Patent US3884040A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3884040A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Hydraulic actuator
Assignee: Superior Iron Works and Supply Co Inc
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Filing: 1973-02-26
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Granted: 1975-05-20
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Expires: 1993-02-26
Abstract
Abstract A hydraulic actuator comprises a worm gear including a worm supported for rotation by means of a handle and a worm wheel driven by the worm. The worm wheel surrounds and drives a sleeve which is threadedly engaged with the lead screw. A piston is supported on one end of the lead screw for reciprocation thereby in response to rotation of the worm. The piston is enclosed by the barrel of a hydraulic cylinder, and upon reciprocation functions to cause hydraulic fluid flow into and out of the cylinder. The worm gear and the lead screw provide an overall mechanical advantage of about 40:1, so that substantial actuation of the handle is required in order to provide even a relatively small output from the hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder is utilized in a line tensioning machine of the type in which line from a supply reel is directed around a bull wheel. A caliper-type disk brake is utilized to control the rotation of the bull wheel and thereby regulates the tension of the line as it is paid out from the machine. The disk brake of the line tensioning machine is actuated by means of hydraulic pressure supplied by the hydraulic actuator. The high mechanical advantage afforded by the worm gear and the lead screw of the hydraulic actuator facilitates precise control over the braking force which is applied by the disk brake, which in turn provides precise control over the tension of the line.
Inventors
- 👤 Lane A Green
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 22:30
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H25/00; F16H25/18; F16H25/20; F15; F15B; F15B7/00; F15B7/06; F15B7/08; F15B15/00; F15B15/08; F15B15/14; F15B2015/1495; F16H2025/2062; F16H2025/209; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/18; Y10T74/18568; Y10T74/18792
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
A hydraulic actuator for facilitating precise control over an apparatus to perform a function by means of the action of pressurized hydraulic fluid outside said actuator which comprises: a housing with a hydraulic cylinder rigidly attached thereto, said hydraulic cylinder including a piston mounted for relative reciprocation to selectively cause hydraulic fluid flow to and from the apparatus; operator means; and a mechanism having a relatively high mechanical advantage for effecting relative reciprocation of the piston in response to actuation of the operator means so that a relatively substantial actuation of the operator means is required in order to effect a relatively small change in the performance in the function by the apparatus.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
113 words
A hydraulic actuator for facilitating precise control over an apparatus to perform a function by means of the action of pressurized hydraulic fluid outside said actuator which comprises: a housing with a hydraulic cylinder rigidly attached thereto, said hydraulic cylinder including a piston mounted for relative reciprocation to selectively cause hydraulic fluid flow to and from the apparatus; operator means; and a mechanism having a relatively high mechanical advantage for effecting relative reciprocation of the piston in response to actuation of the operator means so that a relatively substantial actuation of the operator means is required in order to effect a relatively small change in the performance in the function by the apparatus.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
89 words
The hydraulic actuator according to claim 1 wherein the mechanism for effecting reciprocation of the piston includes: a lead screw operatively connected to the piston; a member threadedly engaging the lead screw and supported for rotation to extend and retract the lead screw and thereby effect relative reciprocation of the piston; and means responsive to actuation of the operator means for rotating the member and thereby effecting a change in the performance of the function by means of the lead screw, the hydraulic cylinder, and the hydraulically actuated apparatus.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
143 words
A hydraulic actuator actuating an apparatus outside said actuator by means of pressurized hydraulic fluid comprising: hydraulic cylinder means including piston means mounted for relative reciprocation to cause hydraulic fluid flow into and out of the cylinder means; a lead screw operatively connected to the piston means to effect actuation thereof; a sleeve threadedly engaging the lead screw for rotation to cause selective extension and retraction of the lead screw and thereby effecting relative reciprocation of the piston means of the hydraulic cylinder means; a worm gear including a worm and a worm wheel mounted in mesh and operatively connected to the sleeve to effect rotation thereof; and means for selectively rotating the worm of the worm gear and thereby actuating the worm wheel, the sleeve, and the lead screw to effect relative reciprocation of the piston means of the hydraulic cylinder means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
143 words
