each of said bladders having an end portion with a closed end associated respectively with opposed surfaces of said vane for reaction of the closed ends of the bladders against the opposed surfaces of said vane to effect rotation of said shaft when the associated bladder is charged with fluid under pressure.

Claim 25

A rotary actuator comprising a casing having a substantially U-shaped cavity therein, said U-shaped cavity having a pair of legs and an arcuate Cross member connecting one end of each of said legs, each of said legs being open at its other end, said arcuate cavity being substantially circular in cross section and said legs defining cylindrical chambers substantially circular in cross section, a shaft extending through said casing coaxial with the axis of said arcuate cross member, a vane movably mounted in the chamber defined by said arcuate cross member, said vane being operatively connected to said shaft and extending radially therefrom, a pair of bladders positioned respectively in the cylindrical chambers defined by each of said legs, each of said bladders having an end portion with a closed end associated respectively with opposed surfaces of said vane for reaction of the closed ends of the bladders against the opposed surfaces of said vane to effect rotation of said shaft when the associated bladder is charged with fluid under pressure.

Claim 26

The combination set forth in claim 19 in which each of said bladders has a mouth remote from the closed end thereof, each mouth having a radially extending annular flange, a cap associated with each of the open outer ends of each of the chambers defined by said legs, means to secure said caps in fixed position and to clamp the flange of an associated bladder against said outer end, each of said caps having a port to which a source of fluid under pressure may be connected.