Abstract: A stepper motor includes a stator with magnetic poles extending radially outward from a central core to form segments of an outer stator surface, an armature ring fitting loosely over the stator, and a rotor with a drive plate rotationally driven by rollers extending from the armature ring into apertures in the drive plate. Current is supplied, according to a sequence, through coils surrounding each magnetic pole, so that the armature ring, being sequentially attracted to adjacent magnetic poles, moves around the stator with a modified orbital motion including an orbital motion, in which the ring is translated around a circular path, and a rotational motion. The stepper motor may also include a stationary cam plate with a number of peripheral notches, into which the rollers are moved individually by the orbital motion.

Abstract: A winch suitable for construction in a pocket-sized version for lightweight winching operations has a rotatable spool assembly slidingly received between horizontal guide rails of a cage having oppositely disposed vertical sideplates joined by upper and lower dowels. A load-carrying strap is wrapped around a drum of the spool, with upper and lower strap ends respectively passing tangentially off the drum around opposite sides of the upper and lower dowels. An intermediate point of the strap wraps around a third dowel joining the spool flanges at an interval from the drum, so that as the spool is rotated the strap will be double-wrapped about the drum to shorten the distance between its ends. Compact construction is provided by an internal wave gear speed reduction mechanism that enables rotation of the spool drum at a speed less than rotation of a central drive shaft. The shaft has a square bore to be turned by passing a sprocket wrench driver through aligned bores of the cage sideplates.

Abstract: A compact, torque multiplying apparatus for turning nuts of wheel lugs has an orbiting gear arrangement including an epicycling gear element driven within a housing by a socket wrench. In one case, the housing is held fixed by a tool that mates with adjacent wheel rim contours and output torque is applied to a lug nut by rotation of a second gear element. In another case, the second gear element is held fixed by keying it to the end of the lug, and output torque is transmitted to the nut by the housing.

Abstract: An optical system for scanning a wide angle conical field of regard through a small aperture and with a narrow field of view device includes a first optical offsetting device rotated about a first axis coincident to the axis of the conical field of regard. The first offsetting optical device receives light along a second optical axis which at a certain acute angle with respect to the first axis. A second optical offsetting device is positioned at the output side of the first device and is rotated about the second axis. The second offsetting device also receives light along a third optical axis, which is at the certain angle with respect to the second axis. The first, second and third axes intersect in front of the system in the narrow aperture through which the viewing takes place. By rotating each of the two optical offsetting devices, an entire area having a field of regard of twice the certain angle from the viewing aperture may be mapped.

Abstract: A winch suitable for construction in a pocket-sized version for lightweight winching operations has a rotatable spool assembly slidingly received between horizontal guide rails of a cage having oppositely disposed vertical sideplates joined by upper and lower dowels. A load-carrying strap is wrapped around a drum of the spool, with upper and lower strap ends respectively passing tangentially off the drum around opposite sides of the upper and lower dowels. An intermediate point of the strap wraps around a third dowel joining the spool flanges at an interval from the drum, so that as the spool is rotated the strap will be double-wrapped about the drum to shorten the distance between its ends. Compact construction is provided by an internal wave gear speed reduction mechanism that enables rotation of the spool drum at a speed less than rotation of a central drive shaft. The shaft has a square bore to be turned by passing a sprocket wrench driver through aligned bores of the cage sideplates.