Fluid pressure actuator

Abstract: A fluid pressure actuator having two connected pistons (24, 26) movable in a cylinder (10), and having a gear rack (32) associated therewith to engage a pinion (20) attached to the shaft (18) to be rotated. Adjustable travel stops are located on each end of the cylinder (10) to control the position of the actuator at the end of the stroke. Each stop has a pair of stop plates (40, 42) which have ramps on the mating faces such that rotation of one stop plate relative to the other adjusts the thickness of the pair, thereby adjusting the position of the end stop for the piston.

Description: The present invention relates to fluid pressure actuators for rotating a shaft back and forth such as rotating a valve shaft an open and closed position. The present invention particularly relates to a fluid pressure actuator in accordance with the preamble of claim 1 comprising a cylinder having an end wall, a piston reciprocally movable in said cylinder, and limit means proximate to said end wall for adjusting the stroke of said piston. Fluid pressure actuators are old and well known in the art of rotating a shaft such as a valve shaft. These fluid pressure actuators comprise a cylinder in which is located a piston or pistons which are moved back and forth within the cylinder by means of fluid pressure which may be either pneumatic or hydraulic. The piston(s) has a rack associated therewith which engages a pinion attached to the shaft to be rotated and the translation of the piston(s) in the cylinder causes the rack to translate and the pinion to rotate. In such fluid actuators, it is desirable to provide means for adjusting the stroke of the piston(s) to thereby adjust the rotation of the shaft. This is conventionally accomplished by means of adjusting screws through the end walls of the cylinder, with these adjusting screws engaging piston(s) at the end of the stroke. (See, for example, U. S. Patent 4,566,670). The problem with such adjusting screws is that they create concentrated loads and localized stresses. This requires the use of high strength materials and/or thick cross sections for the cylinder end caps. FR-A-2 245 850 discloses a stroke-adjustable, double-acting piston-type drive means comprising a piston being reciprocably movable in a cylinder, and a stroke limiting means including cooperating first and second stop plates rotatable with respect to each other, whereby the facing surfaces of said stop plates are provided with integral cam means which are ramped in circumferential direction. One first stop plate is arranged at a fixed cylinder head and rotatable around the longitudinal axis of the piston rod by a gear, while the other stop plate is fixed by screws to an end face of a bush means being arranged between the piston and the first stop plate and being slidable in said cylinder in the kind of a movable second cylinder head, whereby both stop plates are forced to engage each other by spring means arranged in said bush means, each spring means surrounding a pin extending from said fixed cylinder head into said bush means. Accordingly, this known structure is rather complicated due to the additional movable cylinder head (bush means) and the arrangement of the stroke limiting means in relation thereto. The object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages of prior art. This object is solved by the characterizing features of claim 1, while preferred embodiments are described in the sub-claims. In the following the present invention is further described by way of examples with reference to the drawings, which illustrate in Fig. 1 a cross section view of an actuator as a first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 a cross section view of an actuator as a second embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3 and end view of the actuator of the present invention; Fig. 4 and 5 the stop plates of the present invention in different positions; and Fig. 6, 7, 8 perspective views of a stop plate illustrating different ramp surfaces. Referring first to Fig. 1, the actuator comprises a fluid cylinder 10 which includes a cylinder body 12 and end caps 14 and 16 attached to the cylinder body 12. A shaft 18 (such as a valve shaft) extends into the center of the actuator cylinder 10 and a pinion gear 20 is attached thereto. Located in the cylinder 10 is a piston assembly 22 which comprises two pistons 24 and 26 which are attached to each other by means of the connectors 28 and 30 whereby the pistons 24 and 26 of the piston assembly 22 move as one unit. The pistons 24 and 26 are sealed within the cylinder 10 by means of the O-rings 27 or other suitable piston seals. Formed on (or attached to) the connector 30 is a rack gear 32 which engages the pinion gear 20. Therefore, translation of the piston assembly 22 upon application of fluid pressure causes rotation of the pinion gear 20 and the shaft 18. It can be seen that the degree of rotation of the pinion gear 20 and the shaft 18 depends on the length of travel of the rack 32 and thus the piston assembly 22. When fluid pressure is introduced into the left hand end of the cylinder 10 by means of the pressure line 34, the controller 36 and the pressure line 38, the piston assembly 22 is forced to the right into the position shown in Fig. 1. The length of travel of the piston assembly 22 is determined by the engagement of the piston 24 with the end stop at the right side of the actuator. Likewise, travel in the other direction is determined by the engagement of the piston 26 with the end stop at the left side of the actuator. It can thus be seen that the degree of rotation or total angular stroke of the pinion gear 20 and the shaft 18 is dependent of the distance between the end stops and that the stopping point of the rotation is dependent on the position of each end stop. Referring now to the end stops of the present invention, each end stop comprises a pair of stop plates 40 and 42 as shown in Fig. 1. Each stop plate has one face 44 which is flat and perpendicular to the axis of the plate, with the other face 46 being ramped. Preferably, there are at least three ramps on each plate for stability. To form each end stop, two stop plates are paired with their ramped faces 46 abutting. Therefore, as one of the stop plates of the pair is rotated about its axis with respect of the other stop plate of the pair, the relative positions of the abutting ramps determine the thickness of the end stop. Changing the thickness of the end stop will change the point at which the piston assembly 22 engages and stops against the end stop. This difference in thickness can be seen in Fig. 4 and 5 in which Fig. 4 illustrates the two stop plates in a rotated position to give near maximum thickness a while Fig. 5 illustrates the two plates rotated so as to give a minimum thickness b. Referring again to Fig. 1, the stop plates 42 are each attached to a shaft 48 by any suitable means such as welding, keying, splining, etc. The shafts 48 pass through the apertures 50 in the plates 40 and then through the apertures 52 in the end caps 14 and 16. The O-rings 54 provide seals between the shafts 48 and the end caps. Attached to the outer ends of the shafts 48 are handles 56 for purposes of rotating the shafts 48. The springs 58 force the handles 56 and shafts 48 outwardly so as to thereby maintain the plates 42 tightly against the plates 40. Rotation of the handles 56 and shafts 48 result in the rotation of the plates 42 with respect to the plates 40 are fixed with respect to the end caps. The plates 40 may be attached by any suitable means to the end caps 14 and 16 or they may actually be formed as an integral part of the end caps. As an alternative, the plates 42 may be the fixed plates attached to or formed as a part of the pistons 24 and 26. This arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 2 in which the plates 40 are now attached to the shafts 48 and are rotatable with respect to the plates 42. Fig. 6 shows a stop plate design in which the ramp surfaces 46 are notched or serrated on both stop plates 40 and 42 whereby the notches or serrations mesh to prevent any unwanted slippage between the plates. In order to effect an adjustment, the handle 56 and shaft 48 are depressed against the force of spring 58 to disengage the notches and permit rotation. Fig. 7 illustrates another stop plate design in which the ramp surfaces 46' are smooth and Fig. 8 illustrates still another stop plate design wherein the ramp surfaces 46'' have serrations on this high point. Fig. 3 shows an end view of the handle 56 and illustrates how the handle and end cover may be marked to visually indicate the position of the adjustment of the stop plates.

Claims: A fluid presure actuator comprising a cylinder (10) having an end wall (14; 16), a piston (22) reciprocally movable in said cylinder (10), limit means (40, 42) proximate to said end wall (14; 16) for adjusting the stroke of said piston (22), said limit means (40, 42) including two stop plate means (40, 42) rotatable with respect to each other, and means (60) on the facing surfaces (46, 46) of said stop plate means (40, 42) which cooperate to change the thickness of said stop plate means (40, 42) as a function of their rotation, characterized by a shaft (48) rotatably mounted on said end wall (14, 16), at least one stop plate means (40, 42) being mounted on said shaft (48) for engaging an end portion of said piston (22). Fluid pressure actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer end of said shaft (48) being provided with a handle (56) for purposes of rotating the shaft (48), the handle (56) and shaft (48) being forced outwardly by spring means (58) so as to thereby maintain the one stop plate tightly against an abutment means fixed with respect to the end wall (14, 16), and said second stop plate (42, 40) either being fixed with respect to the end wall thereby defining said abutment means or being fixed with respect to the piston (22). Fluid pressure actuator according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said facing surface (46, 46) of said stop plates (40, 42) are ramped. Fluid pressure actuator according to claim 3, characterized by at least three ramps (60) on said facing surface (46) of each plate (40, 42). Fluid pressure actuator according to claims 3 or 4, characterized by notched or serrated meshing ramp surfaces (46, 46) on both stop plates (40, 42) (Fig. 6). Fluid pressure actuator according to claims 3 or 4, characterized by smooth ramp surfaces (46') (Fig. 7). Fluid pressure actuator according to claims 3 or 4, characterized by smooth ramp surfaces (46'') having serrations on their high point (Fig. 8). Fluid pressure actuator according to one of the preceeding claims, characterized by two limit means (40, 42) located on opposite ends of said piston (22).

Inventors: CHAMPAGNE RAYMOND PAUL, CHAMPAGNE, RAYMOND PAUL
Applicants: NELES JAMESBURY CORP, NELES-JAMESBURY CORP.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: F15B15
IPC codes: F15B15