Abstract: A relatively simple gear-forming process is disclosed, which enables the production of a set of gears that is especially useful for a particular type of gear pump, and which also produces a set of gears which operates with a high degree of rolling contact. The gears are produced by first forming an initial cutter gear having teeth with cylindrical tips supported by narrow supports, and using this initial cutter on a gear shaper to cut a first gear having bullet-shaped teeth. The first gear can then be used as the cutter on a gear shaper to cut other gears with bullet-shaped teeth or to cut gears with pole-shaped teeth. In a gear pump wherein fluid is forced through an axial passage opening into the space between teeth of the sun gear, the sun gear is formed with pole-shaped teeth while the planetary gear is formed with bullet-shaped teeth.

Abstract: A multistage gear crank for a bicycle, comprising at least two chain gears and a crank body, which chain gears together with a mounting plate for mounting the two gears to the crank body are formed by punching only one metallic sheet.

Abstract: Delay means is provided for, when a parameter representative of a function of the output torque of an engine is abruptly varied and fails to represent the function, delaying the transmission of variation in the parameter to regulator means, for regulating a control pressure for a hydraulically operated clutch in accordance with the parameter, to cause the regulator means to regulate the control pressure to vary at a rate lower than that of variation of the parameter.

Abstract: A wire guard for protecting the final drive shaft on a crawler tractor to prevent the accumulation of wire strands on the final drive shaft between the drive sprocket and the shaft housing or case. The guard comprises overlapping and interlocking sleeve segments on the shaft housing and on the drive sprocket, respectively.

Abstract: A bogie wheel which has a wheel body composed of laterally spaced radial flanges. The flanges are mounted on a shaft by sealed bearings. A rim extends about the periphery of the flanges. A tire is molded or adhered to the rim.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing shock loads to an operator of a vehicle during turning movement is disclosed herein. The method consists of increasing the mass of an actuator connected to a control element which controls flow of hydraulic fluid to a fluid motor that produces turning movement for the vehicle. The increased mass is spaced from the fixed rotational axis for the actuator which results in an increased moment of inertia for the actuator that resists acceleration and deceleration of the actuator thereby resisting rapid changes in turning movements for the vehicle.

Abstract: A programming cam indexing mechanism in which a rotatable programming cam, provided with a peripheral traction surface and a concentric inwardly facing track having one or more notches therein to define indexed programming positions, is rotatably driven by a capstan coupled with a drive shaft, the capstan being supported by a latch member pivotal on the drive shaft axis. The latch member is integrally formed to define a follower bracket and tab engageable with the inwardly facing track surface on the programming cam to hold the capstan in engagement with the peripheral traction surface thereof but to allow the capstan to swing away from driving engagement with the traction surface when the follower bracket tab drops into the positioning notches. A spring biasing means is provided by which the follower bracket tab is moved into the notches to latch the programming cam in any one of the indexed positions. Movement out of the notches is effected by solenoid activation.

Abstract: A driving chain for a bicycle, which serves to transmit the driving force by pedalling from front chain sprockets to rear chain sprockets, in which each of the outer link plates is partially expanded to the extent that each pin connecting outer link plates with inner link plates respectively comes out of the outside of the outer link plate, so that each of the expanded portions, when the driving chain is shifted by a derailleur, may be in contact with teeth of the sprockets.

Abstract: A centrifugal clutch and variable-speed pulley has a movable pulley flange mounted for both axial and rotational movement relative to a fixed flange. The fixed flange hub has a cylindrical primary bearing at the opposite side of the pulley groove from the flange and has a hub extension of reduced diameter which provides an elongated outboard bearing surface. The movable flange is on a hub sleeve which has an elongated internal bearing liner engaging the primary bearing and has an outboard bearing riding on the hub extension surface. The hubs have counterbores defining a spring chamber about the hub extension, where a spring acts to urge the flanges apart. Thrust faces on the hubs, radially outward of the spring, come together to limit flange closing movement.

Abstract: This is a compatible sprocket and chain system wherein each sprocket has a minimum of five teeth, and the chain has a minimum of nine links and rollers. In this system, the number of sprocket teeth and the number of links and rollers is always an odd number, and a table is set forth in the specification disclosing the number of sprocket teeth in each sprocket that are compatible with each other sprocket and the number of chain links, and how many sprocket teeth may be used in each of the pair of sprockets when one sprocket is of a different size than the other.

