Abstract: An elastomeric or plastomeric power transmission belt is reinforced with longitudinally extending wires or threads which are flexible and substantially inextensible. Longitudinally uniformly spaced rigid members which are embedded cross-wise in the belt with one surface adjacent to the longitudinally extending reinforcing members support the wires or threads during vulcanization or curing of the elastomer or plastomer and resist transversal deformation of the belt during use.

Abstract: A shaft centering device for assisting in the coaxial alignment of a drive pinion in relation to a driven member with which the pinion is selectively engageable by intermeshing of respective gear teeth thereon is proposed which comprises a spring ring element having radial projections thereto supported in the driven member and which bears on the gear teeth of the pinion about the periphery of such pinion.

Abstract: A gear transmission including a casing containing lubrication oil therein, an input gear rotatably mounted in the casing, an output power shaft being supported at one end thereof in the input gear through an output pilot bearing and being rotatable with respect to the input gear, and a gear piece rigidly secured to and arranged concentrically with the input gear. A bearing lubrication mechanism consisting of a cavity formed in the gear piece and an oil aperture formed in the input gear.

Abstract: A positive drive system including a coined drive cable (26) having a plurality of regularly spaced nodules (29) rigidly attached along at least a portion of its length, and one or more positive drive sheaves (20, 22, 23, 24) configured to receive the cable and its nodules to provide a positive, nonslip drive engagement between the drive cable and the sheaves.

Abstract: A belt idler pulley support arm (32) is mounted on a support wall by a pivot structure (48) whose position is determined by three individually adjustable mounting members (71, 72, 73). The mounting members (71, 72, 73) for the pivot structure (48) are accessible for adjustment from the side of the pivot structure remote from the support wall (46) and adjustments may be made while the belt (36) is running thereby allowing a very accurate alignment of the idler pulley (31) with the belt (36).

Abstract: A flexible power transmission means comprising an assembly of a chain constructed of a plurality of sets of interleaved links joined to its next adjacent set by a pin, and load blocks surrounding the chain and located between the next adjacent pins. Additional load blocks may be located over the pins. The load blocks are generally contoured at their edges to fit into the V of a pulley. When the load blocks are close together, the front and rear surface of at least some of the load blocks are tapered to permit articulation of the assembly. The load is carried by the chain's pins; the blocks are located longitudinally by the pins.

Abstract: Where a single output gear is driven from a single input pinion through a pair of idler gears and equal torque division between the two idlers is accomplished by floating the input pinion between the two idlers in a yoke that is hinged to the gear housing by spaced hinge pins. One hinge pin is located on the resultant load line from the points where the pinion meshes with the idlers and the other pin has a small clearance to allow the yoke to pivot about the first or loaded pin. Lubrication by oil under pressure for both pins assures a damping action at the loose pin.

Abstract: A synchronous belt is provided which has a plurality of angled ridges in the backing layer thereof. These ridges are oriented in a direction opposite the direction of the spirally wound tensile cord and the magnitude of the ridge angle is at least equal to the magnitude of the cord spiral angle. Also provided is a process for making this belt.

Abstract: Bearing apparatus for gear type power transmission systems comprising a gear casing containing a lubricating oil, gearing for power transmission retained in the casing and a bearing carried in the casing for rotatably supporting the gear shaft employs a seal for the bearing containing a lubricant so that the bearing is lubricated separately and independently of the oil in the casing.

Abstract: A gear is disclosed with a heavy loading capacity which has teeth roots between adjacent gear teeth and contact area patterns on the face of each gear tooth. Each tooth root includes a concave fillet running substantially in a direction of the rolling element generator line of the gear. The top of each tooth is substantially equidistant and a mirror image of the tooth root fillet.

Abstract: The invention provides a lightweight, economical rack steering mechanism comprising a booster pressure cylinder having a piston mounted on a toothed rack engaged by a pinion carried by an end closure element secured to the cylinder which has an end closure element at its opposite end. The rack extends in each direction out of the closure ends which effect housings for respective cylinder ends. The rack ends have connection to steering linkage means. The particularly novel feature is the use of lightweight metal, e.g., aluminum tubing, for the pressure cylinder. The mode of securing is by means of a corrugation adjacent each end of the cylinder which effects means in conjunction with locking or securing nuts and clamping or locking rings for fastening the housing ends to the cylinder. The aluminum tubing is protected against abrasive and twisting effect of nut tightening by arranging the securing nuts to abut the clamping rings which abut respective tubing corrugations nonrotatively.

