Abstract: A star wheel is formed with angularly spaced teeth and intervening pockets and is indexed through one step each time a rotatable actuating pin enters one of the pockets. One of the teeth has a significantly greater angular width than the other teeth and has a tip which is periodically engaged by the pin to stop rotation of the pin. To reduce shock resulting from the pin striking the tip of the wide tooth, a slot is formed in the wide tooth to cause part of the outer end portion of the tooth to be resiliently cantilevered on the remaining portion of the tooth and to enable the outer end portion to flex inwardly when the pin moves into engagement with the tip.

Abstract: A transmission ratio selector actuator has a transmission ratio selector assembly including a selector shaft and a toothed gear segment secured thereto. The selector shaft is adapted to drive a conventional transmission detent sector plate or "rooster comb". The toothed segment meshes with a gear member which is formed integrally with or otherwise secured to a Geneva drive sector. A drive pin for the Geneva drive sector is secured to a worm wheel which is driven by a worm shaft integrally formed with or otherwise secured to an electric motor. A plurality of electrical control switches are actuated by the Geneva drive sector to control the operation of the motor and thereby provide for proper positioning of the selector shaft. The worm wheel has integral therewith a cam surface which is actuated upon by brake shoes to ensure stoppage of the drive pin during disengagement from the Geneva drive sector upon deactuation of the drive motor.

Abstract: A dual action geneva cam is disclosed which in general is used for combining the alternating rotative motion of two driving members to produce continuous rotation of a driven member. The dual action geneva cam is incorporated into scissor-action rotary internal combustion engines and scissor-action rotary fluid pumps to provide smooth acceleration, deceleration and locking of the alternately moving pistons of such scissor-action devices.

Abstract: This invention relates to a unidirectional high gain brake arrangement that includes in combination a shaft mounted for rotation within a housing. The shaft is rotatable in either direction. A brake is selectively releasably coupled to the housing and to the shaft. The brake has a first member. An intermittent motion device is respectively coupled through the first member to the housing and through a one-way clutch to the shaft. The brake also has a second member that is mechanically coupled to the first brake member and to the housing. The intermittent motion device causes the brake to be activated by movement imparted to the first brake member after a preset number of revolutions of the shaft in one direction. The brake is released by rotation of the shaft in an opposite direction whereby torque transmitted through the one-way clutch to the first brake member is removed.

Abstract: A rotary actuator has a Geneva wheel having in one end surface thereof an annular central recess and a plurality of angularly equally spaced and radially extending grooves connected to the central recess, a driving rotor connected to a rotary driving source and rotatable around an axis eccentric with respect to the Geneva wheel, a driving pin mounted on the driving rotor and engaging selectively with one of the grooves and the central recess in the Geneva wheel, an arcuate wall defined on a part of the circumferential wall of the driving rotor, and a plurality of correspondingly shaped arcuate walls formed on the Geneva wheel and cooperating with the arcuate wall of the driving rotor when the driving pin of the driving rotor engages with the central recess thereby preventing the rotation of the Geneva wheel with respect to the driving rotor.

Abstract: A damping device is provided for damping momentum in a rotary member to stop it at a desired normally stopped position without any override therefrom, the device including a friction plate moveable against the rotating member at least in the terminal stage of its travel to produce the stopping effect.

Abstract: A mechanism for prepositioning the input shaft of a bidirectional Geneva drive to effect incremental rotation of the output shaft of the Geneva drive, upon rotation of the input shaft, at a predictable time. The Geneva drive has an input shaft rotatable in opposite directions through active angles which respectively effect rotation of the output shaft. The prepositioning mechanism comprises a member, coupled to the input shaft, and having a pair of spaced, oppositely directed abutment surfaces. A locating pawl is selectively moved to a position to be engaged by one abutment surface when the input shaft is rotated in one direction and the other abutment surface when the input shaft is rotated in the opposite direction to angularly preposition the input shaft at a location from which rotation of such input shaft one of through its respective active angles is accurately predictable.

