Abstract: A shift control system for a continuously variable traction roller transmission controls the feedback to a shift control valve so that a ratio b/a of a variation "b" mm of a feedback amount to the shift control valve for 1 mm of a displacement of a power roller to a variation "a" mm of the feedback amount to the shift control valve for 1 degree of an inclination of the power roller is in a range given by: 1.74R.sup.4/5 -3.90.ltoreq.b/a.ltoreq.3.09R.sup.5/9 +30.51.

Abstract: A cooling means for removing heat generated in a portion of a solid ball-and-screw shaft (27) provided for a screw mechanism accommodated in an industrial robot and engaged with a linear motion nut (28) accommodated in the linear motion mechanism. The cooling means permits a cooling medium, typically cooling air, to flow through a cooling medium passage (33) formed in an unthreaded end portion of the shaft (27) and having an end connected to a rotative drive motor (M), to flow through a radial hole (34) having one end connected to the cooling medium passage (33) and the other end opening into an annular space surrounding an external surface of the shaft formed with a screw thread (27a), and to flow through the annular space along the surface of the threaded portion of the shaft (27), to thereby remove heat generated at the threaded portion engaged with the linear motion nut (28).

Abstract: The engine balancing system preferably has two pivoting counterbalance weights connected to eccentric journals on the crankshaft via their respective link arms. The use of the two pivoting weights and the particular geometrical relationships between the balancing system components enable the balancing system to substantially mimic and oppose the non-sinusoidal piston forces. Several methods of balancing the non-sinusoidal piston forces are disclosed. In a first method, the centers of gravity of the respective counterbalance weights are moved at non-sinusoidal angular accelerations. These angular accelerations are greater when the piston is near its Top Dead Center position than when the piston is near its Bottom Dead Center position to yield higher balancing forces when the piston is near Top Dead Center.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pulling device for providing a smooth linear pulling movement. The device comprises a shaft (8) rotatable around its longitudinal axis, a pulling nut moving linearly on the shaft and driven by the rotational movement of the shaft and arranged to have the member to be pulled to be attached to, and a motor (9) providing the rotational movement of the shaft. The linear movement of the pulling nut is advantageously provided with the aid of pulling bearings set against the shaft (8) at a pitch angle. It is essential to the invention that the rotational movement of the motor (9) is transmitted to the shaft (8) through the intermediary of a flexible O-ring (25) between mutually nested parts (8, 22) associated with the motor and the shaft. The O-ring (25) forms between said parts (8, 22) a narrow contact surface closing a circular line, the purpose of which is to keep the rotational movement of the shaft as smooth as possible.

Abstract: A precision component mounting and positioning apparatus comprises a frame member and a stage member suspended in the frame member. The frame member is adapted to be mounted on a support surface, and the stage member is adapted to receive a precision component, typically a precision optical component such as an optical fiber or waveguide. The stage member can be positionally adjusted relative to the frame member in five degrees of freedom. Three axially oriented actuators are grounded in the frame member to provide for selectively rotating the stage member about two orthogonally disposed transverse axes relative to the frame member as well as for axially translating the stage member relative to the frame member. A pair of orthogonally opposed transverse actuators are grounded in the frame member and oriented to provide for transverse translation of the stage member relative to the frame member.

Abstract: A jumping mechanism includes a support frame and a swing arm pivoted to the support frame. A U-shaped leg has a pair of vertically extending parts which are mounted pivotally to the swing arm. The support frame is movable relative to the vertically extending parts in a vertical direction. A jumping control unit has a rotary cam plate which is mounted on the support frame and which rotates in a predetermined direction. The cam plate is disposed below and has a periphery which abuts with an outward projection of the swing arm. One end of a tension spring is hooked to an upper rear end of the swing arm, while the other end thereof is hooked to an upper front end of the support frame. Rotation of the cam plate initially causes the cam plate to urge the outward projection upward so as to cause the swing arm to pivot upwardly from a first position relative to the support frame.

Abstract: A Six-Degree-of-Freedom Parallel-Manipulator having three inextensible limbs for manipulating a platform is described in which the three inextensible limbs are attached via universal joints to the platform at non-collinear points. Each of the inextensible limbs is also attached via universal joints to a two-degree-of-freedom parallel driver such as a five-bar lineage, a pantograph, or a bidirectional linear stepper motor. The drivers move the lower ends of the limbs parallel to a fixed base and thereby provide manipulation of the platform. The actuators are mounted on the fixed base without using any power transmission devices such as gears or belts.

Abstract: Pivotal platform apparatus (10) includes a frame member (12), a platform member (14) being pivotally attached to the frame member and having a first rotational inertia, and a reaction member (20) being pivotally attached to the frame member and having a second rotational inertia. A pair of crossed taut elements (40a and 40b) provide means for transmitting reverse rotation pivotal movement between the platform member and the reaction member so that the inertia of the reaction member balances the reaction of the platform member to provide a reactionless scan mechanism. A pair of motors (26a and 26b), each having pole pieces (30a and 30b) attached to the reaction member, and each having motor coils (28a and 28b) attached to the frame member, provide means for rotationally positioning the reaction member.

Abstract: A starting motor with an intermediate gear wherein rotation of a rotating shaft of a DC motor is transmitted to a pinion in a one-way rotational direction by an overrunning clutch, and an intermediate gear supported rotatably and forward-and-backward slidably by an intermediate shaft retained by a front bracket through a bearing and in mesh with the pinion, meshes with a ring-gear of an internal combustion engine by a forward movement thereof thereby starting the internal combustion engine, characterized by that; a storage for a lubricant is provided at a middle portion of the intermediate gear in the axial direction, which is fixed to an inner diameter portion of the intermediate gear; and dust seals are provided in a bearing with metal back supported by the intermediate shaft and at both ends of the inner diameter portion of the intermediate gear.

Abstract: A steering column assembly for a vehicle incorporating a powered facility to adjust it in a vertical plane. A prime mover is pivotally connected to part of the steering column, the prime mover reciprocating an arm pivotably linked to one end of a bell crank lever, the other end being pivotably linked to the steering column part and an intermediate portion of the lever being able to pivot about a fixed part of the vehicle.

Abstract: A steering simulation device provides torsional resistance and a "center urn" function to a remote control steering mechanism experiencing bidirectional (clockwise or counterclockwise) rotational movement. A compact design is provided by utilizing a series of rotationally elastic couplings that permit (1) an adjustable turning resistance, (torsional resistance), (2) an adjustable, bidirectional rotary range (clockwise or counterclockwise), and (3) a self-centering capability.

Abstract: The drive hub for a vehicle, particularly a bicycle, comprises a hub axle 1, a hub sleeve 9 adapted to rotate in relation to the hub axle 1 and a driver 13 mounted to rotate on the hub axle 1. The driver 13 drives the hub sleeve 9 through a friction gear 17 of which the first toroidal disc 25 is rotationally rigidly connected to the hub axle 1, of which the second toroidal disc 27 is connected to the driver 13 via a ratchet free wheel coupling 23 and drives the friction wheel carrier 43 which is provided with a plurality of friction wheels 35 and which is, in force-locking manner, connected to the hub sleeve 9 via an expanding coupling 20. The infinitely adjustable transmission ratio of the friction gear 17 is controlled from within the hub axle 1 via a linkage 53 which, via a coupling ring 47, entrains the pivotally mounted lever 39c of the pivot frames of the friction wheels 35.

Abstract: An industrial robot is provided with a body, a horizontal arm pivotally supported on the body, and a vertical arm mounted on the tip end portion of the horizontal arm for rotation about its own center axis. The robot includes a drive motor for rotatively driving the vertical arm, speed reduction means for speed-reducing and transmitting the drive force of the drive motor through a first output pulley to a second output pulley, and first and second detected portions mounted on the first and second output pulleys, respectively, with respective predetermined ranges of extension and indicating the original point position of the vertical arm by the difference between the respective phases.

Abstract: A shift mechanism for a motor vehicle transmission, three transmission gears can be preselected by rotating on a shifting shaft. By the longitudinal displacement of the shifting shaft, the transmission gears can be shifted by shifting forks. For the locking of those transmission gears that are not to be shifted, a locking shaft is disposed in parallel with respect to the shifting shaft and can be rotated thereby. The locking parts fastened to the locking shaft prevent a longitudinal movement of those shifting forks which are assigned to the unshifted transmission gears.

Abstract: A family of conjugate gear tooth profiles is taught in which the relative curvature is a maximum near center and decreases toward tip and flank, where sliding is greatest. In one embodiment the radii of curvature of the individual profiles are least at the pitch point and increase toward tip and flank. The permissible tooth heights are limited only by top lands and bottom lands; and any tooth-numbers can be used without resorting to unequal addendums, although unequal addendums can be used if desired.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and a product produced by the method where in there is created a multi-metal composite object that takes on the configuration of a shaft which would include in combination an outer annular element having an outer cylindrical surface and an inner frusto conical annular metal element of a dissimilar metal. The inner frusto conical annular metal element of dissimilar metal includes an inner mating frusto conical surface bonded to a mating outer frusto conical surface of another metal element to thereby provide a multi-metal element composite shaftThe composite object in a preferred embodiment of the invention takes the form of a multi-metal element composite gear, web and shaft that includes a steel outer annular gear toothed element, an inner aluminum element and a titanium element that provides a gear web and shaft.

Abstract: In a vehicle park lock mechanism having a rotatable lock arm (5) for locking a gear (3) which is fixedly mounted on a transmission shaft (2), a pawl device integral with the lock arm is comprised of first and second locking pawls (6F, 6R) which are operable to engage the gear so as to prevent forward and backward directional rotations of the gear. The first and second pawls are arranged such that they may project into one and another toothe spaces (3b) of the gear which are spaced circumferentially of the gear with at least one tooth space therebetween. Gear having a relatively large pressure angle such as a transmission gear may satisfactorily be used as the gear for the lock mechanism.

Abstract: A thrust washer combination employing three thrust washers (28, 70 and 72) is provided for maintaining separation between and for transferring axial thrust to a mainshaft (2) that has been imparted to either one adjacent floating mainshaft gears (12, 18) of a change gear transmission (100) respectively by a clutch assembly (20) or (22) during the process of selectively clutchingly engaging one of gears (12, 18) to the mainshaft to effect the rotation thereof. Gears (12) and (18) have respective adjacent flanges (42) and (44) that extend towards mainshaft (48) with thrust washer (28) being contained in an annular groove (42) therebetween and keyed for rotation with mainshaft (2) and thrust washers (70) and (72) positioned on opposite sides of flanges (40, 42) and held thereagainst by retaining rings (74) and (76) respectively.

Abstract: A carrier has a rear wheel driving transmission which comprises a drive shaft extending longitudinally of the body of the carrier, and an output shaft disposed approximately horizontally away from an intermediate shaft below the drive shaft. This arrangement renders the transmission flat, thereby making it possible to position a power take-off device in a clearance between the transmission and a body frame. Consequently, the rear wheels of the carrier can be arranged at a rearward portion of the body, with the engine and load carrying platform of the carrier positioned at a low level, to give improved running stability to the carrier.

Abstract: A high-density installation type robot able to be installed side by side with another such robot, to work on an object at the same time is provided. A robot wrist assembly (30) is equipped with three rotary axes (.alpha. axis, .beta. axis, .gamma. axis), and a robot arm (26) having the robot wrist assembly (30) mounted on an end thereof is given a rotary axis (.theta. axis). Further, a bracket-shaped holder (24) holding the robot arm (26) is provided in such a manner that it can move vertically (V) and linearly (FR), whereby a large rectangular parallelepiped, three-dimensional operating area can be secured and a wasted operating area eliminated.