Nov. 9, 1965
`
`Filed Dec. 23, 1963
`
`R. LOHR
`
`SPRING MOTOR DRIVE
`
`3,216,528
`
`2 Sheets-Sheet 1
`
`FIG. 1.
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`\
`
`FIG. 2. FIG.3.
`5\ ~
`17
`1.......---''~~-==== -----~~~===--i'D ·-~~
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`3
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`l6
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`4
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`12.
`
`FIG.4.
`
`FIG.5.
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`1"3
`
`INVENTOR
`RILEY LOHR
`BY ~f)¥1).
`
`ATTORNEY
`
`Norman Int. Exhibit 1005 Page 1
`
`

`

`Nov. 9, 1965
`
`Filed Dec.
`
`' 23 1963
`
`R. LOHR
`. NG MOTOR DRIVE
`SPRI
`
`3,216,528
`
`2 Sheets-Sheet 2
`
`FIG. 6.
`
`37
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`37
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`FlG.7.
`1'3 27
`3b
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`FIG.B.rj:j-~1
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`~3Q
`
`FIG. 9.
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`43
`
`44
`
`INVENTOR
`
`BY
`
`~y LOHR
`RlLJ-..
`'/Q
`~<~;ORNEY
`
`Norman Int. Exhibit 1005 Page 2
`
`

`

`United States Patent Office
`
`-
`-
`3,216,528
`Patented Nov. 9, 1965
`
`.
`
`1
`
`3,216,528
`SPRING MOTOR DRIVE
`Riley Lohr, Manheim, Pa., assignor to John H.
`Hartman, Jr., Strasburg, Pa.
`Filed Dec. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 332,977
`(Cl. 185-37)
`2 Claims.
`
`5
`
`This invention relates to spring motor drives and more
`particularly to a motor of this class employing a pre(cid:173)
`stressed spring and including means in the system for 1 o
`providing free-wheeling of at least one element upon
`termination of the retraction of the prestressed spring, for
`the purpose of utilizing the inertia accumulated in the
`system during the retraction to obtain maximum power.
`Spring motor drives according to the present invention 15
`find common use in several fields including the toy indus(cid:173)
`try. The use of a constant force prestressed spring is not
`new in itself and it will be understood that the present
`invention resides in the novel means set forth for provid-
`ing for free-wheeling or overriding of a portion of the 20
`drive system which may be used in any of several types
`of devices.
`This invention is an improvement relating to the spring
`motor drive set forth in applicant's copending application
`Ser. No. 310,690, filed on September 23, 1963.
`In the 25
`referenced application, free-wheeling is obtained by pro(cid:173)
`viding means for disconnecting the free end of the pre(cid:173)
`stressed spring from the power transmitting drum at the
`end of the retraction of the spring back upon a storage
`reel such that the power drum may continue rotating until 30
`the inertia stored therein is fully expended.
`The present invention comprises a unique motor drive
`system including positive mechanical braking means to
`halt the rotation of the power drum just short of the
`completed retraction of the prestressed spring, together 35
`with clutch means permitting continued rotation of a
`drive shaft.
`A modification is also included wherein the free end of
`the prestressed spring is provided with a preformed loop
`portion, the inner diameter of which is dightly less than
`the outer diameter of the power drum. By this means,
`when the spring has been retracted to the point of the
`preformed loop, the loop will be expanded due to rotation
`of the drum surface and will become loose thereupon so 45
`as to slidably engage said drum with minimum frictional
`contact, thereby permitting continued rotation of the drum
`until its inertial force is expended.
`Accordingly, one of the primary objects of this inven(cid:173)
`tion is to provide a constant force spring motor drive 50
`system comprising a prestressed spring and including means
`providing for free-wheeling of the drive means upon ex(cid:173)
`penditure of the direct driving force of the spring.
`Another object of this invention is to provide a spring
`motor drive including a brake mechanism automatically 55
`actuated by the retraction of a prestressed spring to halt
`the rotation of a power drum to permit rotation of a
`clutch-equipped drive shaft.
`A further object of this invention is to provide a spring
`motor drive including a prestressed spring having a pre- 60
`formed loop at its free end adapted to frictionally engage
`a power drum when the drum is rotated in one direction
`and to become disengaged from the power drum when the
`drum is rotated in the opposite drum.