Abstract: A toothed belt adapted to be used while wet with a mineral oil has a ring of elastomeric material for a body, a tension resistant member inserted in the body, teeth on at least one side of the body, a rigid covering which is substantially non-deformable under flexion stresses for the teeth and intermediate groove surfaces made by doubling a rubberized fabric over an elastomeric layer as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,094. The body, the teeth and rubberized fabric are all made from an oil resistant elastomer such as an epichlorohydrin rubber composition.

Abstract: Planetary gearing includes a toothed gear, a pair of toothed central gear meshing with the toothed planet gear and having a respectively different number of teeth forming virtual tooth rows one with the other, and a cam disc rotatable about an axis and operatively connected with the toothed planet gear for guiding and driving the same, all of the gears having teeth of substantially triangular cross section and flat tooth flanks, each of the virtual tooth rows having tooth gap points disposed on a closed virtual addendum curve having a center of mass located on the axis of rotation of the cam disc, the teeth of the planetary gear flatly engaging on both sides thereof the flanks of at least one of the virtual tooth rowa, the one virtual tooth row having a pitch equal to that of the tooth row of the planet gear so that, in a limiting case, all of the teeth except for the difference in the numbers of teeth of the central gears are in force-transmitting engagement.

Abstract: A clutch release device, particularly for motor vehicles, with a self-centering clutch thrust bearing, having a fixed bearing ring, and which is located with radial play with respect to a bearing support, and which has; a sliding sleeve forming the bearing support, an additional sleeve connected to the sliding sleeve, the fixed bearing ring nonrotatingly contacting a contact surface of the additional sleeve, means preventing the fixed bearing from rotating on the additional sleeve, the additional sleeve, at the area of contact with the contact surface, being offset in a direction toward the clutch thrust bearing, the additional sleeve, in the offset, having at least two diametrically opposed recesses for engaging fixed means located on the periphery of the fixed bearing ring for protecting the clutch release bearing from rotation with respect to the bearing support.

Abstract: A method of assembling a gear train including at least two shafts each journaled in at least one gear and bearing, in a support assembly, comprising forming openings in the support assembly having cross sectional areas greater than the cross sectional areas of the bearings, positoning the bearings in the openings, meshing the gears to provide a desired clearance and alignment of the shafts, inserting a moldable, hardenable material in the openings between the support assembly and the bearings and then hardening the material to fix the position of the bearings and, correspondingly, assure the desired clearance of the gears and alignment of the shafts without requiring accurate machining of the openings in the support assembly.

Abstract: A power train is contained within a housing and has first and second rotary members. The first member is movable between a first position at which the first and second members are engaged to transmit power therebetween and a second position at which the first member is disconnected from the second member. A threaded bore is formed in the housing in axial alignment with the first member. A drive disconnect device includes a cylindrical cage having an outer surface, an external thread and first and second grooves formed in the outer surface. The first groove is axially spaced from the second groove. The external thread is threadably positionable within the threaded bore with the cage being rotatably connected to the first member.

Abstract: A joint is provided for a gear which has a hub and a peripheral toothed portion. The toothed portion is positioned about the hub for mating an associated gear and rotates in a preselected plane. The joint connects the hub and toothed portion of the gear and absorbs motion.

Abstract: A pulley including a cup shaped hub having a cylindrical sidewall provided with a radially extending annular, multiple wall thickness fold at the axially inner end thereof, and a radially outwardly flaring flange at the axially outer end thereof. One aspect of the invention comprises the method of making the pulley including the step of forming the axially inner, multiple wall thickness fold prior to forming the radially outwardly flaring terminal end flange.

Abstract: A belt tensioning device having a roller engaging an endless belt supported on at least a pair of guide disks. The axle of the roller is mounted on an adjustment mechanism for effecting a tilting of the axle to facilitate an orientation thereof to keep the belt from moving axially relative to guide disks.

Abstract: A power transmission belt structure and method of making same are provided wherein such belt structure has substantially its entire periphery covered by an outer fabric layer adjoined by an elastomeric layer with at least a portion of the elastomeric layer and the fabric layer being the only structure defining a tension section of the belt structure.

Abstract: A rack and pinion steering apparatus is provided with a compression spring mechanism bearing against the rack and urging the rack into engagement with a pinion connected to the steering wheel. The compressing spring mechanism is maintained against the pinion with a self-adjusting mechanism for removing play resulting from wear.