Abstract: A drive sprocket assembly for driving an endless chain assembly for propelling a machine has a hub portion and flexible cantilever teeth in which each tooth is separately deflectable upon impact by a bushing of the endless chain assembly. The flexibility of each tooth will absorb a portion of the kinetic energy of the impact to reduce noise in the structure. The drive sprocket assembly includes a plurality of segments each having the cantilever teeth. Each segment has a first end portion and a second end portion having an end relief which prevents wear between the segment and the hub as the end portion is deflected by the impact.

Abstract: An improved pneumatic tensioner apparatus is disclosed, the apparatus including: a main drive belt; a chuck assembly, suspended from said main drive belt, having a spinning member and a drive contact portion; a first frictional drive belt in a first track in contact with said drive contact portion operative to spin said chuck assembly; a first tension adjusting device operative to apply pressure to said first frictional drive belt tangentially to said drive contact portion; a second frictional drive belt disposed in at least one idler roller on an opposite side of said chuck assembly to said first frictional drive belt, said second frictional drive belt in contact with said drive contact portion; and a second tension adjusting device operative to apply pressure to said second frictional drive belt tangentially to said drive contact portion.

Abstract: A transmission for a bicycle pedal has a fixed axle with an end operatively connected to a wheel of the bicycle and a guide axle connected to the fixed axle to form a crank. A bicycle pedal is rotatably mounted on a slider which is movably mounted on a guide portion of the guide rod for translation therealong. The ration of gyration of the pedal can be varied by sliding the pedal along the guide axle and/or telescoping the guide axle relative to the fixed axle. The slider and mounted pedal can be rotated toward the bicycle frame for compact storage.

Abstract: A belt type infinite variable-speed drive using a ball-screw mechanism is compact and noise-free. A nut of the ball-screw mechanism is fixed to a casing and a threaded shaft is rotatably coupled to a movable pulley member through a ball bearing so that ball circulating portions on the nut will not rotate while the movable pulley member is movable axially. Also, the ball circulating portions, which are low in load bearing capacity, are oriented in such a direction that a load hardly acts on the ball-screw mechanism. This makes it possible to compactly and rationally design a belt type infinite variable-speed drive and to suppress noise due to vibration of balls in the ball circulating portions.

Abstract: A synthetic resin guide for a chain, or other flexible transmission medium comprises a synthetic resin guide body having a shoe on which the transmission medium slides, and a slotted, plate-receiving portion integrally molded on the back side of the shoe for receiving a reinforcing plate. The plate-receiving portion is composed of a pair of opposed, longitudinally extending, slot-defining walls. A convex pressing member, integrally molded with one of the walls protrudes into the slot through a partially cut-away portion of the wall and exerts a resilient pressing force on the reinforcing plate. The guide suppresses shock noises due to wobbling of the guide during operation. Increased molding tolerances are made possible, and higher productivity in the assembly of the guide is achieved.

Abstract: A vehicle steering column (10) comprises an axially extending input shaft (12) for connecting to a vehicle steering wheel. The input shaft (12) is rotatable about an axis (A) upon rotation of the steering wheel. The vehicle steering column (10) also comprises a housing (16) at least partially enclosing the input shaft (12). A bearing (92) is interposed between the housing (16) and the input shaft (12) and supports the input shaft (12) for rotation about the axis (A). The housing (16) has at least one series of axially spaced, annular ribs (52) that at least partially extend around the bearing (92). Axially adjacent annular ribs (52) are separated by an annular groove (58). A gasket (100) is interposed between the bearing (92) and the ribs (52). The gasket (100) encircles the bearing (92). The ribs (52) resist axial movement of the gasket (100).