`Still another object of the invention is to provide a 65
`spring motor drive, including a prestressed spring attached
`to a storage spool at one end and having means on the
`other end to arrest movement of the spring just short of
`complete retraction upon said spool.
`With these and other objects in view which will more 70
`readily appear as the nature of the invention is better
`understood, the invention consists in the novel construe-
`
`40
`
`2
`tion, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter
`more fully described, illustrated and claimed.
`A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention
`is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:
`FIGURE 1 is a side elevation partly in section illustrat(cid:173)
`ing a known form of construction providing for free
`wheeling of the power dmm and automatic pick-up of
`the free end of the prestressed spring.
`FIGURE 2 is a partial top plan view of the anchored
`end of the prestressed spring and illustrates known means
`for retaining this end of the spring within the hub of the
`storage spool.
`FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view of a known
`form of spring storage spool, illustrating the hub struc(cid:173)
`ture permitting of attachment of the end of the spring
`shown in FIGURE 2.
`FIGURE 4 is a side, elevational view partly in section
`disclosing one form of the present invention including
`positive brake and clutch mechanism and illustrates the
`spring motor drive system during the retraction of the
`prestressed spring from the power drum to the storage
`spool.
`FIGURE 5 is an elevational view similar to FIGURE 4
`but illustrates the brake and clutch mechanisms in opera(cid:173)
`tion at the end of the retraction of the prestressed spring
`upon the storage spool.
`FIGURE 6 is a partial bottom plan view based on the
`apparatus as shown in FIGURE 4.
`FIGURE 7 is a partial bottom plan view based on the
`apparatus as shown in FIGURE 5.
`FIGURE 8 is a partial perspective view of the end of
`the prestressed spring as used in the device illustrated in
`FIGURES 4-7.
`FIGURE 9 is an exploded side elevational view partly
`in section illustrating a modification of the invention.
`Similar reference characters designate corresponding
`parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
`Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 will be seen
`to illustrate a previously known form of free-wheeling
`means in a spring motor drive and comprises a spring
`storage spool generally designated 1 and a power drum
`2.
`In utilizing the apparatus, a prestressed spring 3 such
`of the type as manufactured by Hunter Spring Corpora(cid:173)
`tion under the name "Neg'ator" spring, is permanently
`attached by any suitable means to the hub of the storage
`spool and is S-shaped or reversely bent around the periph(cid:173)
`ery of the power drum 2.
`In this form automatic free(cid:173)
`wheeling is achieved by providing the periphery of the
`drum 2 with a longitudinal notch 5 for receiving a hooked
`portion 6 on the free end of the spring 3. A ramp 7
`leading out from one edge of the notch 5 causes the hook
`6 of the spring to become disengaged from the notch at
`the end of the retraction of the spring upon the spool 1
`to permit free-wheeling of the drum 2. The S-shaped
`free end of the spring is automatically picked up during
`winding of the power drum 2 since the hooked end of the
`spring is permanently set to bear upon the periphery of
`the drum and the notch 5 will be seen to pick up the
`hook portion 6 as the drum is rotated in the direction
`of the arrow in FIG. 1.
`FIGS. 2 and 3 set forth details of the structure of suit(cid:173)
`able means for retaining the anchored end 8 of the spring
`within the confines of the hub 4 of the spool. This type
`of spool is manufactured by Hunter Spring Corporation
`and may be used with all forms of the present invention
`although any other suitable anchoring means may be
`used. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the spool hub com(cid:173)
`prises two sections, namely, the primary hub 4, having
`a continuous periphery and having its center axis coincid(cid:173)
`ing with the center of the spool flange 9. The bore 10
`through this hub is adapted to receive any suitable sup-
`
`Norman Int. Exhibit 1005 Page 3
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`

`

`3,216,528
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`5
`
`3
`porting means such as a shaft 11. Such shaft 11 may
`form a slidable fit within the bore 10 or, if fixedly at(cid:173)
`tached to the spool 1, may itself be rotatably mounted
`by any well-known means so that the spool will at all
`times be free to rotate. Concentrically disposed around
`the primary hub 4 is a secondary hub 12 which, as will
`be most clearly seen in FIGURE 1, is of varying thick(cid:173)
`ness and is provided with an access or cut-out portion 13
`for receiving the anchored end 8 of the spring 3. One
`edge 14 of the secondary hub 12 is thicker than the other
`edge 15 for reasons which will become readily apparent
`immediately hereinafter. The difference between the
`thickness of the two edges 14 and 15 is approximately
`equal to one thickness of the spring 3 so that when the
`anchored end of the spring 8 is secured between the
`secondary and primary hubs 12 and 4, there will be no
`noticeable bulging in the subsequent windings of the
`spring 3 around the secondary hub 12. As will be seen
`in FIGURES 1 and 3, the anchored end of the spring S
`is passed through the access portion 13 into the space 16 20
`between the two hubs and is retained therebetween by
`means of a notch 17 along one side of the end 8 of the
`spring, which notch straddles a mating projection 18 dis(cid:173)
`posed in the bottom of the space 16.
