United States Patent (19)

Gilman et al.
[11] 3,990,317
(45) Nov. 9, 1976
54 MECHANISM FOR CONVERSION 3,376,019 4/1968 Weiss...................................... 74/25
BETWEEN ROTARY AND LINEAR MOTION
75 Inventors: Stanley H. Gilman, White Plains; Primary Examiner-Samuel Scott
Daniel H. Marcus, New City, both Assistant Examiner-Wesley S. Ratliff, Jr.
of N.Y.
73) Assignee: Gilman Manufacturing Corporation,
White Plains, N.Y. 57) ABSTRACT
22) Filed: Feb. 21, 1975
(21) Appl. No.: 551,613 A pair of wire positioning guides having spaced-apart
parallel edges define a channel within which a wire is
confined. A pair of wire engaging rollers are rotatably
(52) U.S. C. .................................................... 74/25 disposed along the channel on opposite sides of the
(5) Int. Cl”.......................................... F16H. 21/16 guides. The rotational axes of the rollers define an
58) Field of Search......................................... 74/25 acute angle with respect to the channel. Rotational
movement of the rollers is thus interlocked with linear
56 References Cited movement of the wire.
UNITED STATES PATENTS
2,511,243 6/1950 Brubaker................................ 74/25 11 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures
U.S. Patent Nov. 9, 1976 sheet 1 of 3 3,990,317
 U.S. Patent Nov. 9, 1976 Sheet 2 of 3 3,990,317

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U.S. Patent Nov. 9, 1976 Sheet 3 of 3 3,990,317

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3,990,317 2
MECHANISM FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
ROTARY AND LINEAR MOTION For a more detailed understanding of the invention,
reference may be made to the description below taken
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 5 in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein:
This invention relates to a mechanism for conversion FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional pictorial view of a
between rotary and linear motion, and more particu mechanism for converting between rotary and linear
larly to such a mechanism in which a wire or shaft is motion constructed in accordance with the invention;
held between rotatable rollers, the rotational axes of FIG. 2 is a planar view of a portion of the mechanism
O shown in FIG. 1;
the rollers forming an angle with the wire. FIG. 3 is a modified version of the same portion of
It is an object of the present invention to provide an the mechanism that is shown in FIG. 2;
improved mechanism for conversion between rotary, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of
and linear movement which is simple and inexpensive FIG. 1 taken along the line 4-4; ,
to fabricate and does not have high frictional losses. 15 FIG. 5 shows additional components that may be
Most conventional mechanisms for conversion be used in combination with the mechanism of FIG. 1;
tween rotary and linear motion are dependent upon FIG. 6 is a pictorial view of an assembled apparatus
various types of gears, the most common being rack including the components shown in FIGS. 1 and 5;
and pinion arrangements. Many such devices are char FIG. 7 is a planar view of a preferred form of a roller
acterized by high fabrication expenses associated with 20 used in the mechanism of FIG. 1; and
the cutting of gear teeth and the close tolerances re FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an assembly includ
quired. In addition, there are often undesirable lubrica ing the components shown in FIGS. 1 and 5.
tion requirements and high frictional losses. Another DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
problem associated with the use of such gears is back 25 EMBODIMENTS
lash. Moreover, many prior art devices are capable of
moving through only a relatively short linear path be FIG. 1 shows a mechanism for converting between
fore they must be interrupted and recycled. Others are rotary and linear motion which includes a cylindrical
not suitable for relatively fine adjustments. roller housing 10 having formed therein two parallel
An improved solution to the problem of conversion diametrically opposed spiral elongated roller position
30 ing slots 12, each of which contains a rotatable roller
between linear and rotary motion is disclosed in U.S. 14. An opening 16 through which a wire can be ad
Pat, No. 3,081,639 issued to Murray L. Hauptman on vanced linearly extends axially through the housing 10.
Mar. 19, 1963 and entitled "Feed Mechanism.' Within the housing 10 is a pair of integrally formed
In the Hauptman device, a shaft is advanced by roll fin-shaped wire positioning guides 18, which are more
ers disposed at an incline or angle to the rotational axis clearly shown in FIG, 2. Each guide 18 is a curved
35
of the shaft. A difficulty is encountered, however, in surface defining an edge extending axially along a por
applying this principle to a relatively thin wire because tion of the opening 16 in the housing 10 although the
more than two rollers of suitable diameter will interfere curvation is not sufficiently pronounced to be observ-,
with each other before they engage the wire. (The term able in the drawing. The opposed edges 19 are parallel
wire is used herein to refer to any small diameter shaft 40 and spaced-apart by a distance slightly greater than the
or cable regardless of its flexibility or the use to which diameter of the wire to be passed through the opening
it is put that presents the problem of not being readily 16. Thus, the guides 18 define a wire channel co-exten
engageable by more than two rollers simultaneously.) sive with a portion of the opening 16 through which the *: : : :
wire passes. .
