Abstract: A continuously variable transmission is disclosed for use in rotationally or linearly powered machines and vehicles. The single axle transmission provides a simple manual shifting method for the user. An additional embodiment is disclosed which shifts automatically dependent upon the rotational speed of the wheel. Further, the practical commercialization of traction roller transmissions requires improvements in the reliability, ease of shifting, function and simplicity of the transmission. The disclosed transmission may be used in vehicles such as automobiles, motorcycles, and bicycles. The transmission may, for example, be driven by a power transfer mechanism such as a sprocket, gear, pulley or lever, optionally driving a one way clutch attached at one end of the main shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus for imparting substantially oscillatory motion to a subject. The apparatus has a support assembly for supporting the subject and an oscillatory mechanism for defining a path of motion of the support assembly, the path having a region of bilateral symmetry with respect to a reference point. An actuator assembly which may be coupled to the oscillatory mechanism enables the subject to control the oscillatory mechanism, as well as to brake and lock the motion of the mechanism. The apparatus may allow for the subject to recline on an articulated support assembly, in which case the equilibrium center of gravity of the support assembly is maintained substantially at the centerpoint of the path of motion regardless of the relative orientation of the articulated segments of the support assembly.

Abstract: Sealed telescoping tubes are electromagnetically and fluidly actuated to provide linear motion and withstand loading. One of the tubes may be connected to a pressure or vacuum source, and the other sealed to a fixture to provide variable volume load augmentation in addition to electromagnetic actuation. Alternatively, both tubes may be sealed to provide a pneumatic or hydraulic spring with electromagnetic actuation, and the sealed tubes may also be connected to a pressure or vacuum source for load augmentation. A bearing may be used in conjunction with the seal between the tubes to provide resistance to traversal loads. The electromagnetic actuation includes a helical arrangement of coils or permanent magnets to provide linear motion or resistance. The coils can be arranged to be connected to a conventional multi-phase motor drive.

Abstract: A continuously variable transmission. The transmission includes a plurality of power adjusters, such as spherical balls, frictionally interposed between a driving and a driven member. The driving and the driven member are each rotatably disposed over a main shaft. The spherical balls are configured to rotate about a modifiable axis and thereby provide a continuously variable shifting capability by adjusting the ratio between the angular velocity of the driving member in relation to the driven member. The system includes automatic and manual shifting gearing for adjusting the speed of the transmission. The system also includes a support a support member which is rotatably disposed over the main shaft and frictionally engaged to each of the spherical balls.

Abstract: A resolver (10) is excited with a high frequency signal from excitation circuit (16). Outputs of the resolver (10) are transmitted through receiver circuit (24) and input to a DSP signal processing circuit (18), which demodulates the sine and cosine outputs to provide samples of the sine and cosine of the rotor position. The sample values are converted to digital values, which are used to calculate a shaft angular position, which is then used for closed loop position and velocity control of a brushless PM motor (14).

Abstract: A brushless DC motor comprises a rotor (20) and a stator (22) having confronting surfaces. Permanent magnets (M) are provided at one of the confronting surfaces, the magnets being equally angularly spaced around an axis (A--A) of rotation of the rotor such that each magnet occupies part of a respective pole arc (PA) of a first circle (C1) centred on the axis (A--A), the pole arcs each subtending a common pole angle .alpha. to the axis. Teeth (Tm) are provided at the other of the confronting surfaces, the teeth being angularly spaced from one another around the axis (A--A) such that each tooth occupies part of a respective tooth arc (TA) of a second circle (C2) centred on the axis, the tooth arcs each subtending a common tooth angle .beta. to the axis. Windings (40) are wound around the teeth (Tm) whereby energisation of the windings with electrical currents at respective phases will produce a torque that will rotate the rotor (20). The tooth angle .beta. is substantially equal to the pole angle .alpha..

Abstract: A food cooking device comprising a housing, a food intake means mounted on a front wall of the housing, a reservoir in the housing for retaining a cooking liquid, support means disposed in the housing for supporting food, drive means in the housing for moving the support means, a food outlet means disposed in a wall of the housing, and power means for heating the cooking liquid, the drive means being adapted to position the support means to receive food from the food intake means, immerse the food in the cooking liquid, to remove the food from the cooking liquid, to hold the food for drainage, and to deliver the food to the food outlet means for removal from said device.

Abstract: A motion compensation and tension control system (MCATS) for a surface vessel overboarding, umbilical cable supported, submersible payload is provided with a housing containing a pair of spaced parallel guide rods attached to oppositely disposed housing end plates. Two identical carriages, slidably disposed on the pair of guide rods, each include two parallel slide tubes rigidly attached by a cross plate and by an axle, with a plurality of sheaves rotatably supported by each axle. Motion of each carriage as a rigid body along the guide rods is elastically restrained by, either extension or compression springs. The surface vessel umbilical cable is received through an opening in one of the end plates, reeved around the two sets of sheaves, and mechanically connected to the other end plate. Wave induced surface vessel motion is transmitted through the umbilical cable and absorbed, or compensated for, by the spring restrained carriage motion before it reaches the submersible payload.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for "flow microfilming", particularly using 16mm film, where the film starts being fed synchronously with the feeding of a document to be filmed, moves forward in synchronism with the document and stops after the microfilming of the document is over. According to the invention, the stopping of the film after the document has been microfilmed is done such that the length of the film utilized each time for a given document is equal to a whole multiple of a standard minimum length, whereby the film may be automatically indexed for viewing regardless of the actual length of any given document.