Abstract: A bicycle transmission includes a shaft, a driving part supported about the shaft for coupling to the input part, a driven part supported about the shaft for coupling to the output part, and a planetary gear mechanism disposed between the driving part and the driven part for changing the transmission ratio of the motive force applied from the driving part to the driven part. The planetary gear mechanism comprises a sun gear installed about the shaft, an output gear for transmitting motive force to the driven part, a frame part installed about the shaft and coupled to the driving part, and a planetary gear rotatably coupled to the frame part and disposed between the sun gear and the output gear for engaging the sun gear and the output gear. A clutch comprising a roller is disposed at an intermediate point along the transmission path between the driving part and the driven part for transmitting the motive force from the driving part to the driven part in one direction only.

Abstract: A two directional multi-speed shifting sear of middle axle is made of outer ring, bearings ring, starwheel, freewheel screw cup, freewheel plate, core teeth, inner and outer pawls, and chainwheel etc. The chainwheel is fixed on the outer ring through thread or thread hole. The starwheel is geared with inner teeth of the outer ring and the core teeth. The outer pawl is mounted on pawl hub, the later is fixed on the bottom bracket case of the cycle frame. The middle axle is passed through and fixed with the freewheel plate, the core teeth and the right crank, and then inserted into the bottom bracket case. With such a shifting gear, a pedal cycle may be given a unique function that when the cycle is moving forward, the changing of it's moving speed in the very moving direction may be in-situ realized by variating the shifting gear through pedalling to enable the crank to be rotating in either positive or inversive directions.

Abstract: A shift mechanism for an automatic transmission includes a frictional engagement element arranged between the case of the automatic transmission and one element of a planetary gear unit and a hydraulic servo unit for engaging the frictional engagement element. A one-way clutch is connected to that same one element of the planetary gear unit for selectively locking it to the case. The one-way clutch is axially spaced from the frictional engagement element with the hydraulic servo unit therebetween. Further, the one-way clutch has its outer race connected to the case and its inner race connected to the aforementioned element of the planetary gear unit through a connection member axially extending along the inner circumferential side of the hydraulic servo unit. The inner race is formed with a radial lubricating oil passage in fluid communication with an oil passage in a transmission shaft.

Abstract: A method of converting a three-speed transmission to a two-speed transmission comprises the step of replacing a plurality of steel drive discs and a plurality of friction driven discs of a multiple disc clutch with a clutch bypass. Each of the replaced plurality of steel drive discs have teeth on an outer perimeter. Similarly, each of the replaced plurality of friction driven discs have teeth on an inner perimeter. The clutch bypass, which replaces these discs, has outer teeth on an outer perimeter which match the teeth of the plurality of steel drive discs, and has inner teeth on an inner perimeter which match the teeth of the plurality of friction driven discs. The transmission is convened from a three speed transmission to a two speed transmission by eliminating first speed, so that the transmission upshifts directly from neutral to second speed. First speed is eliminated by making the transmission operate in first speed as if it were in second speed.

Abstract: For free shifting in a multi-speed gear hub comprising a claw clutch, first and second springs are included for preloading a projecting claw part in mutually opposite directions. Preloading in the second direction is with less force than in the first direction, for abutment of the claw part on a driving member. Against the force of the first spring, the driving member is displaceable from abutment, into all gearshift positions following in the second direction. Gears preselected with stationary hub are engaged upon resumption of gear action.

Abstract: A wheelchair drive system is described that operatively interposes a plural-speed hub subsystem between conventional rotatable hand wheels and their corresponding drive wheels, thereby providing wheelchair propulsion by rotary motion of the hand wheels and selective engagement of the drive wheels dependent upon a manually operated gear-shifting mechanism. Preferably, the hub subsystem includes symmetric left- and right-handed hubs each including a hub body fixedly connected with an easily accessible hand wheel, with the hub body rotating about a spindle fixedly mounted on the wheelchair and selectively gear-connectable to the drive wheel, the spindle being selectively connected to the drive wheel by the operation of a manually shiftable, plural-speed gear train.

Abstract: A self-contained change speed apparatus for use on a bicycle having a fixed shaft, a drive member and a hub body rotatably supported on the fixed shaft, and a change speed device disposed between the drive member and hub body. The change speed device includes a plurality of clutches and a clutch controller. The clutches are subjected to a resistance to disengagement corresponding to a drive torque. The clutch controller includes a shiftable first control member, a spring for storing a shift of the first control member as energy, and a shiftable second control member operable by the spring for operating the clutches. The second control member shifts to disengage the clutches when the first control member shifts and the spring imparts a force greater than the resistance to disengagement for shifting the second control member.

Abstract: A self-contained change speed apparatus for use on a bicycle having a drive member and a hub body rotatably supported on a fixed shaft, and two planetary gear mechanisms arranged on a drive transmission path extending from the drive member to the hub body. The planetary gear mechanisms include planet gears meshed with sun gears switchable through externally controllable one-way clutches between a state of free rotation relative to the fixed shaft and a state of being locked to the fixed shaft. The controls of the one-way clutches acting on the sun gears are effected by relative positional relations between projections formed on the fixed shaft and control sections formed on a control member shiftable on peripheral surfaces of the fixed shaft. Such controls of the sun gears determine an output line extending through one of the two one-way clutches.

