Abstract: A method and device are provided for simultaneously driving two driving wheels of a vehicle by means of a driving roller meshing with both wheels. This roller is formed of star-shaped flanges carrying bars which engage the sculptures of the tires, so as to push out the dirt collected on the tires. This dirt is easily evacuated between the arms of the roller flanges. The invention applies to the drive of any tandem set of wheels, including those of tracked vehicles and heavy vehicles.

Abstract: An improved sprocket configuration for use in a track-type vehicle drive. The tooth configuration and tooth pocket configuration accommodate packing of the pocket and permit limited displacement of the chain without excessive wear of the chain bushings. The pocket configuration is relatively deep so as to permit a preselected amount of packing in the pocket root to minimize the chain bushing displacement. The improved tooth configuration provides a rounded topping surface avoiding bushing wear as may occur with sharp corner tooth configurations of the prior art.

Abstract: A cone pulley transmission has a shaft, a first and a second pulley disc mounted on the shaft and axially displaceable thereon with respect to one another. An axial anti-friction bearing mounted on the shaft is in engagement with the first pulley disc and a bearing disc of radial orientation also mounted on the shaft. The shaft further carries an axially secured support disc adjacent that side of the bearing disc which is oriented away from the anti-friction bearing. The bearing disc is movable with respect to the support disc. Between the bearing disc and the support disc there is disposed a deformable intermediate layer which is enclosed on all sides and which is in engagement with the bearing disc and the support disc.

Abstract: A conveyor idler and idler terminal bearing apparatus has a one-piece molded, elongated, flexible polymer idler having a plurality of rollers formed thereon and having a tread formed on the surface thereof. Each end of the idler has an enlarged portion which is engaged by terminal supports surrounding the enlarged portion to rotatable hold the idler to its' mount. The terminal supports may have a steel pin or the like mounted thereto for mounting to the conveyor idler mount.

Abstract: A power transmission drive comprising driving and driven sprockets interconnected by a chain consisting of interlaced ranks of links having projecting toes to engage the tooth gaps of said sprockets and articulated by two-part pivots disposed transversely through aligned apertures in the links, the cross-section of each pivot part having generally the shape of a three-lobed convex hypotrochoid and the said apertures having generally the shape of a longitudinal section through a chicken egg.

Abstract: An assembly of chain sprockets and cranks for a bicycle, a plurality of which sprockets are formed of a punched metal plate and fixed at a predetermined interval to mounting arms. The arms are provided with a plurality of mounting seats formed inwardly stepwise from the utmost ends of the arms respectively so that each of the chain sprockets is fixed to each of the seats by means of a fixing means, whereby the assembly is inexpensive to manufacture by saving loss of materials, each sprocket can be changed independently, and the assembly is capable of preventing a driving chain from falling between the sprockets.

Abstract: A chainless drive mechanism for a bicycle using a rotatable drive shaft for transferring the pedal actuated driving force from the pedal crankshaft to the rear wheel including shift mechanisms to provide different drive ratios. A pair of discs, each formed with a plurality of concentric series of openings, are mounted on the pedal crankshaft and rear wheel, respectively. A pair of spaced sprocket gears is rotatably mounted on each end of the drive shaft and engaged with a respective series of disc openings. A pair of axially movable ratchet slip gears is fixed against rotation on each end of the drive shaft adjacent a similar ratchet surface formed on each of the sprocket gears. A pair of operator controlled individual shift brackets is movably mounted on the drive shaft, each being operatively engageable with a respective pair of ratchet slip gears.

Abstract: A clutch assembly for use with a V-belt drive which includes centrifugal weight means that tends to change the V-belt drive sheave setting to maintain a selected speed, and further includes a torsion spring and cam device operated to make the setting of the drive sheave partially responsive to the torque carried by the clutch.

Abstract: A speed control device includes a pair of rotatable plates having power transmission rollers positioned in a toroidal track formed between the plates by an annular groove in the opposed face of each plate. Each plate is received within a rotatable housing to which the associated plate is keyed so the plate and associated housing must rotate with each other but leaving the plate axially movable relative to its housing. One housing is driven by an engine so its plate is a driving plate which drives the other, driven plate by means of the rollers. This drives the driven plate housing which is a driving housing used to drive an auxilliary device. The rollers are pivotably mounted on an axially immovable support. Biasing means responsive to rotation speed displaces the plates which pivots the rollers thereby changing the radial location of contact between the rollers and the plates. This changes the ratio of angular velocity at which the driven plate is driven relative to the driving plate.

