Abstract: A pinion shaft has thereon a sun gear for imparting rotational motion to or to be rotated by a pair of planetary gears which rotate about space axes extending parallel to and lying in a first plane containing the axis of said shaft. Each of a pair of planocentric compound cycloidal discs has an internal set of gear teeth constantly meshing with the teeth of the planetary gears, and an external set of cycloidal teeth engaged with the cylindrical teeth of a ring gear that is rotatable coaxially of the shaft. The cycloidal discs rotate eccentrically about the axis of the shaft, and respectively, about a second pair of axes extending parallel to and equi-spaced from diametrally opposite sides of said shaft, and lying with the axis of the shaft in a second plane that extends normal to the first plane.

Abstract: A printing apparatus including a feed path for print medium to be imprinted. A printing station defined by a printhead that is biased towards abutting contact with a platen roller. A floating mount pivotally mounts the printhead with respect to the platen roller so that a uniform contact pressure is established between the printhead and print medium during printing. The printhead is also mounted for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to the first axis which allows the printhead to move towards and away from the platen roller to facilitate loading of the print medium. A printhead sensor monitors the position of the head and automatically deactivates the printhead when it is about to be, or is separated, from the platen roller. A stripper mechanism is provided for automatically stripping a backing from the print medium and includes a stripper assist bar that causes the backing to follow, and frictionally engage, a peripheral region on the platen roller that is at least 90.degree..

Abstract: Each of several types of speed changers comprise a pair of generally dish-shaped housing sections releasably secured in confronting relation around their peripheries with a high speed shaft journaled in an axial bore of one section, and a low speed shaft or hub journaled in the other section coaxially of the high speed shaft. At least one two-step cluster gear is secured to the inner end of the high speed shaft and has a pinion section drivingly engaged with a set (three) of two-step planetary cluster gears that are rotatably mounted on three shafts that are fixed at opposite ends in a pair of circular carrier plates which also are journaled coaxially in the housing sections to be rotatable therein in unison. The pinion sections of the planetary cluster gears are drivingly engaged with the teeth of an internal sun gear secured in the housing coaxially thereof.

Abstract: This gear unit connects coaxial drive and driven shafts. It comprises two integral coaxial externally-toothed cluster gears which mesh, respectively, with two coaxial internal gears, one of which is secured in the fixed housing of the unit and the other of which is fixed to one of the shafts. The other shaft has a crank secured to it which drives a pin that is coaxial with the cluster gears but eccentric of the internal gears. The pin has a cylindrical bearing portion engaging a cylindrical thrust member carried by the internal gear which is fixed to one of the shafts. This thrust member is coaxial with the shafts.