Linear fluidic actuator

Claim 2

A linear fluidic actuator comprising a tubular envelope closed at opposite ends and inflatable from a flat deflated condition to a certain maximum circular diameter, and a flexible inextensible tension means of fixed length carrying said tubular envelope in a position such that the longitudinal axis of the inflated envelope is transverse to the line of action of said tension means, whereas the diametral axis of the deflated envelope lies in a plane paralleling said line of action, one end of said tension means being fixed in position and the other end being movable linearly toward the fixed end responsively to inflation of the tubular envelope from a flat to a circular configuration.

Claim 3

A linear fluidic actuator according to claim 1, and further comprising a fixed member, a movable member, spring means caged between said fixed member and said movable member, and wherein the said one end of the tension means is anchored to said fixed member and the opposite end of the tension means is connected to said movable member.

Claim 4

A linear fluidic actuator according to claim 1, wherein said tubular envelope comprises an inner tube of elastomeric material closed at both ends and being of uniform diameter throughout its length, a sleeve of high strength fabric closely surrounding the length of said inner tube and stitched together at the ends of the tube, for limiting inflation of said inner tube to a certain maximum circular area and wherein said tension means comprises a pair of high tensile strength woven sheets disposed on opposite sides of said tube in conformation to the configuration of said tube and means securing said woven sheets together, and means anchoring one end of said woven sheets so that inflation of said inner tube to the circular configuration effects a contraction in the overall length of said pair of woven sheets resulting in corresponding movement of the free end thereof.

Claim 5

A linear fluidic actuator according to claim 3, wherein said high tensile strength woven sheets comprise stainless steel woven wire fabric.

Claim 6

A linear fluidic actuator comprising a plurality of tubular envelopes closed at opposite ends and inflatable individually and collectively with fluid under pressure from a flat deflated condition to a certain maximum cross sectional area circular in form, and flexible tension means of fixed length carrying said tubular envelopes serially in spaced parallel relation with the longitudinal axes of said envelopes being transverse to the line of action of said tension means, one end of said tension means being anchored in a fixed position and the other end being activated linearly toward said one end in accordance with the contraction of said tension means in consequence of inflation of said tubular envelopes toward a circular configuration.

Claim 7

A linear fluidic actuator comprising a plurality of tubular envelopes closed at opposite ends and inflatable individually and collectively with fluid under pressure from a flat deflated condition to a certain maximum cross sectional area circular in form, and flexible tension means of fixed length carrying said tubular envelopes serially in spaced parallel relation with the longitudinal axes of said envelopes being transverse to the line of action of said tension means, one end of said tension means being anchored in a fixed position and the other end being activated linearly toward said one end in accordance with the contraction of said tension means in consequence of inflation of said tubular envelopes toward a circular configuration.

Claim 8

A linear fluidic actuator according to claim 5, wherein each of said tubular envelopes comprises: a. an inner tube of elastomeric material closed at both ends, and b. a sleeve of high strength fabric closely surrounding the length of the inner tube and stitched together at the ends of the tube for limiting inflation of said inner tube to a certain maximum circular area, and wherein said tension means comprises a pair of high tensile strength woven sheets disposed on opposite sides of said inner tubes and sleeves and conformed to the configuration of said tubes, and means securing said woven sheets together between adjacent tubes and at opposite ends, so that inflation of said tubes to the circular configuration induces a contraction in the overall length of said pair of woven fabric sheets resulting in corresponding movement of the said other end of the said woven sheets toward said one end thereof.

Claim 9

A linear fluidic actuator according to claim 5, and further comprising a fixed member, a movable member, spring means caged between said fixed member and said movable member, and wherein the said one end of the tension means is anchored to said fixed member and the opposite end of the tension means is connected to said movable member.

Claim 10

A fluid pressure controlled operating device, comprising a pair of spaced abutments, one of which occupies a fixed position and the other of which is movable relative to said one abutment, coil spring means interposed under compression between said abutments and acting to bias said movable abutment away from the fixed abutment, and inflatable means comprising a plurality of end-closed tubes of elastomeric material arranged in a row in parallel relation and a sleeve of woven fabric surrounding each of said tubes to limit inflation thereof to a certain maximum circular cross-sectional area, said inflatable means being tautly stretched in flat deflated condition between said abutments in which condition it sustains the expansion force of said spring means and effective when inflated from a flat deflated condition to an inflated circular cross-section to exert a compression force on said spring means and a corresponding movement of said movable abutment toward said fixed abutment.

Claim 11

A fluid pressure controlled operating device, comprising a pair of spaced abutments, one of which occupies a fixed position and the other of which is movable relative to said one abutment, coil spring means interposed under compression between said abutments and acting to bias said movable abutment away from the fixed abutment, and inflatable means comprising a plurality of end-closed tubes of elastomeric material arranged in a row in parallel relation and a sleeve of woven fabric surrounding each of said tubes to limit inflation thereof to a certain maximum circular cross-sectional area, said inflatable means being tautly stretched in flat deflated condition between said abutments in which condition it sustains the expansion force of said spring means and effective when inflated from a flat deflated condition to an inflated circular cross-section to exert a compression force on said spring means and a corresponding movement of said movable abutment toward said fixed abutment.

