US3288202A - Piston-lever rotary actuators for hatch covers and the like - Google Patents

Description

R. D. RUMSEY 3,288,202

PISTON-LEVER ROTARY ACTUATORS FO R HATCH COVERS AND THE LIKE Nov. 29, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 N Qm NN NW Filed Jan. 15, 1964 \INVENTOR. zafifizzmsqg A j ()RNE YS Raj/2'12 13m BY M Nov. 29, 1966 R. D. RUMSEY 3,288,202

PISTON-LEVER ROTARY ACTUATORS FOR HATCH COVERS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 15, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 H INVENTOR.

M BY ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1966 R. D. RUMSEY 3,288,202

PISTON-LEVER ROTARY ACTUATORS FOR HATCH COVERS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 15, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I NVE NTOR bag #42 BY a wf% ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofifice 3,288,202 Patented Nov. 29, 1966 3,288,202 PISTON-LEVER ROTARY ACTUATORS FOR HATCH COVERS AND THE LIKE Rollin Douglas Ramsey, Buffalo, N.Y., assignor to Houdaille Industries, Inc., Buffalo, N.Y., a corporation of Michigan Filed Jan. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 337,852

19 Claims. (Cl. 160-188) This invention relates to improvements in means for efficient power operation of foldable closures such as hatch covers, doors, and the like.

. Actuation of the generally fairly heavy movable sections of hatch covers, for example, has heretofore been effected by various devices using cables, winches, gears, cylinder, levers and the like, some having advantages over others for various reasons. Various of such devices have involved complexities, exposed mechanisms, parts projecting out of or away from the movable closure sections Hydraulic devices have been objectionable due to external leakage, exposure of bearing surfaces to contamination and corrosion, etc.

An important object of the present invention is to provide new and improved rotary actuator means for powered operation of hatch covers and the like and possessed of high torque in small compact and rugged unit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved rotary actuator construction having few and simple parts and which can be produced and sold at relatively low cost.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved piston-lever rotary actuator construction.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel piston-lever rotary actuator construction in which all of the moving parts are thoroughly protected.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic vertical sectional elevational view through a representative hatch cover assembly embodying features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view of one of the piston-lever rotary actuators shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional detail view taken substantially along the line IIIIII of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional detail view taken substantially along the line IVIV of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a schematic sectional elevational illustration showing a modification;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on the line VI-VI of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a schematic sectional detail view showing a further modification.

In an illustrative embodiment of the invention as shown in FIGURE 1, a hatch cover assembly 10 is mounted for closing disposition over a hatch opening 11 in a deck 12. Alternatively, the deck 12 may be a bulkhead or wall and the hatch cover 10 a foldable door or closure for the opening 11 serving as a doorway or similar access opening. In this instance the hatch cover 10 comprises two complementary cover sections 13 and 14 wherein the section 13 is pivotally mounted along one edge as indicated at 15 to the deck structure, while the other cover section 14 is provided with suitable antifriction roller means 17 on its remote edge so that the cover sections can be conveniently actuated between the closed full line position shown and the dot dash open folded position. While for illustrative purposes the hatch cover 10 is shown as comprising two sections, it may comprise additional sections in series, as preferred or required.

Powered hinge means are provided for not only connecting the cover sections 13 and 14 hingedly but for effecting opening and closing movements of the cover sections. To this end, the cover sections 13 and 14 carry within their adjoining margins complementary, aligned and coactively coupled respective piston-lever rotary actuators 18 and 19. There may be as many sets of the actuators located along the joint between the cover members as necessary in view of the length and weight of the cover members, such as at each end of the joint.

