US4401010A — Variable-torque-accommodating machine

Claim 1

Independent Claim 336 words

A variable-torque-accommodating machine, comprising at least one piston and cylinder, the piston being fixed to a piston rod at one end thereof and adapted to reciprocate within the cylinder, the opposite end of said piston rod extending exteriorly of the cylinder and the cylinder having fixed cylinder heads closing respective opposite ends thereof and having a secondary cylinder head adjacent to one of the fixed cylinder heads and movable back and forth within the cylinder in opposition to the piston, the piston rod extending exteriorly of the cylinder through the other fixed cylinder head; work means; a connecting rod connected to the work means and adapted to be reciprocated for operating said work means; a lever rod pivotally linking the piston rod with the connecting rod so that reciprocation of the former will reciprocate the latter; fulcrum means mounted on the lever rod for back and forth movement therealong as a shiftable fulcrum for said lever rod; means associated with opposite ends of the lever rod and with said fulcrum means for constraining travel of the linked ends of the piston rod and the connecting rod and of the fulcrum means to predetermined paths so that the stroke of said connecting rod remains constant while the stroke of said piston rod is varied; means for moving said secondary cylinder head forwardly or backwardly in the cylinder in response to changes in torque encountered by the work means from time to time during operation of said machine; means for similarly shifting said fulcrum means along the lever rod; means for introducing a pressure fluid into the cylinder alternately at opposite faces of the piston; means for exhausting said pressure fluid from said cylinder alternately at opposite faces of said piston while the pressure fluid is being introduced into the cylinder at the respective reverse faces of said piston; and means for controlling said secondary-cylinder-head-moving-means and said fulcrum-means-shifting-means in accordance with changes in torque encountered by the work means from time to time during operation of said machine.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 336 words

A variable-torque-accommodating machine, comprising at least one piston and cylinder, the piston being fixed to a piston rod at one end thereof and adapted to reciprocate within the cylinder, the opposite end of said piston rod extending exteriorly of the cylinder and the cylinder having fixed cylinder heads closing respective opposite ends thereof and having a secondary cylinder head adjacent to one of the fixed cylinder heads and movable back and forth within the cylinder in opposition to the piston, the piston rod extending exteriorly of the cylinder through the other fixed cylinder head; work means; a connecting rod connected to the work means and adapted to be reciprocated for operating said work means; a lever rod pivotally linking the piston rod with the connecting rod so that reciprocation of the former will reciprocate the latter; fulcrum means mounted on the lever rod for back and forth movement therealong as a shiftable fulcrum for said lever rod; means associated with opposite ends of the lever rod and with said fulcrum means for constraining travel of the linked ends of the piston rod and the connecting rod and of the fulcrum means to predetermined paths so that the stroke of said connecting rod remains constant while the stroke of said piston rod is varied; means for moving said secondary cylinder head forwardly or backwardly in the cylinder in response to changes in torque encountered by the work means from time to time during operation of said machine; means for similarly shifting said fulcrum means along the lever rod; means for introducing a pressure fluid into the cylinder alternately at opposite faces of the piston; means for exhausting said pressure fluid from said cylinder alternately at opposite faces of said piston while the pressure fluid is being introduced into the cylinder at the respective reverse faces of said piston; and means for controlling said secondary-cylinder-head-moving-means and said fulcrum-means-shifting-means in accordance with changes in torque encountered by the work means from time to time during operation of said machine.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 30 words

A variable-torque-accommodating machine according to claim 1, wherein the work means is a crankshaft having cranks corresponding in number to the number of piston and cylinder mechanisms in the machine.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 61 words

A variable-torque-accommodating machine according to claim 1, wherein the means for controlling the secondary-cylinder-head-moving-means and the fulcrum-means-shifting means comprises position sensors respectively associated with said secondary-cylinder-head-moving-means and with the pivotal connection of the lever rod with the connecting rod, and data processing means arranged to receive signals from said position sensors and arranged and programmed to operate the respective means accordingly.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 210 words

A variable-torque-accommodating machine in accordance with claim 3, wherein the secondary-cylinder-head-moving-means and the fulcrum-means-shifting-means comprise a hydraulic cylinder and piston dash pot mechanism wherein movement of the dash pot piston in one direction is retarded by restricted air-exhaust openings and movement in the other direction is resiliently effected by a spring energized by movement of said dash pot piston in said one direction, said dash pot mechanism being in fluid flow communication with the portion of the machine cylinder between the secondary cylinder head and the corresponding fixed cylinder head so movement of said dash pot piston under the urging of said spring will force hydraulic fluid from the dash pot cylinder into said portion of the machine cylinder between the secondary cylinder head and the confronting fixed cylinder head, a normally open valve being interposed in the path of fluid flow between said dash pot mechanism and the said portion of the machine cylinder; and wherein closing of said valve is controlled by a position sensor associated with the pivotal connection of the lever rod with the connecting rod; and wherein the fulcrum-means-shifting means is controlled by a position sensor associated with said dash pot piston for producing a signal indicative of the position of the secondary cylinder head.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 33 words

A variable torque accommodating means according to claim 3, wherein the data processing means is programmed with preset maximum and minimum limit signals with which incoming signals from the position sensors are compared.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 54 words

A variable-torque-accommodating machine in accordance with claim 4, wherein the valve is operated by a spring-loaded solenoid and the means for controlling the secondary-cylinder-head-moving means and the fulcrum-means-shifting means are electrical in character; and wherein the position sensors and data processing means are of a type which operate on the basis of electrical signals.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 70 words

A variable-torque-accommodating machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means for introducing pressure fluid into the cylinder alternately at opposite faces of the piston and the means for exhausing pressure fluid from the cylinder alternately at opposite faces of the piston comprise respective pressure fluid supply passages and respective exhaust passages; respective valves in said supply passages and in said exhaust passages; and respective means for activating said valves.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 46 words

A variable-torque-accommodating machine in accordance with claim 6, wherein one set of a supply passage and an exhaust passage are provided by respective tubes extending through the secondary cylinder head and slidably mounted in the corresponding fixed cylinder head for back and forth movement relative thereto.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 18 words

A variable-torque-accommodating machine in accordance with claim 7, wherein the means for activating the valves are respective solenoids.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 49 words

A variable-torque-accommodating machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means associated with opposite ends of the lever rod for constraining travel to predetermined paths are fixed slideways, and slides pivotally secured to opposite ends of the lever rod and mounted for back and forth movement in said slideways.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 50 words

A variable-torque-accommodating machine in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fulcrum means is a block slidably mounted on the lever rod as a sleeve for back and forth movement therealong and is constrained to travel along a predetermined path by slide means secured thereto and mounted in fixed slideway means.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 49 words

A variable-torque-accommodating machine in accordance with claim 11, wherein the fulcrum means-shifting means comprises a clevis member in which the fulcrum means is journaled, a screw-threaded spindle in threaded engagement with the fulcrum means, and a reversible motor arranged to drive said spindle in one or the other directions.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1986-08-29	1987-02-28	1987-08-30	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1990-08-29	1991-02-28	1991-08-30	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1994-08-29	1995-02-28	1995-08-30	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Variable-torque-accommodating machine

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