Apparatus With Two End Positions Generating a Reciprocating Motion

The present invention relates to an apparatus with two limit positions generating a reciprocating motion, the apparatus comprising a first moving part and a second moving part, between which parts a pressurized medium, appropriately compressed air, is arranged simultaneously to displace the moving parts in mutually opposite directions.

It is previously known in this art to employ two mutually displaceable masses or bodies for the purpose of reducing the vibrations generated in a tool. Examples of such prior-art technology are revealed in Swedish patent No. 7603252-3.

To some extent, such prior-art solutions have resulted in reduced vibrations at low loads, but the vibrations increase with greater loads. Moreover, such prior-art solutions suffer from the drawback that they consume unnecessarily large amounts of drive medium, partly because only the one moving part carries out useful work during its displacement, and partly because the drive medium is continually applied between the moving parts. While another prior-art solution, disclosed in Swedish patent No. 8204044-5, shows a supply valve, this valve is only shut off in conjunction with the one limit position, a certain reduction in the air consumption being hereby obtained as compared with the chisel device according to the first-mentioned Swedish patent. A further drawback inherent in the above-mentioned prior-art types of apparatus is that they are difficult to "creep-start" and that they undergo a major change in operational mode on contact with the workpiece which is to be processed, for instance the vibration level changes on impacts of varying power by the apparatus against the workpiece. In addition, the prior-art types of apparatus suffer from difficulties in providing the necessary stroke lengths and kinetic energies for specific requirements.

The object of the present invention is to reduce or obviate the above-outlined drawbacks inherent in prior-art types of apparatus for generating a reciprocating motion.

The object of the present invention will be attained if the apparatus mentioned by way of introduction is characterized in that at least the first moving part is actuated, by a constantly present force, for example in that the pressure of the drive medium is applied on at least one surface of the first moving part, in the forward direction under tensioning of an associated force accumulator, for instance a spring; and that the above-mentioned pressurized drive medium is applied between the first and second moving parts such that the second moving part is disposed, in the forward direction, to tension an associated force accumulator under simultaneous cancelling of the load on the force accumulator associated with the first moving part. A particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention will be realized if the above-mentioned pressurized drive medium is arranged to be supplied intermittently between the above-mentioned moving parts solely in connection with the limit positions of the apparatus, preferably solely in connection with the one limit position, at which the above-mentioned first and second moving parts are positioned closest to one another, and if one or both of the moving parts are arranged, by cooperation, to release, in connection with at least the one limit position of the apparatus, a sealing member for the supply of the pressurized drive medium between the above-mentioned moving parts in connection with the one limit position of the apparatus.

The nature of the present invention and its aspects will be more readily understood from the following brief description of the accompanying drawings, and discussion relating thereto.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section through an apparatus according to the present invention; and

FIGS. 2 and 3 show further alternatives for tool sockets and mounts etc. In respect of FIG. 1, it should be observed that the apparatus according to FIG. 1, as well as the mounts according to FIGS. 2 and 3 show, above and below the centre line I--I respectively, different conceivable designs for different applications with varying advantages, as will be more readily apparent hereinbelow. Depending upon the desired mode of operation, field of use etc., appropriate detail solutions may be selected herefrom.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 for generating a reciprocating motion comprises, as essential components, a first moving part 4a and a second moving part 16a, between which parts 4a and 16a a pressurized drive medium 38 from a pressure source operating either with constant or varying pressure, is supplied by means of one of the inlets which are marked with arrows showing directions in the apparatus. The first and second moving parts 4a, 16a are arranged exclusively on their movements in the forward direction--to the left in FIG. 1--to actuate and tension mutually separated but directly or indirectly mechanically interconnected force accumulators 20a, 19a, for example to compress springs 20a, 19a which, on tensioning, each generate a force directed against the forward direction of movement. As an alternative to the one force accumulator 20a in the form of a compression spring 20a, a draft spring 7 may be employed instead, as intimated to the right in FIG. 1. Naturally, other types of force accumulators could be employed, such as bellows accumulators, rubber hoses etc.

