Articulated support arm apparatus

Claim 2

In an articulated support arm apparatus for use by an operator, a base, first, second and third arms supported by said base, a work device supported by said arms, a dual axis joint interconnecting said first and second arms, an additional dual axis joint interconnecting said second and third arms, said joints being movable between locked and unlocked positions and control means for moving said joints to said locked and unlocked positions substantially simultaneously whereby in the unlocked positions said work device can be moved by the operator to a desired position and in locked positions the work device is held in a predetermined position.

Claim 3

In an articulated support arm apparatus for use by an operator, a base, first and second arms supported by said base, a work device supported by said arms, a dual axis joint interconnecting said first and second arms, said joint being movable between locked and unlocked positions and means for moving said joint to said locked and unlocked positions whereby in the unlocked position said work device can be moved by the operator to a desired position and in a locked position the work device is held in a predetermined position, said dual axis joint including first and second members, means for rotatably mounting said first and second members with respect to each other, a plurality of friction rings disposed between said first and second members, means carried by said first member for engaging certain of said friction rings so that said certain friction rings travel with said first member, means carried by said second member for engaging other of said friction rings whereby said other friction rings travel with the second member, and wherein said means for moving said joint to a locked position includes means for applying pressure to said friction rings to prevent rotation of said first and second members with respect to each other.

Claim 4

In an articulated support arm apparatus for use by an operator, a base, first and second arms supported by said base, a work device supported by said arms, a dual axis joint interconnecting said first and second arms, said joint being movable between locked and unlocked positions and means for moving said joint to said locked and unlocked positions whereby in the unlocked position said work device can be moved by the operator to a desired position and in a locked position the work device is held in a predetermined position, said dual axis joint including first and second members, means for rotatably mounting said first and second members with respect to each other, a plurality of friction rings disposed between said first and second members, means carried by said first member for engaging certain of said friction rings so that said certain friction rings travel with said first member, means carried by said second member for engaging other of said friction rings whereby said other friction rings travel with the second member, and wherein said means for moving said joint to a locked position includes means for applying pressure to said friction rings to prevent rotation of said first and second members with respect to each other.

Claim 5

Apparatus as in claim 2 together with a tubular member carried by each of said first and second members, one of said tubular members being rotatable with respect to the member in which it is mounted and wherein said means for locking said joint in a locked position includes means for restraining rotation of said one tubular member with respect to the member in which it is mounted when said joint is in a locked position.

Claim 6

Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said means for moving said joint to said locked and unlocked position includes a bolt extending between said first and second members and means for applying a force to said bolt to cause said members to be moved axially with respect to each other.

Claim 7

Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said means applying a force to said bolt is in the form of yieldable spring means and means for overcoming the force of said yieldable spring means.

Claim 8

Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said means for moving said joint to a locked position includes a piston coupled to said bolt and fluid means for supplying a force to said piston.

Claim 9

Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said piston is positioned so that the force applied by the piston is in a direction to cause frictional engagement of the friction rings.

Claim 10

Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said piston is positioned so that the force applied by the piston is in a direction to reduce the frictional engagement of the friction rings.

Claim 11

Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said means for moving said joint to said locked and unlocked positions includes yieldable spring means for moving said bolt in a direction opposite to that supplied by the piston.

Claim 12

Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said means for moving said joint to said locked and unlocked positions includes cable engaging surfaces provided in each of said members and a cable traveling over said surfaces whereby as the said cable is tensioned, said members are urged towards each other to bring the friction rings into frictional engagement with each other.

Claim 13

Apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said cable engaging surfaces includes first and second pulleys rotatably mounted in the first and second members.

Claim 14

Apparatus as in claim 10 together with first and second tubular members mounted in said first and second members and friction means carried by the tubular members and the first and second members for increasing the friction between the same when the cable is tensioned.

Claim 15

Apparatus as in claim 4 together with a tubular member mounted in one of said first and second members and permitting rotation of the tubular member with respect to said one member and preventing retraction of the tubular member and means coupled to said bolt for creating additional frictional forces between the tubular member and the cylindrical member when a force is applied to said bolt in one direction.

Claim 16

Apparatus as in claim 13 wherein said means for creating additional frictional forces to be supplied to said tubular member includes a clamping tube disposed within said tubular member and means securing said clamping tube to said tubular member, said clamping tube being disposed on said bolt and means carried by said bolt upon axial movement of the bolt for urging sidewise displacement of the clamping member to create additional frictional force between the tubular member and the cylindrical member.