`From the foregoing description, it will be seen that
`means have been provided for insuring that the subse(cid:173)
`quent windings of the spring 3 around the outside of the
`secondary hub 12 will all be substantially concentrically
`disposed with respect to the center axis of the spool bore
`10 or its supporting shaft 11 so that during winding and
`unwinding of the spring there will be no uneven or wob(cid:173)
`bling action imparted to the spring due to eccentric con(cid:173)
`volutions of the spring upon the spool 1.
`FIGURES 4--8 disclose one embodiment of the present
`invention for providing means other than that as shown 35
`in FIGURE 1 for permitting free-wheeling in a spring
`motor drive system. It will be understood that the spring
`storage spool and its anchoring means, as described
`above in connection with FIGURES 1-3, is the preferred
`means used in connection with this embodiment for re(cid:173)
`taining the anchored end 8 of the spring 3.
`In this form the free end of the spring 3, which previ(cid:173)
`ously was provided with hook means for automatically
`engaging and disengaging the periphery of the power
`drum 2, is now permanently attached to the power drum
`designated 19. The end of the spring is bent to form a
`tab 20 and is provided with a fastener receiving opening
`21, as most clearly illustrated in FIGURE 8. Suitable
`attaching means, such as a screw fastener 21a, is utilized
`to fixedly attach the tab 20 within a notch 22 formed
`in the periphery of the power drum 19, as seen in FIG(cid:173)
`URES 4 and 5. The end of the spring 3 adjacent the tab
`20 is formed with a cut away portion 38 having an offset
`shoulder 23. It will be understood that the narrow width
`portion 3b of the spring 3 between the shoulder 23 and
`tab 20 is substantially less than the width of the balance
`of the spring for reasons which will become obvious
`hereinafter.
`As shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, the periphery of the
`drum 19 is formed in two segments 24 and 25 having
`equal diameters and spaced from each other by a reduced
`diameter portion therebetween in the form of a periph(cid:173)
`eral recess or groove 26. One end of the drum may be
`provided with a flange 27 for guiding and retaining the
`edge of the spring 3 on the drum while the opposite end
`of the drum is also provided with a flange 28, which lat-
`ter flange will be referred to as a brake flange and is
`preferably wider than the former flange 27. Suitable
`means are included for transmitting the driving force
`from the rotating power drum 19 to a drive shaft 29
`located adjacent the periphery of the power drum for
`utilizing the spring power in whatever device is being
`In this instance, the means are shown as a
`powered.
`drum gear 30 concentrically mounted adjacent the brake
`
`4
`flange 28. Slidably mounted on the drive shaft 29 is a
`ratchet sleeve 31 including a drive pinion 32 meshing
`with the drum gear 34>. Also mounted on the drive shaft
`29 is another ratchet sleeve 33 which is fixedly attached
`to the drive shaft. One end of the ratchet sleeve 33 is
`provided with suitable one-way clutch means such as
`ratchet teeth 34 which cooperate with mating ratchet
`teeth 35 on the opposed end of the sliding ratchet sleeve
`31. By means of a spring 36 which constantly bears
`10 against the outer face of the pinion 32, it will be seen
`that the sliding ratchet and pinion assembly 31-32 will
`be constantly urged toward engagement with the fixedly
`attached ratchet sleeve 33.
`Since the width of the gear teeth on the drive pinion
`15 32 is substantially greater than the width of the teeth on
`the drum gear 3(), it will follow that the sliding ratchet
`and pinion 3'1-32 may be moved axially a substantial
`distance while contact is still maintained between the
`teeth of the two geared elements.
