Abstract: A carriage adapted for carrying a laboratory instrument such as a pipette, electrode, or syringe is driven by a drive shaft in the form of a lead screw. The lead screw is selectively driven by a high speed drive wheel or by a low speed drive wheel. The drive wheels are coaxially mounted around the drive shaft and concentrically and coaxially arranged with respect to one another. The drive shaft and the two drive wheels all rotate in unison in the same rotary direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for effecting actuation of a device. The device has a home position and a set position and the apparatus returns the device to the home position upon loss of power to the apparatus. In its preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a drive motor for providing a driving force to a drive shaft, and a bias member having a cocking mechanism and a release mechanism. The bias member provides a bias force to a bias shaft when the cocking mechanism is cocked and the release mechanism is released; the release mechanism is released when power is lost to the actuator. The preferred embodiment of the apparatus further includes a drive member which delivers an actuating force to an actuating shaft in response to forces received on an input shaft. Still further, the apparatus preferably includes a transmission mechanism coupled with the drive shaft, with the bias shaft, and with the input shaft.

Abstract: An overload protector is provided which is secured to a robot arm and a tool to protect the tool form being overloaded or forced into an abnormal position. A rocker assembly is located within the cavity in the protector and the cavity is pressurized in order to force a wall of the rocker assembly into a sealing relationship with a wall of the cavity. The rocker assembly has a peripheral wall in which a number of semi-conical detents are formed in the wall of the cavity. The detents are accommodated in the recesses when the rocker assembly is in a sealing relationship with the cavity wall. When the tool is overloaded or forced into an abnormal position the rocker assembly rocks in the cavity with resulting leakage of fluid from the cavity and a drop of pressure. A pressure switch detects that drop and signals the robot to stop.

Abstract: A linear ball screw actuator assembly and a method of constructing it. The actuator assembly has a housing for a ball screw and ball nut which together define a raceway between them for a recirculating ball bearing train of balls, one of the screw and nut being reciprocable along a z axis responsive to rotation of the other and being adapted to be coupled to a member to be actuated. The housing has gearing for transmitting rotation to the other of the ball and screw nut in a direction lateral to the z axis. A base for the housing is spaced from the housing and has a base journal journaling the first pin extending along a first pin axis laterally perpendicular to the z axis. The housing has a housing journal journaling a second pin extending crosswisely perpendicular to the first pin. The second pin axis intersects the z axis and x axis. The pins are coupled in a manner to permit relative rotation of the base and housing about either pin axis, or both, to obviate misalignment problems.

Abstract: A lever arrangement for transmitting a driving force to a switch contact of a power switch has parallel bearing plates with limiting parts mounted on them to reduce the distance between the bearing plates locally to a distance suitable for guiding hinge-connected levers. Hinge pins of the levers are guided so they slide along the limiting parts. Threaded pins are riveted to one bearing plate at one end and are secured on the other bearing plate with a nut.

Abstract: A neutral biasing system is disclosed using a neutral biased biasing system on a control column to bias a remote power unit into a neutral condition.

Abstract: A bicycle shifter operating device for operating a shifting mechanism via a transmission element includes a control body for mounting to a bicycle in close proximity to a handlebar for controlling a pulling and releasing of the transmission element. A first lever is mounted to the control body for movement which causes the control body to effect pulling of the transmission element, and a second lever is mounted to the control body for movement which causes the control body to effect releasing of the transmission element. One lever may be pivotally coupled to the control body, and the other lever may be coupled for linear movement relative to the control body. The lever structured for linear movement may be coupled to a transmission mechanism for operating the control body in such a way that very little linear movement is needed to operate the control body.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a transmission for the distribution of power from a rotating shaft, which shaft is supported between a pair of housing segments, which housing segments are connectedly joined to one another, including a rotatable shaft having a power source at one end thereof, for rotation of the shaft; a first housing enclosing at least a portion of the rotatable shaft, the housing having a first end with a plurality of spaced apart longitudinally directed holes therein; a flange having at least one radially directed projection thereon, the projection having a cammed surface which sweeps across the holes on the first end of the first housing; a second housing having a first end with a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart longitudinally directed holes therein; a plurality of reciprocally moveable pins disposed within the holes in the first and the second housing; and a cam arranged within the second housing, so as to effectuate longitudinal movement of the pins within the second housing

Abstract: A yoke (30) supports a rack (14) in a steering gear housing (12). The yoke (30) comprises a rolled and folded metal sheet (62) having a cylindrical configuration defining a side wall (50) and an end wall (52) of the yoke (30). The side wall (50) has a cylindrical contour which is complementary to a cylindrical inner surface (54) of the housing (12). The end wall (52) has a semi-cylindrical contour which is complementary to a semi-cylindrical surface portion (58) of the rack (14).

Abstract: A screwdriving spindle assembly comprising a spindle shaft provided with a holding device and secured to a gear wheel rotated by a drive assembly which comprises a pressurized fluid actuating cylinder having a piston rod secured to a transmission system, and a member for adjusting pressure disposed on a line for feeding fluid to the cylinder in the screw-tightening direction.

