Mechanical converter for converting rotary motion to reciprocating motion

Abstract

A mechanical converter for converting rotary motion to reciprocating motion, and vice versa, featuring a gear rack, one or more half-gears alternately engaged with the gear rack, the gear rack configured to produce reciprocating motion in response to the alternate engagement with the one or more half-gears.

1 . A mechanical converter comprising a gear rack, a first and second half-gear, a first and second shaft, and a first and second corresponding gear,
 the first shaft fixed to the first half-gear and the first corresponding gear, the second shaft fixed to the second half-gear and the second corresponding gear;   the first and second half-gear having a toothed section for half a circumference each;   the first and second half-gears being configured to rotate synchronously and in alternately toothed engaged with the gear rack so that only one half-gear is engaged with the gear rack at a time;   the gear rack configured to produce reciprocating motion in response to the alternate engagement with the first and second half-gears.   
     
     
         2 . The mechanical converter of  claim 1 , the gear rack being a gear wheel. 
     
     
         3 . The mechanical converter of  claim 1 , the first and second corresponding gears being toothedly engaged with each other in opposing rotation, the first and second half-gears being in opposing rotation. 
     
     
         4 . The mechanical converter of  claim 3 , the mechanical converter comprising an additional gear rack and a third and fourth half-gear, the third half-gear being fixed to the first shaft and the fourth half-gear being fixed to the second shaft, the third and fourth half-gear being in opposing rotation and alternately engaged with the additional gear rack so that only either the third or fourth half-gear is engaged with the additional gear rack at a time; with the additional gear rack configured to produce reciprocating motion in response to the alternate engagement with the third and fourth half-gears. 
     
     
         5 . The mechanical converter of  claim 4 , the first and third half-gear being alternately engaged with the gear rack and the additional gear rack, respectively, and the second and fourth half-gear being alternately engaged with the gear rack and the additional gear rack, respectively. 
     
     
         6 . The mechanical converter of  claim 5 , the gear rack and the additional gear rack having pistons disposed on opposite ends of each and being in reverse reciprocating motion with respect to each other. 
     
     
         7 . The mechanical converter of  claim 1 , the mechanical converter additionally comprising a shared gear, the first and second corresponding gears being toothedly engaged with and in opposing rotation with the shared gear, the first and second corresponding gears having the same rotation, the first and second half-gears having the same rotation. 
     
     
         8 . The mechanical converter of  claim 1 , the gear rack having toothed sections on both a first side and a second side, the first half-gear configured to toothedly engage with the first side, the second half-gear configured to toothedly engage with the second side. 
     
     
         9 . The mechanical converter of  claim 7 , the mechanical converter comprising an additional gear rack, a third half-gear, and a fourth half-gear, the third half-gear being fixed to the first shaft and the fourth half-gear being fixed to the second shaft, the third and fourth half-gear having the same rotation and being alternately engaged with the additional gear rack so that only either the third or fourth half-gear is engaged with the additional gear rack at a time;
 with the additional gear rack configured to produce reciprocating motion in response to the alternate engagement with the third and fourth half-gears.   
     
     
         10 . The mechanical converter of  claim 9 , with the primary gear rack and the additional gear rack having pistons disposed on opposite ends of each and being in reverse reciprocating motion with respect to each other. 
     
     
         11 . A mechanical converter comprising a primary half-gear, a shaft, and a primary gear frame, the primary gear frame being made of a first and second rack, the first and second racks being in parallel and rigidly connected together, the first rack having a first toothed section and the second rack having a second toothed section,
 the primary half-gear having a toothed section for half of a circumference, being disposed inside the primary gear rack between the first and second tracks, engaged alternately with the first toothed section and the second toothed section;   the primary gear rack configured to produce reciprocating motion in response to the alternate engagement of the primary half-gear with each toothed section.   
     
     
         12 . The mechanical converter of  claim 11 , the mechanical converter additionally comprising an additional gear frame and an additional half-gear, with the additional half-gear being fixed to the shaft, being disposed inside the additional gear frame, engaged alternately with opposing sides of the additional gear frame, and having the same direction of rotation as the primary half-gear, but having a half-circumference toothed section on a side opposite the primary half-gear;
 the primary gear frame and the additional gear frame having pistons disposed on opposite ends of each and being in reverse reciprocating motion with respect to each other.   
     
     
         13 . A mechanical converter comprising a first, second, third, and fourth gear rack, a first and second shaft, a first and second corresponding gear, and a first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth half-gear,
 with the first, third, fifth, and seventh half-gear and the first corresponding gear fixed to the first shaft and the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth half-gear and the second corresponding gear fixed to the second shaft;   with the first and second half-gear alternately engaged to the first gear rack, the third and fourth half-gear alternately engaged to the second gear rack, the fifth and sixth half-gear alternately engaged to the third gear rack, the seventh and eighth half-gear alternately engaged to the fourth gear rack;   with the gear racks being configured to produce reciprocating motion in response to the alternate engagement of the half-gears.   
     
     
         14 . The mechanical converter of  claim 13 , the mechanical converter additionally comprising a share gear, the first and second corresponding gears being toothedly engaged with and in opposing rotation with the shared gear, the first and second corresponding gears having the same rotation, the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth half-gears having the same rotation. 
     
     
         15 . The mechanical converter of  claim 14 , the first, second, third, and fourth gear racks each having first and second sides, with the first, third, fifth, and seventh half-gears being engaged with the first sides and the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth half-gears being engaged with the second sides, with the first and second half-gears alternately engaged to the first gear rack, the third and fourth half gears being alternately engaged to the second gear rack, the fifth and sixth half-gears being alternately engaged to the third gear rack, and the seventh and eighth half-gears being alternately engaged to the fourth gear rack. 
     
     
         16 . The mechanical converter of  claim 15 , the first, the fourth, the fifth, and the eighth half-gears being simultaneously engaged with the first, second, third, and fourth gear racks, respectively, and the second, third, sixth, and seventh half-gears being simultaneously engaged with the first, second, third, and fourth gear racks, respectively. 
     
     
         17 . The mechanical converter of  claim 15 , with the gear racks having pistons disposed on at least one end of each, with the first and third gear racks having identical reciprocal motion and the second and fourth gear racks having identical reciprocal motion. 
     
     
         18 . The mechanical converter of  claim 13 , the first and second corresponding gears being toothedly engaged with each other in opposing rotation, the first and second half-gears being in opposing rotation, the third and fourth half-gears being in opposing rotation, the fifth and sixth half-gears being in opposing rotation, the seventh and eighth half-gears being in opposing rotation. 
     
     
         19 . The mechanical converter of  claim 18 , with the gear racks having a toothed side and the first, the fourth, the fifth, and the eighth half-gears being simultaneously engaged with toothed sides of the first, second, third, and fourth gear racks, respectively, and the second, third, sixth, and seventh half-gears being simultaneously engaged with the toothed sides of the first, second, third, and fourth gear racks, respectively. 
     
     
         20 . The mechanical converter of claim of  claim 18 , with the gear racks having pistons disposed on at least one end of each, with the first and third gear racks having identical reciprocal motion and the second and fourth gear racks having identical reciprocal motion.