Abstract: In a final drive and differential unit comprising a ring gear integral with a differential gear unit rotatably mounted within a carrier, and a drive pinion shaft supported by a pair of axially spaced bearings within a cylindrical support structure of the carrier, the shaft extends outwardly through an oil seal member mounted within an outer end portion of the support structure and is provided at its inner end with a drive pinion in mesh with the ring gear. The support structure is formed at one side thereof with an enlarged portion formed therein with an oil supply passage opening at its one end into the carrier at the same side as the ring gear and is formed at the other side thereof with another enlarged portion formed therein with an oil return passage opening at its opposite ends into the carrier and into a first annular space between the oil seal member and the bearing.

Abstract: An intermediate shaft is provided with a single helical gear, and a double helical gear set having opposite and unequal helix angles. The double helical gear set meshes with a corresponding double helical gear set on a second shaft. A third shaft has a single helical gear meshing with the single helical gear of the intermediate shaft. The meshing of the double helical gear sets locks the intermediate shaft against axial motion. The axial thrust on the intermediate shaft, produced by the inequality between the helix angles of its double helical gear set, is offset by the helix angle of the single helical gear. This substantial equalizing of axial thrust obviates the need for a thrust bearing on the intermediate shaft.

Abstract: A swivel shaft backlash correcting device for an arc welding robot in which backlash is eliminated, even if the gear teeth of the assembly are significantly worn. A spur gear is mounted at one end of a gear shaft, and an uprightly extending first pin is fixed to a flat part of the spur gear, the shaft being coupled through a speed reducer to an electric motor. A second pin is fixed to a flat part of a correcting gear having the same diameter and number of teeth as the spur gear and being mounted on the same shaft as the spur gear above the spur gear. A retaining ring is engaged with the first and second pins in one of a contracted or compressed state thereof so as to apply a force of expansion between the gear shaft and correcting gear. A center gear is secured to a stationary stand and engaged with the correcting gear and spur gear.

Abstract: A worm and meshing worm gear are provided. The worm has a central cylindrical portion, and tapered portions at either end thereof. The angle of taper of the two tapered portions is the same, but in different directions. The angle of taper is substantially equal to 360 degrees divided by the number of teeth in the worm gear. Contact between the worm and gear occurs over three times the number of teeth in which contact is obtained with a conventional cylindrical worm. The worm is capable of being formed by thread rolling.

Abstract: A wheel assembly includes a cam and a cam gear mounted on a camshaft of an internal combustion engine. The cam gear is constructed of a laminated stack of flat plate members which are disposed in abutting relationship to one another to form a plurality of axially spaced and radially extending interfaces. The cam gear is press fit onto the camshaft and the frictional forces between the gear and the camshaft provide the substantially sole force for maintaining the interfaces between the plate members in abutting relationship at their radially outer ends to form integral tooth members. The cam is also constructed of a laminated stack of flat plate members and press fit onto the camshaft in substantially the same manner as the gear to form an integral cam surface. The plates which form the cam are stamped from the plates that form the gear.

Abstract: A connecting member slidably couples an elongated, resilient rod to a movable frame of a variable speed friction drive mechanism. The member is elongated and has an elongated bore non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the member which slidably receives the resilient rod. The member is selectively rotatable on the frame, and thus the restoring force of the rod adjustably positions the frame at any one of a number of preselected positions wherein the resilient rod is unstressed and in its normal configuration. The member provides means for precise, selective adjustment of the control linkage for the drive mechanism while preventing stress-related failure of the rod.

Abstract: A tensioner for a power transmission belt that is adapted to be operated in an endless path and a method of making the same are provided, the tensioner comprising a support unit for being fixed relative to the belt, a belt engaging unit carried by the support unit and being movable relative thereto, a mechanical spring unit operatively associated with the support unit and the belt engaging unit for urging the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit and against the belt with force to tension the belt, and a dampening unit operatively associated with the support unit and the belt engaging unit to dampen the movement of the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit, the dampening support unit comprising a shaft. The dampening unit and the spring unit are coaxially spaced apart and coaxially aligned on the shaft with the belt engaging unit having a portion thereof disposed between the dampening unit and the spring unit and being rotatably carried by the shaft.