Abstract: An arrangement for permitting retraction of a vehicle foot pedal, operable on a conventional push rod (14) of a brake booster or a clutch, in a frontal crash of sufficient magnitude, comprises a rotary member (1) attached to, and mounted on a blade (13) of the foot pedal for free rotation about the pivot, and adapted to be coupled to the push rod (12) . The rotary member (1) has a decoupling feature (3-8) that is not activated during normal operation of the foot pedal, and displacement means (10, 11) is provided to cause partial rotation of the rotary member (1) upon a frontal impact of sufficient magnitude, to stress the decoupling feature (3-8) until a threshold value is reached whereupon the decoupling feature (3-8) is activated, thereby disconnecting the push rod (14) from rotary member (1) and hence from the blade (13) of a foot pedal, to permit free pedal movement.

Abstract: An pneumatic tensioner apparatus is disclosed, the apparatus including: a main drive belt; a chuck assembly, suspended from the main drive belt, having a spinning member and a drive contact portion; a first frictional drive belt in a first track, the first frictional drive belt in contact with the drive contact portion operative to spin the chuck assembly; and a first tension adjusting device having at least one pneumatic tension adjustment member operative to apply pressure to the first frictional drive belt tangentially to the drive contact portion.

Abstract: In a starter, a cylindrical tube is slidablly engaged with an outer peripheral surface of an output shaft through a bearing in an axial direction. A front end of the tube, which supports a pinion, is closed to define an enclosed space between the front end of the tube and an end of the output shaft. A ventilation groove is formed on an inner cylindrical surface of the tube to communicate the enclosed space with a space defined rearward of the bearing. The ventilation groove has a helical shape twisted about an axis of the tube. When the bearing is press-fitted in the tube, a direction of press-fitting the tube and a direction along the ventilation groove do not coincide, but cross each other.

Abstract: An improved tooth profile for a roller chain sprocket enables noise reduction from impact and polygonal action during the meshing process. The profile of the engaging flank consists of three portions which are the seating, impact and distal portions all three of which are arcs with well-defined radii and arc centers. The profile of the disengaging flank is determined in accordance to a modified form of the JIS standard in which the sprocket pitch is smaller than the roller chain pitch. The impact point is located at the tangent point, thus permitting a gradual change of the roller velocity, thereby lessening the impact level and the effects of polygonal action.

Abstract: A seal (21) is constituted by an outer lip portion (22) to be held in abutting engagement with an outer link portion (9) of a crawler belt (7), an inner lip portion (23) to be held in abutting engagement with a bush (11), and an interconnecting bridge portion (24) bridged and connected between the outer and inner lip portions (22, 23). The outer lip portion (22) on the side of track link, the inner lip portion (23) on the side of bush, and outer bridge portion (24A) and inner bridge portion (24B) of the interconnecting bridge portion (24) are formed in thicknesses (T1, T2, T1? and T2?), respectively, which are in the relations of (T2?T2?>T1?T1?). A maximum outside diameter portion (24C) of the interconnecting bridge portion (24) is located radially outward of a median point between inner and outer peripheral ends of the lip portion (23) on the side of bush. The inner lip portion (23) as a whole is uniformly pressed against an end face (11A) of the bush (11) by the interconnecting bridge portion (24).

Abstract: A variable speed drive assembly with a double pulley, and a transmission input pulley. A first belt extending between a power source and a double pulley and a second belt extending between the double pulley and the transmission input pulley. A linkage assembly operating to move the double speed pulley toward the transmission input pulley to increase the vehicle speed. The drive assembly capable of disengaging or placed in a neutral condition when power to the vehicle is removed.

Abstract: A robotic portion 1 has X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis modules 2, 3, 4 and can move in three axial directions. This robotic portion 1 is mounted in such a manner as to move on a second base 10 in the X-axis direction. Furthermore, the second base is mounted in such a manner as to move on a first base 12 in the Y-axis direction. Then, the robotic portion 1 can be moved on either the first or second base 12, 10 on pins 7, 8 provided on the Z-axis module 4 which act as fulcrums by moving the robotic portion 1 in the Y-axis direction or the X-axis direction with the pins 7, 8 being inserted into hole portions 14, 11 formed in the first or second base 12, 10.