Abstract: A differential for motor vehicles and the like effectively providing smooth power transmission from an input drive shaft driving two gears fixed axially spaced thereon driving with pin-like teeth, on side faces thereof, a driven gear having peripheral teeth oval in cross section and coaxial with two output bevel sun gears disposed opposed and having respective power output shafts for differential driving of the motor vehicle left and right wheels during turns. The output sun gears are disposed concentric with the driven gear with a common axis of rotation normal to the axis of rotation of the drive gears. The sun gears are driven differentially during vehicle turns by two bevel planetary gears each having as axis of rotation fixed in the driven gear and extending radially toward the axis of rotation common with the sun gears and symmetrical to the axis of rotation thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus for moving a plurality of objects or containers for selecting, positioning, or retrieving one of the objects or containers organizes the objects or containers into two similar and parallel packets or stacks. The selection of an individual object is carried out by displacing each of the packets through a distance corresponding to the distance between adjacently stacked objects, and transferring the most upwardly or downwardly extreme object or container from one packet or stack to the other. The hoisting and lowering of the packets of objects is actuated by means of a plurality of screws engaging the edges of the objects, the displacement of an object or container from one packet or stack to the other is actuated by means of one of a pair of carriages moving transversely to the screws. The sequence of motion of the screws and carriages is controlled by two maltese cross-type gears.

Abstract: A drive mechanism for a program timer of the type having a rotating member advanced in a step-by-step manner by a drive pawl includes a drive cam having a camming surface defining the drive stroke of the drive pawl. In order to shorten the switching time, the drive cam is intermittently rotated by an angle sufficient to drive the pawl to advance the rotating member during a single intermittent movement of the drive cam. Sub-interval switching is accomplished by the cooperation between a pivotable sub-interval switching lever and a sub-interval camming surface on the drive cam, with the lever actuated by the camming surface to control the movement of a sub-interval switch blade.

Abstract: A remote operation type damping force control mechanism for a hydraulic damper including a cylinder, a piston, and a hollow piston rod having therein an oil path interconnecting a pair of chambers separated from each other by the piston in the cylinder. The mechanism comprises an adjustment rod rotatably inserted in the hollow piston rod and provided at the inner end thereof with an orifice plate having a plurality of orifices of different diameters, a remote operation part provided with an operation member, a control cable operatively integrally connected with the operation member and lead out of the remote operation part, and a driving mechanism interposed between the control cable and the adjustment rod for driving to rotate the adjust rod in accordance with the rotation of the operation member of the remote operation part.

Abstract: A pallet transport apparatus includes individual pallets which travel in succession on a run way, each of the pallets containing an in-line indexing dual-cam mechanism and a drive motor for the cam mechanism for controlled rotation, and the run way including pairs of cam followers which are arranged at regular intervals along the run way and each of which engages the corresponding cam plates on a pallet facing it. The pallets can travel and remain motionless every one pitch as determined by the interval between the adjacent cam follower pairs.

Abstract: A tin opener mainly comprising a housing (1), a drive shaft (2) rotatably arranged in the housing (1) for a transport wheel (3) located outside the housing (1), a body (7) rotatably arranged about a second shaft (A--A) parallel to the driving shaft in the housing (1) for supporting a cutting wheel (1) rotatable about a third shaft, the third shaft being at an angle of the second shaft, wherein the body is provided with a radial slot (13) whereas a lug (6) moved by the driving shaft (2) in a circular path and being displaceable with respect thereto, is adapted to be, each time, introduced into a slot (13) through an angle in order to minimize the force required to penetrate into the tin, that is to cut into the tin cover at the beginning of the cutting cycle.

Abstract: Provided is a rotary indexing table comprising a circular plate having a peripheral race mounted to a base. A notched Geneva disk is provided with a plurality of cam followers which ride in the plate race. Between the plate and the disk is a dual slotted slide capable of periodically engaging at least one and preferably two of said cam followers to provide work station locking. Rotary means is also provided which bears a crescent shaped second cam follower lock and also a needle bearing cam follower member which is slidable in a second slot in said slide, said needle bearing cam follower sequentially engages and disengages said notches to effect Geneva disk rotation and also causes slide translation.

Abstract: An arrangement for adjusting a seat of a vehicle has a plurality of adjusting elements arranged to adjust the position of the seat, a drive motor, and a distributing transmission provided within the drive motor and the adjusting elements and including a plurality of driven shafts having gears and connected with the adjusting elements, and at least one intermediate gear driven by the motor, wherein the distributing transmission includes a stepping transmission arranged so that, with a selectable step, the stepping transmission brings the intermediate gear into driving engagement with a gear of a respective one of the driven shafts, and the intermediate gear is fixed in this position without preventing its rotation about its axis.