Abstract: A sliding gear for a speed-changing transmission, idling on an output shaft, has a set of external running teeth in permanent mesh with a driving gear and a set of internal clutch teeth engageable with mating teeth on a coupling member carried by that shaft. The two sets of teeth have centerlines inclined to the axial direction by angles so related as to exert balanced axial forces upon the sliding gear in the engaged position of the latter. The clutch teeth have flanks diverging from their centerlines at small angles, in the direction of the engagement shift, to hold the sliding gear in contact with the coupling member.

Abstract: A rack and pinion steering device which comprises a pinion operatively connected to a steering shaft of a vehicle, a long rod-like rack operatively connected to a steering lever mechanism of wheels of the vehicle, said rack having a group of rack teeth meshed with said pinion, and a spring device in contact with the back of said rack on the side opposite said pinion to resiliently bias said rack against said pinion. Said group of rack teeth includes a first portion close to and a second portion away from a center of said rack lengthwise which portions are defined symmetrically on opposite sides of said center, and said both second portions have a reference pitch line which inclines so as to approach the axis of said rack as it is away from said first portion adjacent thereto, whereby said rack gives rise to a flexure displacement under bending pressure caused by said spring device in connection with the meshed position between the rack and the pinion on said group of rack teeth.

Abstract: An improved stepless power transmission apparatus of the type utilizing magnetic force for making an operative connection between a driving pulley and a driven pulley. The apparatus essentially comprises a primary shaft operatively connected for rotation to a prime mover and having a spirally extending groove formed thereon, a disc-shaped driving pulley displaceably fitted onto the primary shaft in operational engagement with the spirally extending groove, an expansive spring for causing the driving pulley to be normally urged in a direction away from the proper input end of the primary shaft, a truncated cone-shaped driven pulley whose outer conical surface is adapted to come in rolling contact with the peripheral surface of the driving pulley and a secondary shaft made integral with the driven pulley and operatively connected to a power consuming machine or apparatus via a universal joint.

Abstract: The driving shaft (11) is equipped with two oppositely threaded worms (13a, 13b) with which respectively mesh on opposite sides two worm-wheels (14a, 14b) of a first kinematic channel and two worm-wheels (16a, 16b) of a second kinematic channel, and the worm-wheels of the two channels situated on the same side of the shaft (1) mesh together, the worm-wheels (14a, 14b) of one channel being constrained to rotate with intermediate gear-wheels (15a, 15b) which mesh with a gear-wheel (17) mounted on the driven output shaft, the shafts which carry the worm-wheels of the two kinematic channels being mounted to float in the axial direction.

Abstract: An infinitely variable traction roller transmission having a housing, an input shaft and an output shaft rotatably and coaxially supported on the housing, an input toric disc and an output toric disc fitted on the input and output shafts, respectively, and engaged with the shafts for rotation therewith, the opposed surfaces of the toric discs cooperating with each other to form a toroidal cavity, a plurality of traction rollers disposed in the toroidal cavity symmetrically with the axes of the input and output shafts, trunnion devices rotatably supporting the traction rollers and supported by the housing for pivotal movement about a pivot axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the traction rollers, and pressing means for urging the input and output toric discs and the traction rollers against each other to bring them into engagement with each other and cause a traction force to be produced, is provided with a supporting device for mounting the trunnion devices on the housing for slight movement in the

Abstract: A rack and pinion gearing in a steering housing is provided, with eccentric bushing bearings at each end of the pinion shaft. The bushings are outer races of roller bearings which carry the shaft and which bushings are carried in the housing rotatively supported whereby rotation of each bushing serves to radially align the shaft in proper coaxial position in the assembly of the device, so that the rack and pinion teeth have accurate relative position. Thus, the eccentricity of the bushing bearings serves to shift respective ends of the shaft radially and the bearing bushings have relatively thin extending skirts which can be deformed so as to lock into notches in the housing when the pinion shaft is properly positioned.

