Patent GB-963552-A (GB)
Title: Remote-control master-slave manipulator
Inventor: AINSWORTH ALAN
IPC: B25J3/00
Filed: 1962-05-07
Abstract: 963,552. Handling radio-active material. UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY. April 29, 1963 [May 7, 1962], No. 17441/62. Heading B4Q. A remote-control manipulator comprises a transverse beam, master and slave arms pivotally connected to the beam at shoulder joints spaced axially of the beam, a handgrip carried by the master arm, a work handler carried by the slave arm, relatively rotatable connecting rods extending axially along the arms and beam and mechanically interconnect - ing the handgrip and the handler to cause movements of the handgrip to be reproduced by the handler, and compensating mechanism to apply compensating rotary movement to the connecting rods when arm movements relative to the rods are made. In accordance with another feature to which the claims of Specification 963,553 are directed the transverse beam is extensible and means are provided causing extension of the beam to vary the axial displacement between the shoulder joints and thus to cause transverse displacement of the handler relative to the handgrip. As shown, Fig. 1, the beam 14 of the manipulator extends through a socket 13 in a shielding wall 11 having a window 12, the ends of the beam being connected by shoulder joints 15 to the upper arms 16 of the master and slave arms. A forearm 17 telescopically mounted within each upper arm terminates at a wrist unit 18, the slave wrist unit supporting a pair of jaws 21 and the master wrist unit supporting a handgrip 22, Fig. 2, which is squeezed to close the jaws. The handgrip has six degrees of movement which are reproduced by the jaws, these movements being: rotation about the wrist units 18 (arrow 23), flexure at the wrist units (arrow 24), rotation of the wrist units about the forearms 17 (arrow 25), swing of the arms about the shoulder joints 15 (arrow 26), rotation of the beam 14 in its socket 13 (arrow 27), and telescopic movement of the forearms 17 in the upper arms 16. These six movements are transmitted thus: rotation of the beam in its socket is transmitted directly from the master shoulder joint to the slave shoulder joint; swing of the master arm about the master shoulder joint actuates a servo-valve 31 causing servo-assistance of the master arm and movement of the slave arm by rams 29; similarly, telescopic movement of the master forearm into the master upper arm actuates a servo-valve 34 causing servo-assistance of the master forearm movement and telescopic movement of the slave forearm by rams 33; finally, the three remaining movements at the master wrist unit are converted by gearing into relative movement of three rods extending along the arms and beam to similar gearing at the slave wrist unit. Compensating mechanisms are provided within the forearms and at the shoulder joints to counteract interference between the relative movements of the three rods. Preferably, all six movements are servoassisted. The master wrist unit 18, Figs. 2, 3, includes a pair of pivoted handles 35 carried by a bush 36 on a shaft 37 rotatable in a bracket 38, the handles 35 actuating an hydraulic ram (not shown) within the shaft 37, this ram being connected by a circuit to a similar ram in the slave wrist unit whereby the jaws 21 are operated. Lugs 39 on the bracket 38 carry pivot pins 41 journalled in trunnions 43, a bevel gear 44 on the shaft 37 meshing with bevel gears 45 rotatable on the pins 41. A toothed wheel 46 secured to each gear 45 meshes with a respective pinion 48a or 48b mounted on spindles 49a, 49b journalled in the trunnions 43. In operation, rotation of the handgrip 22 about the wrist unit causes rotation of the bevel gear 44, opposed rotation of bevel gear 45 and thus opposed rotation of spindles 49a, 49b. Flexure about the pivot pins 41 causes similar rotation of the gears 45 and spindles 49a, 49b. Similar gearing is provided in the slave wrist unit. The trunnions 43 are bolted to a wrist casing 51, Figs. 6, 9, supported by a differential casing 52 bolted to a forearm casing 53 itself bolted to the lower end of the forearm 17. The casing 51 is rotatable relatively to the casing 52 by means of an interposed bearing ring 54. A spindle 57 is fixed to the casing 51 in alignment with the centre of the bearing ring 54 and has journalled therein inner and outer wrist rods 59a, 59b, splines on the rods engaging pinions 58a, 58b on the spindles 49a, 49b, Fig. 5. Thus rotation of spindles 49a, 49b causes rotation of rods 59a, 59b and rotation of casing 51 relatively to the forearm causes rotation of spindle 57. Similar gearing is provided in the slave wrist unit. A compensating mechanism comprising differential gearing (Figs. 7, 8, not shown) is housed in the casing 52 to counteract interference between the relative rotations of the forearm, the wrist rods 59a, 59b and the spindle 57, this interference being produced by two movements, i.e. flexure at the wrist unit causing relative rotation between the spindle and wrist rods and rotation of the wrist unit with respect to the forearm causing relative rotation between the spindle and the forearm. Similar gearing is provided for the slave arm. The output from the casing 52 comprises the spindle 57 surrounded by two upper wrist rods similar to the rods 59a, 59b, the casing 53 containing gears similar to those in casing 51 whereby rotation of the spindle 57 and upper wrist rods causes rotation of three tubular connectors 76a, 76b, 76c (only 76a, 76c being visible in Fig. 9). The connectors 76a . . . 76c have telescopic driving engagement with lower drive tubes 77a ... 77c to permit tolescopic movement of the forearm 17 within the upper arm 16, this movement being guided by rollers 72. Upper drive tubes 78a ... 78c, Figs. 10, 12, are slidable within tubes 77a ... 77c, gearing in a chamber 7d at the upper end of the upper arm 16 displacing the drive from tube 78c to a drive tube 78d in alignment with the tubes 78a, 78b. The master shoulder joint 15, Fig. 13, includes a pivot pin 81 journalled in brackets 75, 82 connected, respectively, to the upper arm 16 and beam 14 so that the master arm can swing about the joint. The drive from the tubes 78a, 78b, 78d is transmitted to drive tubes 87a, 87b, 87c by three parallel trains of epicyclic gears. Thus the gearing interconnecting tubes 78a, 87a includes sun gear 89a, planetary gears 91a and an annular gear 92a. This gearing serves as a compensating mechanism to prevent interference with the transmission between the drive tubes by a swinging movement of the master arm about the joint 15, the compensation being applied by a fourth epicyclic gearing including a sun gear 101 splined to the pin 81. Similar gearing is provided at the slave shoulder joint. The beam 14, Fig. 14, comprises an outer casing 141 in which an inner easing 142 is slidable, the casing 141 being rotatable in the socket 13 in the wall 11. An hydraulic ram 123 having a ram rod 124 is secured between the casings 141, 142 and produces the telescopic movement of the inner casing 142 to cause transverse displacement of the handler relatively to the handgrip; it being understood that the master arm is connected to casing 141 and slave arm is connected to casing 142. Relative rotation between the casings 141, 142 may be performed by a further hydraulic motor (not shown) to effect relative lateral displacement between the master and slave arms. The drive tubes 87a ... 87c extending through the beam are telescopic and provided with universal joints. Pressure-tight casings 117, 120 provided at each end of the beam have rings 121 seating with the beam and are pressurized with an inert gas to prevent leakage from the cell in which the slave arm is disposed.