However, the first moving part 4a is, by means of a constantly present force, for example applied in that the pressure of the drive medium 38a is exercised on one surface of the first moving part 4a, pretensioned in the forward direction--to the left in FIG. 1--against the action of its associated force accumulator 20a. If desired or necessary, the second moving part 16a may also be correspondingly pretensioned in the forward direction in that, for example, the pressure of the drive medium 38a is also disposed to be applied on a surface (not shown) of the second moving part 16a against the action of its associated force accumulator 19a. As an alternative or supplementary measure, the above-mentioned tensioning force or forces may, of course, also be applied by a manner other than using the drive medium and surfaces, for example by means of one or more springs.

The second moving part 16a is reciprocatingly displaced by the drive medium in relation to and preferably in the first moving part 4a and in its displacement, energy and impulse transfer can be limited by abutments 21a and 12a fixedly disposed in the first moving part 4a or possibly in a casing 3a in a manner which is not shown on the drawings. The second moving part 16a is advantageously in its return direction, to the right in FIG. 1--designed with an upright 11a via, for example, a rigid or resilient body 15a, and the upright 11a may either be naturally resilient or be provided with a spring 10a and, in connection with its right-hand limit position seen in FIG. 1 in relation to the first moving part 4a is arranged intermittently and unstably to actuate (in the chosen example to open) an appropriately resilient sealing washer 9a which normally seals against a seat 43a in the first moving part 4a by the pressure of the drive medium. The pressurized drive medium which is comprised of gases or liquids, appropriately compressed air, will hereby be supplied for a brief period during the movement cycle, to that space which is defined by the first moving part 4a and the body 15a of the second moving part 16a, whereby the moving parts 4a and 16a are driven simultaneously by the pressure of the drive medium in opposite directions, the first moving part 4a moving to the right in FIG. 1 under simultaneous cancellation of the load on its associated force accumulator 20a, and the second moving part 16a moving to the left in FIG. 1, the second moving part 16a at this point simultaneously further tensioning its associated force accumulator 19a, a movement being generated in the forward direction, for example by an appropriately articulated piston rod 17 anchored in the second moving part 16a. The motion of the piston rod may in its turn be converted into useful work by means of a chisel end 22a.

The reaction forces which are applied by the two force accumulators 20a and 19a directly or indirectly on the casing 3a will hereby be alternatingly pulsating, while, on the other hand, the total of these reaction forces will remain constant substantially throughout the entire movement cycle. Since the total of these reaction forces essentially corresponds to undesired vibration in the casing 3a, the casing 3a will appear as being substantially vibration-free.

The force accumulator 19a (in this case a spring) may--but need not--be fixedly secured at its one end while simultaneously generating a resistance to torque, in an aperture disposed in an annular flange 18 of the piston rod 17 and, in its other end, engage directly or indirectly against the casing 3a by means of, for instance, a perforated flange to be in the detail 2a.

The detail 2a is rotary in relation to the casing 3a for the purpose of permitting twist adjustment of the working tool but may, if appropriate, also naturally be designed as an integral unit with the casing 3a. A displacement of the detail 2a executed in the return direction of the apparatus can be employed for tensioning the force accumulator 19a and thereby also the spring 10a of the upright 11a and raise the sealing washer 9a for supply of drive medium and starting the apparatus.

When the first and second moving parts 4a and 16a have--because of the pressure of the drive medium--moved a sufficient mutual distance apart, an outlet port 28b for the drive medium is exposed via the gap 14a between the outer edge of the annular body 15a and the first moving part 4a. As a result, the medium can then be caused to take different paths to run out into the atmosphere depending upon where discharge of the residual pressure of the drive medium is desired. For instance, the medium may be released rearwardly, to the right in FIG. 1, by means of the outlet 28e, upwardly according to FIG. 1, by means of the outlet 28f, forwardly, to the left in FIG. 1, by means of the channel 28c, via the gap between the flange 18 and the first moving part 4a, via apertures or gaps at the flange 2b and out through the outlet 28a in a manner which will be described in greater detail below.

The positively separating pressure of the medium between the first and second moving parts 4a and 16a will hereby have been substantially reduced, whereupon the return of the tensioned force accumulator 19a of the second moving part 16a will displace the second moving part 16a to the right in FIG. 1, at the same time as the pressure of the drive medium on the first moving part 4a strives to return the first moving part to the left in FIG. 1 because of an appropriately selected pressure surface on the first moving part 4a, this pressure surface acting in the forward direction. In its turn, the first moving part tensions its associated force accumulator 20a in the forward direction, to the left in FIG. 1. These counterdirected movements in the first and second moving parts 4a and 16a continue to that position where the upright 11a, whether resilient or rigid, once again raises the sealing washer 9a, whereby the pressure of the drive medium is reapplied between the first and second moving parts 4a and 16a, the cycle as described above being repeated.