Abstract: A receiving device for pedals of a motor vehicle is provided. The mounting plate has bearings for a brake pedal, a clutch pedal and an accelerator pedal. The clutch pedal can be demounted or installed in a simple manner as a function of the use of a manual or an automatic transmission.

Abstract: A handlebar mounting apparatus and method for mounting a handlebar onto a vehicle. The handlebar is mounted to the vehicle such that the handlebar is selectively rotatable about a first axis to allow for adjustment of the axial orientation of the handlebar relative to the vehicle. Additionally, the mounts are connected to the vehicle for selective, eccentric rotation of the mounts about a second axis to allow for selective height and position adjustment of the handlebar in relation to the vehicle. One embodiment provides an apparatus for mounting a handlebar to a vehicle including two or more mounts. The use of multiple mounts or mounting assemblies in such embodiments allows the mounts to be separated or spaced from one another, and allows for universal fit of the handlebar mounting apparatus on a broad variety of vehicles and applications.

Abstract: A variable ratio brake pedal assembly includes a support bracket having a mounting face and two spaced apart side arms extending from opposing edges of the mounting face. The brake pedal assembly also includes a pedal arm pivotally mounted to the support bracket at a first pivot point, and having a pedal pad mounted to a lower end of the pedal arm. The brake pedal assembly also includes a pedal link having a first end and a second end, such that the first end is pivotally connected to the pedal arm at a third pivot point, and a brake booster link having a first end and a second end, and the first end of the brake booster link is pivotally mounted to the second end of the pedal link at a fourth pivot point and the second end of said brake booster link is pivotally mounted to the support bracket at a second pivot point.

Abstract: A device for mounting a pedal lever (1) of a motor vehicle, which is accommodated in a housing (3) pivotably around at least one severable bearing element (2). A separating wedge (5), is supported on one side against a motor vehicle component (7). The separating wedge (5) is arranged facing the bearing element (2) with at least one cutting edge (4) provided at the separating wedge (5). As such the bearing element (2) is shorn off by the separating wedge (5) as a consequence of the action of an external force, which may be caused, e.g., by an accident, due to a relative movement between the separating wedge (5) and the bearing element (2).

Abstract: In a tensioner for a timing belt or chain in an engine, a plunger, which is spring-biased in a protruding direction, is temporarily held in a retracted condition by a pivoted U-shaped or L-shaped wire spring. The spring has a locking portion engageable with a pin or groove on the plunger, and two arms having ends remote from the locking portion. The ends are pivoted to the housing on laterally displaced pivot axes. The lateral displacement of the pivot axes causes the wire spring to be under stress when its locking portion is engaged with the plunger, and the stress urges the locking portion toward a disengaged position. Thus, the plunger is held in its retracted condition during assembly by the locking portion of the wire spring, but is automatically released by disengagement of the locking portion from the plunger when the plunger is moved farther in the retracting direction.

Abstract: A pedal release structure for a parking brake is disclosed. The structure preferably includes a locking lever rotatably mounted on an assembly bracket, a resilient unit for resiliently supporting the locking lever in order to rotate the locking lever in an opposite direction from the return direction of the parking brake pedal, a rotation scope limiting unit for limiting the rotation scope of the locking lever, a locking unit for allowing a release lever to lock the locking lever according as the release cable is pulled, and a releasing unit for allowing the release lever locked by the locking lever to be released. With this structure the release lever is enabled to continue acting on a torsion spring until the parking brake pedal is completely released even when the return speed of the parking brake pedal is slowed due to cold temperature.

Abstract: A chain drive for pivot chains (7) or round link chains (8) having spur gears (2) and a polygonal chain wheel (10) reduces variations in velocity and acceleration transferred to the chains (7), (8). The driven gear wheel (3a) and the driving gear wheel (4a) consist of noncircular gear wheels having a set gear ratio adjustment so that the driving gear wheel (4a) is put in such a position to the driven gear wheel (3a) so that the slowest angular velocity coincides with the corners (29a) of the polygon of the chain wheel (10) and the fastest angular velocity occurs at the middle of the polygon straight lines (29b) of the chain wheel.