Abstract: A substrate transport having a housing, a drive assembly connected to the housing, and a moveable arm assembly operably connected to the drive assembly. The drive assembly has a frame stationarily connected to the housing forming a cage with an open side. The drive assembly has a rotational drive and a vertical drive. The rotational drive is movably mounted to the frame inside the cage by a carriage. The vertical drive is mounted to the bottom of the frame and is attached to the rotational drive to move the rotational drive up and down on the frame. The rotational drive has two mirror image drive units.

Abstract: A variator for a continuously-variable-ratio transmission (CVT) of the half-toroidal traction roller type in which a ratio change results when a roller exercises a first freedom of movement by rotating about a first or precession axis. In addition, the roller mounting has a further freedom of movement about a second or tilt axis. The precession axis is inclined at an angle ("the castor angle") to a plane lying normal to the axis of the races and each equilibrium value of the ratio angle correlates with a unique angular orientation of the roller about the tilt axis.

Abstract: An industrial robot wrist unit comprising a wrist housing capable of being detachably mounted to the distal end of a robot arm, the housing having two fork arms supporting a pivotally mounted tilt housing which supports a rotatably mounted turntable on which an external implement can be mounted. The tilt housing is positively confined between the fork arms so that reactive forces stemming from the gearings in the housing are prevented from forcing the fork arms apart.

Abstract: A throttle control device mounted in a position to engage a hand grip on one end of the handlebar, the device including a tubular housing mounted on one end of the handlebar, a bearing sleeve rotatably mounted on the tubular housing, a cap rotatably mounted on the bearing sleeve, a ramp plate mounted on the housing, a number of rods connecting the ramp plate to the housing, and a number of balls mounted on the inside of the cap in alignment with the ramp plate whereby the bearing sleeve is moved into engagement with the hand grip on rotation of the cap.

Abstract: A continuously variable toroidal transmission includes an upper link swingably connected to roller support members, and a link post mounted to a casing and having an opening formed along an axis of a main shaft. Support pins are disposed between the upper link and the link post, each having one end mounted to the upper link and another end swingably inserted in the opening of the link post.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a steering column which is capable of moving four ways. The steering column has a base support affixed to a horizontal cab floor. The base support has a steering motor. The steering column has an input shaft with a upper telescoping shaft. Attached to the upper telescoping shaft is the steering wheel. Also attached to the upper telescoping shaft is the upper input shaft. The first universal joint connects the upper input shaft to the inner input shaft. Torque is transferred by a key on the exterior circumference of the inner input shaft to a key slot on the interior circumference of the outer input shaft. The outer input shaft is connected to the lower input shaft by the second universal joint. The lower input shaft is connected to the steering motor. Attached to the base support is the lower pivot assembly. The lower pivot assembly rotates about the base support by actuating a lower gas cylinder. The lower pivot assembly can translate by operating the lower locking knob.

Abstract: An arm mechanism includes a drive control mechanism that uses an end effector coordinate system and has an end effector drive control mechanism. The drive control mechanism includes an end effector rotational drive control mechanism and an end effector coordinate system translational drive control mechanism. The rotational drive control mechanism has three rotational actuators for driving end effector rotation about each axis separately. The end effector coordinate system translational drive control mechanism has an end effector coordinate system translational actuator to drive translational motion of the object. The drive control mechanism further includes an orientation maintenance mechanism that maintains the orientation of the target object on the absolute coordinate system and two absolute coordinate system translational actuators supported on the orientation maintenance mechanism for providing translational motion of the object along two orthogonal axes on the absolute coordinate system.

Abstract: A first and a second power roller supported by trunnions are gripped between an input disc and an output disc disposed on an identical rotation axis. The gyration angles of the power rollers are varied by driving the trunnions in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis by an oil pressure actuator. The oil pressure of the actuator is controlled based on a target gyration angle, and the gyration angle of the first power roller is fed back to the oil pressure control. Vibration of the first power roller due to external disturbance is prevented from affecting the second power roller via oil pressure control by making a force according to a displacement of the first power roller in the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, act only on the trunnion supporting the first power roller.

Abstract: A multi-directional swinging mechanism is disclosed. Its includes a base board, a support, a rotary member, a driving member, a swinging lever, a middle board, a retaining board and an adjuster. When the driving member drives the rotary member to rotate, the middle board and the retaining board will swing forward, backward, upward and downward. At the same time, in cooperation with the adjuster, the retaining board will also swing left and right. Therefore, an article such as a toy or a decoration positioned on the retaining board can be swung in multiple directions.

Abstract: A shift knob structure having a press button 5 with an improved pressing operation. In order to prevent a looseness at the press button 5, a knob main body 1 of the shift knob structure is comprised of the press button 5 for use in operating a detent rod 7, and of a press button installing member 4 in which the press button 5 is movable toward or away from the detent rod 7. The press button 5 has a guide projection 5c at its circumferential part. The press button installing member 4 is formed with a guide groove 4g having a first width part 4g1 and a fourth width part 4g4 to which a guide projection 5c is engaged at the inner wall of the cylinder part 4d.