Since each of the actuators 18 and 19 is of identical construction but in reverse order to be complementary in the set, description of details of one of the units will suflice for the other. Each of the actuators has a preferably unitary cast metal body com-prising an as nearly as practicable spherical hollow head portion 20 and an aligned tubular cylindrical portion 21. Within the head portion 20 is a chamber 22 provided with aligned, coaxial similar opening bores 23 and 24 through the opposite sides of the head within which are mounted respective bearings 25 and 27 in which is journalled a shaft 28 of substantial diameter. A flanged closure cap 29 encloses the adjacent end of the shaft 28 and closes the bore 23 and is secured fixedly as by means of screws 30. Suitable sealing rings 31 prevent leakage through the joint between the housing head 20 and the cap 20. The opposite bore 24 is closed by a ring flange 32 secured as by means of screws 33 and encircling the remaining end portion of the shaft 28 which projects outwardly therefrom. A fluid sealing ring 34 is disposed between the closure ring 32 and the contiguous face of the housing head 20. Axially spaced pressure seals 35 in the inner perimeter of the closure ring 32 bearingly opposing the rotary shaft 28 have high pressure leakage drain back passage 37 in the shaft leading therefrom to a seal leakage sump 38 afforded within the end cap 29 having a port 40 therein to which a drain duct (not shown) is adapted to be connected.

On its outwardly projecting end portion, the shaft 28 is provided with splines 41 for rigid coupling engagement within a complementally splined socket bore 42 in the end portion of a rigid connecting bar 43. To protect the splined connection, a closure plate 44 is secured across the outer end of the splined bore 42 as by means of a screw 45 threaded into a tapped bore 47 in the outer end of the shaft. This presses the cover plate 44 against the outer end of hub 48 on the bar 43 and thrusts the hub toward the closure ring plate 32 while at the same time drawing outwardly on the shaft 28 which is retained against axial withdrawal by means such as a snap ring 49 secured about its inner extremity and engageable as a stop against the adjacent end of the contiguous bearing 25. Protective inner and outer sealing rings carried within the hub 48 adjacent to the opposite ends of the splines 41 exclude corrosive contaminates such as sea water and the like from access to the splines should any such contaminate escape into the joints between respectively the closure plate 44 and the hub 48 and the hub and the housing closure ring plate 32.

By means of the rigid connecting arm bar 43 and the shafts 28 of the pair of motors or actuators 18 and 19, a hinge connection is afforded for the door or cover sections 13 and 14 and the actuators are operatively coupled. Removable but rigid attachment of the respective actuators to the closure sections is effected in suitable manner as for example by providing longitudinally spaced parallel and coextensive attachment vane or ear flanges 52 on the cylinder extension portion 21 of the actuator and projecting toward the connecting bar side of the actuator unit to receive securing bolts 53 by which the flanges are attached to means such as bracket structure 54 on the associated closure section.

As will be observed in FIGURE 1, the elongated lever cylinder portions 21 of the actuator units extend in respectively opposite directions from the closure section joint and in as nearly as practicable an equally balanced relationship with the head portions 20 of the actuators spaced by the rigid connecting hinge bar 43. Through this arrangement, the actuators will serve as cranks about the pivots provided by the respective shafts 28 for effecting opening and closing movements of the associated cover sections 13 and 14. Cranking torque is applied internally of the actuators 18 and 19 by means acting on the elongated extension portions 21 and secured to the respective rigid nonrotating shafts 28. An eflicient, positive, easily controlled device for attaining the cranking action comprises a hydraulic piston operator including a piston 55 reciprocably mounted within a cylindrical bore 57 within the elongated crank extension 21. In this instance, the piston 55 is of the skirted type carrying a peripheral packing or piston ring 58 and in this instance the skirt of the piston projects toward the end of the cylinder 57 which opens into the head chamber 22. Connected as by means of a connecting pin 59 within the skirted portion of the piston 55 is one end portion of a connecting link or piston rod 60 having its opposite end portion bifurcated and connected as by means of a wrist pin 61 to the distal end portion of a rigid torque arm 62 having a splined connection 63 with the associated shaft 28 within the head chamber 22. In this instance, for maximum leverage advantage, to take maximum advantage of the limited envelope space within the respective cover section, and application of torque forces with minimum stresses, the construction and arrangement is such that the torque creating force is applied by a generally separating reaction force between the head portion 20 of the actuator unit and the piston 55. For this purpose, the piston 55 is located in the closed position of the associated cover section adjacent to the head end of the cylinder 57, and the torque arm 62 is angled downwardly and forwardly toward the joint end of the cover section, substantially as shown.

