Abstract: A pedal for bicycle adapted to support a toe clip, having a shoe placing portion thereon, near the front treadle face of a pedal body. The pedal body is provided, on its top face, with a front treadle face and a rear treadle face. An engaging and disengaging means is provided on this toe clip to allow the shoe placing portion to enter and leave the front treadle face of the pedal body.

Abstract: A transmission gear selector valve for automotive vehicles combining a range valve, normally strapped on the side of a gear shift lever, and a splitter valve, normally mounted on the gear shift lever in place of the knob, into a single valve assembly, which provides a single valve assembly mountable on the gear shift lever in place of the knob.

Abstract: A rotary indexing table for use with a milling machine which has a reduced height and includes a base plate, a top plate, bearing means for mounting the top plate for rotation, means for clamping the top plate to prevent its rotation, a rotary union for transmitting hydraulic pressure to the top of the top plate to accommodate fixtures mounted on the top plate, an air chamber under the top plate so that the top plate rotates freely when air pressure is held in the chamber and indexing means to locate preselected positions of the top plate.

Abstract: The kinetic energy of an intermittently movable work member is converted, independently of its main drive motor, to potential energy during deceleration of the work member as it approaches each of its dwell positions. During the initial portion of the next index step, the stored potential energy is imparted to the work member, again independently of the drive motor, to assist in the work member's acceleration and to reduce the demands on the drive motor. Since the energy storage and transfer occurs independently of the drive motor, armature current and temperature increase in the drive motor is minimized for any given performance level.

Abstract: A safety belt buckle is provided with plural locking features that increase its holding strength and decrease fastening and release effort. The buckle has a housing containing means for receiving the tongue of a seat belt. A latching means is rotated into engagement with the tongue by a cam means associated therewith. The latching means cooperates with a locking means to hold it within the housing. The buckle is small, light, strong, reliable, easy to fasten and unfasten, comfortable to wear and inexpensive to produce.

Abstract: A magnetic lock wherein the movable portion is sandwiched between two stationary portions. The movable portion carries a plurality of transversely slidably movable magnets which serve as pin tumblers that fit into recesses or cavities in either stationary part to lock the movable member against movement. Fixed to one of the stationary parts are means for biasing the pin tumbler magnets toward the other stationary part whereby to hold the lock in unlocked condition. The key is placed adjacent the other stationary part and carries magnets poled to repel the pin tumbler magnets with an equal and opposite force to the biasing means to locate the pin tumblers wholly within the movable part so that the movable part may be moved. Preferably, at least two of the biasing means have different strengths for biasing the pin tumbler magnets.

Abstract: A motion transmitting remote control assembly of the type for transmitting motion in a curved path including a flexible motion transmitting core element, a conduit for supporting the core element and an end fitting disposed at the end of the conduit. A rod is attached to the end of the core element. The assembly also includes a swivel tube having a bore therethrough for swivelling movement relative to the end fitting and for movably supporting the rod. The swivel tube is connected to the end fitting in a swivel joint. The assembly is characterized by the swivel joint including a male swivel portion of the swivel tube and including a cup-shaped insert engaging the male swivel portion at least beyond the front face thereof. The end fitting encapsulates the end of the conduit and the insert and the remainder of the male swivel portion on the swivel tube. A method of making the motion transmitting remote control assembly is also disclosed.

Abstract: A drive unit is disclosed having interlocking members for directly connecting angularly disposed drive and driven shafts. The interlocking members comprise conventional pinion mate and side gear blanks supported in a standard differential housing driven by a drive shaft through a ring and pinion gear set. Pinion mate gear blanks are connected by the usual cross shaft to the differential housing. Side gear blanks cooperate with the pinion mate gear blanks and are connected to the driven shaft. Integral locking surfaces provided on the mating gear blanks cooperate to prevent the side gear blanks from rotating relative to the differential housing so that a direct drive power path is established between the drive and driven shafts.

Abstract: An improved sprocket wheel for substantially planar feeding of a strip of film in a photographic camera by applying a thrust to end edges of two parallel and spaced apart rows of perforations provided along the film strip includes two corresponding trains of film feeding teeth, each tooth having a curved film thrusting surface confronting the plane along which film is fed in the camera and comprising a base portion having a gentler slope with respect to the film feeding plane than an involute tooth profile and an upper portion having a steeper slope with respect to the film feeding plane than an involute tooth profile, and further having a ridge defined between the outer side surface and the film thrusting surface of each tooth to substantially conform to a rounded corner of each film performation and thereby facilitate smooth feeding of the film.

Abstract: A control cable having a foamed elastic layer provided between an inner cable and a conduit, in which by the existence of the foamed elastic layer, the control cable is especially free from a noise generated when operated.

Abstract: A self-adjusting cable control device for automatically compensating for wear in a control cable system. The device includes a termination member connected at one end of a control cable and a connecting member attached to an actuation member. The connecting member carries a clutch for locking with the termination member upon application of force to the actuation member. Spring means are provided to move the cable with respect to the actuation member when the clutch is disengaged from the termination member.

Abstract: An indexing apparatus operated by a unidirectionally rotating drive shaft. The drive shaft and a driven member are rotatingly supported by a base in a spaced apart manner. An interconnecting link extends between the drive shaft and the driven member and is pivotally pinned in an offset manner at a first end to the drive shaft. A second end of the interconnecting link is pivotally pinned in an offset manner to the driven member. When the drive shaft rotates it oscillates the driven member in opposite first and second directions through an arc. A releasable engaging device carried by the driven member releasably engages an index member rotatably carried by the base.