Claim 12

A fluid pressure controlled operating device according to claim 8, wherein a pair of inextensible woven fabric sheets is stitched together with the said tubes therebetween and substains the compression force of said spring means active upon expansion of said tubes individually and collectively.

Claim 13

A fluid pressure controlled operating device, comprising a pair of spaced abutments, one of which occupies a fixed position and the other of which is movable relative to said one abutment, coil spring means interposed under compression between said abutments and acting to bias said movable abutment away from the fixed abutment, inflatable means comprising a plurality of spaced rows of parallel tubes of elastomeric material, each tube having therearound a sleeve of woven fabric to limit inflation of the tube to a certain maximum circular area in cross section, and a pair of sheets of woven wire fabric means disposed at a right angle to said tubes supports and connects the tubes of each row tautly between said abutments, indivudual and collective inflation of corresponding tubes of each row simultaneously into circular cross-section creating a step-by-step contracting force active through said sheets of fabric means effective to overcome and compress said spring means.

Claim 14

A fluid pressure controlled operating device, comprising a pair of spaced abutments, one of which occupies a fixed position and the other of which is movable relative to said one abutment, coil spring means interposed under compression between said abutments and acting to bias said movable abutment away from the fixed abutment, inflatable means comprising a plurality of spaced rows of parallel tubes of elastomeric material, each tube having therearound a sleeve of woven fabric to limit inflation of the tube to a certain maximum circular area in cross section, and a pair of sheets of woven wire fabric means disposed at a right angle to said tubes supports and connects the tubes of each row tautly between said abutments, indivudual and collective inflation of corresponding tubes of each row simultaneously into circular cross-section creating a step-by-step contracting force active through said sheets of fabric means effective to overcome and compress said spring means.

Claim 15

A gate valve having a valve body, a gate valve element movable between a full open and a closed position, and an operating stem for said valve element projecting out of said body, wherein the improvement comprises an operator for said valve element comprising a pair of spaced abutments one of which is fixed relative to said valve body and the other of which is movable relative thereto to which said operating stem is secured, spring means compressed between the said pair of abutments and biasing said movable abutment and said stem to move said valve element to closed position, and tubular elastomeric means interposed between said fixed and movable abutments and inflatable from a flat deflated condition to a certain maximum circular cross-sectional area, said tubular elastomeric means having its longitudinal axis at a right angle to the line of action of said spring means, and tension means comprising a pair of inextensible sheets of fabric material secured together and supporting said tubular elastomeric means therebetween, said sheets having their opposite ends connected to said pair of abutments respectively, said tubular elastomeric means being effective when fully inflated to circular form to act through said tension means to shorten the linear distance between said abutments and thereby effect opening travel of said valve element in opposition to said spring means.

Claim 16

A gate valve having a valve body, a gate valve element movable between a full open and a closed position, and an operating stem for said valve element projecting out of said body, wherein the improvement comprises an operator for said valve element comprising a pair of spaced abutments one of which is fixed relative to said valve body and the other of which is movable relative thereto to which said operating stem is secured, spring means compressed between the said pair of abutments and biasing said movable abutment and said stem to move said valve element to closed position, and tubular elastomeric means interposed between said fixed and movable abutments and inflatable from a flat deflated condition to a certain maximum circular cross-sectional area, said tubular elastomeric means having its longitudinal axis at a right angle to the line of action of said spring means, and tension means comprising a pair of inextensible sheets of fabric material secured together and supporting said tubular elastomeric means therebetween, said sheets having their opposite ends connected to said pair of abutments respectively, said tubular elastomeric means being effective when fully inflated to circular form to act through said tension means to shorten the linear distance between said abutments and thereby effect opening travel of said valve element in opposition to said spring means.

Claim 17

A gate valve according to claim 11, wherein said valve body and said fixed abutment are anchored to a common base and the anchoring means for said fixed abutment constitutes a guide means for said movable abutment.

Claim 18

A gate valve according to claim 11, wherein said tubular elastomeric means when deflated is tautly stretched in flat condition between said abutments and when inflated expands to a certain maximum circular cross-section whereby to exert a linearly contracting force through said tension means to shorten the distance between the said abutments and compress said spring means, thereby correspondingly effecting movement of said movable abutment and opening travel of said gate valve element.

Claim 19

A gate valve according to claim 11, wherein said tubular elastomeric means comprises a plurality of end-closed tubes of uniform diameter throughout their length arranged in parallel spaced relation, whereby expansion of said tubes individually and collectively to a circular cross-section produces a force of contraction effective through said pair of fabric sheets to compress said spring means and cause opening travel of said gate valve element.