Power for motivating the actuators 18 and 19 is provided hydraulically to move the piston 55 away from the head 20 as indicated in dot dash outline in FIGURE 3, for opening the cover sections, and to drive the piston in the opposite direction for closing the cover sections. For this purpose, an inlet port 64 is provided in the normally upper portion of the head 20 into the chamber 22 and provided with a suitable external counterbore 65 into which a hydraulic conduit connection is adapted to be secured to place the actuator in communication with a hydraulic operating circuit (not shown) in which hydraulic fluid such as oil is caused to be delivered under pressure into the chamber 22 for effecting separating movement of the piston 55 and the head 20 to open the cover sections, and to drain the chamber 22 during closing movement of the cover sections.

At the opposite end of the actuator unit, a hydraulic connection is afforded through a port 67 through a closure plate 68 across the distal end of the extension portion 21 of the housing. This closure plate is removably attached as by means of screws 69 and has an inwardly extending boss portion which carries a pressure fluid seal 70. A hydraulic conduit (not shown) is adapted to be secured as by means of a connector secured into a threaded counterbore 71 in the external portion of the port 67. Through this port, hydraulic fluid is bled or exhausted during opening movements of the cover sections and delivered under pressure to effect relative separating movement of the piston 55 and the closure 68 during closing movements of the cover sections. It may be observed, that for attainment of maximum internal pressure resistance, the one-piece housing of the respective actuator units provides maximum rigidity in the head portion 20,

including internal reinforcement 72 (FIG. 4) since torque forces in lifting the cover sections 13 and 14 must necessarily be rather high, especially where the cover sections are of substantial weight and size. In a practical installation, pressure within the chamber 22 may rise to 3200 psi. Since the rotary bearings of the unit are all in this chamber, excellent lubrication is afforded. It will be observed that the ports 64 and 67 are located as high on the unit as practicable whereby any air entrapped in the unit will bleed from the system or will automatically be swept from the unit during operation.

For synchronizing action of the coacting actuator units, sector gear means 73 are provided. In a desirable arrangement, the sector gear means comprise respective sectors which are secured as by means of screws 74 to the head section 20 in each instance on the side thereof adjacent to the hinge arm bar 43. These meshing sector gears 73 assure uniform, balanced unison hinging movement of the cover sections 13 and 14.

Numerous advantages are apparent in the particular construction and arrangement of the actuator units 18 and 19 in addition to those already enumerated, including a pull load on the link 60, the highest pressure being applied to the generally spherical head portion 20 of the actuator body with the relatively lower cover lowering pressure applied to the lever extension portion 21, an actuating crank relationship which is of maximum length within the available space, the hinge pivot is near the top of the cover assembly facilitating utilization of available space and mounting of the actuator, there is eflicient drain-back of pressure from the sealing means associated with the shaft 28 to avoid external leakage, torque is taken from one end of the shaft only thereby requiring only a single connecting hinge arm between the actuators and thereby avoiding serration alignment problems, the connecting arm is on the same side as the means for attaching the actuators to the supporting structure of the cover sections, thereby reducing overhanging mounting loads, the stabilizing gear segments 73 carry no loads, all bearings are fully submerged and lubricated, only an external seal is rotary and therefore complete safety from entry of contaminates into the unit is attained, all splines are sealed within the unit and therefore not subject to corrosion, there is simplified design with minimum number of pieces and all parts are arranged to enter through the distal end of the cylinder or through the side openings in the head, and all of the high pressure shaft seals are of equal diameter so that the shaft 28 is actually hydraulically balanced.