Abstract: A timing mechanism for use in an appliance such as a domestic clothes dryer, for example. The mechanism includes a synchronous motor and two output shafts. One output shaft is the conventional rotary output shaft of the speed reducing gear train associated with the synchronous motor. The second output shaft is the rotary axle of a Geneva follower gear that is driven by a Geneva driver gear that is in turn driven by a gear located intermediate the input and first output shaft of the gear train. The intermittent rotation of the second output shaft, wherein each intermittent rotation is accomplished in a relatively rapid time, permits a timing cam thereon to control a switch actuator to provide a precise and quite brief switching action of the order of five seconds, for example.

Abstract: A positive planetary drive having zero backlash interconnects coaxial input and output shafts in a drive unit. A plurality of rollers orbiting about the input shaft is always entrapped in rolling contact with a plurality of wedges supported by the output shaft. Cams in the drive unit provide cam surfaces contacted by orbiting rollers on the input shaft to provide a continuous constant velocity output motion at a speed which is less than the input motion. Intermittent motion is provided by cam surfaces engaged by the same rollers which contact the wedges. A gear drive engaged with a cam plate used to form the various cams provides a variable angular relationship between the input shaft and the output shaft. Protection against a torque overload at the output shaft is provided by permitting plungers to rotate with the cam plate when disengaged from seats supported by the housing.

Abstract: A stepping gear includes an output member attached to a wheel which is provided with a number of rollers on both faces thereof. In driving contact with these rollers is a pair of cam members having contours which allow for driving in the forward direction as well as a standstill or dwell phase. In addition, reverse movement of the wheel is made possible by providing an undercut in one of the cams coupled with a superelevation on the other of the two cams. Form locking engagement between the cams and the rollers is maintained during the forward driving phase, and the standstill and return phases as well.

Abstract: An indexing apparatus (10) is disclosed which is designed for use with various types of work transfer equipment and is operative to provide smooth rapid jerk-free acceleration and deceleration whereby workpieces may be smoothly and rapidly transferred between operating stations. The indexing apparatus (10) includes suitably arranged cams (90, 90', 106, 124, 130, 132, 150, 162, 180) and cam followers (38, 52, 114, 116, 166, 168, 174) which operate to convert a driving input motion which is typically rotary in nature to a desired output motion which may be either linear or rotary but which is characterized by substantially jerk-free, smooth acceleration and deceleration at the beginning and end of the respective indexing movements. In one embodiment the apparatus comprises a crank arm (22) having cam followers (38, 52) provided thereon which control pivotal movement of transfer arm (58) which is in turn connected to a linearly reciprocable apparatus which may include a work supporting surface for example.

Abstract: Multiple slotted drive disks are secured in parallel relationship to a drive shaft. The slots are radially arranged and the slots of each disk are aligned. Movable rods are received in the slots. A slotted driven disk is secured to a driven shaft, which driven shaft is parallel to the drive shaft. The drive and driven disks are arranged in parallel intersecting relationship such that the rods will be received in the slots of the driven disk through a portion of the revolution. Relative movement is effected between the shafts via the rods. The relationship of angular velocity between the shafts is kept constant and an infinite torque converter is provided.

Abstract: A geneva mechanism has a slotted geneva wheel and a driving cam wheel engageable with the geneva wheel to impart stepwise rotation thereto. The geneva wheel carries rollers, two of which are simultaneously engageable by a first part-cylindrical surface on the cam wheel to lock the geneva wheel against rotation. This simultaneous engagement imparts a slight resilient stress to the parts and thereby prevents backlash movement during the locked condition. Additionally a second, parallel part-cylindrical surface on the cam wheel co-operates with the first such surface and with two of the geneva wheel rollers to maintain the geneva wheel under control of the cam wheel as the latter starts and ends its driving engagement.

Abstract: A control device for a triple-plenum air conditioning apparatus having a by-pass air duct, a hot air duct and a cold air duct. A first shaft mounted through the by-pass and hot air ducts carries a first by-pass air damper blade and a hot air damper blade at right angles to each other. A second shaft mounted through the by-pass air duct and the cold air duct carries a second by-pass damper blade and a cold air damper blade at right angles to each other. The control device includes a first geneva link on the first shaft, a second geneva link on the second shaft and a third shaft carrying a drive plate with pins for independently actuating the geneva links and a geneva cam for holding one of the geneva links against rotation while the other is being independently actuated. Rotation of the third shaft through one hundred degrees results in rotation of each of the first and second shafts through ninety degrees.

