Programmable positioning and operating mechanism for industrial operating head
First Claim
1. In apparatus for moving through coordinated functions, an operating head mounted on and extendable linearly relative to a base, the improvement comprising:
- a main carriage mounted on said base for pivotal movement about a tilt axis,an intermediate carriage mounted on said main carriage for travel relative thereto between an extended position and a retracted position,a head carriage mounted on said intermediate carriage for travel relative thereto between an extended position and a retracted position in telescoping fashion relative to said main carriage, said operating head being connected to said head carriage for pivotal movement about a wrist tip axis parallel to said tilt axis,drive means operatively connected between said main carriage and said intermediate carriage for moving said intermediate carriage between said extended and retracted positions,first control wheel means mounted for rotation at the forward end of said intermediate carriage,second control wheel means mounted for rotation at the rearward end of said intermediate carriage,a first length of flexible connecting means connected at one end to said main carriage and extending forwardly to and in operative engagement with said first control wheel means, and thence rearwardly to a connection to said head carriage,a second length of flexible connecting means connected at one end to said main carriage and extending rearwardly to and in operative engagement with said second control wheel means and thence forwardly to a connection to said head carriage whereby when said drive means extends and retracts said intermediate carriage relative to said main carriage, said lengths cause simultaneous extension and retraction respectively of said head carriage relative to said intermediate carriage,a pivotal tip control means operatively connected to said operating head and mounted on said head carriage for pivotal movement about said wrist tip axis,a pivotal wrist tip drive means mounted on said main carriage and having an axis parallel to said wrist tip axis,idler wheel means mounted at the rearward end of said intermediate carriage for free rotation about an axis angularly disposed relative to said wrist tip axis in a plane parallel to said wrist tip axis, andan endless, flexible, inextensible connecting means operatively connecting said tip control means, said idler wheel means and said tip drive means whereby said wrist tip drive means remains operatively connected to said tip control means during telescoping extension and retraction movement of said head carriage and intermediate carriage relative to said main carriage.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for moving an operating head automatically through programmed functions using a telescoping arm assembly. The operating head and arm assembly are mounted on a base and are normally capable of motions about or along several axes, including linear extension and retraction relative to the base. The telescoping arm assembly includes a main carriage mounted on the base, an intermediate carriage mounted on the main carriage, and a head carriage supporting the operating head and mounted on the intermediate carriage for telescoping movement relative to the main carriage. The operating head is connected to the head carriage by a wrist joint for pivotal movement about a wrist tip axis, and even for additional rotary movement about a wrist roll axis, the control of the respective movements being accomplished for example, by chain and sprocket mechanisms in order to control the wrist movements continuously, even during the telescoping extension and retraction movement of the carriages.
39 Citations
18 Claims
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1. In apparatus for moving through coordinated functions, an operating head mounted on and extendable linearly relative to a base, the improvement comprising:
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a main carriage mounted on said base for pivotal movement about a tilt axis, an intermediate carriage mounted on said main carriage for travel relative thereto between an extended position and a retracted position, a head carriage mounted on said intermediate carriage for travel relative thereto between an extended position and a retracted position in telescoping fashion relative to said main carriage, said operating head being connected to said head carriage for pivotal movement about a wrist tip axis parallel to said tilt axis, drive means operatively connected between said main carriage and said intermediate carriage for moving said intermediate carriage between said extended and retracted positions, first control wheel means mounted for rotation at the forward end of said intermediate carriage, second control wheel means mounted for rotation at the rearward end of said intermediate carriage, a first length of flexible connecting means connected at one end to said main carriage and extending forwardly to and in operative engagement with said first control wheel means, and thence rearwardly to a connection to said head carriage, a second length of flexible connecting means connected at one end to said main carriage and extending rearwardly to and in operative engagement with said second control wheel means and thence forwardly to a connection to said head carriage whereby when said drive means extends and retracts said intermediate carriage relative to said main carriage, said lengths cause simultaneous extension and retraction respectively of said head carriage