(under the class definition) Apparatus having plural working chambers with individually actuated control means supplying motive fluid to each chamber, and in which the chambers are physically connected in such fashion that the output motion
of one chamber can bodily shift another chamber in the same general direction in which said other chamber is expansible so that the individual output motions are cumulative and equal the sum of the individual chamber extensions.
(1) Note. The chambers may expand simultaneously or in any order; either at the will of an operator or in response to a condition of a working chamber or its working fluid. One chamber may either move the second chamber before the latter has expanded by abutment of moving walls of each chamber or it may move without affecting the second chamber to merely form an abutment for a subsequent expansion of said second chamber.
(2) Note. Situations involving the separate control of plural chambers include (1) a common supply valve for plural chambers and an additional valve in the supply line to one chamber to control this one chamber relative to another and (2) a separate, controllable valve for each chamber.
(3) Note. The direction in which the cumulative expansion occurs may be generally linear or it may be about an axis so that angular motions may be added.
SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
217, for expansible chamber motors having inner and outer cylinders which are relatively shifted axially to control valve ports for the inner cylinder. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS
173, Tool Driving or Impacting,
152+, for tools which may be reciprocated by an expansible chamber motor and in which the tool and motor are advanced by another expansible chamber motor.