In FIGURES S and 6, a modified arrangement is depicted wherein cover sections 13 and 14' are provided with a power hinge assembly comprising actuators 18' and 19' coupled for unison operation and constructed and arranged to accommodate minimum clearance availability for the actuators at each side of the hinge line or access. To this end, each of the actuators comprises a one-piece rugged hollow housing including a head 20' and a lever extension 21' in the form of a cylinder and in this instance disposed to extend generally downwardly from adjacent the top of the head portion, with the' hydraulic chamber 22' within the head portion accommodating a shaft 28' at a lower relative elevation than in the form of FIGURES 1-4 and journalled in respective opposite end closures 29 and 32, respectively. Axially spaced pressure seals 31' between the closure member 29' and the housing and similar pressure seals 34' between the housing and the closure member 32', and pressure seals 35 between the closure members and the shaft 23' are drained by lead-off passages which in this instance are suitably connected externally of the housing to bleed-off duct means (not shown).

In this instance each opposite end portion of the shaft 28' extends outwardly beyond the adjacent closure member in which journalled end has a splined area 41' to which is rigidly attached a complementally splined rigid connecting hinge arm 43' by which the respective shafts of the two actuator units are rigidly connected and the units operatively coupled.

Attachment of the housings of the units to the supporting structure within the respective closure section in each instance is effected as by means of attachment ear or foot flanges 52' integral with the housings and receptive of screws or bolts 53'. This rigidly attaches the respective housings to the associated cover section in each instance.

In the actuator units 18 and 19, the construction and relationship is such that respective piston 55' reciprocable in the cylinder 57 provided in the associated lever extension 21' is disposed in the distal end portion of the cylinder but with the skirted portion of the piston nevertheless extending toward the chamber 22' and having connected by a connecting pin 59' an end portion of a link or piston rod 60' attached at its opposite end by a connecting pin 61' to a lever arm 62 extending generally upwardly and divergently relative to the cover joint and having a rigid splined connection 63' with the associated shaft 28'. In this embodiment, a hydraulic communication port 64 through the head portion 20' into the chamber 22' affords means for introducing the hydraulic pressure fluid for lowering or closing the end cover section members 13', 14. Hydraulic pressure fluid introduced through a port 67 in an end cover 68' across the distal end of the cylinder 57' affords communication for hydraulic pressure into the chamber between the piston 55 and the closure 68' for raising or opening the cover sections. Meshing, stabilizing segmental gear means 73' are, in this instance, provided as integral portions of the head portion 21 of the actuator housing and centered between the connecting hinge bars 43'.

For situations where great torque is required, the modification of FIGURE 7 may be adopted and in which shaft bearing loads are substantially equalized. To this end, closurecover members 13" and 14" which are relatively moveable about a hinge joint have mounted thereon respectively opposite sides of the hinge joint rotary hydraulic piston-lever actuators 18" and 19" mounted in substantially linear alignment with one another and at least one rigid connecting hinge bar 75 splined onto respectively spaced parallel coextensive non-rotary shafts 77 journalled in head portions 78 of preferably unitary body castings providing housings for the respective actuators 18" and 19". Within each of the respective head portions 78 is a working chamber 79 accommodating a cross head type rigid lever arm 80 splined onto the respective shaft 77. At one end, the'lever arm 80 extends on a line generally convergent with the hinge joint, similarly as the lever arms 62 in FIGURE 1, while the opposite lever arm end portion diverges relative to the hinge joint substantially like the lever arms 62' in FIGURE 5.

Torque producing means are attached to the respectively opposite end portions of the cross head lever arms 80 for generating leverage to swing a respective lever extension 81 of the actuator housing projecting away from the hinge joint and rigidly secured to the supporting frame structure of the associated cover section. To this end, respective links or piston rods 82 are pivotally attached as by means of pins 83 to the respective end portions of the lever arm 80 and at their opposite ends are connected pivotally as by means of pins 84 to reciprocable guide heads 85 slidably engaged in respective cylindrical bores 87 in the lever extension portion 81. Projecting rearwardly from the guide heads 85 are respective piston rods 88 extending through bearing apertures 89 in the rear end portion of the lever extension 81 and attached to respective drive pistons 90 reciprocable in respective cylinders 91 attached to the rear or distal end of the lever portion 81 and closed at their distal ends by a closure cap member 92. The pistons 90 are of preferably equal diameter and equal stroke, with the uppermost piston 90, as shown, beingv located in the closed relationship of the cover sections 13" and 14" substantially at the rear end of the associated cylinder 91 while the lower piston is disposed in the forward end of the associated cylinder.

