Abstract: When with the manual operation device of this invention, a selected one of many push buttons provided for a cassette tape recorder is depressed, then an insertable actuating member lying below that depressed push button is brought down between a common transmission member and an operation member corresponding to the insertable actuating member, causing the transmission member to be previously rotated slightly in a direction opposite to that in which said transmission member is subsequently rotated for actuation. The slight previous rotation of the transmission member in said opposite direction disengages an engagement member from a large gear. As a result, the large gear is slightly rotated by the elastic force of one of the fixed contacts of a leaf switch to be engaged with a pinion. As a result, the leaf switch is actuated to drive a motor, which in turn rotates the pinion to drive the large gear.

Abstract: A switching mechanism can be utilized in conjunction with an electrically driven actuator, for example, either a linear or rotary operated actuator. The switching mechanism can be utilized to either control the extent of operation of the actuator, thereby operating as a limit switch, and also can be used for controlling other electrical devices that are to be operated in dependence upon the position of the driven member of the actuator. For this purpose, the switching mechanism is provided with a plurality of electrical switches, each of which can be controlled so as to be switched at different points in the operation of the actuator. Associated with each of the electrical switches is a separate counting mechanism. All the counting mechanisms are driven by a common drive gear which is coupled to the drive mechanism of the actuator.

Abstract: A geneva drive means is used in combination with an eccentric drive means to provide intermittent motion to a cam means.

Abstract: A single revolution clutch in a reduction gear in a franking machine is designed to avoid fraudulent operation and double cycling and for economical production by arranging a worm to drive a split worm wheel having a gap in each arcuate row of teeth respectively on the first and second worm wheel parts. Before operation, the worm rotates in the gaps. On release by a detent of a shoulder a spring brings a tooth into mesh with the worm which rotates the first worm wheel part until a lost-motion connection is engaged bringing the second worm wheel part into mesh with the worm to drive an output shaft. The detent is released by an electrical pulse then guided by a cam track to engage the shoulder arresting the first worm wheel part while the second part continues so as to stress the spring and return to the initial position with respect to the first part.

Abstract: In a time-delayed device for opening a parachute, a spring-loaded cable is coupled to a cylindrical translational gear for conjoint movement. When the cable is released from a cocked position and spring-driven to a release position at which it opens the parachute, the translational gear is driven past the input gear of a gear train. As it moves, the translational gear engages and rotates the input gear along and through an effective gear engagement length which may be selectively varied by rotating the translational gear with respect to the input gear. An adjustable escapement contacts the gear train output gear and retards rotation of the input gear, and thus retards the rate of movement of both the translational gear and the cable, during engagement between the input gear and the translational gear through the selected effective engagement length.

Abstract: A cam drive system having parallel input and output shafts and means for rotating the input shaft includes a plurality of cams coupled at intervals around the periphery of the input shaft. Each cam utilizes a camming surface which incorporates a radially outwardly sweeping step section and a constant radius dwell section positioned adjacent to each step section. A plurality of cam followers are coupled at intervals around the periphery of the output shaft. Each cam follower is aligned to engage a single one of the cams. The present invention converts the continuous rotation of the input shaft into intermittant displacements of the output shaft.

Abstract: A mode change-over device for a recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes plural push buttons depressible into different operative positions; a mode selecting lever movable to plural positions in accordance with the selective depression of the push buttons; a mode change-over lever movable to plural operative positions in accordance with the movement of the mode selecting lever; and a drive mechanism for driving the mode change-over lever in any one of the plural operative positions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a regulator mechanism for two window panels mounted in the door of an automotive vehicle. The panels are slidable independently of one another in a common plane between raised and lowered positions under the control of the regulator mechanism. Both window panels are operated by independently operable lever arms, both lever arms being mounted for rotation on a common pivot shaft. The lever arms are secured to respective sector gears, both sector gears also being mounted for rotation on the common pivot shaft. Each sector gear is driven independently of the other by a driving gear, the driving gears being angularly spaced from the pivot shaft to prevent operative interference between the operative end of each lever arm. The mechanism is mounted as a unitary assembly on a unitary mounting plate, the plate providing a support structure for the common pivot shaft and the respective pinion shafts.

Abstract: Alternatively usable gear trains provide either a steady or an intermittent drive for a sinning reel. In intermittent drive condition, the gear train provides "stop and go" motions of different duration, and different "stop and go" patterns are obtained through alternatively usable gear trains.

Abstract: A miniature printer especially for use in a small calculator or the like, of the type in which a plurality of character wheels are carried on a rotating drive shaft. The speed of rotation of the drive shaft can be varied so that its speed during character selection is different from that during the resetting of the character wheels.

