Patent US4274304A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4274304A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
In-line reversing mechanism
Assignee: ROTOR TOOL Corp
•
Filing: 1978-03-29
•
Granted: 1981-06-23
•
Expires: 1998-03-29
Abstract
Abstract An in-line reversing mechanism for use with hand-held power tools comprises two coaxially juxtaposed epicyclic gear trains having a common carrier which may alternately be locked to or released from an outer cage to accomplish the bidirectional transmission of rotational power. The complete reversing mechanism is housed in a generally cylindrical body suitable for mounting between a conventional unidirectional motor and gear head or powered device. Forward or reverse output rotation is selected by the tool operator by moving an annular collar positioned on the periphery of the reversing mechanism to the front or rear of the mechanism.
Inventors
- 👤 George R. Curtiss
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 15:39
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H3/00; F16H3/44; F16H3/46; F16H3/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
A reversing mechanism for a power tool comprising, in combination, a housing, an input shaft having gear teeth, an output shaft having gear teeth, a rotatable cage disposed about said shafts and having gear teeth on its inner surface, a gear carrier intermediate said shafts and said cage, a pair of gears mounted within said carrier and meshed with said input shaft gear teeth and said cage gear teeth, a pair of gear trains each including two meshed gears mounted within said carrier, one gear of each of said gear trains meshed with said output shaft gear teeth and the other gear of each of said gear trains meshed with said cage gear teeth, and a brake collar operatively engaged with said gear carrier and having a first position in which said collar is coupled to said cage and a second position in which said collar is coupled to said housing, whereby bidirectional rotation of said output shaft is achieved from unidirectional rotation of said input shaft by selective positioning of said collar.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
173 words
A reversing mechanism for a power tool comprising, in combination, a housing, an input shaft having gear teeth, an output shaft having gear teeth, a rotatable cage disposed about said shafts and having gear teeth on its inner surface, a gear carrier intermediate said shafts and said cage, a pair of gears mounted within said carrier and meshed with said input shaft gear teeth and said cage gear teeth, a pair of gear trains each including two meshed gears mounted within said carrier, one gear of each of said gear trains meshed with said output shaft gear teeth and the other gear of each of said gear trains meshed with said cage gear teeth, and a brake collar operatively engaged with said gear carrier and having a first position in which said collar is coupled to said cage and a second position in which said collar is coupled to said housing, whereby bidirectional rotation of said output shaft is achieved from unidirectional rotation of said input shaft by selective positioning of said collar.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The reversing mechanism of claim 1 which further includes an annular bearing race positioned between said rotatable cage and said housing and mounting said rotatable cage within said housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
89 words
The reversing mechanism of claim 1 which further includes an annulus disposed about said housing and operably linked to said brake collar, said annulus having a first, forward position nearest the front of said power tool and a second, rearward position nearest the rear of said power tool, whereby when said annulus is in said first position said input shaft and said output shaft rotate in the same direction and when said annulus is in said second position said input shaft and said output shaft rotate in opposite directions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
197 words
A reversing mechanism for a power tool comprising, in combination, a housing, means for mounting said housing to a drive unit and to a driven unit, an input shaft having gear teeth, an output shaft having gear teeth, a cage coaxially disposed about said shafts having gear teeth on its inner surface, bearing means for rotatably mounting said cage within said housing, a gear carrier intermediate said shafts and said cage, a pair of gears mounted in said carrier and meshed with said input shaft gear teeth and said cage gear teeth, a pair of gear trains each including two meshed gears mounted in said carrier, one gear of each of said gear trains meshed with said output shaft gear teeth and the other gear of each of said gear trains meshed with said cage gear teeth, and a brake collar engaged for rotation with said carrier, said collar having a first position in which said collar is coupled to said cage and a second position in which said collar is coupled to said housing, whereby bidirectional rotation of said output shaft is achieved from unidirectional rotation of said input shaft by selective positioning of said collar.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
197 words
A reversing mechanism for a power tool comprising, in combination, a housing, means for mounting said housing to a drive unit and to a driven unit, an input shaft having gear teeth, an output shaft having gear teeth, a cage coaxially disposed about said shafts having gear teeth on its inner surface, bearing means for rotatably mounting said cage within said housing, a gear carrier intermediate said shafts and said cage, a pair of gears mounted in said carrier and meshed with said input shaft gear teeth and said cage gear teeth, a pair of gear trains each including two meshed gears mounted in said carrier, one gear of each of said gear trains meshed with said output shaft gear teeth and the other gear of each of said gear trains meshed with said cage gear teeth, and a brake collar engaged for rotation with said carrier, said collar having a first position in which said collar is coupled to said cage and a second position in which said collar is coupled to said housing, whereby bidirectional rotation of said output shaft is achieved from unidirectional rotation of said input shaft by selective positioning of said collar.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The reversing mechanism of claim 4 wherein said input shaft and said output shaft are coaxially aligned.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The reversing mechanism of claim 4 wherein said bearing means comprises a plurality of needle bearings.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The reversing mechanism of claim 4 wherein said collar includes radially disposed teeth on its front and rear faces.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
132 words
A reversing mechanism comprising, in combination, an input shaft having gear teeth, an output shaft having gear teeth, a cage disposed for rotation about said shafts and having gear teeth on an inner surface, a carrier disposed intermediate said shafts and said cage, first gear means rotatably mounted in said carrier for rotationally interconnecting said input shaft and said cage, second gear means rotatably mounted in said carrier for rotationally interconnecting said output shaft and cage, and moveable means disposed for rotation with said carrier for prohibiting relative rotation between said carrier and said cage in a first position and prohibiting rotation of said carrier in a second position whereby bidirectional rotation of said output shaft is achieved from unidirectional rotation of said input shaft by selective positioning of said moveable means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
132 words
A reversing mechanism comprising, in combination, an input shaft having gear teeth, an output shaft having gear teeth, a cage disposed for rotation about said shafts and having gear teeth on an inner surface, a carrier disposed intermediate said shafts and said cage, first gear means rotatably mounted in said carrier for rotationally interconnecting said input shaft and said cage, second gear means rotatably mounted in said carrier for rotationally interconnecting said output shaft and cage, and moveable means disposed for rotation with said carrier for prohibiting relative rotation between said carrier and said cage in a first position and prohibiting rotation of said carrier in a second position whereby bidirectional rotation of said output shaft is achieved from unidirectional rotation of said input shaft by selective positioning of said moveable means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
The reversing mechanism of claim 8 wherein said moveable means defines an annular collar having first and second sets of teeth disposed between a stationary third set of teeth and a fourth set of teeth on said cage.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The reversing mechanism of claim 9 wherein said teeth of said sets of teeth have sawtooth profiles.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
DE512686C
Cited
US1099464A
Cited
US1217059A
Cited
US1374265A
Cited
US1372268A
Cited
US1406119A
Cited
FR555976A
Cited
US1648479A
Cited
US1727624A
Cited
US2131677A
Cited
US2493592A
Cited
US2448249A
Cited
US2600762A
Cited
US2931252A
Cited
US3240083A
Cited
US3161241A
Cited
US3404586A
Cited
US3545305A
Cited
US3799005A
Cited
US3954028A
Cited
US4155275A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1984-06-22 | 1984-12-22 | 1985-06-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1988-06-22 | 1988-12-22 | 1989-06-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1992-06-22 | 1992-12-22 | 1993-06-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |