US3786693A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Detent mechanism for releasably securing relatively rotatable members
Assignee: AT&T Teletype Corp
•
Filing: 1972-05-25
•
Granted: 1974-01-22
•
Expires: 1992-05-25
Abstract
Abstract First and second disks are mounted on a common shaft for rotation relative to each other, the second disk being releasably urged into contact with the first disk by a spring. A plurality of ball detents disposed about the face of the second disk seat in a plurality of radially extending grooves formed in the face of the first disk. This permits the disks to be releasably secured in a fixed angular relationship by the force of the spring. Any desired one of a plurality of angular relationships between the disks may be selected by rotating the disks relative to each other through a desired angle. The selected angular relationship is then maintained by the urging force of the spring which seats the plurality of ball detents in adjacent ones of the plurality of grooves. Each of the plurality of ball detents is freely movable longitudinally over an adjustment range to automatically seat each ball detent in a corresponding one of the plurality of grooves. In one example, the adjustable disks are gears, driven alternately, to provide a paper feeding drive of variable stroke for a teleprinter.
Inventors
- 👤 H Keipert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 09:49
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H23/00; B65H23/04; B65H23/18; H; H04; H04L; H04L13/00; H04L13/02; H04L13/06; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/20; Y10T74/20576; Y10T74/20636
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
319 words
A detent mechanism for releasably securing relatively rotatable members which comprises: a first rotatable member having a plurality of radially extending grooves formed in one surface thereof; a second rotatable member; a plurality of ball detents on one surface of said second rotatable member, said ball detents being equally spaced around the circumference of a circle concentric with said second rotatable member, said circle having a radius less than the radius of said second rotatable member; a retaining ring having a plurality of slots formed therein and attached to said one surface of said second rotatable member so that a portion of each of said plurality of ball detents protrudes therethrough and toward said grooves of said first rotatable member, one of said plurality of slots formed parallel to the radius of said second rotatable member and extending in a radial direction so that one of said plurality of ball detents disposed in said one slot is alignable with any selected one of said plurality of grooves in said first rotatable member thereby setting a selected angular relationship between said first and second rotatable member, the remaining ones of said plurality of slots formed parallel to said one slot so that each of the remaining ones of said plurality of ball detents are movable in said slots over an adjustment range to fully engage and seat in corresponding selected ones of the plurality of grooves; a shaft extending through the centers of said first and second rotatable members and joined to said first rotatable member so that said second rotatable member is slidable along said shaft and is rotatable relative to said first rotatable member; and means for releasably urging said second rotatable member along said shaft so that said plurality of ball detents contact and engage said selected ones of said plurality of grooves thereby releasably coupling said first and second rotatable members in the selected angular position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
319 words
A detent mechanism for releasably securing relatively rotatable members which comprises: a first rotatable member having a plurality of radially extending grooves formed in one surface thereof; a second rotatable member; a plurality of ball detents on one surface of said second rotatable member, said ball detents being equally spaced around the circumference of a circle concentric with said second rotatable member, said circle having a radius less than the radius of said second rotatable member; a retaining ring having a plurality of slots formed therein and attached to said one surface of said second rotatable member so that a portion of each of said plurality of ball detents protrudes therethrough and toward said grooves of said first rotatable member, one of said plurality of slots formed parallel to the radius of said second rotatable member and extending in a radial direction so that one of said plurality of ball detents disposed in said one slot is alignable with any selected one of said plurality of grooves in said first rotatable member thereby setting a selected angular relationship between said first and second rotatable member, the remaining ones of said plurality of slots formed parallel to said one slot so that each of the remaining ones of said plurality of ball detents are movable in said slots over an adjustment range to fully engage and seat in corresponding selected ones of the plurality of grooves; a shaft extending through the centers of said first and second rotatable members and joined to said first rotatable member so that said second rotatable member is slidable along said shaft and is rotatable relative to said first rotatable member; and means for releasably urging said second rotatable member along said shaft so that said plurality of ball detents contact and engage said selected ones of said plurality of grooves thereby releasably coupling said first and second rotatable members in the selected angular position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
82 words
A detent mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second rotatable member further comprises: a plurality of depressions formed in one surface of said second rotatable member so that said plurality of depressions are equally spaced around the circumference of a circle concentric with said second rotatable member, said circle having a radius less than the radius of said second rotatable member, each of said plurality of ball detents being disposed in an associated one of said plurality of depressions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
