An apparatus for controlling the rotation of a gear comprising rotating a cam which causes the linear movement of a rod to control the rotation of the gear, wherein the cam rotates within a confined space but not around a fixed axle. The apparatus is particularly useful for controlling the opening and closing movements of a handcuff whose operating elements are comprised of a swing arm and at least one gear having teeth which engage the teeth of the swing arm.
1. An apparatus comprised of at least a first gear, a swing arm, a control rod, and a rod cam wherein:
said first gear is rotatably attached to a first axle which is perpendicularly affixed to a planar base, said first gear is adapted to rotate around said first axle in a plane parallel to said planar base and is equipped with a first set of teeth;
said swing arm is rotatably attached to said planar base and is adapted to rotate in a plane parallel to said planar base, said swing arm is equipped with a second set of teeth adapted for intermeshing contact with said first set of teeth;
said control rod is slidably mounted on said planar base, and is adapted to control the rotation of said first gear around said first axle;
said rod cam is comprised of a cam plate and a cam shaft, wherein
said cam plate is substantially circular in shape, and includes a top surface, a bottom surface and shoulder means, said cam plate is rotatably positioned within a substantially circular cam space abutting said planar base and is adapted to rotate within said cam space in a plane parallel to said planar base, wherein said shoulder means is adapted to contact and cause said control rod to linearly slide on said planar base upon rotation of said cam plate,
said cam shaft perpendicularly extends from said top surface and said bottom surface of said cam plate at the center of said cam plate through a key hole formed in said planar base and is adapted to cause said cam plate to rotate within said cam space.
2. An apparatus comprised of at least a first gear, a swing arm, a control rod, and a rod cam wherein:
said first gear is rotatably attached to a first axle which is perpendicularly affixed to a planar base, said first gear is adapted to rotate around said first axle in a plane parallel to said planar base and is equipped with a first set of teeth;
said swing arm is rotatably attached to said planar base and is adapted to rotate in a plane parallel to said planar base, said swing arm is equipped with a second set of teeth adapted for intermeshing contact with said first set of teeth;
said control rod is slidably mounted on said planar base, and is adapted to control the rotation of said first gear around said first axle;
said rod cam is comprised of a cam plate and a cam shaft, wherein
said cam plate is substantially circular in shape, and includes a top surface, a bottom surface and shoulder means, said cam plate is rotatably positioned within a substantially circular cam space abutting said planar base and is adapted to rotate within said cam space in a plane parallel to said planar base, wherein said shoulder means is adapted to contact and cause said control rod to linearly slide on said planar base upon rotation of said cam plate and wherein said cam space is a first hole formed in a housing plate which is rigidly attached to said planar base; and
said cam shaft perpendicularly extends at least from said top surface of said cam plate and is adapted to cause said cam plate to rotate within said cam space.
3. An apparatus comprised of at least a first gear, a swing arm, a control rod, and a rod cam wherein:
said first gear is rotatably attached to a first axle which is perpendicularly affixed to a planar base, said first gear is adapted to rotate around said first axle in a plane parallel to said planar base and is equipped with a first set of teeth;
said swing arm is rotatably attached to said planar base and is adapted to rotate in a plane parallel to said planar base, said swing arm is equipped with a second set of teeth adapted for intermeshing contact with said first set of teeth;
said control rod is slidably mounted on said planar base, and is adapted to control the rotation of said first gear around said first axle;
said rod cam is comprised of a cam plate and a cam shaft, wherein
said cam plate is substantially circular in shape, and includes a top surface, a bottom surface and shoulder means, said cam plate is rotatably positioned within a substantially circular cam space abutting said planar base and is adapted to rotate within said cam space in a plane parallel to said planar base, wherein said shoulder means is adapted to contact and cause said control rod to linearly slide on said planar base upon rotation of said cam plate,
said cam shaft perpendicularly extends at least from said top surface of said cam plate and is adapted to cause said cam plate to rotate within said cam space, wherein said cam shaft is adapted to receive a key to enable rotation of said rod cam.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said control rod is positioned in a slot formed in said housing plate.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said at least first gear is positioned in a cavity formed in said housing plate.
6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the diameter of said cam space is sized to substantially maintain the center of said cam plate in alignment with the center of said cam space.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said housing plate is penetrated by at least one dowel hole having a diameter less than the diameter of said cam space, wherein an edge of said dowel hole intersects an edge of said cam space.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein a dowel is located in said dowel hole, wherein a portion of said dowel extends into said cam space and slidably contacts the perimeter of said cam plate.
9. The apparatus of claim 6 is a handcuff.
10. The apparatus of claim 7 is a handcuff.
11. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprised of a second gear rotatably attached to a second axle which is perpendicularly affixed to said planar base, said second gear is equipped with a third set of teeth and is adapted to rotate around said second axle in a plane parallel to said planar base;
said third set of teeth is adapted for intermeshing contact with said second set of teeth on said swing arm upon rotation of said second gear around said second axle.
12. The handcuff of claim 11 further comprised of a third gear rotatably attached to a third axle which is perpendicularly affixed to said planar base, said third gear is equipped with a fourth set of teeth and is adapted to rotate around said third axle in a plane parallel to said planar base;
said fourth set of teeth is adapted for intermeshing contact with said first set of teeth on said first gear and said third set of teeth on said second gear upon rotation of said first gear around said first axle and said second gear around said second axle.
13. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said control rod is adapted to contact said first set of teeth on said first gear to control the rotation of said first gear around said first axle.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cam shaft is adapted to receive a key from the top surface and the bottom surface of said cam plate.