Claim 17

Apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said clamping tube is provided with a hole and wherein said bolt extends through said hole, said bolt having a nut for engaging the clamping tube to move the tube into a clamping engagement when an axial force is applied to the bolt.

Claim 18

Apparatus as in claim 1 together with a fourth arm supported by the base and an additional dual axis joint interconnecting the third and fourth arms, and wherein said means for moving said joints to said locked and unlocked positions causes operation of said first named and additional dual axis joints simultaneously.

Claim 19

In an articulated support art apparatus for use by an operator, a base, first, second and third arms supported by the base, a work device supported by the arms, first and second joints interconnecting respectively the first and second arms and the second and third arms, said joints being movable between locked and unlocked positions, whereby in the unlocked position the work device is movable by the operator to a desired location and in the locked position holds the work device in the desired location and means for moving said first and second joints to said locked and unlocked positions substantially simultaneously.

Claim 20

In an articulated support art apparatus for use by an operator, a base, first, second and third arms supported by the base, a work device supported by the arms, first and second joints interconnecting respectively the first and second arms and the second and third arms, said joints being movable between locked and unlocked positions, whereby in the unlocked position the work device is movable by the operator to a desired location and in the locked position holds the work device in the desired location and means for moving said first and second joints to said locked and unlocked positions substantially simultaneously.

Claim 21

Apparatus as in claim 17 wherein each of said joints includes first and second joint members and friction rings disposed between the joint members.

Claim 22

Apparatus as in claim 17 wherein each of said joints is a dual axis joint with one axis being the axis rotation of the first and second arms with respect to each other and the other axis of rotation being defined by one of the arms extending out of the cylindrical members and extending in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of the first named axis of rotation.

Claim 23

Apparatus as in claim 19 together with means carried by the arm and the cylindrical member for preventing rotation of the arm at the time a force is being applied to bring the first and second cylindrical members into the locked position.

Claim 24

Apparatus as in claim 17 wherein said means for moving said first and second joints to said locked and unlocked position includes yieldable spring means for applying a force to urge the cylindrical members towards each other.

Claim 25

In a dual axis joint, first and second cylindrical members having cylindrical recesses therein, a bushing mounted in said first and second cylindrical members, friction rings carried by said joint bushing and each having a lobe extending therefrom, spaced parallel members carried by the second of said cylindrical members and engaging certain of the lobes from the friction rings, spaced parallel ears carried by the other of said members and engaging other lobes of said friction rings whereby as the first and second members are rotated the friction rings associated therewith are rotated and menas for applying force to the first and second members to bring the first and second members towards each other and to cause frictional engagement of the friction members to lock up the joint.

Claim 26

In a dual axis joint, first and second cylindrical members having cylindrical recesses therein, a bushing mounted in said first and second cylindrical members, friction rings carried by said joint bushing and each having a lobe extending therefrom, spaced parallel members carried by the second of said cylindrical members and engaging certain of the lobes from the friction rings, spaced parallel ears carried by the other of said members and engaging other lobes of said friction rings whereby as the first and second members are rotated the friction rings associated therewith are rotated and menas for applying force to the first and second members to bring the first and second members towards each other and to cause frictional engagement of the friction members to lock up the joint.

Claim 27

Apparatus as in claim 22 together with a tubular member carried by one of said cylindrical members, said tubular member being movable between a locked frictionally engaging position and an unlocked position and means for applying a force to increase the frictional engagement between the tubular member and a cylindrical member during the time that increased frictional forces are being applied to the friction rings.

Claim 28

Apparatus as in claim 22 wherein said means for applying a force to bring the first and second members towards each other includes a bolt extending through the first and second members and means for applying a force to the bolt for causing the bolt to bring said first and second cylindrical members towards each other.

Claim 29

Apparatus as in claim 24 wherein said means for applying a force to the bolt includes yieldable spring means.

Claim 30

Apparatus as in claim 24 wherein said means for applying a force to the bolt includes a piston member disposed within one of said members coupled to said bolt and means for supplying fluid under pressure to said piston.

Claim 31

Apparatus as in claim 25 together with a piston coupled to said bolt and means for supplying of fluid under pressure to said piston to cause a force to be applied to said bolt which overcomes the force applied by said yieldable means.