Phd, Inc.

Hughes Industrial Products, Inc.

Gunnar Grotness

Peter W Boyer

Charles Smith

Robert H Morris

A rotary actuator for converting reciprocating motion to rotary motion including a housing having spaced-apart end plates connected by guide rods. A bellows is provided having opposite sides one of which is connected to one of the end plates, the bellows being adapted to be connected to a source of fluid under pressure so that the bellows expands from a collapsed to an expanded position. A guide plate is provided movably mounted on the guide rods with the other bellows side being connected thereto. A rack and pinion assembly is provided mounted on the other end plate, the rack being connected to the guide plate so that expansion and contraction of the bellows causes linear movement of the rack thereby imparting rotary movement to the pinion. A spring acts between the guide plate and the other end plate thus resisting expansion of the bellows and returning it to the collapsed position upon the release of fluid pressure. Adjustable stops are provided for limiting rotational movement of the pinion between predetermined first and second angularly spaced positions.

Rotary actuator

A fluid power system including a fluid power cylinder having a piston and fluid ports at its opposite ends, a directional valve for selecting the direction of piston actuation, and a metering control valve coupled between the directional valve and the cylinder. The control valve includes a cylinder section having a control piston therein and a valve body connected to the cylinder section and having a valve spool-receiving cavity therein. The valve body has first and second fluid ports therein communicating with the cavity, one of the valve body ports being coupled to one of the power cylinder ports and the other being coupled to the directional valve. A valve spool is disposed in the valve body cavity operatively connected to the control piston and movable therewith, the spool having a passage therein. The spool passage communicates with the valve body ports and provides unrestricted fluid flow therebetween in a first spool position and substantially restricts fluid flow between the valve body ports in a second spool position, movement of the spool between its positions progressively metering the fluid flow between unrestricted and substantially restricted conditions. The spool passage is arranged so that with the spool in one of its positions fluid under pressure entering the passage from one of the valve body ports moves the spool and the control piston in one direction to the other position thereby providing the metering operation. The cylinder section has a port for admitting fluid under pressure thereto so as to move the control piston and spool in the direction opposite the one direction.

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Fort Wayne, IN, United States of America

Gunnar Grotness