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 45 FIG. 3 is an exploded fragmentary view of a variation :
In the mechanism of the present invention, a wire to of the roller housing 10' and guides 18' which corre
be linearly advanced is confined between a pair of wire tion, spond to FIG. 2. According to this alternative construc
positioning guides having spaced-apart parallel oppos the spacing and alignment of the guides 18 is
ing edges which define a channel therebetween. A pair 50 adjustable as they are received in the housing 10'. This
construction is advantageous in that the guides 18 may
of wire engaging rollers are rotatably disposed along be constructed of a harder metal than the housing 10
the channel on opposite sides of the guides and free of and may be adjusted
engagement with the guides. The rotational axes of the realign the edges of thetoguides compensate for wear or to
18'. The guides 18' may
rollers define an angle with respect to the channel. be made of flexible sheet-like material for radial inser
Accordingly, if the rollers are driven in a rotary fash 55 tion in spiral defining slots. 20' formed in the housing
ion, the wire is then moved linearly at a rate of speed 10'. Alternatively, the guide members 18' may be rigid
dependent upon (1) the rotational speed of the rollers and shaped to conform to the slots. ...
and (2) the angle between the rollers and the channel. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the housing 10
In a preferred embodiment, the rollers are held taken along the line 4-4 showing the interaction of the
within opposing spiral slots in a roller housing. The wire 60 rollers 14 and guides 18 with a wire 22. Since there are
positioning guides are fin shaped. only two rollers 14, the spacing between them can be
In one embodiment, the roller housing is encircled by made as small as desired and they do not interfere with
a rotatable race, and the rollers are driven by rotation each other. Accordingly, the mechanism may be used
of the race with respect to the housing. A thrust bearing with a very small diameter wire, which may be any type
may be used to prevent linear movement between the 65 of small shaft or cable. For example, the invention has
roller housing and the race. been used to advance a 0.035 inch diameter welding
It is also possible to drive the rollers relative to the wire. Since there are only two rollers 14, they do not
wire by rotating the roller housing about the wire. interfere with each other, although they are considera- ; ::::::::
 3,990,317
3 4
bly larger in diameter than the wire. The function of the It should be noted that the rotation of the race 33
guides is to prevent the wire 22 from moving sideways with respect to the roller housing 10 is only one of .
away from the pont at which the two rollers 14 are many possible arrangements for producing rotation of
closest together. the rollers 14 relative to the wire 22. If, for example,
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the slots 12 are inclined the holder 40 is used to position the assembled device
and form an acute angle with respect to the channel of FIG. 6, the race 33 defined by the member 30 can be
between the guides 18 and with respect to the longitu permitted to rotate freely while the roller housing 10 is
dinal axes of the housing 10. Thus, the rotation of the driven, in which case the rollers 14 are driven at a
rollers 14 within the slots 12 produce a linear move higher speed, the rotation being attributable to the
ment of the wire within the channel. The greater the () rotational movement of the housing 10 relative to the
angle formed by the axes of rotation of the rollers with wire 22. This produces a considerable lower mechani
respect to the channel, the greater the linear advance cal advantage and a correspondingly higher speed of
ment of the wire with each rotation of the rollers 14. linear advancement than if either the member 30 or the
It should be noted that, conversely to the above de housing 10 were driven at the same rotational speed
scribed mode of operation, if the roller housing 10 is 15 while its counterpart was maintained in a stationary
held against linear movement while the wire 22 is position.
moved linearly, the mechanism serves to convert from One application of the mechanism is in feeding weld
linear movement to rotational movement, as rotation of ing wire. Another application is use as a wire straight
the rollers 14 is thereby produced. ener in which the wire is straightened as it is fed be
FIG. 7 shows a preferred construction of one of the 20 tween the guides 18 by movement of the rollers 14. The
elongated rollers 14 in which a length of spring steel 50 mechanism is also useful for the fine adjustment of the
is wound in a helix about two core pieces 52. Each core position of thin shafts (embraced within the term wire)
piece includes a shaft 54 that is encircled by the spring to position various types of delicate instruments. It can
steel 50. The ends 51 of the core pieces 52 form hemi 25 also be used to open and close valves, since the mecha
spheres. The core pieces 52 are rotatable with respect nism is capable of operation at extremely high speeds
to the strip 50 to prevent wear of the housing 10 at the and with low frictional force.
