Automatic work-repeating mechanism

Claim 2

A work-repeating mechanism including a base, a workperforming arm movably mounted on said base, an electrical motor having a driving control connection with said arm, means for generating signals in response to manual movement of said arm, recording means for recording said signals and playback means for transmitting said signals from said recording means to said motor to cause movement of said arm corresponding to said manual movement.

Claim 3

The structure of claim 1 characterized by and including electrical means for activating said motor in response to the manual movement of said arm.

Claim 4

The structure of claim 2 wherein said electrical means comprises a gear on said arm, a permanently grounded gear on said motor, a circuit including said arm gear and said motor, said circuit being activated in response to contact of said gears, said gears forming said driving connection.

Claim 5

The structure of claim 3 wherein said arm gear has a dual set of teeth offset from each other and said motor gear has conformations formed and adApted for engagement with one or the other of said sets of teeth or with neither.

Claim 6

The structure of claim 1 wherein said arm includes an upper arm segment, a forearm segment, and at least one finger segment and characterized by and including an electrical motor and driving connection for each of said segments.

Claim 7

The structure of claim 1 characterized by and including a homing member adjustably carried on said base, a conducting surface on said member, a nonconducting surface on said member and a wiper positioned on said arm and in contact with one of said member surfaces at all positions of said member.

Claim 8

The structure of claim 6 characterized by and including an electrical circuit including said member and said motor, said circuit being activated in response to contact of said wiper with said conducting surface, said circuit being deactivated in response to contact of said wiper with said nonconducting surface.

Claim 9

The structure of claim 1 wherein said motor has a dual set of brushes and said playback means includes a playback head, an amplifier receiving said signals from said head, a stepper receiving said signals from said amplifier and thereupon delivering first signal pulses to one set of brushes in said motor to drive it, said stepper substantially simultaneously delivering second signal pulses to another set of brushes in said motor to control the direction of rotation thereof.

Claim 10

The structure of claim 1 wherein said motor has a first and second set of brushes and said playback means includes a playback head, a first amplifier receiving said signals from said head, a phase detector receiving said signals from said first amplifier, a frequency multiplier receiving signals from said first set of motor brushes, a second amplifier receiving said last-named signals from said frequency multiplier, said phase detector receiving said last-named signals from said second amplifier, said phase detector determining the relationship of said signals and delivering its output to said second set of motor brushes to drive said motor.

Claim 11

The structure of claim 1 wherein said motor has a first and second set of brushes, said driving connection includes a gear driven by said motor and a second gear mounted on said arm and said recording means includes means for recording the direction speed and duration of motion of said motor in response to manual manipulation of said arm, said recording means including a circuit including said second gear and said motor, a source of positive and negative voltage, a set of relays in contact with said second gear for alternate activation in response to rotation of said arm gear in clockwise or counterclockwise direction, said relays placing said voltage source in circuit with said first brushes to drive said motor, a frequency multiplier in said circuit and receiving an output signal from said second brushes, an amplifier receiving said signal from said frequency multiplier and delivering said last-named signal to a recording head for recording the same.

Claim 12

The structure of claim 1 wherein said driving connection includes a first gear driven by said motor and a second gear mounted on said arm for driving engagement with said first gear and said recording means includes means for recording the motion of said second gear, said last-named means including a circuit including said second gear, an oscillator, an amplifier and a recording head, said first gear being permanently grounded, said second gear having a first set of teeth engaging said first gear when said arm is moved in one direction and a second set of teeth engaging said first gear when said arm is moved in a second direction, contact of said teeth with said motor gear being effective to activate said circuit.

Claim 13

The structure of claim 1 characterized by and including fluid power means engaging said arm and an electrically operable value means directing operation of said fluid power means to urge said arm in the direction imparted to said arm by said motor, said plaYback means including means delivering electrical energy to said valve means.

Claim 14

The structure of claim 5 wherein said recording means includes a cassette cartridge and a tape record therein, said tape record having a width sufficient for recording thereon of an individual track for each of said motors and driving connections.