Abstract: A connecting rod of a radial piston motor comprising a spherical portion, a rod portion and a pad and a method of producing same, wherein the pad is formed separately from the spherical portion and the rod portion beforehand, and interfitting portions are formed in the rod portion and the pad. The rod portion and the pad are connected to each other through the interfitting portions to form therebetween a joint which is welded, to produce the desired connecting rod of a radial piston motor. The provision of the interfitting portions enables the rod portion and the pad to be positioned with a high degree of precision.

Abstract: A machine tool has a pallet transfer system comprising a rotary deck having a pair of pallets oppositely disposed about a vertical rotary transfer axis, wherein at the transfer position, the pallets are further movable along a horizontal linear transfer axis toward and away from the pallet transfer system. A vertical guard plate is affixed to the rotatable section or deck of the transfer system, and the plane of the guard plate passes through the rotary transfer axis at an oblique angle to the linear transfer axis. The rotatable guard plate interacts with an elastomeric seal at the interface of a guard opening in a stationary guard assembly on a machine tool to substantially confine coolant overspray and the like within the machine guard enclosure. By passing obliquely across the linear transfer axes of the pair of parallel pallets, substantially full access of a stationary pallet lying outside the machine guard enclosure may be had.

Abstract: An operating force transmitting apparatus adapted to be used for brake or clutch operation of a vehicle which is capable of reducing required operating force. The apparatus comprises a pair of brackets fixedly secured to a vehicle frame, a first shaft mounted on said pair of brackets, a first cylinder rotatably mounted on the first shaft, the first cylinder having an operating member and a lever fixedly secured thereto, a cam follower mounted for rotation on the lever, a second shaft mounted on the pair of the brackets, a second cylinder rotatably mounted on the second shaft, a cam link fixedly secured to the second cylinder, and a spring for urging the cam link to always contact with the cam follower.

Abstract: A remote control device is disclosed for use particularly in controlling the operation of a rear-view mirror mounted exteriorly of an automotive vehicle. The device includes a compression spring to pre-tension a plurality of flexible operating wires contained in sheaths and interconnecting the control device with the rear-view mirror, the spring is interposed between a cylindrical casing having a control element and a supporting joint member supporting the wires, the joint member being movable axially along a guide pin under the influence of the spring, while the control element is universally pivotable but is held stationary in the axial direction. The supporting joint member has three equidistantly spaced guide surfaces having portions for clamping the wire sheaths, said portions corresponding in position to respective apexes of an equilateral triangle defined about the axis of the guide pin.

Abstract: A reciprocating-piston drive mechanism comprises a reciprocating-piston assembly defining a spherical socket and including a piston body. A connecting rod is arranged for pivoting movement in a plane and has a ball head fitted in the spherical socket. A coupling between the ball head and the piston assembly is arranged to transform the pivoting movement of the connecting rod and ball head into a reciprocating rotation of the piston body about its axis. The coupling includes a first coupling member attached to, and non-rotatable relative to, the piston body, and a second coupling member attached to, and carried by, the ball head, the second coupling member engaging the first coupling member.

Abstract: A torsional oscillation damper for a combustion-engine crankshaft has a relatively light annular disk and a rigid abutment disk which are both centered on and rotatable about an axis. These two disks are spaced axially from each other but are fixed axially and rotationally together. A relatively heavy annular disk also centered on and rotatable about this axis independently of the light and abutment disks lies between these light and abutment disks. An annular soft elastomeric ring is engaged between the light and heavy disks and a ring of friction material is engaged axially with at least one spring between the heavy and the abutment disks. Thus oscillations are damped not only in the elastomeric ring but also by generation of friction between the ring of friction material and either the heavy or abutment disk that it engages.

Abstract: A unitary, wide rim of fiber composite material for use in conjunction with flywheels for inertial energy storage apparatus, the rim being fabricated to minimize radial stresses and equalize hoop stresses ordinarily produced at high speed rotation of the flywheel. Novel fabrication techniques include varying the density of the rim as a function of radius by means of ballasting; and using a combination of layers of fibers having different modulus of elasticity. By utilizing the aforesaid novel fabrication techniques, a preferred embodiment of a unitary, thick flywheel rim achieves radial stress reduction to trivial levels and hoop stress equalization sufficient to permit extremely efficient energy storage as a function of flywheel weight.

Abstract: A light, miniaturized power transmission device of the type wherein the power from a drive shaft is transmitted to a driven shaft via a planetary gear mechanism. The planetary gear mechanism has a ring gear, a sun gear disposed concentrically on the radially inner side of the ring gear, and planetary gears disposed between and engaged with the sun gear and the ring gear. At least the meshing portions of the planetary gears, ring gear and sun gear are resiliently held from opposite side surfaces thereof by a pair of side plates attached to said planetary gear mechanism. The side plates permit free orbital movements of the planetary gears and suppresses the relative axial movements of the ring gear, planetary gears and sun gear. A centrifugally operated friction clutch is disposed between the drive shaft and the planetary gear mechanism so as to control the transmission of power from the drive shaft to the planetary gear mechanism.