Abstract: A speed-changing device for a bicycle, having a pantograph mechanism which comprises four members, a supporting member, two linkage members, and movable member, is pivoted through a horizontal spindle swingably to a bracket fixed to a fork end of the bicycle. A wire holder for securing one end of a control wire is provided at one of the two linkage members and movable member, and a wire guide for guiding the control wire is disposed at a position outward with respect to the common axis of a multi-stage sprocket and beyond a phantom straight line connecting the axes of the wire holder and horizontal spindle.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved front derailleur for a bicycle, of that type which comprises a fixing member, two linkage members and a movable member having a chain guide the derailleur being operated by a control wire to move the movable member for changing the bicycle speed. The fixing member is provided with an extension which extends therefrom downwardly of the bicycle frame and has a lowermost end positioned in the vicinity of a bottom bracket at the bicycle, the extension having at the lower end portion thereof a wire guide for guiding the control wire.

Abstract: A chain change gear for shifting a driving chain to engage a selected one of a set of chain wheels associated with a driven wheel such as the rear wheel of a bicycle includes an articulated lever, a guide piece and first and second joint blocks for transferring movement from the articulated lever to the guide piece. The first joint block is arranged to be fixed to the vehicle frame and the second joint block is arranged to be connected to a chain guiding and tensioning mechanism for moving the mechanism to shift the chain into engagement with the selected one of the chain wheels when the articulated lever is actuated. The guide piece has two first stub axles extending parallel to each other from opposite ends of the guide piece, and the articulated lever has two second stub axles which extend parallel to each other from opposite ends of the articulated lever.

Abstract: In a gear train where there is backlash, the backlash is prevented by a gear drive which includes an anti-backlash driven pinion which is mounted on, or is otherwise connected to, a torsion spring shaft that is adjustable for twisting, and thereby, loading the anti-backlash driven gear.

Abstract: A driving belt formed from detachable, flexible, elongate links arranged in a staggered, overlapping relationship. Each link is provided with a stud which is rotatable relative to the link and has a head which is shaped to pass through perforations in other links when the head is orientated correctly relative to the perforations but not otherwise. The arrangement allows simple assembly and disassembly of the belt without any lateral distortion of the material of the links.

Abstract: A valve timing device for an internal combustion engine includes a hub with an internal helical groove which engages a tracking post extending from a cylindrical surface of a crankshaft. A locking cap is placed at the outer end of the crankshaft spaced apart from the hub with a compression spring wrapped about the crankshaft between the hub and the locking cap. A sprocket is keyed onto the hub and trained about a chain which is drivingly trained about a conventional camshaft. As the crankshaft speed is increased, inertial loads of the camshaft causes the sprocket and hub to rotate relative to the crankshaft which axially moves the hub a predetermined amount along the crankshaft to compress the spring until the resilient forces of the spring counterbalances the inertia forces of the camshaft.As the hub is angularly positioned, the camshaft becomes angularly retarded relative to the crankshaft such that the valve operation is delayed with respect to the piston operation as the engine speed increases.

Abstract: An enclosure means for a cylinder end of a rack steering mechanism is provided comprising a bearing within the cylinder end for slidably supporting a rack and which is secured to the cylinder by nesting corrugations of the cylinder and the bearing coacting to lock the cylinder and bearing together. A sleeve of synthetic material surrounds the cylinder end and has an inwardly directed radial corrugation nesting within the corrugation of the cylinder locking it to the cylinder. The sleeve is provided with a ported through passage for equalizing air to be transferred between respective bellows at the ends of the rack which protect ball joints connecting the rack to a steering mechanism.

Abstract: A wheel hub with a freewheel which has a hub shaft passing through a hub proper adapted to rotate smoothly on steel balls and a gear ring equipped with a sprocket wheel fitted in said hub proper by a ratchet mechanism. The steel balls are held adjustably by both a shoulder of the hub proper and a screw cap, and a lock nut is screwed on the hub proper at the outside of the screw cap so as to prevent loosening of the screw cap.

Abstract: A tensioning apparatus for an endless power transmission device is provided and utilizes the elastic properties of an elastomeric material to provide the tensioning action and such apparatus is supported adjacent the endless power transmission device to be tensioned and has components thereof operatively associated with the elastomeric material and with the device.