Abstract: Methods and apparatus change speeds between a drive shaft and a driven shaft during power transmission between the shafts. Fixed diameter drive and driven wheels are secured to the shafts and a continuous elastic belt interconnects the drive wheel and the driven wheel. As power is transmitted between the shafts, one side of the elastic belt extending between the wheels is placed in tension and elongated in proportion to the tension while the other side of the elastic belt is untensioned and not elongated. The elongated portion of the belt remains elongated as it passes around the wheel which is driving and the slack portion of the belt remains relaxed as it passes around the wheel which is being driven. To accommodate the elongated state of the belt, the driving wheel must go faster than the driven wheel with the speed difference being dependent upon the amount of power being transmitted between the wheels and hence the amount of elongation of the elongated portion of the belt.

Abstract: A cable support member includes a base member having an opening for receiving a fastener for fastening the base member to the bicycle. First and second spaced apart cable guides are integrally formed with and extend from the base member. The first and/or second cable guides may be formed as panels, each of which may have an opening for receiving a derailleur cable therethrough A rib may be provided which extends from the first cable guide toward the second cable guide to help reinforce the first and second cable guides.

Abstract: A plurality of sprockets are coaxially mounted together, wherein a spacing between each pair of adjacent sprockets is less than a thickness of at least one of the plurality of sprockets. In another embodiment of the invention, a plurality of sprockets are coaxially mounted together, wherein a spacing between each pair of adjacent sprockets is less than or equal to approximately 2.0 millimeters. In yet a further embodiment of the present invention, at least ten sprockets are coaxially mounted together to form a first free side sprocket surface facing laterally outwardly and a second free side sprocket surface facing laterally inwardly. A spacing between the first free side sprocket surface and the second free side sprocket surface is less than or equal to approximately 50 millimeters.

Abstract: A power transmission belt having a body with a length, an inside, an outside, and at least one rib on the inside of the body. A canvas layer is provided on the outside of the body. The canvas layer is a plain weave canvas made up of cotton fiber and synthetic fiber which are present in a proportion such that there is at least as much synthetic fiber as there is cotton fiber in the canvas layer. The canvas layer has warp and weft yarns, each with center lines which cross to be biased with respect to the length of the body. The canvas layer is adhered to the body without performing a tentering treatment on the canvas layer.

Abstract: A hub is spun rolled formed of a portion of metal radially displaced from a side of a disc of sheet metal. An annular collar formed of an annular part of the disc extends inward of the hub and creates a blind bore. The collar is integral with the hub and is formed of the same sheet metal. The so formed hub that is integral to a web formed of the disc, and the collar; the web may be connected to a rim, or the extremity of the disc may be shaped into a rim to form a pulley.

Abstract: A continuously variable transmission provided with a variator for adjusting the transmission ratio of the transmission and one or more hydraulic circuits for lubrication, cooling and transmission control, one or more pumps being installed for the hydraulic circuit. The transmission comprises at least one electric motor to give the transmission better sizing and an improved efficiency.

Abstract: A mechanical friction tensioner for power transmission chains, such as engine timing chains. The tensioner provides the advantages of a conventional hydraulic tensioner, but eliminates the hydraulic pressure system by use of spring loaded wedge-shaped blocks and friction damping. The mechanical tensioner has a wedge-shaped plunger positioned within a bore in the tensioner housing. The plunger is biased outward by two spring loaded wedge-shaped blocks and a return spring. As the plunger moves inward, the wedge-shaped blocks are pushed in towards the plunger by the springs to provide friction damping.

Abstract: A pulley with an integral hub spun-roll formed of a disc of sheet metal where the hub has a thickness greater than the thickness of the sheet metal. The hub has a bore and external surface for attaching to other components.

Abstract: Continuously variable transmission, in particular for a motor vehicle, provided with a primary pulley mounted on a primary shaft, a secondary pulley mounted on a secondary shaft, and a drive belt running over both pulleys, each pulley formed by two sheaves, one of which is movable axially relative to the other under the influence of a hydraulic cylinder, for setting the transmission ratio, a pumping unit with at least two pumps for delivering hydraulic medium to the hydraulic cylinders, and a control unit for controlling the pump delivery depending on the operating conditions of the transmission, includes a pumping unit with at least two pumps, the first of which serves as a booster pump for the second pump connected in series, and a switch valve, under the control of the control unit, fitted so that the two pumps can be switched over from series connection to parallel connection if the volume flow of the medium required by the transmission is greater than the available volume flow in the series connection.

Abstract: A longitudinal guide apparatus for a motor vehicle seat having two rails for slidably supporting the motor vehicle seat for fore-aft position adjustment. The guide apparatus includes first fixation devices arranged at one of the two rails for fixing one rail to the motor vehicle seat. Second fixation devices are arranged at the other of the two rails connecting the other rail to a platform of a motor vehicle. Guiding devices are arranged between the two rails. Each rail is provided with at least one hooked part which is in reciprocal engagement with the hooked part of the other rail. One of the two rails is formed as an encompassed rail, the other rail being formed as an encompassing rail, the encompassing rail encompassing the encompassed rail wherein each of the two rails is equipped with a sliding section.