Abstract: A chain of the type that is used in a reciprocating chain drive. The majority of the chain is constructed of conventional links that mesh with and are driven by rotating sprockets. A specially constructed link is included in the chain to disengage from the sprockets if the reversal controls of the chain drive mechanism malfunction. The special disengaging link is provided with an inclined plate which cams against the sprocket teeth to divert the chain off to the side of the sprocket if the disengaging link reaches the sprocket due to a control malfunction.

Abstract: A sprocket having interchangable teeth, in which a chain is removably mounted circumferentially on the peripheral edge portion of a hub, with means to key the chain both longitudinally and laterally on the edge portion of the hub. Each link of the chain carries one or more teeth which project radially outward with respect to the hub.

Abstract: The drive ratio of a bicycle transmission is automatically varied through a radially contractible drive chain sprocket wheel assembly that is drivingly coupled to a pedal driven, drive ratio control disk. A force transmitting spring couples the control disk to the sprocket wheel assembly. A fluid-dash-pot device dampens angular oscillation of the control disk relative to the wheel assembly and reduces cyclic fluctuations in the drive ratio.

Abstract: In a variable diameter driving sprocket for a chain drive change speed device comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially movable toothed elements mounted on said driving sprocket over which the chain is threaded; a means to move the toothed elements radially which includes an adjusting gear or sprocket coaxial with said driving sprocket but free to rotate with respect to said driving sprocket, and differential means drivingly connecting said adjusting sprocket to said variable diameter driving sprocket.

Abstract: A frictionally gearing apparatus. This apparatus comprises two shafts accommodated in a cylindrical casing, extending in opposite directions or in a same direction reaching out of said casing, said shafts being employed for the input and the output either fixedly or in alternation. Said shafts each has a rotary object confronting each other within said casing, said rotary objects varying in diametrical length and each forming a friction surface at their confronting portions, further a plurality of frictionally-surfaced globular members of a same size diametrically measuring next to the bigger rotary object being provided between the afore-mentioned rotary objects so as to make rotational, frictional contacts simultaneously with said rotary objects thereby enabling the increase or decrease of the input rotation through its two-step transmission to the output via said rotary objects and said globular members.

Abstract: A poly-V-belt and pulley mechanism including a rib-and-groove tractive face belt for service as a transmission belt, conveyor belt or the like, and a pulley over which the belt is trained. The pulley has a spool with grooves and ribs to correspond to and mate with the rib-and-groove tractive surface of the belt and upwardly and outwardly diverging opposing side walls, each being curved convexly. This poly-V-belt and pulley mechanism provides for self-alignment of the ribs of the belt in the grooves of the pulley.

Abstract: The carriage for the friction driving disc of a friction disc planetary transmission is shiftable axially on a pivot shaft by a manually operated cam to change the contact path of a pair of driven friction wheels connected to input gears of a planetary unit to effect infinitely variable forward and reverse speeds and neutral. The pivot shaft is transverse to and spaced from the axis of the driving disc. The driving disc is driven by a belt which, when placed under driving tension urges the carriage to pivot about its pivot shaft in a direction urging the friction driving disc against the driven friction wheels. Additionally, the carriage is urged by a pair of springs in the same direction to insure proper frictional engagement of the driving disc with the driven wheels.

Abstract: A bead chain sprocket is formed from a predetermined length of arcuately pocketed flexible plastic cog-like strip wherein the strip is received and affixed within the smooth peripheral groove of a flanged pulley, thereby to provide a simple, reliable and versatile mode of fabrication of such sprockets.

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: The disclosure relates to an adjustable V belt pulley which is readily adjustable so as to vary the pitched diameter of the pulley at which a conventional V belt operates between outwardly diverging annular sheave faces of the adjustable pulley. The disclosure also relating to a novel means including a compressible bushing adapted to surround a shaft and lock the adjustable pulley of the invention on the shaft when the relatively adjustable sheave members are clamped together by bolts which extend therethrough generally axially parallel to the axis of shaft receiving openings in the hubs of the sheave members.

Abstract: A parallelogram-type derailleur is provided with a curved guide member or sheave which increases the moment arm of the cable acting on the parallelogram by diverting the direction of pull on the cable 90.degree. and thus results in a longer stroke and less pulling power. A longer stroke is employed advantageously on a hand lever that can be moved through a circular shift range of about 180.degree. so that the hand lever can be moved into various shift positions merely by feel.