Abstract: A sewing machine in which a base configured to support a throat plate, a shuttle or a looper, and an input shaft for a stitching operation to the shuttle or the looper with respect to a bed portion of a frame is supported to be movable along a direction of approaching or separating from a sewing needle is provided. The sewing machine includes a connecting member which changes to any one of a state in which the input shaft and a transmission shaft are aligned in the same straight line to be in a torque transmission state and a state in which the input shaft moves together with the base with respect to the transmission shaft, between the input shaft on the base side and the transmission shaft which transmits power to the input shaft.

Abstract: A transmission for reducing the pulley ratio between a drive shaft and a transmission shaft. The transmission is adapted to convert a higher speed rotary motion to a lower speed linear motion. The transmission has two pulleys rigidly mounted together on a shaft and the pulleys have a different number of teeth. A pair of belts are mounted on the drive shaft and a follower shaft, each one of the belts engages one of the transmission pulleys. One belt on the transmission shaft engages a pulley on the top of a first transmission pulley and another on the bottom of a second transmission pulley. When the drive shaft imparts motion to the belts, the belts move the transmission between the drive shaft and the follower shaft. By arresting the movement of one of the belts by a clutch/brake, the transmission can be converted into a two speed transmission. If the belts are independently driven, one each by two motors, the transmission becomes operable in an infinite number of pulley ratios.

Abstract: A series type decoupler joint includes a driving pulley, a driven pulley and a flexible rubber core coupled therebetween. The driving pulley has an inner hub for mounting onto a shaft and an outer rim for engaging a driving belt. The driven pulley has an inner hub having a bearing assembly for rotatably mounting the inner hub onto the shaft and an outer rim for engaging a driven belt. The flexible rubber core is bonded between the driving pulley and the driven pulley.

Abstract: A fully automatic torque converter transmission is presented that uses a "V" belt with inner teeth that engage mating teeth on a variable pitch pulley core in a low speed high torque state transformable into an infinitely variable higher speed shift mechanism. The bicycle pedal sprocket drives a pivoted cluster of three small sprockets with a drive chain loop interconnect driving a first sprocket as a driven member, and the other two serving as idlers in maintaining the chain at constant length. A speed ratio of approximately 1:6 from the pedal sprocket to the driven sprocket optimizes torque transmission capacity of the system with the driven sprocket attached to a self-centering, spring loaded, variable pitch pulley. This pulley has a core shaped like a timing belt pulley with grooves (or teeth) at its surface.

Abstract: A continuously variable power transmission comprising rotatable input shaft attachable to rotating power means; rotatable output shaft providing driving axle means; and planetary power transmission train interconnecting said input shaft and said output shaft, said planetary power transmission train including a drive input assembly, a variable pulley assembly and a power control mechanism interconnected in such a manner as to permit alteration of the direction and speed of rotation of said output shaft by varying the drive ratio of the pulleys and the driving-driven relationship of the pulleys.

Abstract: A pressing machine has a drive pulley secured to a press crank shaft, an intermediate shaft parallel to the press crank shaft and an input shaft of a material feeding device, the intermediate shaft being supported by a tension adjusting device which is rotatably supported by the crank shaft and the input shaft of the material feeding device, a first intermediate pulley which is secured to one end of the intermediate shaft and is drivingly connected to the drive pulley through a first endless torque transmission device, and a second intermediate pulley which is secured to the other end of the intermediate shaft and is drivingly connected to an input pulley secured to the input shaft of the material feeding device through a second endless torque transmission device.

Abstract: A timing gear belt and pulley drive apparatus for a precision winder characterized by permitting a change in wind ratios by varying the speed ratio between the winder traverse assembly and the winder chuck assembly without the removal and replacement of gear pulleys. The precision winder drive apparatus comprises a drive motor for driving the chuck assembly and traverse assembly of the winder off of a common motor drive shaft. A plurality of concentric, differently toothed drive gears are mounted for rotation on the motor drive shaft for driving one of the chuck assembly or traverse assembly. A plurality of concentric, differently toothed driven gears are mounted on one of the chuck assembly or traverse assembly in belt drive alignment with the drive gears mounted on the motor drive shaft. A drive gear is mounted for rotation on the motor drive for driving a driven gear on the other of the chuck or traverse assembly.