For effecting raising, opening folding of the closure members, hydraulic fluid under pressure is introduced through a port 93 in the cap 92 into the working chamber space in the upper cylinder 91 between the closure plate and the piston 90 while hydraulic pressure fluid is introduced through a suitable port 94 in the distal end portion of the housing into the working chamber space in front of the lower piston 90, thus generating uniform, balanced torque force in the driving unit to pivot about the associated shaft 77 in response to respective push-pull reaction in the operating mechanism. To lower or return the cover sections to closed. position hydraulic fluid is exhausted through the ports 93 and 94, while hydraulic fluid under pressure is introduced through a port 95 leading to the back of the lower piston 90 and a port 97 leading to the front of the upper piston 90, and which ports serve as exhaust ports during the raising of the closure sections. Continuous low pressure hydraulic fiuid in the head chamber 79 may be maintained through a port 98 preferably located near the top of the head portion 78.

Each of the head portions 78 carries a gear segment 99 meshing with the companion segment for maintaining a synchronized, balanced coactive relationship of the actuators.

In all embodiments of the invention the pairs of opposed complementary coordinated rotary actuators afford effective torque leverage through the rigidly coupled lever arms. By virtue of the filled hydraulic systems in the actuators the associated closure members can be locked at any intermediate position desired and not drift. Extremely long closures such'as hatch covers can be efficiently power operated by the embodiments of this invention. High operating efliciency is attained per unit mass of apparatus. Accommodation of the torque lever motor hinge units or actuators in limited space and mounting entirely Within the respective closure members is accomplished.

It will be'understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. An assembly including members relatively movable about a hinge joint,

powered hinge means for hingedly relatively moving said members comprising a pair of opposed complementary coordinated rotary actuators having respective head portions adjacent to said joint and oppositely extending crank lever portions projecting away from said joint,

means operatively connecting the head portions for coordinated operation,

means mounting said crank lever portions rigidly on said members at respectively opposite sides of the hinge joint,

and means for driving the actuators comprising respective elements movable reciprocably relative to said members on respective axes angular to said joint and reacting with said crank lever portions to effect relative movement of said members.

2. An assembly as defined in claim 1, in which said head portions have stabilizing and directly meshing .segmental gears.

3. An assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said elements of the means for driving the actuators comprise hydraulically responsive piston structures.

4. An assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said connecting means comprise at least one rigid coupling arm and shafts secured in rigid nonrotaiy relation to said arm and pivotally engaged by the respective head portions of the actuators.

5. An assembly of members mounted for hinged orientation between relatively extended and folded positions, powered hinge means connecting the members and comprising a rigid bar extending across the hinge joint between the members,

journals rigidly carried by the opposite end portions of the bar,

means fixedly mounted on the respective members and pivotally engaging said journals,

one of said journals carrying a rigid lever extending angularly relative to said hinge joint,

means coupled to said lever and having reaction relative to said fixedly mounted means,

and means for effecting a powered reaction between said coupled means and said fixedly mounted means for developing a driving torque to effect relative movement of said members hingedly.

6. An assembly of closure or like members relatively movable about a hinge joint between extended and folded positions,

a rigid bar extending angularly across the hinge joint between said members,

said bar having respective levers rigidly coupled to its opposite ends,

actuators rigidly mounted on said members and having housings enclosing said levers,

and reaction means within said housings coupled to said levers and operable to effect torque thrusts within said housings to effect relative movement of said members between said positions.

7. An assembly as defined in claim 6, in which said reaction means comprise respective pistons and piston link rods connecting the pistons to said levers.