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

Abstract: Two carriage drive systems are arranged to be selectively coupled to a uniform stepping mechanism responsive to spacing signals whereby a carriage can be indexed across a writing line at 10 or 12 pitch increments.

Abstract: In an intermittent transmission meshing mechanism comprising a toothed drive member having a toothed portion and a circular outer periphery continuous therewith and a toothed driven member having a toothed portion and arcuate locking faces formed on the opposite sides thereof, an oil retaining member having a projection projecting toward the drive member is provided on the driven member between the toothed portion thereof and each of the locking faces or on each of the locking faces. When an end of the circular outer periphery of the drive member adjacent its toothed portion comes into sliding contact with the toothed portion or locking face of the driven member, the corresponding oil retaining member slightly presses against and applies lubricant to the end.

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 unidirectional gear transmission of reduced axial thickness advantageou employed in timepieces is adapted to be driven by a stepping motor. The driving gear is provided with an alternating pattern of teeth having a first thickness and spacing and sets of two teeth having greater thickness and spacing. The driven gear is provided with an alternating pattern of teeth corresponding to the first thickness teeth of the driving gear and two spaces corresponding to the greater thickness teeth of the driving gear separated by a single tooth. Regular stepping rotation in either sense can be transmitted from the driving gear to the driven gear, but transmission of rotation from driven to driving gear is prevented.

Abstract: A method of multiple powder coating wherein articles to be coated are fed to a conveyor which comprises a pair of Geneva gears secured to both ends of a rotatable shaft. The Geneva gears have a plurality of channels around the periphery thereof for holding the articles. The gears are rotated intermittently at an interval of one channel and an article to be coated is fed to a pair of channels at every Y intermittent rotations, where Y is the number of coatings to be applied. The article is coated once in each cycle of rotation of the Geneva gears and is removed following X times Y intermittent rotations, where X is the number of channels around the periphery of each gear. X is odd when Y is even and X/Y is a decimal when Y is odd.

Abstract: A postage meter attachment or conversion apparatus is disclosed that will convert a manually lever settable postage meter into an electrically controlled postage meter. The conversion apparatus is easily assembled to and disassembled from a standard lever operated postage meter. Each lever of the meter is settable simultaneously. The motion of the drive mechanism of the conversion apparatus conforms to the arcuate motion of the meter levers, thus eliminating the need for precise alignment between the levers and the drive mechanism. The conversion apparatus can be used to make the mechanical meter compatible in an electrical environment containing equipment such as a computer, a digital scale, and other postage system processing devices.

Abstract: Mechanism for feeding a picture slide magazine in such a way that picture slides can be taken out of the magazine in the same order in which they are placed in the magazine, for delivery to two separate projector units of a dual slide projector, and then can be returned to the magazine still in proper order. Two indexing gears rotate in opposite directions about a common axis of rotation. Each gear carries index pins or projections which cooperate with a star wheel or modified Geneva gear as the indexing gears rotate, and the star wheel or Geneva gear drives two pinions which engage a toothed rack on the slide magazine. As two indexing pins located relatively close to each other on one indexing gear pass the star wheel, they rotate the star wheel through two increments, to feed the magazine through two steps in one direction.

Abstract: The digit rolls of a counter a connected through transfer pinions in that pins extending axially from one roll towards another one engage a pinion once per revolution and the pinion turns the other roll by one step. The pins of the two rolls overlap axially with a slight radial clearance so that the gap between the rolls is just slightly larger than the length of either pin. The pins have semicircular, triangular, trapezoidal or rectangular cross-section.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for cutting tenons in the ends of workpieces in which the workpiece is advanced on a rectilinear path, one or more cutting tools are reciprocated on a transverse rectilinear path which intersects the ends of the workpieces and the speed of advance of the workpieces and the speed of reciprocation of the cutting tools are varied so that the cutting tools have an effective undulating cutting path with respect to the workpieces, thus forming a series of spaced tenons thereon.

Abstract: An intermittent motion device which converts input continuous motion into precisely timed output interrupted intermittent motion. In a generic preferred embodiment the device comprises a primary driver and a secondary driver that are attached to an input shaft, and a two-sided indexing driven wheel attached to an output shaft. The primary driver engages one of four drive slots on the primary side of the driven wheel, and rotates the driven wheel 72.degree. each time the input shaft makes one revolution. The secondary driver engages the one slot on the secondary side of the driven wheel, and rotates the driven wheel 72.degree. every fourth revolution of the input shaft. The indexing driven wheel is locked in a stationary dwell position between indexes by locking rollers on the driven wheel that engage in locking grooves in the primary and secondary driver wheels.