Abstract: A combine harvester having a straw chopper disposed at the rearward end thereof is disclosed wherein the drive mechanism for the straw chopper includes a driving member, a driven member and intermediate member located between the driving member and the driven member such that there is an angled line of drive between the driving member and the driven member. A first flexible drive transmission member extends between the driving member and the intermediate member. A second flexible drive transmission member extends between the intermediate member and the driven member. A first tensioning mechanism is operable to move the intermediate member in a direction to tension the first flexible drive transmission member. A second tensioning mechanism is operable to move the intermediate member in a direction to tension the second flexible drive transmission member.

Abstract: Separate pedal cranks are provided for the front and rear riders of a tandem bicycle having a front wheel of substantially smaller diameter than the rear wheel. Such front wheel is carried by a front fork journaled in a steering head directly below the front seat. The front pedal crank is carried at the end of a support arm extending generally horizontally forward from the steering head so that the front rider pedals in a sitting position with his or her legs extending forward. The front fork is connected to a steering shaft journaled in an upright steering post located behind the front seat. A rear seat substantially higher than the front seat is supported on an upright saddle post spaced rearward from the steering post but sufficiently close thereto for steering control of the bicycle by the rear rider.

Abstract: A speed variator for cars of the kind essentially comprising a variable-pitch-circle sheave and a belt and a driven sheave is improved by the provision of two driving half-sheaves which, with their respective driven half-sheaves, and the two belts compose the mechanical part of the variator. Hydraulic or mechanical provide necessary counteracting forces and are controlled by detectors and a transducing system so that the pitch circle diameters of the driving and the driven sheave can be controlled consistently with the variations of any preselected operative parameter of the engine or another part of the vehicle concerned.

Abstract: A power drive unit for driving a utilization mechanism such as, for example, a roadwheel of a light vehicle such as a bicycle, tricycle, or quadricycle. The utilization mechanism is driven from the output shaft of a prime mover mounted through a controllable clutch and chain drive train. Preferably, the prime mover is an internal combustion engine driven chain saw from which the saw chain and chain bar have beem removed and replaced by an adapter providing a chain and belt drive from the chain saw engine output shaft to a chainwheel coupled to the utilization mechanism, for example, a bicycle conventional chainwheel such as to drive the bicycle rear wheel through the conventional multi-speed hub or multi-speed sprocket cluster, or alternatively, to drive the front wheel of a bicycle through a chainwheel coupled to the front wheel hub, the front wheel hub being preferably a multi-speed hub with internal gears.

Abstract: An end connector for a wire rope suspension system has a shifting mechanism for minimizing wear and has body members which inhibit undesired binding of loaded wire ropes internal to the connector. Two substantially identical body members are adapted to be preassembled in stages on the wire rope and then coupled together in place in the suspension system. Within each one of the body members is a sheave mounted to a journal bearing. The sheave bears the load of the wire rope on the body and can rotate under load to minimize frictional resistance to desirable displacement of the body piece relative to the rope ends. The end connector with displaceable load-bearing body members minimizes wear and increases the life of wire rope suspension systems.

Abstract: An improved chain speed reducer assembly comprising a drive shaft supported at one end by a first bearing block and by a second bearing block at the other end. Each of the bearing blocks has a shaft supporting bore that is axially displaced a predetermined offset distance from the central axis of the bearing block, and each of the bearing blocks is supported by a gear box frame so as to be selectively rotatable about the central axis of each bearing block. Attaching bolt connectors permit the bearing blocks to be secured at selected angular dispositions. This permits selective canting of the drive shaft, and when coupled with other similarly supported driven shafts supporting plural sprockets, separate strands of roller chains can be adjusted independently via the eccentric movement of the bearing block supporting bores upon selective rotation of the bearing blocks.