As a result of the cycle of movement disclosed in the foregoing, there will be realized an apparatus which generates a reciprocating motion and which has extremely low vibration levels in the casing 3a, this casing constituting the outer casing of the apparatus and normally being held by the user of the apparatus.

By supplying different operating pressures, for example by varying the opening (not shown) of the inlet 38a for the supply of drive medium, the location and limit positions of the first and second moving parts 4a and 16a within the casing 3a may be varied. For example, a low supplied pressure of the drive medium will give a short displacement of the first moving part 4a in the forward direction and thereby a slight tensioning of its associated force accumulator 20a, while, on the other hand, a high pressure in the drive medium will give relatively longer displacement of the first moving part 4a in the forward direction and thereby a more powerful tensioning of the force accumulator 20a.

As a supplementary measure, the second moving part 16a may also be pretensioned in the forward direction by means, for example, of the pressure of the drive medium in that (not shown on the drawings) a surface of the second moving part 16a is exposed to the pressure of the drive medium in the forward direction, whereby its associated force accumulator 19a will also be tensioned in a manner corresponding to that which applies to the force accumulator 20a.

In the upper half of FIG. 1, a central inlet is shown for the drive medium 38a, and this central inlet may advantageously be somewhat movably secured via, for instance, a resilient ring 8a in order to reduce or eliminate the effect of eccentricity errors on the first moving part 4a and on the casing 3a.

Alternatively, the drive medium 38b may, for example, be supplied via a handle (not shown) which is downwardly directed in FIG. 1. In this case, the first moving part 4b as shown below the centre line I--I in FIG. 1, may be guided by the lip-shaped sealing 6c of an annular sealing wall 6b instead of being guided by the annular sealing wall 6a as shown above the centre line I--I.

The lower half of FIG. 1, below the centre line I--I, shows a number of variations on the embodiment illustrated above the centre line I--I in the same Figure. These variations will be discussed in greater detail below.

The resilient sealing washer 9a may advantageously be designed with a guide (not shown in FIG. 1) towards the part 4a if necessary, and may be replaced by a ball 9b which is round, conical or of similar appearance as is apparent from the lower half of FIG. 1 below the centre line I--I. As an alternative, the sealing washer 9a or the ball 9b may be provided with an extension corresponding to the upright 11a.

In the embodiment shown in the lower half of the drawing, the resilient abutment limiting device 12a has been replaced in that the body 15b is rendered resilient, in which event the inner surface of the first moving part 4b constitutes a direct abutment. As an alternative, the moving parts 4a and 16a may be instead mutually discrete and disposed one after the other in the same casing.

The solid or resilient upright 11a may be replaced by an upright 11b provided with a conduit 14b, the upright being advantageously provided with an annular lip seal 11c in its part furthermost to the right in FIG. 1. The purpose of this lip seal 11c (like the resilience of the upright 11a and 11b, respectively and the spring 10a) is to modify the time sequence on opening and closing of the valve function with a view to creating more distinct and delayed changes which result inter alia in lower consumption of drive medium. In this modified time sequence, discharge of residual drive medium is effected through the channel 14b and out.

In the embodiment shown above the centre line I--I in FIG. 1, a movement of the second moving part 16a is put into effect via the impact of the piston rod 17 against the end 22a of the chisel. Alternatively, the chisel and piston rod may constitute a single unit. As an alternative or supplement, a second movement may be put into effect from the first moving part 4a via, for example, an end thereof projecting out from the casing 3a as shown to the right in FIG. 1 above the outlet 28e. In the embodiment shown in the lower half of the drawing, a movement is put into effect from the second moving part 16b by means of the abutment of the piston rod 17 against a curved surface 22b on a chisel mount 24b which advantageously is tiltably journalled in a centre running through the centre line of the chisel mount, with a radius R1 which is adapted to the radius of curvature R2 of the curved surface 22b such that these radii coincide in the tilting centre of the chisel mount 24b for the purpose of permitting tilting of the chisel without transfer of lateral forces thence to the casing 3a, 3b, for example from a pivoting metal sheet. In this embodiment, the forward movement of the first moving part 4b--to the left in FIG. 1--is also put into effect to the tool in that its annular end surface 42 is adapted in form to the curved surface 22b of the chisel mount 24b and strikes against the surface 22b. As a result of this design, it is possible to utilize the forward movements of both the second moving part 16b and the first moving part 4b in one and the same direction, namely to the left in FIG. 1, even if the chisel is angularly tilted somewhat. In this latter design, the one force accumulator 20b works against an abutment in the casing 3b while, on the other hand, the second force accumulator 19b is shown as working against the curve surface 22b of the chisel mount 24b. Naturally, the force accumulator 19b may instead be directly connected to the casing 3b in a manner which is not shown in detail on the drawings.