ends of the slots 12 at which they are engaged by hard It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the
ened pins 56 shown in FIG. 2. The helical strip 52 is above-described embodiment is meant to be merely
slightly compressed when held between the roller hous 30 exemplary and that it is susceptible of modification and
ing 10 and the race 33 to ensure positive engagement. variation without departing from the spirit and scope of
The shafts 54 of the core pieces 52 have a slightly the invention. Therefore, the invention is not deemed
smaller diameter than the inside of the helical strip 50 to be limited except as defined by the appended claims.
to permit this compression. Alternatively it is possible We claim:
to use a plurality of short springs arranged end-to-end 1. A mechanism for conversion between rotary and
in place of each elongated spring 14. As the angle of 35 linear motion comprising a roller housing, a pair of
the slots 12 with respect to the rotational axis of the flexible rollers each including a metal strip wound as a
wire increase, it is necessary to reduce the length of helix, a pair of slots defined by said housing with each
each roller element. of said rollers being rotatably positioned in one of said
FIG. 5 shows a means for driving the rollers 14. It slots, means for rotatably driving said rollers to pro
includes a cylindrical member 30 having a cylindrical 40 duce linear movement of a wire engaged by said rollers,
bore 32 therein, the inner surface of which defines a a pair of wire positioning guides disposed along said
race 33 that engages the rollers 14. At one end of the rollers having opposing surfaces defining there between
bore 32 is a thrust bearing 34 which engages an end an interior channel through which a wire can be ad
surface 36 of the roller housing 10. The bearing 34 45 vanced linearly, said rollers and guides being posi
functions as a means for preventing axial linear move tioned such that the rotational axes of the rollers form
ment between the roller housing 10 and the race 33 acute angles with respect to the channel.
which would otherwise be produced by the rotation of 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a
the roller 14. Another bearing 35 is disposed about the race encircling said roller housing having a longitudinal
opposite end of the bore 32. axis coincident with said channel and being rotatable
Also shown in FIG. 5 is a cylindrical shaped holder 50 with respect thereto, said race engaging said rollers.
40 having a cylindrical inner surface defined by an 3. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein said slots are
arrangement friction reducing roller bearings 42. The spiral shaped.
holder 40 has one closed end 41 at which a thrust bear 4. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the roller
ing 44 is positioned. The outer surface of the member 55 housing defined two parallel slots within which the
30 fits within the cylinder defined by the roller bearings rollers are held.
42. An assembled device, including the optional holder 5. The mechanism of claim 4, wherein the opposed
40, the member 30, and the roller housing 10, is shown edges of said wire positioning guides are spiral-shaped
in FIG. 6. The holder 40 partially covers the outer and parallel.
cylindrical surface of the member 30 which in turn 60 6. The mechanism of claim 4, wherein the wire posi
partially encloses the outer cylindrical surface of the tioning guides are free of engagement with the rollers.
roller housing 10 while engaging the rollers 14. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said rollers have
The assembled device of FIG. 6 is shown in cross-sec an outer surface formed by a length of metal wound in
tion in FIG. 8, the section being taken along the line a helix.
8-8. Also shown in FIG. 8 is pair of restraining rollers 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each roller
58 that prevent rotation of the wire 22. If the applica 65 includes a metal strip wound in a helix and at least one
tion of the device is such that the wire 22 can be al core encircled by said strip and rotatable with respect
lowed to rotate, the lead speed of the wire 22 can be thereto, said core projecting beyond said strip at at
changed by either permitting or preventing rotation. least one end thereof.
 3,990,317
S 6
9. The mechanism of claim 2, further comprising holder having an inner surface defined by a plurality of .
means for preventing linear movcmcnt of said roller friction reducing bearings, said racc being defined by a
housing with respect to said race. - h.
10...fhemechanism of claim 9, wherein said linear
AW Iy A. cylindrical member the outer surface of which is en
movement preventing means is a thrust bearing. 5 gaged by said bearings.
11. The mechanism of claim 2, further comprising a : k. . k. k.

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