Abstract: A method of making a hand grip including positioning within a mold cavity a tubular member having a sidewall with at least one opening in the sidewall, and injecting fluid resilient material into the cavity and between the tubular member and a core. The method further includes flowing a portion of the liquid resilient material through the opening to form a raised portion that protrudes through the opening in the tubular member, and curing the resilient material. The flowing step comprises flowing fluid resilient material through both the opening and through the open end, and onto the outer surface of the tubular member adjacent the peripheries of the opening and open end such that the resilient material is mechanically coupled to the tubular member adjacent both the opening and the open end.

Abstract: A universal mount housing construction for right angle gearboxes and gearmotors that allows a wide variety of mounting and torque support configurations. The housing includes a generally cubic-shaped cast housing body having an input opening in a first side for receiving a rotational power input, and an output opening in at least one second side for transmitting a rotational power output through a hollow or solid output shaft. Four plate-shaped housing extensions are integrated into the cast housing member and provide two pairs of integrated torque arms. Each of the integrated housing extensions have a machined planar surface which is oriented perpendicular to the central axis of the output opening and coextensive with a raised, machined surface extending around the output opening. A through-bore extends through each of the plate-shaped housing extensions. The raised ring surface has tapped holes spaced about its circumference for flange mounting.

Abstract: A locking device for vehicle seats, in particular motor vehicle seats, has a row of detent openings and a plurality of spring-loaded bolts which are disposed one behind the other in the direction of this row. The locking bolts engage independently of one another in the detent openings. At least two of these bolts can each engage in one of the detent openings and lock the seat parts without play in both adjusting directions, in any position within the adjusting range of these parts which are to be locked. The seat parts can be continuously adjusted relative to one another. In addition to its movability enabling it to engage in one of the detent openings, each locking bolt has at least one component part which is separately movable. A flat area is provided on each bolt for play-free abutment on the delimiting surface of each detent opening and is brought into abutment with the delimiting surface without altering the depth of penetration of the bolt in the detent opening.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to cancel gear vibration and noise by imposing a canceling drive torque or force on a driven gear set. Sensors receive information and produce an error signal representative of the vibration and/or noise generated at meshing gears. The error signal indicative of vibration and/or noise information is provided to a control mechanism that processes the noise information to generate a corresponding drive torque. The drive torque corresponding to the noise information is applied to a drive shaft or through a power supply to reduce vibration and noise of the gear assembly at gear meshing frequencies.

Abstract: A steering column cover is provided with a closeable opening through which the connecting and releasing of a connection between a column side terminal block and a column side connector can be easily accomplished. The opening is closed by a door having a projection for preventing an error in establishing a proper connection.

Abstract: In a vehicle control pedal unit comprising a mounting structure having a U-shaped mounting end with spaced parallel legs between which one end of a pedal lever having an eyepiece with an opening receiving a bearing sleeve is pivotally supported and a pedal is attached to the other end, at least one connecting cable having one end attached to the pedal lever at its outside extends into the eyepiece and around the bearing sleeve and and again to the outside of the lever and a return spring which is connected to the other end of the connecting cable is attached under tension to the mounting structure for biasing the pedal lever into an idle end position.

Abstract: A parking brake actuator comprises a pedal lever mounted on a support bracket for pivotal movement between brake-release and brake-apply positions to release and apply a parking brake. A sector carried by the pedal lever engages a pinion rotatably mounted on the mounting bracket. A torsion clutch spring has one end fixed to the support bracket and a free end, and normally grips and locks the pinion against reverse rotation when the vehicle transmission is in PARK to enable the parking brake to be locked in applied position. A release lever is operable by a bistable solenoid when the transmission selector is moved out of PARK to expand the torsion clutch spring out of engagement with the pinion to prevent locking of the parking brake. A torsion latch spring has legs which embrace the lever in pinion release position and grips a stud with a greater force to block lever movement out of pinion release position after the solenoid is deenergized.

Abstract: A four-cylinder, reciprocating piston-machine includes a crankshaft having a rotary axis; a center bearing supporting the crankshaft; two outer bearings flanking the center bearing and supporting the crankshaft; and first, second, third and fourth torsion springs extending parallel to the crankshaft axis. The first and second torsion springs are parallel to and facing a first side of a reference plane containing the crankshaft axis, while the third and fourth torsion springs are parallel to and facing a second side of the reference plane. First, second, third and fourth elongated balancing masses are secured to and extending unidirectionally from respective first, second, third and fourth torsion springs toward the crankshaft in a perpendicular orientation to the crankshaft axis. The first and second balancing masses are situated at the outer bearings, while the third and fourth balancing masses are situated at the center bearing.

Abstract: In a vehicle control pedal unit comprising a mounting structure having a U-shaped mounting end with spaced parallel leg walls between which one end of a pedal lever is pivotally supported to which a pedal is attached at its other end, a cover is disposed, and pivotally supported with one end, on the spaced parallel leg walls for at least partially closing the space between the leg walls and a return spring having one end attached to the pivot lever is disposed in the space between the parallel leg walls and connected with its other end to the cover for resiliently holding said cover in a closed position in engagement with the leg walls and biasing the pivot lever into an idle end position.

Abstract: In a vehicle control pedal unit comprising a mounting structure having a U-shaped mounting end with spaced parallel walls between which one end of a pedal lever having an eyepiece with an opening is pivotally supported, at least one return spring disposed between the mounting structure walls has one end operatively connected to the pedal lever and the other end mounted on a support wall structure extending across the spaced parallel walls such that the other spring end can be easily inserted into engagement with the support wall structure from outside the spaced parallel walls.