Abstract: A multi-directional planetary transmission mechanism adapted to establish plural torque flow paths between a driving member and a driven member including a one-way torque delivery clutch located in the torque flow path from the torque input element of the planetary gear system and a torque output shaft, and a friction brake means for anchoring the torque input element of the planetary gearing to establish a change in torque ratio wherein provision is made for disengaging the one-way clutch to interrupt torque delivery therethrough in either a driving direction or a coast direction and simultaneously anchoring said torque input element of said gearing to provide a torque reaction point.

Abstract: A speed changing mechanism for use with an electric rotary tool, an electric press-attaching tool, an automatic screw tightening tool or the like, includes planet gears, a planet gear support plate integrally formed with an internal gear and provided with an external gear formed outwardly of the internal gear. The planet gears are rotatably supported by a second planet gear support plate mounted on a driven shaft and formed with a second external gear. The planet gears are engaged with the interanl gear and a sun gear provided on a one-way clutch. A cylindrical member having an internal gear is slidably fitted with at least one of the first and second external gears. The speed changing mechanism can be set to have a ratio of the rapid rotation speed to the slow rotation speed of 2.5/1 or less.

Abstract: A hydrokinetic planetary transmission mechanism having compound planetary gear elements that define multiple underdrive ratios, a direct drive ratio and an overdrive ratio as torque is delivered from the turbine of the hydrokinetic unit to a driven member wherein a friction clutch is used to establish a direct drive ratio as well as an overdrive ratio, separate overrunning couplings being used in cooperation with a friction clutch to establish torque delivery from a driven shaft to one element of the compound planetary gearing and a separate overrunning coupling being used in cooperation with a common clutch to establish a torque flow path between the driven shaft and another element of the compound planetary gearing during overdrive operation whereby ratio changes between the direct drive and the overdrive ratio on both upshifts and downshifts are smooth and fully nonsynchronous.

Abstract: Disclosed is a two-way-driven 3-speed free wheel which provides a multi-gear-changing mechanism for use with various kinds of pedal cycles. The disclosed device has four kinds of catches: pawl, hook-pawl, backward pawl and forward pawl. The backward and forward pawls respectively are hinged on the opposed sides of a sprocket wheel by small spindles mounted on the opposed sides of the sprocket wheel. On one side of the sprocket wheel are the backward pawls and an outer ring; on the other side are forward pawls, a ratchet cone and a bearing collar. Between the outer ring and a central gear are two or more planet pinions. As compared with prior art structures, this invention has the following advantages: the structure is simple, the cost is lower, and it is facile to operate and to change speed. Also disclosed are one-way-driven 2-speed free wheels and two-way-driven 2-speed free wheels, using two or three kinds of catches, of the above-described four kinds of catches.

Abstract: A shaft connected to a component of a planetary gearset is driveably connected by a coupling to alternate friction elements in accordance with the relative speeds of the coupling members and the direction of rotation of the driven coupling member. The coupling includes a radially inner one-way coupling and an outer one-way coupling, the outer race of the inner coupling and inner race of the outer coupling being the intermediate race, which is connected to the gearset. The inner race and outer race have cam surfaces contacting roller clutch elements located in a cage and spaced mutually about the coupling axis. The cam surfaces of the races are inclined with respect to the adjacent surface of the intermediate race in opposite directions, so that when one coupling drives, the other coupling overruns.

Abstract: A change-speed hub having a fixed shaft, a hub body rotatably mounted on the fixed shaft, a drive member rotatably mounted on the fixed shaft for transmitting a drive force to the hub body selectively through a plurality of transmission channels, a clutch for selecting one from the transmission channels, a plurality of sun gears rotatably mounted on the fixed shaft and having diameters differing from each other and a lock control mechanism for controlling locking and releasing of the sun gears relative to the fixed shaft. The sun gears have axial movements thereof substantially limited. On the fixed shaft, there is rotatably mounted a control member. The control member includes a first control portion for controlling the clutch and second and third control portions for activating the lock control mechanism for selectively locking the sun gears to the fixed shaft.

Abstract: A chainless drive for pedal powered tricycles features a pedal drive shaft located on the axis of the driving wheel and a five speed planetary transmission mounted concentric with the drive shaft and housed within the hub of the wheel. The transmission drives the wheel with a torque which is a multiple of the pedal torque for the two lowest speeds, provides a direct drive for the third speed, and drives the wheel at a multiple of the pedal speed for the two highest speeds. When used as a torque multiplier in the two low speeds, the transmission can drive the wheel either forward or in reverse depending on the direction the pedals are rotated, but permits coasting with the pedals stopped in speeds three, four, and five. A tricycle using this invention with a bin or flatbed should be useful in the factory or on the farm for the transport of parts or produce, or useful as a two passenger taxi with a seat assembly.

Abstract: A continuously variable transmission includes a power input driving a sun gear which in turn drives a plurality of planetary gears. Within each planetary gear is mounted an over-rolling clutch. The planet gear is free to rotate about its raceway in one direction and is locked from rotation in the opposite direction. The shaft mountings for each planetary gear are suitably journalled in a carrier ring rotatably mounted within the housing. An internal gear, integrally mounted within the output housing, meshes with the planetary gears and is driven by them. An eccentric system, comprised of two nested eccentrics within the housing and anchored to an axle, controls the degree of oscillation imparted to the planetary gear raceway shafts. The eccentric system is continuously positionable so as to increase the rotation of the input sun gear from a one-to-one ratio up to the maximum designed output.