8. An assembly as defined in claim 6, in which said housings have lever cylinders and said reaction means comprise pistons reciprocable in the cylinders, with means for introducing pressure fluid between said pistons and opposing respective portions of the housings in said cylinders.

9. An assembly comprising closure members mounted for relative movement between extended closing and folded open positions,

power means mounted along a hinge joint between said members and comprising torque lever devices respectively rigidly mounted on said members adjacent to said hinge joint,

rigid coupling means extending across the joint and having respective shafts journalled on said torque lever devices,

respective rigid lever arms on said coupling means,

and reaction means operable between said lever arms and said devices for selectively effecting membermoving torque leverage in said devices.

10. A rotary actuatory assembly for effecting opening and closing movements of hatch cover, door and like movable members,

a pair of torque lever housings, coupling bar means having rigidly connected thereto respective nonrotary shafts journalled in said housings,

reaction levers rigidly attached to the shafts within the housings,

means for rigidly attaching the housings to respective associated members which are movable relative to each other,

and reaction means within the housings operative upon said levers to effect coordinated pivotal movement of the lever housings about said shafts to move said members.

11. An assembly as defined in claim 10, in which said levers are of cross-head type having end portions thereof projecting beyond opposite sides of the associated shafts, and the reaction means comprise equally oppositely motivated piston structures.

12. A rotary crank'actuator comprising a housing having a substantially monolithic body providing a head portion having a chamber therein and an elongated cylinder torque lever crank extension having a cylinder chamber opening into said head chamber,

said cylinder chamber being open at the distal end of said extension,

a closure member secured across said open end,

a shaft journalled in said head portion on an axis normal to and offset relative to said cylinder chamber,

a lever rigidly secured to said shaft within said head chamber and having its distal end portion accessible from said cylinder chamber,

a piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder chamber,

a piston rod link connecting said piston and said lever, means for introducing pressure fluid respectively into the head chamber and into the cylinder chamber between said closure member and the'piston,

said shaft having a splined end port on externally of said head portion,

a coupling arm bar having a splined portion attached to said splined end portion,

and means protectively sealing the splined joint between the coupling arm bar and the shaft.

13. A rotary crank actuator comprising a housing having a substantially monolithic body providing a head portion having a chambertherein and an elongated cylinder torque lever crank extension having a cylinder chamber opening into said head chamber,

said cylinder chamber being open at the distal end of said extension,

a closure member secured across said open end,

a shaft journalled in said head portion on an axis normal to and offset relative to said cylinder chamber,

a lever rigidly secured to said shaft within said head chamber and having its distal end portion accessible from said cylinder chamber,

a piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder cham:

ber,

a piston rod link connecting said piston and said lever,

means for introducing pressure fluid respectively into the head chamber and into the cylinder chamber between said closure member and the piston,

said shaft having extensions from opposite sides of the head portion,

respective coupling arm bars secured to said extensions, and synchronizing sector gear means on said head portion centered between said arm bars and adapted for meshing with complementary sector gear means of a companion actuator.

14. A rotary actuator comprising a high-pressure hollow housing having head and lever extension portions,

means for attaching the housing rigidly to a member to be actuated,

shaft means journalled in said head portion and having a reaction lever rigidly thereon within the chamber of the head portion,

reaction means relatively movably mounted in said lever extension of the housing and coupled to said reaction lever,

means for introducing high pressure hydraulic motivating fluid into the housing,

and pressure fluid sealing means about said shaft means where it is journaled in said head portion and including means for draining off any leakage from within the housing to or past said sealing means.