Abstract: A curved, tetrahelix bicycle crank arm composed of a helical array of tetrahedra. This design will transmit the propelling force away from the top dead center point providing more efficient use of the propelling energy. With this Tetrahelical design a hollow core is possible that will reduce weight and permit lubrication if needed without reducing strength. This design is also applicable to the connecting rod of internal or external combustion engine.

Abstract: A position setting apparatus includes a control member and a slave member mechanically coupled to the control member, with the slave member having a plurality of notches defined therein. The apparatus further includes a retainer positionable between a first retainer position and a second retainer position, wherein (1) the retainer is engaged with one of the plurality of notches when the retainer is positioned in the first retainer position, and (2) the retainer is disengaged from all of the plurality of notches when the retainer is positioned in the second retainer position.

Abstract: A bicycle pedal of the type that can be linked to a cleat affixed to a bicycle shoe has front and rear cleat engaging members disposed on a pedal body for engaging corresponding front and rear portions of the cleat. A brace member is positioned behind the rear cleat engaging member such that the brace member has a height that is greater than or equal to a height of the rear cleat engaging member. The brace member acts as a stable surface for eliminating looseness between the pedal and the shoe.

Abstract: A rotary indexing table has a table defining a flat table surface. A dial having an upper surface and a lower surface is positioned over and generally parallel to the table surface. The dial further defines a circular inner edge and an outer edge. First bearings mounted to the table surface engage the inner edge of the dial to radially support the dial on the table. Second bearings axially support the lower surface on the table surface for rotation. The second bearings comprise circular grooves in the lower surface of the dial and concentric with the inner edge. Ball bearings are in the grooves and in contact with the flat table surface. A drive assembly comprising a belt engaging the outer edge and driven by a motor indexes the rotation of the dial.

Abstract: A centerpiece for a handlebar of a bicycle having left and right wing-shaped handlebar sections. The centerpiece has left and right lugs having a wing-shaped cross-section. The wing-shaped handlebar sections are secured to the lugs. Aerobar supports with threaded arm rest mounts also can be provided integrally with the centerpiece.

Abstract: A steering wheel core metal unit comprising a boss section, a boss/spoke connecting section, spoke sections and a ring section integrally die-cast, with the boss section serving as an insert. Before trimming and after being released from a die caster, the boss/spoke connecting section of the core metal unit is provided with a gate section and the ring section comprises a pair of inside and outside ribs. Overflow sections are provided along the outer periphery of the ring section at substantially the intermediate positions among the spoke sections, respectively. The sectional area of the outside rib is made larger than that of the inside rib so that a final molten metal merging portion comes to lie at the outer periphery of the ring section. Accordingly, even when the molten metal moves in the cavity of the die caster as it entrains air, the air can escape from the overflow sections and no blowhole is formed in the core metal as a die cast product.

Abstract: An axle driving apparatus having a shaft sealing device to provide for compact and flexible packaging. The shaft sealing device includes an oil seal and a seal carrier for supporting the oil seal. The shaft sealing device can be used to provide a reliable fluid-tight seal for the axles and other shafts, thereby allowing the axles and other shafts to be located in different planes, and offset from the plane of the casing junction surface. The shaft sealing device may alternatively be configured as an integral unit that includes a shaft support.

Abstract: A self closing valve for use with an engine that prevents the loss of fluid from a transmission connected to the engine when a magnetic chip detector is removed from the transmission housing. The self closing valve and magnetic chip detector being integrated together to form a magnetic chip detection system that provides an indicating signal to the operator of an aircraft when magnetically attractable debris is detected in the transmission. The self closing valve includes a pair of valve doors that rotate about a pivot point so as to be moveable from a central region of a passageway within the transmission housing. Further, the valve does not extend substantially into the interior of the mechanical housing but is closeable to prevent loss of fluid from the interior of the mechanical housing when the magnetic chip detector is withdrawn from the passageway.

Abstract: A fiber reinforced composite flywheel for energy storage has a plurality of disks in the form of a coil produced of continuous hoop and radial fibers, each disk having a mix of fiber types in the hoop direction, relatively strong fibers disposed about an inner section of the disk, an intermediate section of the disk comprised of relatively strong and relatively lower strength fibers, and an outer portion having a mix of fibers fewer relatively strong fibers. A fiber reinforced composite flywheel, alternatively or in addition, has a higher volume of radial fibers disposed about the intermediate section of the disk, to increase radial strength in a banded area of the disk subject to increased radial stress. Preferably, the disk is composed with a 3-dimensional orthogonal weave architecture which allows the fibers to shear during weaving to provide minimum distortion of the spiral woven disk.

Abstract: A mechanical lock of the type having a lock housing, a rotatable nut axially captive in the housing, a threaded rod axially displaceable through the housing in threading engagement with the nut, and a detent normally locking the nut against rotation in the housing to prevent axial translation of the rod through the housing. Camming surfaces on the nut urge the detent out of locking engagment with the nut when the nut is torqued by axial force on the threaded rod. A detent control element normally keeps the detent in locking engagement with the nut until the detent control element is displaced by an actuator to an unlocked position. The detent control element has a camming surface which urges the detent into locking engagement with the nut when the detent control element is returned to a locking position. The preferred detent is a ball bearing and two variants of the mechanism are disclosed, one having a linearly reciprocating shuttle as the control element, the other using a rotating shaft for this purpose.