Abstract: A transmission including a cylindrical drive pulley, a cylindrical driven pulley, an endless belt of a suitable material and a predetermined uniform thickness, the belt being frictionally confined between the drive and driven pulleys and loosely encompassing one of the pulleys, an inner pair of cylindrical positioning pulleys mounted within the endless belt on opposite sides of the encompassed pulley, an outer pair of cylindrical positioning pulleys mounted on the outside of said endless belt on opposite sides of the other pulley, each of the inner and outer pairs of positioning pulleys frictionally confining the endless belt, and means for moving the pairs of positioning pulleys inwardly or outwardly with respect to the interior of the endless belt so as to cause the endless belt to bend partially around one of the drive and driven pulleys such that the inner and outer surfaces of the belt become respectively alternately shortened and lengthened therearound, to thereby serve as an extension of the radius of

Abstract: A synchronizing and indexing clutch for connecting adjacent portions of a split engine crankshaft at will, such that one or more engine pistons may be selectively rendered inoperative for low engine power operation, the clutch including input and output members formed on the adjacent ends of the split crankshaft, an annular piston including inner and outer ring members interconnected by a detent mechanism and slidably mounted on the input member, a source of fluid under pressure for actuating the piston, cooperating cone clutch surfaces formed on the output member and the inner piston member, respectively, two sets of ramped indexing teeth formed on the output member and outer piston member, respectively, the two sets of teeth having a predetermined pattern of unequally spaced, variable width teeth and spaces such that engagement of the two sets of teeth will occur only at one particular aligned circumferential position in order to interconnect the split crankshaft portions and thereby bring idle engine pisto

Abstract: A door hold-open mechanism operatively connected to an upper door hinge member and including a combination latch wheel and detent plate, a detent plunger operable with the detent plate and a latch segment operable with the latch wheel, the arrangement adapted to provide a conventional two-position opening operation upon partial actuation of a door handle, or a predetermined number more than two hold-open positions upon full actuation of the door handle.

Abstract: A strut-type suspension system for a front wheel drive vehicle, wherein the lower end of the shock absorber extends to a location either in front of or behind the drive axle and is secured to the steering knuckle, while the coil spring is mounted along side the strut with its lower end positioned substantially coincident with the kingpin axis and mounted either on the steering knuckle or on a bracket formed on the shock absorber. This arrangement provides a relatively low overall height, while minimizing bending moments across the shock absorber.

Abstract: A leaf spring suspension system including a compliant front leaf spring hanger assembly for supporting the front end of the longest or main leaf spring and operatively connecting same to the vehicular side rail, the hanger assembly including a pair of oppositely disposed, cup-shaped rubber bushings surrounding the front spring-eye and being confined in a preloaded manner within the hanger housing for permitting lateral and longitudinal movement of the front end of the main leaf spring in response to any side load exerted on the leaf spring stack for improved lateral force compliance characteristics during vehicular turns.

Abstract: A front wheel drive and suspension arrangement wherein drive train and independent suspension components are integrally mounted on a cross-member structure and adapted for mounting as a subassembly on the front portion of a vehicular frame.

Abstract: A stabilizer bar arrangement including cross-bars secured at their outer ends to the oppositely disposed lower control arms and having juxtapositioned inner ends, with a slot formed in one bar and a pin mounted on the other bar for extension through the slot, the pin serving (1) to slide freely in the slot when the vehicle sustains equal and opposite wheel and lower control arm displacements, and (2) to prevent opposite vertical movements of the inner ends of the bars during turning operations, thereby limiting roll or tilt of the vehicle.

Abstract: A leaf spring assembly in which the leaves, except for the longest or spring-eye leaf, the leaf adjacent thereto, and the shortest leaf, are formed from bar stock by cutting same with an ogee or sloped S-shaped die section without producing any resultant scrap; cambering and heat treating the individual leaves in the conventional manner; and assembling same such that each successive leaf is shorter than the predecessor leaf and its ogee-shaped end is mounted in the oppositely disposed attitude relative to the predecessor leaf, with substantially full length contact therebetween, without providing for conventional tip inserts or leaf separators therebetween.

Abstract: The presently disclosed mechanism is used on a vehicle having front wheels steerably mounted on a support member which is suspended from the frame of the vehicle. A drive-transfer case is centrally located on the frame and angle-drive cases are mounted on the support member. A two section drive shaft, interconnected by a universal joint drivingly connects the output of the transfer case with each input of the angle-drive cases. The forward section of the drive shaft is encased in a tubular torque reaction member which is rigidly fixed to the angle-drive case. A bracket and an arcuate-shaped arm connect the reaction member to the frame for pivotal movement about the axis of the universal joint. A shock absorber is mounted between a retainer secured to the frame and flange means formed on one of the angle-drive case and the steering knuckle support rearwardly of the steering axis and the upper control arm.