Abstract: An actuator assembly particularly useful for operating butterfly, ball or plug type valves is disclosed herein and comprises a relatively efficient gear train including first means for coupling the gear train to a drive member and a pinion in driving engagement with a sector gear of limited circumferential extent formed on a periphery, preferably an inner periphery, of a generally triangular sector member. At the vertex of the sector member opposite the sector gear there is provided a rotatably mounted drive member for driving the stem of an associated valve member as it rotates. Accordingly, as the sector gear is driven, the drive member rotates the valve stem to open or close the valve. The input gear train includes a non-reversing coupling means adjacent the first coupling means whereby the drive member can rotate the sector member and, thus, the valve stem, but external forces on the output side of the non-reversing coupling means cannot cause rotation of the valve stem.

Abstract: A uni-directionally rotated clutched driving gear having arcuate segments of gear teeth acts sequentially on two idler gears to effect a two-speed bi-directional rotation of a driven gear. The driven gear may be attached to the drive shaft of the character wheels in a recording calculator.

Abstract: A paper-feeding mechanism of a compact printer is provided. The mechanism has a driven wheel which transmits rotation to a paper-feeding roller and a driving wheel which drives the driven wheel. The driving wheel has first and second sets of gear teeth for engagement with teeth on the driven wheel. The driving wheel is axially displaceable to provide for driving with the first set of gear teeth at a normal paper feed rate and also by the second set for driving at a rapid paper feed rate. A solenoid-operated rate-selection lever serves to select either of the driving speeds. A cam attached to a power wheel which drives the driving wheel serves to return the mechanism from rapid to regular paper-feeding.

Abstract: A method for driving an output shaft in the normal direction and the reverse direction alternately, which comprises performing alternately an operation of engaging a partially toothed wheel connected to the output shaft with a partially toothed wheel driven in the normal direction and an operation of engaging the partially toothed wheel connected to the output shaft with a partially toothed wheel driven in the reverse direction, wherein a cam follower mounted on the output shaft is caused to fall into engagement with a driven and rotated cam at the start and completion of rotation for one of said two operations, whereby acceleration is given to the output shaft at the start of the rotation and the speed of the output shaft is reduced at the completion of the rotation.

Abstract: This invention relates to hinge structures.According to the present invention there is provided a hinged structure comprising a first gear segment, a second gear segment meshing with the first gear segment, and a link pivotally connected to each gear segment, the axes of the gear segments co-inciding with the axes of the pivotal connections between the link and the gear segments.

Abstract: The record changing cycle of an automatic record changer having an umbrella type centering spindle is modified so that a delay is provided at the appropriate point in the cycle when the bottom record is to be released from the record stack. This delay is sufficient that a thin, lightweight bottom record has time to become unstuck from the remainder of the stack and fall downwardly before the record changing cycle is resumed, thereby preventing malfunctioning of the record changer when changing thin, lightweight records.

Abstract: A high-speed intermittent rotary mechanism which includes two pairs of meshing driving gears and driven gears properly located respectively on driving and driven shafts with equal center-to-center distances. The driving gears are fixed on the driving shaft and the driven gears, which cooperate with an epicyclic train of gears, are pivotally mounted on the driven shaft by means of bearings. One or both pairs of the abovementioned meshing driving and driven gears are cam-shaped to transmit a smooth, accurate and intermittent rotary motion while in high speed operation.

Abstract: A cyclically operable clutch in which first and second driven gears are provided with interrupted gear tooth sections normally located opposite a motor driven drive gear. The second gear is operably connected to a cyclically operable driven mechanism and the first gear is spring urged to rotate relative to the second gear. A latch normally maintains the first gear out of mesh with the drive gear. Upon release of the latch, the first gear is spring advanced into mesh with the drive gear and a lost motion connection between the driven gears transmits rotation to the second gear to advance the latter into mesh with the drive gear.

Abstract: A two speed manual preset timer in which the cam shaft is driven by a pair of constantly meshing gears having two mating segments of different but constant pitch radii. One pair of segments gives relatively high shaft speed in a sector of the timing range adjacent the OFF position for accuracy in short timings. The other pair of segments gives relatively slow shaft speed in a sector at the other end of the timing range for long timings. The segments of the gears are joined by transition segments of varying pitch radii, providing a sector of varying shaft speed between the short timing and long timing sectors.

Abstract: A programmed sequential operator for producing sequential or at least not identically simultaneous movement of two different members. The operator includes an actuator reversely movable between limiting positions, first and second operating members each independently reversely movable between limiting positions, and connections between the actuator and operating members to produce forward and reverse movements of said members in programmed relation to forward and reverse movement of the actuator.

Abstract: A driver member rotates at a constant speed through and past 360.degree. and a driven member responsive to the rotation of the driver member rotates at an increasing or decreasing speed during a major portion of the 360.degree. rotation, there being a means maintaining the driver and driven members in engagement during and past 360.degree. rotation.

Abstract: An expanded scale timer has means adapted to be driven for indicating the operating time of the timer, and a pair of means are conjointly and relatively movable for respectively driving the indicating means at different predetermined speeds. Means is provided for effecting actuation of the driving means conjointly to drive the indicating means through one of the driving means at one of the speeds and for effecting actuation of the other of the driving means relative to the one driving means to also drive the indicating means at another speed with the one driving means being overridden by the indicating means.