초록 ▼

A rotary drive mechanism for toys, kinetic sculptures, and the like, employs a pawl and ratchet mechanism to transmit driving torque between a driving wheel and a driven inertia wheel. The driving wheel may itself be driven by means of a drive string that may frictionally engage a circular drive sur

A rotary drive mechanism for toys, kinetic sculptures, and the like, employs a pawl and ratchet mechanism to transmit driving torque between a driving wheel and a driven inertia wheel. The driving wheel may itself be driven by means of a drive string that may frictionally engage a circular drive surface to permit the driving wheel to be rotated independently with limited slippage between the string and the drive surface. A fixed and uniform amount of energy can be imparted to the driving wheel and the driven wheel through a spring that is connected to the drive string and preloaded by a predetermined amount. A second inertia wheel can be mounted coaxially of the one inertia wheel and both wheels may operate with random motion through an interference coupling. The pawl and ratchet mechanism in one embodiment forms an escapement to provide intermittent drive to the wheels. The inertia wheel is rotationally unbalanced with a weight offset from the axis of rotation.

대표청구항 ▼

An intermittent rotary drive for toys, kinetic sculptures, and the like comprising: a mounting structure defining a horizontal axis of rotation in an operative position of the structure; a driving wheel mounted on the structure for rotation about the horizontal axis; motive means connected to the dr

An intermittent rotary drive for toys, kinetic sculptures, and the like comprising: a mounting structure defining a horizontal axis of rotation in an operative position of the structure; a driving wheel mounted on the structure for rotation about the horizontal axis; motive means connected to the driving wheel for rotating the driving wheel in one direction about the horizontal axis; a driven inertia wheel mounted coaxially of the driving wheel for free rotation about the axis, the driven inertia wheel being rotationally unbalanced with a heavier portion of the wheel disposed at one side of the wheel in offset relationship from the axis of rotation whereby the heavier portion seeks a low point when rotation of the wheel about the horizontal axis stops; and escapement means intermittently connecting the driving and driven wheel for causing the driving wheel to engage and rotate the driven wheel in the one direction about the axis and allowing the driven wheel to rotate in the one direction relative to the driving wheel whereby the driven wheel can advance rotationally ahead of the driving wheel in the one direction and the heavier portion of the driven wheel can stop or reverse the rotation in the one direction until the escapement means brings the driving wheel and the driven wheel back into engagement.