relative to said intermediate carriage, a pivotal tip control means operatively connected to said operating head and mounted on said head carriage for pivotal movement about said wrist tip axis, a pivotal wrist tip drive means mounted on said main carriage and having an axis parallel to said wrist tip axis, idler wheel means mounted at the rearward end of said intermediate carriage for free rotation about an axis angularly disposed relative to said wrist tip axis in a plane parallel to said wrist tip axis, and an endless, flexible, inextensible connecting means operatively connecting said tip control means, said idler wheel means and said tip drive means whereby said wrist tip drive means remains operatively connected to said tip control means during telescoping extension and retraction movement of said head carriage and intermediate carriage relative to said main carriage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In apparatus for moving through coordinated functions, an operating head mounted at a wrist assembly to an arm assembly that is mounted on and extendable linearly in telescoping fashion relative to a base and pivotable thereon about a tilt axis, the operating head being pivotable about a wrist tip axis perpendicular to the direction of linear movement of said arm assembly and parallel to said tilt axis, the improvement comprising:
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an arm assembly main carriage mounted on said base, an arm assembly intermediate carriage mounted on said main carriage for travel relative thereto between an extended position and a retracted position, an arm assembly head carriage mounted on said intermediate carriage for travel relative thereto between an extended position and a retracted position in telescoping fashion relative to said main carriage, drive means operatively connected between said main carriage and said intermediate carriage for moving said intermediate carriage between said extended and retracted positions, means operatively connected to said main carriage, said intermediate carriage and said head carriage for extending and retracting said head carriage relative to said intermediate carriage in response to respective extension and retraction of said intermediate carriage relative to said base, a pivotal tip control means operatively connected to said operating head and mounted on said head carriage for pivotal movement about said wrist tip axis, idler wheel means mounted at the rearward end of said intermediate carriage, a pivotal wrist tip drive means mounted in a fixed position relative to said base and having an axis parallel to said wrist tip axis, means for turning said wrist tip drive means, said turning means being operatively connected between said wrist tip drive means and said base, whereby said operating head will be supported in a fixed attitude about said wrist tip axis relative to said base during tilting movement of said arm assembly on said base, and an endless, flexible, inextensible connecting means operatively connecting said tip control means, said idler wheel means, and said wrist tip drive means whereby said wrist tip drive means remains operatively connected to said wrist tip control means during extension and retraction movement of said arm assembly. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In apparatus for moving through coordinated functions an operating head mounted on and extendable linearly relative to a base, the improvement comprising;
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a main carriage mounted on said base; an intermediate carriage mounted on said main carriage for travel relative thereto between an extended position and a retracted position; a head carriage mounted on said intermediate carriage for travel relative thereto between an extended position and a retracted position in telescoping fashion relative to said main carriage; a driven wheel mounted on said intermediate carriage at the rearward end thereof; an idler wheel mounted on said intermediate carriage at the forward end thereof; a drive wheel mounted on said main carriage and rotary drive means therefor; endless flexible connecting means operatively connected to said drive wheel, said idler wheel, and said driven wheel whereby when said drive means turns said drive wheel in one direction, said intermediate carriage is extended relative to said main carriage and when said drive means turns said drive wheel in the opposite direction said intermediate carriage retracted relative to said main carriage; first control wheel means mounted for rotation at the forward end of said intermediate carriage; second control wheel means mounted for rotation at the rearward end of said intermediate carriage coaxial with and keyed to said driven wheel; a first length of flexible connecting means connected at one end to said main carriage and extending forwardly to and in operative engagement with said first control wheel means, and thence rearwardly to a connection to said head carriage; and a second length of flexible connecting means connected at one end to said main carriage and extending rearwardly to and in operative engagement with said second control wheel means, and thence forwardly to a connection to said head carriage whereby when said intermediate carriage extends and retracts relative to said main carriage, said lengths cause simultaneous extension and retraction respectively of said head carriage relative to said intermediate carriage. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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Specification