Claim 15

A mechanism including a base, a manually movable arm on said base, an electric motor, a driving connection between said motor and said arm, a record and an electrical circuit for recording signals on said record in response to movement of said driving connection and motor and for delivering said signals to said motor to operate it in response to playback of said record, said circuit including an oscillator, a first amplifier, a first sensor sensing the input to said first amplifier, said motor, a second amplifier, a second sensor sensing the signal input to said second amplifier, a slow-speed motor control circuit, a phase comparator, a source of voltage, relays operable in response to grounding of said driving connection and operable to connect said voltage source to said motor, said oscillator being responsive to grounding of said driving connection to deliver signals to said first amplifier, said first amplifier delivering said last-named signals to said record, said second amplifier receiving signals from said record and delivering said last-named signals to said comparator, and a multiplier receiving signals from said motor and delivering said last named signals through said first amplifier to said comparator, said comparator delivering its output to said motor to operate it.

Claim 16

A mechanism including a base, a manually movable arm on said base, an electric motor, a driving connection between said motor and said arm, a record and an electrical circuit for recording signals on said record in response to movement of said driving connection and motor and for delivering said signals to said motor to operate it in response to playback of said record, said circuit including an oscillator, a first amplifier, a first sensor sensing the input to said first amplifier, said motor, a second amplifier, a second sensor sensing the signal input to said second amplifier, a slow-speed motor control circuit, a phase comparator, a source of voltage, relays operable in response to grounding of said driving connection and operable to connect said voltage source to said motor, said oscillator being responsive to grounding of said driving connection to deliver signals to said first amplifier, said first amplifier delivering said last-named signals to said record, said second amplifier receiving signals from said record and delivering said last-named signals to said comparator, and a multiplier receiving signals from said motor and delivering said last named signals through said first amplifier to said comparator, said comparator delivering its output to said motor to operate it.

Claim 17

The structure of claim 14 wherein said circuit includes a high-low relay and a series of switches controlled thereby, said relay being responsive to said sensors.

Claim 18

The structure of claim 14 characterized by and including a rewind relay, said relay being operable in response to a signal received from said tape to rewind the same.

Claim 19

The structure of claim 14 characterized by and including a homing circuit including at least two conducting surfaces adjustable on said base, a nonconducting surface adjacent said conducting surfaces and adjustable therewith, a wiper on said arm and engageable with said surfaces, said surfaces being connectable with said oscillator in response to activation of said rewind relay, said oscillator in response to contact of said wiper with one of said conducting surfaces delivering a signal to said first amplifier, said first amplifier delivering said last-named signal through said slow-speed control to said motor to operate it and to move said arm and wiper toward said nonconducting surface.

Claim 20

The structure of claim 14 wherein said motor has a first set and a second set of brushes and said slow-speed control is connected to said brushes for delivery of pulse signals simultaneously to said first and second set of brushes.

Claim 23

The method of claim 19 characterized by and including the steps of continuing to manually move said member, electrically activating said motor in response to said continued manual movement of said member to produce a signal from said motor, amplifying said signal, transmitting said signal to a recording head and transferring said signal from said recording head to said motor.

Claim 24

A work-repeating Mechanism including a support, an arm movably mounted on said support, an electric motor, a worm driven by said electric motor, a gear carried on and movable with said arm, said gear having teeth interpenetrating with said worm, said worm being permanently grounded, an electrical circuit including said electric motor, said gear and a recording means, said gear being movable into contact with said worm in response to manual movement of said arm to ground said circuit and to activate said electric motor for rotation of said worm and to permit further movement of said gear, said circuit and recording means being effective to record the movement of said motor in response to said activation.

Claim 25

A work-repeating Mechanism including a support, an arm movably mounted on said support, an electric motor, a worm driven by said electric motor, a gear carried on and movable with said arm, said gear having teeth interpenetrating with said worm, said worm being permanently grounded, an electrical circuit including said electric motor, said gear and a recording means, said gear being movable into contact with said worm in response to manual movement of said arm to ground said circuit and to activate said electric motor for rotation of said worm and to permit further movement of said gear, said circuit and recording means being effective to record the movement of said motor in response to said activation.

Claim 26

The structure of claim 21 characterized by and including motor means connected to said arm, a playback circuit including said electrical motor and said motor means, said motor means being activated by said circuit to continuously urge said arm in one of two directions, said electric motor being activated by said circuit to rotate said worm to permit said movement of said arm by said motor means.