Abstract: A cigarette packing machine wherein one or more indexible turrets for portions of or entire cigarette packs and the tools which treat the portions of or entire packs receive motion from a transmission having an input element which is a main drive shaft, several additional driving components in the form of shafts and/or gears receiving motion from the main drive shaft, several driven components which receive motion from the driving components and transmit motion to the tools and/or turret or turrets, and couplings which connect one or more driving components with associated driven components and/or the driven components with the associated turret or turrets and associated tools. The couplings include prefabricated flats provided on the driving and driven components, turret or turrets, and tools; such flats abut against each other to maintain the components, turret or turrets and tools in predetermined positions relative to each other.

Abstract: A device comprising horizontal and vertical shafts wherein the horizontal one is connected to a handle while the vertical shaft is operatively connected to a movable member of the clutch. Geometrical axes of said shafts are lying in a common plane, whereas shafts for transmitting rotation from the horizontal shaft to the vertical one are interconnected through a Geneva mechanism with a driving member of said mechanism being fixed to the horizontal shaft while a driven member thereof is fixed to the vertical shaft. It is possible with such an arrangement of the device to reduce the force applied by an operator of the machine tool to the clutch control handle.

Abstract: A stamp dispensing mechanism has a cylindrical feed wheel, with axially-parallel rows of projections, rotatably mounted on a front portion of a vertical support plate that is constructed to rotatably support a roll of stamps on its rear portion. A Geneva star wheel, rotatably mounted on the plate, is operatively connected to the feed wheel for its step movement with the star wheel. A Geneva driver assembly, rotatably mounted on the plate, has a driver pin on an arm rotated by a motor also mounted on the plate. During one rotation of the arm, the pin moves into and out of a slot of the star wheel for its step movement. An arcuate part of the arm is in a recess in the periphery of a tooth of the star wheel, when the pin is not in the slot, to lock that wheel.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a target assembly of the type for use in a target practice range. The target assembly includes a base, a motor in the base, a first rotatable member coupled to the motor, a second rotatable member and a pivotable target member coupled to the second rotatable member. The first rotatable member includes an extension which engages a radial slot within the second member during rotation to cause the second rotatable member to rotate for raising and lowering the target member. The first and second rotatable members have cooperating cam surfaces for locking the target member in a vertical and horizontal position and for freeing the rotatable members for rotation during the raising and lowering of the target member.

Abstract: A visor-like, protective hood assembly consisting of a segmented shutter for covering an optical window and including three hemispherical shutter segments of increasing radii and pivoted about a common pivot for relocation between a retracted, open and nested relation and an extended, closed position. A drive motor, coupled with a Geneva mechanism, directly and intermittently drives the outermost shutter segment, and trailing edge lips on each segment engage with and respectively drive the intermediate and inner segments to their fully extended, closed positions in a protective relation over the window.

Abstract: Perforated information-bearing media in strip form, for example film in cinematographic devices, is driven either intermittently or continuously. The normally used Geneva stop (Maltese cross), which is connected via an output shaft to the sprocket engaging in the film perforations, can be disengaged from the continuously rotarily driven pin disc by axial displacement of either the Geneva stop of the pin disc effected by clutch means. For rewinding or unwinding the film at continuous high speed simultaneously with said clutch-disengagement between Geneva stop and pin disc, clutch members of a continuously driven, on the output shaft axially displaceable and free running clutch disc, engage in the slots or recesses in the Geneva stop at the position of the Geneva stop which corresponds to the frame standstill.

Abstract: A driving mechanism for a day and date calendar device comprising two Maltese crosses from which one activates the display of the days and the other the display of the dates. One of said Maltese crosses includes a magnetic clutch serving as disconnecting-gear when the date indication only is changed.

Abstract: Apparatus for successively indexing slots of a wafer carrier into position at an end of a conveying means, such as an air slide, utilizes motion of a rotary drive means to move pins within drive slots and impart motion to the carrier. As the rotary drive head rotates, a pin moves down into a drive slot, pushes against a sidewall of the slot to move the carrier, then retracts back to the end of the slot. With proper positioning of the rotary drive means, the pins also serve to prevent extraneous motion of the carrier when the drive means is not rotating. This apparatus has negligible starting torque when rotation of the drive means begins, and has smooth acceleration and deceleration of the carrier as its motion stops and starts.