Abstract: A suspension strut assembly for a motor vehicle suspension including a telescopic damper which is connected at its ends to a wheel carrier and to part of the vehicle superstructure, and a wheel suspension spring which surrounds the damper and is seated at one end on a casing portion of the damper and at the other end effectively on a piston rod of the damper.To facilitate replacement of worn parts without the need to dismount the entire strut, the connection of the damper to the vehicle superstructure is effected by means of an intermediate member having a bayonet-type or other form of releasable connection to an appropriately shaped aperture in the superstructure such that on release the intermediate member can be lifted out through the aperture, as can the inner part of a two-part thrust plate for the suspension spring, and a ring nut giving access to the internal parts of the damper.

Abstract: A torsion bar mounting arrangement for a vehicular suspension system, including a lower control arm formed to include a trunk portion and a pair of leg portions, with a relatively wide trough formed in the upper surface of the trunk portion, a load reaction member having a narrow body portion inserted between the leg portions and seated in the trough, and a preloaded torsion bar secured to the head portion of the load reaction member, with some fore-and-aft movement of the trough permitted relative to the body portion of the load reaction member in response to load inputs into the system, resulting in improved ride characteristics while virtually eliminating bending of the torsion bar.

Abstract: A twin trailing link suspension system for nonsteerable solid rear axles wherein each link has a one-point connection with the vehicular frame and a vertically aligned two-point connection with the rear axle for reduced weight and complexity.

Abstract: A hinge for the rear end of a hood that selectively closes a vehicle body forward engine compartment opening, including interconnected body and hood hinge members movable into an interreceived relationship for the hood closed position, and a locking pawl pivotally mounted on the body hinge member such that forced rearward movement of the hood hinge member causes the locking pawl to pivot so as to engage an aperture formed in the hood hinge member, serving to diminish vertical and rearward movement of the hood during impact conditions and upon relaxation of the impact loads.

Abstract: A continuously variable speedometer drive arrangement including a traction drive arrangement operatively connected between the governor drive shaft driven from the transmission output shaft and a speedometer take-off shaft, wherein the radius from the governor drive shaft axis to the center of the traction drive unit may be readily changed by a simple rotary adjustment made through the speedometer take-off shaft.

Abstract: A leaf spring suspension including a support bracket for supporting the front end of the main leaf of a leaf spring assembly, and laterally deflectable beam means extending forwardly from the vehicular side rail at a predetermined angle of, say, 20 degrees, with respect to a vertical plane through the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and connected to the top surface of the support bracket, for a controlled lateral force compliance characteristic during vehicular turns, as may be desirable for a particular vehicle design.

Abstract: An automotive window regulator mechanism including a track having two substantially vertical track-sections and an interconnecting laterally extending section, a perforated plastic tape slidably mounted in the track, an actuator including a clutch and a sprocket for driving the perforated tape along the track, and a bracket arrangement secured to a window pane at the midpoint of the bottom edge thereof and connecting same to an end of the perforated tape for travel therewith up or down adjacent one of the two vertical track-sections.

Abstract: A vehicle gear shift position indicator having a housing containing a pointer element and a mounting arm secured to one end of that element and projecting laterally therefrom. The pointer element is arranged to traverse an appropriate indicia panel and the mounting arm is connected to the housing through control mechanism which directs the path of movement of the pointer element over the indicia panel. The control mechanism includes a fulcrum about which the arm pivots and a guide which holds the pointer end of the arm to a straight path during such pivotal movement. An actuator cable is secured at one end to a biasing spring and is attached to part of the mounting arm adjacent that cable end so that the arm is moved according to tension in the cable. The biasing spring and mounting arm part are located at opposite sides respectively of a base wall of the housing, and the spring influences the arm, through the cable, to move in one particular direction.

Abstract: The drawings illustrate a power transfer arrangement wherein the power from any of a gas turbine, diesel, or piston engine is transferred via a chain drive to either a toric or a conventional automatic or manual transmission, in either desired rotational direction, with additional provisions for driving a plurality of accessory drive sprockets via a chain drive from the transmission input, such that, whatever combination of engine and transmission is selected, the accessories will always operate in the same originally established direction and speed range within 5 rpm.

Abstract: A gear shift indicator for an automatic gear change in a motor vehicle comprising a gear lever pivotally mounted within a housing for movement in and along an elongated slot in the surface portion of said housing and into a number of predetermined positions, said surface portion having a window adjacent said slot, through which window is visible one of a series of legible characters carried on a movable indicator member located within said housing adjacent said surface portion, each legible character corresponding to a respective one of said predetermined positions, there being a movable member coupled between said gear lever and said movable indicator member in a movement-increasing arrangement that has a ratio of movement between the characters on the movable indicator member and the gear lever of more than 1 to 1, the spacing of the characters on said indicator member being such that, when the gear lever is in each of said predetermined positions, the corresponding character is visible through said window.

Abstract: An energy absorbing coupling for use with an electric motor-driven window regulator mechanism, including a torsion spring arrangement between an input gear and an output pinion which provides (1) a driving connection in either direction, and (2) a relative movement or lost-motion connection for absorbing the energy generated by the inertia of the electric motor armature when the window reaches its limit of movement in one direction of the other.