`Any suitable means may be used to wind the pre-
`stressed spring upon the power drum 19 in order to pre(cid:173)
`pare the device in which the spring motor drive system
`is mounted for use. When the power drum having the
`prestressed spring mounted thereupon is released, the
`25 prestressed spring which has been reversely wound upon
`the drum from the storage spool 1 will be under tension
`to return to the storage spool and in so doing, will cause
`rotation of the power drum gear and drive pinion in the
`direction shown by the arrows in FIGURE 4. Because
`30 of spring 36, the pinion 32 will be urged to the position
`as shown in FIGURE 6 wherein it will be seen that the
`ratchet teeth 34 and 35 are locked in engagement in such
`a manner as to transmit rotative motion from the drum
`30 to the drive shaft 29.
`In order to prevent an abrupt halt to the power drum
`and also possible damage to the attached end of the
`spring, a brake mechanism generally designated 37 is
`utilized to slow down the rotation of the power drum
`before the spring 3 has been completely unwound or re-
`40 tracted from the power drum back onto the storage
`spool 1, thereby permitting free wheeling of the drive
`shaft 29 due to the action of the one-way clutch or
`ratchet teeth 34 and 35, previously described.
`The brake mechanism 37 comprises a flexible element,
`45 preferably spring-steel, which is anchored by any suit(cid:173)
`able means at one end 38 thereof so that the other, or
`free end, is urged towards contact with the power drum ..
`The opposite or free end of the brake mechanism is:
`forked to provide on the one hand a follower arm 39'
`50 and on the other hand a brake arm 40. The brake me(cid:173)
`chanism is disposed ,so that the f-ree ends of the follower
`arm 39 and brake arm 40 are positioned opposite the
`peripheral groove or recess 26 and the brake flange 28,
`respectively. The follower arm is bent out of the plane
`55 of the brake arm so that when the contact end 41 of the
`follower arm is forced out o.f the groove 26, as will
`be described hereinafter, the contact end 42 of the brake
`arm will be removed from the periphery of the brake
`flange 28.
`Referring now particularly to FIGURES 4 and 6, it will
`be ·seen that as long as there are ·one or more turns of
`the spring 3 wound upon the :Periphery of the drum 19
`that the convolutions of the spring will engage the end
`contact portion 41 of the follower arm 39 to deflect the
`65 brake mechanism away from the power drum against its
`inherent resilient action.
`In this manner the brake arm
`40 which forms an integral :IJart of the brake mechanism
`will likewise be lifted or forced away from the periphery
`of the brake flange 28. On the other hand, when the
`70 spring has just about become unwound from the brake
`drum 19 and returned to the storage spool 1, it will be
`seen that as soon as the off-set shoulder portion 23 of the
`spring has passed from the point between the end 41 of
`the follower arm and the peripheral groove 26 that the
`75 follower arm will be resiliently urged into this peri:IJheral
`
`60
`
`Norman Int. Exhibit 1005 Page 4
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`3,216,528
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`5
`groove. This action then causes the contact end 42 of
`the brake arm to be urged against the periphery of the
`brake flange 28 to stop rotation of the drum 19. At this
`point the structure will appear as that illustrated in FIG(cid:173)
`URES 5 and 7 wherein it will be understood that the
`spool 1 and drum 19 are stationary while the drive shaft
`29 still continues to rotate due to the ratchet mechanism
`included thereon until the inertial force built up in the
`device being powered has been expended.
`After the spring 3 has been retracted from the drum
`to the spool and it is desired to prepare the motor for an(cid:173)
`other power cycle, the spring is again wound from the
`spool to the drum as previously described. As this is
`done, the off-set portion 23 of the spring will bridge the
`groove 26 and as the off-set edge is rotated around to the
`point where the follower arm contact 41 is disposed with(cid:173)
`in the groove, it will be understood that the arm 39 is
`lifted out of the groove and rides on the periphery of the
`outermost convolution. The brake mechanism will then
`appear as in FIGURES 4 and 6.