The bearing cup 24c of the chisel mount 24b is advantageously ball or roller journalled with a certain clearance in the directions of movement in the casing 3b and may also generate a braking effect against twisting of the chisel, and also start the apparatus in analogy with a previously described embodiment.

Thanks to the ball and socket anchorage of the piston rod 17 in the second moving part 16a, 16b, any possible shearing forces generated by the chisel 22a or, if they are interconnected to a unit, from the chisel mount 24b will not strive to obliquely offset the second moving part 16a, 16b, whereby possibly increased friction and wear-on the parts 4a, 4b and 16a, 16b caused by oblique loading will be avoided.

In the embodiment shown in the lower half of FIG. 1, the chisel is held in place by a spring 26 by means of an advantageously resilient washer 31 with a large centre hole, the spring acting against a flange on the chisel. The chisel mount 24b is also retained by tension by means of a spring 25. The washer 31 is fixed in position by means of an end piece 32 for example screwed to the casing 3b. Discharge of residual medium may be effected via the space for the springs 25 and 26 and via the overdimensioned centre hole in the washer 31, for example for blowing off loosened particles, with the help of this pulsating residual medium from the drive medium, from that point being worked by the chisel.

In the embodiment illustrated above the centre line I--I in FIG. 1, the end piece 1a is instead made of a resilient material which may also serve as an anti-twist brake for the chisel. In this embodiment, depression of the chisel is required such that a portion 24a shown therein releases residual drive medium in order that the apparatus can start and, as the chisel is urged against the workpiece excessively, the outlet 28a may possibly also be arranged to be shut off correspondingly.

FIG. 2 illustrates alternative chisel mounts, in which the chisel mount 24 has been provided with a small spherical portion which is directly controlled by a cylindrical section of the casing 3. An advantageously pretensioned spring 25 with end stub shafts engaging in holes in the casing 3 and in the chisel mount 24 provide a braking action against twisting of the chisel. In the upper section of FIG. 2, two elements 30, 31' are shown, of which one or both may be resilient in order to provide spacing to the flange of the chisel and support against lateral loading, and also to provide a seal in the event that a chisel is not applied. In the lower half of FIG. 2, the elements 30, 31' have been replaced by one sole element 29 for providing space to the mounting of the chisel, sealing and support against lateral loading. The end piece 32' is removably secured to the casing 3 in a simple manner, by being threaded--as in the upper half of FIG. 2--or by a bayonet catch--as in the lower half of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 shows yet further alternatives for chisel mounts, in which a resilient sleeve is designated 1 and constitutes a torque brake for the chisel and forms a spring in the direction of movement of the chisel so as not to transfer lateral forces from the chisel to the casing 3.

The locking springs shown in FIG. 3 positionally fix the chisel to the resilient sleeve 1 by means of the locking springs 34 and 35 and the resilient sleeve 1 to the casing 3 by means of the locking spring 33. These locking springs 33, 34, 35, being for instance in the form of O-rings, may readily be rolled off and on in the event of chisel change. In the embodiment according to the upper half of FIG. 3, a circular bearing bush 36 is required which may also constitute a release opener on depression of the chisel, analogous with the portion 24a according to FIG. 1.

In the embodiment according to the lower half of FIG. 3, the flange 37 of the chisel constitutes the above-mentioned release opener on chisel depression, and a locking spring 39 here fixes the resilient sleeve 1 in relation to the casing.

The present invention has been described above with reference to a number of different embodiments relating to an impact tool with a chisel. However, the apparatus according to the present invention is of general applicability and may be employed for most types of devices which require a reciprocating motion, and mention might be made, solely by way of example, of impact tools, hammer tools, filing machines, grinding and polishing machines, engraving tools etc. Hence, the present invention should not be considered as restricted to that described above and shown on the drawings, many modifications being conceivable without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.