A hydraulic actuator actuating an apparatus outside said actuator by means of pressurized hydraulic fluid comprising: hydraulic cylinder means including piston means mounted for relative reciprocation to cause hydraulic fluid flow into and out of the cylinder means; a lead screw operatively connected to the piston means to effect actuation thereof; a sleeve threadedly engaging the lead screw for rotation to cause selective extension and retraction of the lead screw and thereby effecting relative reciprocation of the piston means of the hydraulic cylinder means; a worm gear including a worm and a worm wheel mounted in mesh and operatively connected to the sleeve to effect rotation thereof; and means for selectively rotating the worm of the worm gear and thereby actuating the worm wheel, the sleeve, and the lead screw to effect relative reciprocation of the piston means of the hydraulic cylinder means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
The hydraulic actuator according to claim 3 further including housing means enclosing the worm gear, the sleeve, and the lead screw, wherein the hydraulic cylinder means further includes a barrel enclosing the piston means which is mounted on and extends from the housing, and wherein the piston of the hydraulic cylinder means is mounted on the end of the lead screw.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
158 words
A hydraulic actuator comprising: a housing; a shaft rotatably supported in the housing; a handle secured to one end of the shaft for manual actuation to rotate the shaft; a worm mounted on the shaft for rotation by means of the handle; a sleeve rotatably supported in the housing; a worm wheel supported by the sleeve and mounted in mesh with the worm for rotation thereby; said sleeve having an internally threaded portion concentric with the worm wheel; a lead screw threadedly engaged with the internally threaded portion of the sleeve and mounted for reciprocation relative to the housing in response to rotation of the worm by means of the handle; a hydraulic cylinder including a barrel secured to and extending from the housing; and a piston mounted on the lead screw and enclosed by the barrel for reciprocation therein to cause hydraulic fluid flow into and out of the cylinder hydraulically actuating an apparatus outside said actuator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
158 words
A hydraulic actuator comprising: a housing; a shaft rotatably supported in the housing; a handle secured to one end of the shaft for manual actuation to rotate the shaft; a worm mounted on the shaft for rotation by means of the handle; a sleeve rotatably supported in the housing; a worm wheel supported by the sleeve and mounted in mesh with the worm for rotation thereby; said sleeve having an internally threaded portion concentric with the worm wheel; a lead screw threadedly engaged with the internally threaded portion of the sleeve and mounted for reciprocation relative to the housing in response to rotation of the worm by means of the handle; a hydraulic cylinder including a barrel secured to and extending from the housing; and a piston mounted on the lead screw and enclosed by the barrel for reciprocation therein to cause hydraulic fluid flow into and out of the cylinder hydraulically actuating an apparatus outside said actuator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
161 words
A hydraulic actuator for facilitating precise control over an apparatus to perform a function by means of the action of pressurized hydraulic fluid outside said actuator which comprises: a hydraulic cylinder including a piston mounted for relative reciprocation to selectively cause hydraulic fluid flow to and from the apparatus; a lead screw operatively connected to the piston; a member threadedly engaging the lead screw and supported for rotation to extend and retract the lead screw and thereby effect relative reciprocation of the piston; an operator means; and means responsive to actuation of the operator means including a worm wheel operatively connected to said member and a worm mounted in mesh with said worm wheel, wherein the operator means is effective upon actuation to rotate the worm and thereby cause a change in the performance in the function of said apparatus by means of the worm wheel, the member rotatable thereby, the lead screw, the hydraulic cylinder and the hydraulically actuated apparatus.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
161 words
A hydraulic actuator for facilitating precise control over an apparatus to perform a function by means of the action of pressurized hydraulic fluid outside said actuator which comprises: a hydraulic cylinder including a piston mounted for relative reciprocation to selectively cause hydraulic fluid flow to and from the apparatus; a lead screw operatively connected to the piston; a member threadedly engaging the lead screw and supported for rotation to extend and retract the lead screw and thereby effect relative reciprocation of the piston; an operator means; and means responsive to actuation of the operator means including a worm wheel operatively connected to said member and a worm mounted in mesh with said worm wheel, wherein the operator means is effective upon actuation to rotate the worm and thereby cause a change in the performance in the function of said apparatus by means of the worm wheel, the member rotatable thereby, the lead screw, the hydraulic cylinder and the hydraulically actuated apparatus.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-19 | 1978-11-18 | 1979-05-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-19 | 1982-11-18 | 1983-05-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-19 | 1986-11-18 | 1987-05-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |