Patent GB-706361-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for remote control manipulations
IPC: B25J9/04
Filed: 1951-10-10
Abstract: 706,361. Control of several motors; controllers. WELL SURVEYS, Inc. Oct. 10, 1951 [Oct. 16, 1950], No. 23622/51. Class 38(3). The invention relates to a remote control manipulator comprising a mechanical arm jointed at the shoulder, elbow and wrist and capable of reproducing the movements of the arm of a controller by means of a series of reversible electric motors actuated by follow-up switches, the speed of the relevant motors being dependent on the angular displacement of the appropriate part of the controller's arm. A general view of the apparatus is shown in Fig. 2, where the manipulator 10 is suspended in a room from a rack 15, the operator 23 being seated outside the room with his arm on the actuating elements 24, viewing the operation through a television camera 28 and receiver 30. Mechanical construction (Figs. 3, 4a, 4b). The manipulator 10 is carried by a plate 46 rotatably secured to a chassis 31 on which are mounted the driving motors for the mechanism, protected by a cover 351. The motors are shown electrically in Fig. 16. The complete assembly may be moved along the rails 15 by a motor 36 driving through gearing 34, 32. The plate 46 and appendage may be rotated about the vertical axis by a motor 42, driving through gearing 45, 38. The shoulder joint is represented by a shaft 58 supported by brackets 54, 55 from the plate 46. The upper arm comprises tubular members 59 ... 62, held together by a bracket 66 and turnbuckles 63, 64 which allow for overall adjustment of length. The bracket 66 is attached to a spur wheel 65 on shaft 58, which may be rotated by a motor 76 driving through gearing 68, 70, 71. The elbow joint is represented by a shaft 77, the forearm comprising tubular members 78 ... 81, fixed at the top to the shaft 77, and held rigidly at the bottom by a bracket 84. A sprocket wheel 85 is attached to shaft 77 and is driven by a motor 96 through a connecting link comprising a chain 86, and a sprocket wheel 87 and gear wheel 88 on shaft 58. The wrist joint is represented by shaft 99, the upper part of the hand comprising tubular member 100, keyed to this shaft which is driven by a motor 116 via a sprocket wheel 102 and chain 103, and further chains and sprockets. The lower part of the hand comprises a cylindrical element 118 rotatable in a housing 117 by a motor 139 through gears 119, 120 (on rod 100), 122, 123 and other sprocket wheels and chains. The finger portion of the hand comprises two digit members 140 actuated by a motor 160 to rotate about a shaft 161 through gearing 141 &c. and a further digit 162 representing the thumb which can be given a pressure about shaft 161 by a fluid pressure system supplied through conduit 163, 165. The controller (Fig. 9) comprises a cabinet 206 on wheels 207 which may run in a track. A rotatable shaft 208 protrudes from the top, supporting an arm rest 209 which can pivot about a horizontal shaft 210, and the operator's arm is placed against a rest 211 so that the hand is near an assembly of switches 212 and a hand-grip 213, which can be rotated about an axis parallel to the plane of the arm rest 209. The arm rest may also be moved longitudinally parallel to its axis. A switch 214 on the hand-grip 213 causes movements of the forearm about axis 210 to be repeated as movement of the hand of the manipulator 10 about the wrist joint, independently of angular movement of the forearm. Movement of the hand of the manipulator through more than 180 degrees requires the connections to motors 76, 96 and 116 to be reversed by switches 216 to retain correct positional movement. Movement of the manipulator 10 along the rails 15 is produced by actuating a switch 215 when the angular movement of the arm about shaft 208 produces the desired lateral movement of the manipulator. Electrical circuit. Movement of the manipulator 10 is produced by a corresponding movement by the operator whereby one of two micro-switches is actuated to produce movement in the desired direction, Thus movement of the arm rest 209 parallel to its axis releases one of two switches 224, 225 by relative movement of a spring 231 (Figs. 11, 12), whereby a circuit is closed through motor 76 to move the manipulator about the shoulder-joint. This movement also rotates a shaft 247 (Fig. 13) via gears 245, 246 to alter the tapping on an autotransformer 248, whereby the speed of motor 76 is varied. Spring 231 also assists to restore the position of the arm rest to normal. The complete electrical circuit is shown in Fig. 16 and comprises a group of motor control circuits of the type described above with the following meatures:- 1. Motors 42, 36 share a common control circuit, chosen by switch 215. 2. Motors 96, 116 also share a common control circuit, chosen by switch 214 and relay 294. 3. Motors 160 and 139 are electrically coupled to run together to maintain the axial alignment of the hand during rotation, or may be operated separately by switches 319 ... 322 mounted in the control assembly 212. The pressure of the thumb of the hand of the manipulator is produced by fluid pressure controlled through leads 343, 344, 347 by operation of a switch 345, the magnitude of the pressure being determined by motor 348. The power supply may be from a single motor, or the motors may be other than electrical.