A detent mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said urging means comprises a spring having one end engageable with said shaft and having the remaining end bearing upon said second rotatable member so that said second rotatable member is normally urged toward, and thereby releasably coupled to, said first rotatable member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
345 words
A detent mechanism for releasably securing relatively rotatable members which comprises: a first rotatable member having a plurality of radially extending grooves formed in one surface; a second rotatable member having a plurality of depressions formed in one surface, each of said plurality of depressions being equidistant from the center of said second rotatable member; a plurality of ball detents, each of said plurality of ball detents being disposed in an associated one of said plurality of depressions; means, having a plurality of slots formed therein, for retaining said plurality of ball detents in said plurality of depressions, one of said plurality of slots formEd parallel to a radius of said second rotatable member and extending in a radial direction so that one of said plurality of ball detents disposed in said one slot is alignable with any selected one of said plurality of grooves in said first rotatable member thereby setting a selected angular relationship between said first and second rotatable members, the remaining ones of said plurality of slots formed parallel to said one slot so that each of the remaining ones of said plurality of ball detents are movable over an adjustment range to fully engage and seal in corresponding selected ones of the plurality of grooves; a shaft extending through said first and second rotatable members to mount said rotatable members in a relative position along a common axis so that said plurality of grooves of said first rotatable member faces said plurality of ball detents of said second rotatable member, said second rotatable member being slidable along said shaft and rotatable relative to said first rotatable member to align said first and second rotatable members in the selected angular relationship; and means for releasably urging said second rotatable member along said shaft toward said first rotatable member so that said plurality of ball detents of said second rotatable member engage and seat in the selected ones of said plurality of grooves in said first rotatable member thereby releasably securing said first and second rotatable members in the selected angular relationship.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
345 words
A detent mechanism for releasably securing relatively rotatable members which comprises: a first rotatable member having a plurality of radially extending grooves formed in one surface; a second rotatable member having a plurality of depressions formed in one surface, each of said plurality of depressions being equidistant from the center of said second rotatable member; a plurality of ball detents, each of said plurality of ball detents being disposed in an associated one of said plurality of depressions; means, having a plurality of slots formed therein, for retaining said plurality of ball detents in said plurality of depressions, one of said plurality of slots formEd parallel to a radius of said second rotatable member and extending in a radial direction so that one of said plurality of ball detents disposed in said one slot is alignable with any selected one of said plurality of grooves in said first rotatable member thereby setting a selected angular relationship between said first and second rotatable members, the remaining ones of said plurality of slots formed parallel to said one slot so that each of the remaining ones of said plurality of ball detents are movable over an adjustment range to fully engage and seal in corresponding selected ones of the plurality of grooves; a shaft extending through said first and second rotatable members to mount said rotatable members in a relative position along a common axis so that said plurality of grooves of said first rotatable member faces said plurality of ball detents of said second rotatable member, said second rotatable member being slidable along said shaft and rotatable relative to said first rotatable member to align said first and second rotatable members in the selected angular relationship; and means for releasably urging said second rotatable member along said shaft toward said first rotatable member so that said plurality of ball detents of said second rotatable member engage and seat in the selected ones of said plurality of grooves in said first rotatable member thereby releasably securing said first and second rotatable members in the selected angular relationship.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
A detent mechanism as set forth in claim 4 wherein said urging means comprises a spring having one end engageable with said shaft and having the remaining end bearing upon said second rotatable member so that said second rotatable member is releasably coupled to said first rotatable member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
A detent mechanism as set forth in claim 5 wherein said retaining means further comprises a retaining ring attached to said one surface of said second rotatable member and having a plurality of slots, each of said plurality of slots coinciding with each of said plurality of depressions so that a portion of each of said plurality of ball detents protrudes through each of said plurality of slots.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2983121A
Cited
US3068667A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-01-21 | 1977-07-23 | 1978-01-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-21 | 1981-07-23 | 1982-01-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-21 | 1985-07-23 | 1986-01-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |