Abstract: The invention is directed to an electrostatically supported ball type gyroscope pickoff system for determining the attitude (i.e., angular orientation) of the ball spin axis relative to the gyroscope case for any arbitrary attitude. The gyroscope case is provided with a set of electrostatic electrodes arrayed in three-dimensional space. A levitating electric field is maintained between the ball and the electrodes. The ball is so constructed as to be unbalanced about its spin axis. Under such conditions, as the ball spins, it orbits, and its surface alternately advances towards and recedes from any given electrode at the spin frequency, producing a field modulation signal. The phase pattern of the modulation signals at the several electrodes is a unique function of the attitude of the spin axis relative to the electrodes. Means are provided for processing the modulation signals so as to determine the attitude of the ball.

Abstract: The rotor balancing device disclosed herein comprises a cylindrical cup-shaped housing for mounting in a hollow rotor to be balanced having a central pivot on which two bushes are mounted. Two bob weights are connected by tension springs or other restraining devices to the two respective bushes to rotate about a pivot within the housing wall. The inner side of the housing wall and/or the weights have a coating of a contact or thermally activated adhesive. The restraining force of the tension springs is such that when the shaft in which the balancing device is mounted is rotated to a speed between natural frequencies of the vibration of the shaft and is nearer the lower frequency (i.e.

Abstract: A three speed transmission hub for a bicycle, which is adapted to allow a gear frame with planetary gears and a ring gear with inner teeth in mesh with the planetary gears to be axially movable with respect to a hub shaft and is provided between the gear frame and a drive member with a clutch means engageable only in high speed transmission so that the high speed transmission may be exactly carried out. Relay pawls are provided between the ring gear and the drive member through which the drive force can, in medium speed transmission, be conveyed from the drive member to the ring gear exclusive of the gear frame which is thereby relieved.

Abstract: A cam and follower construction in which a flat plate has a plurality of cam grooves intersecting each other and in which the cam followers are in the form of cylindrical pins or rollers, one in each cam groove. To insure that each follower stays in its own groove and does not accidentally pass into the wrong groove at the point where they intersect, the grooves are made of different widths and different depth, the widest groove having the shallowest depth and the narrower groove having a greater depth. Thus the follower of a wide cam groove cannot pass into an intersecting narrower groove because the groove is too narrow to receive the follower, and the follower of the narrower groove cannot pass into the wider groove at the intersection, because the narrower groove is deeper and the shallower wide groove cannot accommodate it.

Abstract: A detent positioning device comprising a housing with a shaft rotatably mounted therein, said housing having a longitudinally extending portion with at least one recess therein so sized to accommodate a roller, a circular spring member disposed on said longitudnally extending portion engaging said roller and applying a biasing force thereto, said roller in engagement with the outer surface of said shaft, at least one longitudinally extending detent on the outer surface of said shaft in the region of said recess to accommodate a portion of said roller; said shaft being positioned relative to said housing when said detent is in alignment with said recess and said roller is biased into said detent by said spring member.

Abstract: An electrostatic pickoff well suited for use in a two-axis electrostatically-captured rotor rate gyroscope is shown. Displacement currents, which flow between stator electrodes and the V-shaped annular electrically conductive rotor capturing the rotor, are processed so as to produce signals related to rotor position but independent of capture currents. When closed through a 5 degree-of-freedom positional servomechanism, rotor position signals are effective in producing rotor capture with net zero rotor current without producing rotor distorting forces.

Abstract: A ball cage retainer of the type including a pair of coextensive strips having annular pocket portions defined by truncated angular flanges to define ball retaining pockets for rotatably retaining balls between the strips with the strips spot welded together and a method and apparatus for assembling such a ball cage. The ball cage is utilized in a conduit of a motion transmitting remote control assembly for facilitating the movement of a motion transmitting core element within the conduit. The cage is assembled by indexing a pair of metal ribbon-like strips successively through a plurality of stations by two sets of fixed and movable clamping assemblies. The pocket portions, and alignment notches adjacent the pocket portions, are simultaneously formed in each of the strips at a first station as the strips pass through the first station in parallel relationship to one another. One of the strips passes through a second station and balls are placed in each of the pocket portions of that strip.

Abstract: A two-axis rate gyroscope of the captured type is provided having a cylindrical rotor with one or more inwardly projecting flanges. The rotor is disposed within a sealed toroidal cavity in a rotor housing and the interior of the cavity is evacuated to a "hard" vacuum. An electrostatic suspension system restrains the rotor from translatory movement along the gyroscope spin axis and two axes perpendicular thereto so that a virtually frictionless spin bearing is provided for the rotor. The suspension system functions to prevent relative angular rotation between the rotor and the rotor housing about two precession axes. The rotor housing is mounted on a flexure joint which prevents translatory movement of the housing along three orthogonal axes but permits rotational movement of the housing about the two precession axes.

Abstract: A mechanical linkage for moving an oxygen bottle disposed in a horizontal position at a first location on a fire engine to a vertical position at a second location. The linkage permits pivoting the oxygen bottle horizontally from the first location to the second and then pivoting the oxygen bottle vertically from the horizontal position to the vertical position.

Abstract: A torsional damper for reducing the vibrations produced when a shaft is driven by the intermittent application of a discontinuous force thereto, e.g. the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, comprising an integrally formed disk-like mass having three concentric zones, namely, an inner central zone, an outer annular zone, and an intermediate spring zone therebetween. The spring zone includes narrow, elongated, spirally-arranged, overlapping slots extending axially through the disk and radially between the inner and outer zones to provide spirally-arranged overlapping web portions which act as torsional springs or shock absorbers due to an inherent resiliency. The spirally slotted damper is formed as an integral unit by casting it from a metal such as cast iron with the spiraled slots having a predetermined size and shape to provide the desired damping effect.

Abstract: A vibration damper for inhibiting harmonic vibrations in a brake rotor during resurfacing operations is made by forming an elastic tube or band into a closed loop with tubular iron weights strung thereon before the loop is joined. The elastic tube is first stretched lengthwise to make its lateral dimensions small enough to thread through the tubular weights, and the tube is then relaxed and its ends are interconnected. The elasticity of the thus formed damper holds the tubular iron weights in preselected position on the tube and also allows it to be stretched over the edge of brake rotors which vary considerably in size. The resilient tube of the damper resiliently engages the outer periphery of the rotor to retain the weights in place on the periphery of the rotor as the weights damp the vibrations which occur while the spinning rotor is having its radial braking surfaces machined.

Abstract: A vehicle clutch control assembly for use with a hydraulic transmission having a fluid valve. A brake pedal and linkage are connectable with the valve for positioning the clutch in the engaged and disengaged positions. A clutch valve lock-out assembly is also connected with the brake pedal to prevent actuation of the clutch valve when the lock-out assembly is selectively operated, and thus the clutch cannot go through the neutral position when the brake is actuated in the normal manner.

Abstract: A forward and reverse mechanism having a single direction foot pedal and having a control member extending to a device to be controlled by the movement of the foot pedal. Forward and neutral and reverse mode mechanism interconnects the foot pedal and the control member, and a shift member sets the mechanism in the desired one of the three modes. With the mechanism set in any one of the three modes, simply depressing the foot pedal will create the forward or the reverse or will establish the neutral condition for the entire assembly.

Abstract: A straight dental handpiece comprising a pair of telescoping housing barrels which can normally swivel relative to each other, one containing a chuck and the other containing a vane type air motor. A change speed transmission is entrained between the motor and the chuck, such transmission being adjustable to change speeds by relative endwise movement of the barrels. Opening and closing of the chuck is accomplished by relative rotation of the barrels while holding down a stop button. A reversing valve, also on the handpiece, is movable into either of two positions relative to one of the barrels to supply air under pressure to either of two passages to drive the motor in one direction or the other.

Abstract: A plurality of nested rims are mounted on spokes of a flywheel hub member in a manner causing the rim assembly to have a noncircular configuration while the flywheel is at rest. Expansion of the rim assembly and the hub member during high speed flywheel operation causes the rim assembly to assume a substantially circular configuration with each rim frictionally engaging its adjacent rims while the inner rim is frictionally engaged by the spokes.