Abstract: To facilitate manufacture of accurately formed tracks (6) within a circulating nut (10) on a spindle (1), the nut is formed with insert strips (4) shaped to receive the balls (3), the insert strips defining said track and, for example, being formed as part semi-circular trough-like sheet steel elements bent into spiral form, with circulating return portions (7) for the balls formed in either the nut, or extending from, and joining adjacent terminal portions of the strips. To prevent loss of balls, an elastic, e.g. plastic tape (189) with laterally projecting wings (19) is positioned between the tracks (6) defined by adjacent strips, partly overlapping the balls (3) in the tracks, additionally providing reservoirs for lubricant and excluding contamination of the track within the nut by dirt, grit and the like.

Abstract: An adaptor plate assembly for use in interfacing a transmission gear housing having a standard bolt/hole pattern with a power takeoff unit having a non-standard bolt/hole pattern is disclosed. An adaptor plate is positioned between the gear housing and the power takeoff unit. The adaptor plate has passageways in alignment with standard apertures in the gear housing and with openings in the power takeoff unit. Guide and support fasteners having guide heads are initially positioned in ones of the passageways of the adaptor plate and in the housing apertures. The power takeoff unit is initially guided and supported by the guide heads. Securement fasteners are then used to complete the connection of the power takeoff unit to the adaptor plate and the gear housing.

Abstract: An angular transmission mechanism having two axles angularly disposed for torque transmission therebetween by two bevel gears which are embraced by an elastic toothed belt having a surface area which, in the untensioned condition of said belt, has the shape of a truncated cone, the belt having teeth which correspond to the teeth of the bevel gears.

Abstract: A ratio control mechanism for a variable ratio friction drive transmission has an adjustable torus member. The friction drive transmission includes input and output friction members which are frictionally drive connected by the torus member. The central or major axis of the torus member is controlled angularly relative to the input and output friction members by a four-bar linkage. Angular adjustment of the torus member causes a speed ratio change between the input and output members.

Abstract: A screw-nut screw coupling with ball circulation, in which the nut screw comprises at least one radial through bore, the surface of which embraces at least two adjacent turns of a circulation track for the balls. Each of said bores is engaged by a substantially cylindrical block which comprises at one end a diametrical groove for putting said two turns into communication, and is traversed by an axial bore which is closed externally by a removable element and is arranged to allow loading of the balls. These latter are loaded by supporting the screw and nut screw in a mutually coaxial position, and feeding the balls through the bore thereof while the screw is rotated relative to the nut screw.

Abstract: The present invention provides a speed control system for use in maintaining the rotational speed of an output shaft of a power takeoff unit within a predetermined range. A central control unit receives signals indicative of the speed of the input gear and, in response to the received signals engages and disengages the output shaft of the power takeoff unit. The central control unit also disengages the output shaft if the system's voltage levels drop below a preset minimum.

Abstract: In a tractor power take-off mechanism comprising an input shaft driveable from an engine by a friction clutch and a two-speed power take-off shaft driveable from the input shaft by gearing including a disengageable toothed driving member operable by a hand lever by way of a selector fork, the disengageable toothed driving member can be difficult and noisy to engage because the input shaft tends to rotate due to inertia and drag when the friction clutch is disengaged. The input shaft is therefore provided with a band brake applied by initial movement of the hand lever in a direction to engage the disengageable toothed driving member and held applied while an operating load is being exerted on the lever in that direction. A conventional detent holding the selector fork in disengaged position provides the resistance required to cause the brake to be applied before the lever can move the fork into engaged position.