`FIGURE 9 discloses another embodiment wherein the
`free end of the spring 3 is formed in a novel manner to
`cooperate with the periphery of a drum 43 having a con(cid:173)
`tinuous outer surface 44. That is, the peripheral surface
`44 is not provided with a groove or with a longitudinal
`notch as previously disclosed.
`In this modification the free end of the prestressed
`spring is reversely wound upon itself to form a self(cid:173)
`sustaining loop, comprising at least 11/z convolutions of
`the spring. The end of the spring as thus coiled is set so
`that a permanent preformed loop is provided. An im(cid:173)
`portant feature in this form is that the inside diameter
`D of this preformed loop is slightly less than the outer
`diameter D' of the periphery 44 of the drum. To further
`enhance the effectiveness of this form the periphery 44
`of the drum is preferably provided with a slightly rough(cid:173)
`ened surface or at least constructed of a material which
`creates sufficient friction with the material of the spring
`loop to enable satisfactory operation of the device as will
`be described.
`With the preformed loop positioned around the pe(cid:173)
`riphery 44 of the drum, it will be noted that the loop
`must necessarily be expanded slightly against its inherent
`coiling tension to enlarge the diameter D to at least the
`diameter D' to enable instailation of the loop around the 45
`drum 43. With the loop at rest in position upon the drum
`43 a slight tension is exerted against the surface 44 due
`to the differences in the diameters D and D'. As the
`drum 43 is rotated in the direction of the arrow to wind
`the spring from the spool 1 upon the drum, the surface 50
`of the periphery 44 readily picks up the free end 45 of
`the preformed loop and creates a binding of the inner
`convolution of the spring loop upon the drum so that a
`secure anchoring is obtained during the winding of the
`spring from the spool to the drum. Obviously, as the
`drum is further rotated, the pulling force tends to pull
`
`6
`the end turns of the spring down to a smaller diameter
`and increases the binding force of the spring on the drum.
`During the power stroke, that is, when the wound drum
`is released and the spring is drawn back upon the spool
`5 1, free-wheeling or slipping of the drum 43 is achieved
`when the spring has returned to the position shown in
`FIGURE 9 since rotation of the periphery 44 in a
`counter-clockwise direction causes the drum surface to
`frictionally engage the free end 45 of the spring or well
`10 as the inner surface of the innermost convolution of the
`loop so as to slightly enlarge the diameter D of the loop.
`As long as the drum 43 continues to free-wheel under
`the influence of the inertia built up therein, during the
`retraction of the spring, it will be understood that this
`15 very free-wheeling maintains the diameter of the pre(cid:173)
`formed loop, at least as great as the diameter of the
`drum surface 44.
`I claim:
`1. In a spring motor drive system having a rotatably
`20 mounted spool adapted to house a retractable prestressed
`spring, a rotatable power drum mounted adjacent said
`spool, said spring attached at one end to said spool and
`including means on the other end for anchoring to said
`drum when said spring is wound thereupon, said spring
`25 reversely wound upon itself in passing from said spool to
`said drum to provide an S-shaped curve whereby drive
`energy will be stored upon said drum when said spring
`is wound thereupon, said anchoring means comprising a
`pre-formed loop in said reversely wound spring includ-
`30 ing a full circle and which when free-standing away from
`said drum has a normal inner diameter less than the outer
`diameter of said drum so that when disposed about said
`drum engages the drum of its own accord as said spring
`is wound upon said drum, and free-wheeling means in-
`35 eluding a rotatable shaft driven by said drum and pro(cid:173)
`viding continued rotary movement of said shaft after re(cid:173)
`traction of said spring from said drum to said spool due
`to rotation of said drum which causes said pre-formed
`loop to increase its diameter and thereby release its en-
`40 gagement with said drum.
`2. A spring motor drive system, according to claim 1,
`wherein said preformed loop includes a minimum of
`one and one-half convolutions of said spring.
`
`References Cited by the Examiner
`UNITED STATES PATENTS
`5/58 Allen ----------------- 185-37
`8/59 Foster ---------------- 185-37
`11160 Cotter et al. --------- 185-37 X
`
`2,835,344
`2,899,193
`2,960,297
`
`755,142
`
`FOREIGN PATENTS
`8/56 Great Britain.
`
`55 MARK NEWMAN, Primary Examiner.
`JULIUS E. WEST, Examiner.
`
`Norman Int. Exhibit 1005 Page 5
`
`