Abstract: A cycloidal speed reducer having a plurality of rotatable, tapered, concentric bearings each having a tapered bearing surface adapted for contact with a peripheral tapered surface of a movable member. The contacting tapered bearing and peripheral surfaces are relatively adjustable to provide contact therebetween.

Abstract: A improved planetary drive employs a pair of radially inner and outer nonorbiting members between which is radially disposed an annular orbiting member. The inner nonorbiting member and the inner surface of the inner wall of the orbiting member are formed with opposing surface in meshing engagement to form one stage of a planetary drive, while the opposing surfaces of the outer nonorbiting member and the orbiting member are formed with teeth in meshing engagement to form a second stage of a planetary drive. All of the orbiting and nonorbiting members and their teeth lie in the same plane or planes disposed radially outward from the means for orbiting the orbiting member so that when that member is orbited, the forces exerted on the orbiting means are in said plane or planes. Various combinations of rollers and lobed surfaces to formed the gear stages are also described.

Abstract: An improved planetary transmission employs orbiting means including a first circular plate having a peripheral array of similar sockets shaped as arcs of circles. A set of similar uncaptured generally cylindrical rollers is rotatively seated in said sockets, said rollers having their curved surfaces projecting beyond the periphery of said plate. A first annular nonorbiting gear having an inner surface formed with a hypo-cycloidal curvature with a number of lobes exceeding by at least one the number of sockets in the plate, encircles the plate so that its inner surface is in rolling contact with rollers and they are free to rotate within their sockets. A second annular nonorbiting gear has surfaces in cooperating encircling engagement with said orbiting means. A first rotary shaft is keyed to one of said nonorbiting gears, and a second rotary shaft is provided to eccentrically drive said orbiting means.

Abstract: In a compact high-torque mechanical speed changer of the type in which different relative speeds may be realized through substitution of different cooperating planet and sun gear components one of which has teeth in the form of lobes of continuous substantially epitrochoid curvature and the other of which has circularly-curved teeth differing in number by one, orbiting motions associated with angular movements are resolved and angular motions are developed about a non-orbiting axis by way of a unique "zero-velocity" transmission plate having peripheral circular-sided openings cooperating with an array of circular pins, rollers or the like. The lobed gear and the transmission plate are advantageously fixed together for orbital motion in response to rotation of a shaft eccentric, and are of about the same diameter, and their cooperating toothed companions are preferably of the type involving discrete roller-pin teeth, and are of the same diameter.

Abstract: Continuous-curvature lobed cams, such as are variously used after the manner of gearing in orbital-drive mechanical transmissions, hydraulic motors and the like, are formed with the precise and continuous distinctive contouring which is essential to their successful operation by way of a simple and inexpensive cutting tool rotated about a fixed axis in a conventional machine while the cam blank with which it is in a material-removing engagement is both rotated relatively slowly in one angular direction and orbited relatively rapidly and synchronously along a circular path in the opposite angular direction. Synchronism between the slow rotary and rapid orbital motions is achieved in a machine-mounted fixture through geared drive of two rotary tables from a common motive source on the same movable platen which mounts the two rotary tables.

Abstract: A compact high-torque mechanical speed changer, which offers a very wide range of output speeds in different angular directions through selections from sets of fully-interchangeable planet and sun gear combinations, and in which one predetermined counterweighting unit provides matching for the eccentricities associated with all the planet gears of such sets, comprises two sets of planet and sun gear combinations each having a one-tooth difference in numbers of effective teeth, the two externally-toothed planet gears being coupled together angularly and being mounted for eccentric rotation relative to a supporting input crankshaft, while the associated internally-toothed sun gears are respectively fixed with the changer housing and with an output member rotatable collinearly with the input shaft.