Abstract: In a pulley working fluid (oil) passage arrangement for a belt-type continuously variable transmission having a V belt wound about a letter V-shaped groove formed with mutually opposing oblique surfaces of movable and stationary sheaves and a working fluid pressure cylinder chamber to which a working fluid pressure is supplied so as to move the movable sheave toward or away from the stationary sheave, thus a gear shift being varied, a first working fluid passage communicated with an axle chamber working fluid passage is extended in an axial direction of the axle member at an opposing surface thereof against the axle member and the movable sheave and a second working fluid passage having one end communicated with the first working fluid passage and the other end opened to a working fluid pressure cylinder chamber is extended along a radial direction of the axle member.

Abstract: A method for dispensing a ribbon of tape from a roll by using guide and feed rolls to apply a significantly higher tension to the ribbon along the longitudinal central portion of the ribbon than along the longitudinal side edge portions of the ribbon so that forces tending to tear the tape adjacent to the side edges of the tape are significantly less than those normally applied in drawing a ribbon of tape from a roll whereby breakage of the tape is minimized.

Abstract: A link plate for a roller chain has material added to the location on the link plate face where fatigue failure is most likely to occur in order to increase the fatigue strength of the link plate. This location is within a sector defined by a line extending radially from the aperture center in a direction perpendicular to the line connecting the two aperture centers and an imaginary line extending from the same aperture center toward the link plate end section at an angle of 30-45 degrees.

Abstract: A barrel-shaped coil spring roller is formed by closely winding spring wire rods having fine crepe-like concave-convex surfaces on the surface of the barrel-shaped coil spring roller. The fine crepe-like concave-convex surfaces serve as a lubricating oil reservoir and are formed by a shotpeening process. Lubricating oil is retained on the fine crepe-like concave-convex surfaces formed by the shot-peening process. Sliding noises between the spring wire rods adjacent to each other, which noises are generated by elastic deformation of the barrel-like coil spring roller when in engagement with the toothed surface of the sprocket, are reduced by the lubricating oil. The wear on both of the barrel-shaped coil spring roller and the sprocket is lessened and the power loss is reduced. The low noise chain is capable of retaining a lubricating oil on the surface of spring wire rods of a barrel-shaped coil spring roller for long periods of time, while still maintaining a noise reduction effect.

Abstract: A guide rail may comprise a pair of ribs and a shoulder projecting outwardly therefrom, the shoulder terminating in a tip section, the pair of ribs being positioned in substantially parallel, spaced-apart relation so that a channel is defined between the ribs and so that the shoulder is positioned adjacent one of the ribs. Each rib has a substantially identical height and thickness. The channel has a width about equal to the thickness of the ribs and a depth about equal to the height of the ribs. The shoulder has a height about equal to the height of the ribs and a thickness about equal to the thickness of the ribs.

Abstract: A thrust bearing includes a flange formed on the outside of only a first bearing washer, a second bearing washer formed into a simple flat plate, a notch having a rectangular cross-section formed on the outside of the second bearing washer, and a leading edge of the flange bent so that it is inserted into the notch.

Abstract: A tensioner for the chain or the belt of an internal combustion engine, for example of the camshaft drive, includes a cylindrical tensioner housing (2) with a piston (1) loaded by a compression spring (13) arranged therein, the tensioner housing and the piston being axially displaceable relative to each other. The displaceable element which is displaceable relative to the fixed element in chain tensioning direction, is surrounded by a first stop ring which limits its backward movement. According to the invention, the first stop ring is configured as a retaining clip (15) whose arms engage into a locking groove (16) of the tensioner housing (2) under radial pre-stress and, upon a displacement thereof, can come to bear axially against a stop surface of the receiving housing (3).

Abstract: A pulley is provided which is capable of being used as an alternator pulley. The pulley has a central hub portion for connecting the pulley to a shaft and a belt engaging portion disposed radially outward from the central hub portion. The central hub portion and the belt engaging portion are injection molded from a thermoplastic polyphenylene sulfide polymer material. The pulley provides approximately a 75% weight reduction in comparison to conventional metal pulleys used in automotive applications. The pulley is injection molded having a sprue gate located substantially in a center of said central hub portion. A bushing is optionally provided in a center opening in said central hub portion.

Abstract: A roller bearing assembly having primary seals interposed between inner and outer races on opposite axial sides of the roller elements of the bearing assembly and at least one auxiliary seal on a axial side of said bearing assembly outwardly of a primary seal. The auxiliary seal includes a flexible annular sealing member mounted in fixed relation to the outer race for sealing contact with an outer perimeter of the inner race for providing an auxiliary barrier to the ingress of contaminants inwardly toward the roller elements.

Abstract: A motor bearing device includes a bearing member, and a rotary shaft made of steel into which ions of metal element and carbon ions are implanted via a surface of the rotary shaft. The rotary shaft is slidable relative to the bearing member. The metal element is selected from the group consisting of metal elements in the IVa, Va, and VIa groups of the periodic system. Lubricant is provided between the bearing member and the rotary shaft. The surface of the rotary shaft opposes the bearing member.