Patent ID: 7743850

Claim:
Apparatus for reducing the torque required to provide relative rotation of two connected members, at least a first connected member of said two connected members having a generally cylindrical portion with a central axis about which it is adapted to rotate relative to the other connected member, said cylindrical portion including a wall portion having a generally cylindrical surface, and said first connected member having at least one associated radially extending axis, being an axis extending through a point on the generally cylindrical surface and intersecting said central axis and, the apparatus comprising: an impact member adapted to provide impacts to the first connected member; a locating mechanism for locating the apparatus in a predetermined deployment relative to said first connected member; a driving mechanism, operatively connected to the impact member, for driving the impact member, said driving mechanism being operable to cause the impact member to automatically and repeatedly provide impacts upon said first connected member; and wherein the driving mechanism drives the impact member so that immediately prior to provision of the impact the impact member moves towards the central axis of said first connected member on and along said radially extending axis.