15. An assembly comprising a hatch cover, door and the like including a pair of members providing therebetween a hinge joint; I

a plurality of piston-lever rotary actuators hingedly connecting said members in the hinge joint and having respective piston-lever portions extending away from the hinge joint and respective pistons reciprocably operable in said portions; shaft means in said hinge joint non-rotatably connected together and rotatably respectively engaged by said actuators; means operatively connecting said pistons to said shaft means; means rigidly connecting the actuators to said members; and means for powering said pistons for driving said actuators rotatably about said shaft means to move said members hingedly relative to one another. 16. A hydraulic rotary actuator structure of the character described operative under high internal pressure conditions and comprising:

a hollow housing having an as nearly as practicable generally spherical monolithic head portion defining a hydraulic pressure chamber therein and a pistonlever extension from said head portion defining a hollow cylinder opening into said head chamber;

a shaft journaled in said head portion across said head chamber on an axis transverse to, and offset substantially to one side of, the axis of said cylinder;

a reaction lever arm rigid on said shaft within said head chamber and extending across said cylinder axis;

a piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder;

a piston rod link connected to the piston at one end and to the distal end portion of said arm at the opposite end;

means for introducing hydraulic pressure fluid into said cylinder to thrust said piston toward said arm and thus effect relative separating movement of the piston and the extension;

and means for introducing hydraulic pressure fluid into said head chamber to efliect pulling of said piston on said arm and relative movement of the piston and cylinder toward one another.

17. An actuator as defined in claim 16, in which said head portion has bearings journaling said shaft and located, in stabilizing relation close to each opposite side of said arm.

18. A double acting high pressure hydraulic rotary crank actuator comprising:

a housing having a substantially spherical monolithic head portion having a chamber therein;

an elongated hollow cylinder torque lever extension rigid with said head portion and having a cylinder chamber opening into said head chamber and opening from a distal end of said extension;

a closure on said distal end of the cylinder extension;

a shaft journaled in said head portion on an axis normal to and offset relative to said cylinder chamber; said head portion having aligned journal openings in size not substantially larger in diameter than said, shaft, and at least one end portion of the shaft projecting outwardly beyond said head portion for attachment to a cooperating member;

a reaction lever rigidly secured tosaid shaft within said head chamber and having its distal end portion accessible from said cylinder chamber;

said cylinder chamber being of larger inside size relative to said lever to receive the lever therethrough for assembly with said shaft;

a piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder chamher;

a piston rod link operatively connecting said piston andv said lever;

and means for introducing pressure fiuid respectively and alternatively into said head chamber to drive the, link end of the piston and into said cylinder chamber between said closure and the piston.

19. A rotary actuator structure for powering closure members comprising,

a hollow housing having a head portion and a leverage crank extension,

a shaft journalled in said head portion and having a, reaction lever arm rigid thereon within the head portion, means rigid on the shaft externally of the head portion and adapted to be held in a fixed position,

torque-generating means in said extension and pivotally coupled to said lever and operable for effecting swinging of said housing about said shaft,

and gear means on said housing adapted to mesh with corresponding gear means on a complementary and coactive housing to coordinate swinging movements of the housings.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,643,677 6/1953 MacLean 92-68 2,855,038 10/1958 Greer 160188 3,050,735 8/1962 Newman et al 268- X HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

P. M. CAUN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. AN ASSEMBLY INCLUDING MEMBERS RELATIVELY MOVABLE ABOUT A HINGE JOINT, POWERED HINGE MEANS FOR HINGEDLY RELATIVELY MOVING SAID MEMBERS COMPRISING A PAIR OF OPPOSED COMPLEMENTARY COORDINATED ROTARY ACTUATORS HAVING RESPECTIVE HEAD PORTIONS ADJACENT TO SAID JOINT AND OPPOSITELY EXTENDING CRANK LEVER PORTIONS PROJECTING AWAY FROM SAID JOINT, MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING THE HEAD PORTIONS FOR COORDINATED OPERATION, MEANS MOUNTTING SAID CRANK LEVER PORTIONS RIGIDLY ON SAID MEMBERS AT RESPECTIVELY OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE HINGE JOINT, AND MEANS FOR DRIVING THE ACTUATORS COMPRISING RESPECTIVE ELEMENTS MOVABLE RECIPROCABLEY RELATIVE TO SAID MEMBERS ON RESPECTIVE AXES ANGULAR TO SAID JOINT AND REACTING WITH SAID CRANK LEVER PORTIONS TO EFFECT RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBERS.

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