Sundstrand Corporation

John R Chapman

Gary D Gillingham

Gregory C Hopkins

A radial torque limiter, for example, for a geared rotary actuator (1, 1') including input member (S, 8) coupled to an output member (3 or 3') driving a sun gear (4) and planet gears (5) through axially projecting tabs (3g). Roller elements (2) are arranged at ramp sections (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) formed at the input member (S, 8) and output member (3 or 3') for radially outwardly displacing the beam spring portions of the output member (3 or 3') to radially apply braking force between an external surface (14) of the beam springs and an internal surface (13) of a grounded reaction member (12) so as to brake the input member (S, 8) and output member (3 or 3') upon an occurrence of an excess transmitted torque.

Radial torque limiter

A linear no-back device for transmitting bi-directional linear motion from an input shaft to an output shaft while preventing motion of the output shaft independently of the input shaft and enabling movement of the input shaft when the output shaft is jammed. The linear no-back device has a fixed member having a bore with a pair of spring discs loosely mounted on the output shaft and having flexible ears at the periphery thereof in engagement with a wall of the bore. A pair of spaced-apart stop rings on the output shaft limit separating movement of the spring discs axially of the output shaft and a preloaded compression coil spring urges the spring discs away from each other. Actuating members associated with the input shaft are effective upon movement of the input shaft in either linear direction to effectively disengage the spring discs from the wall of the bore and transmit motion of the input shaft to the output shaft through a motion-transmitting connection including the preloaded compression coil spring. Further compression of the preloaded compression coil spring enables movement of the input shaft relative to the output shaft when the latter is jammed.

Linear no-back device

According to the invention a housing is provided defining concentric, cylindrical first and second braking surfaces. First and second cylindrical, concentric torque tubes are provided within the annular gap between braking surfaces and are each split lengthwise sufficiently to permit slight, radial deflection into engagement with the respective braking surfaces on the housing to which it is adjacent. An input carrier is provided to transmit the torque between a prime mover and an output position on the torque tubes. The carrier has a plurality of fingers which project between and are aligned axially with the torque tubes. Each of the torque tubes is operatively engaged with an output member so that the torque imparted by a common drive to each output can be simultaneously controlled.

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Rockford, IL, United States of America

John R Chapman