Abstract: A drive arrangement for a motor vehicle has an internal combustion engine, a transmission on the output side of the engine and at least one drive axle, and an arrangement for shutting off and restarting the engine depending upon the driving condition. The transmission is a continuously variable automatic transmission and a disconnect coupling is arranged on the output side of the transmission to prevent transmission losses when the engine is turned off. An electromechanical converter capable of operation as a motor or a generator may be provided in place of a flywheel.

Abstract: A clutch mechanism comprising a cover plate having a base portion joined to a skirt portion, a pressure plate and a diaphragm. The cover plate has a first shoulder which extends toward the base portion, while the pressure plate has, at its outer periphery, a second shoulder extending away from the base portion. The second shoulder is axially closer to the base portion than the first shoulder. A resilient compensating element is fitted between and in engagement with the first and second shoulders, and biases the pressure plate towards the base portion of the cover plate in such a way as to oppose the increase in the force of the diaphragm that may arise in operation.

Abstract: A torque control shutoff clutch for power tools is provided with a torque recovery camming device which assists in decoupling the applied power of the clutch along with the shutting off of the motor driving the power tool. The clutch permits automatic reset of the device upon release of the throttle trigger and further throttles air flow to the power source just prior to shutoff thereby minimizing operator shutoff torque reaction.

Abstract: A locking mechanism and system for a vehicle shifter in which the shifting lever is locked in a park lock position until the brakes of the automotive vehicle are applied and/or the steering lockout mechanism located in the steering column of the vehicle is released by the ignition key of the vehicle. In one embodiment of the invention the pawl of the shifting lever is restrained by a lockout arm through which the brake mechanism and the lockout cable extending to the steering column are connected. In another embodiment, the lockout cable is eliminated by providing two electrical control modules operatively connected to the brake mechanism and the ignition key switch which controls the steering lockout mechanism. These two modules are connected in a unique circuit so that the shifting lever cannot be shifted out of park to other gear positions until the brake is applied and the steering lockout mechanism is released by the ignition key switch.

Abstract: Rotating machinery construction employing one or more split balance rings within a rotating element the circumferential position of a ring being adjustable through associated casing structure without disassembly of the machinery to permit rebalancing or trim balancing of the rotor element.

Abstract: A friction mechanism for control apparatuses is for use in a control apparatus provided with a discoidal accelerator wheel supported in a freely rotating manner in a housing member and for applying frictional resistance to the said accelerator wheel. The said friction mechanism consists of a friction block supported in the housing member so as to mate with the accelerator wheel in the vicinity of its rim, a pressing member for pressing the friction block supported in the housing member in a direction axial to the accelerator wheel, and a conversion mechanism for converting the pressing force of the said pressing member (a chief constituent of which is the inclined surface formed on the friction block) from the said axial direction to a direction inclined toward the center of the accelerator wheel.

Abstract: A lightweight centrifugal friction clutch for transmitting torque from an input source to an output shaft, which includes a wheel secured for simultaneous rotation with the output shaft, a clutch band encircling the wheel and secured within a clutch housing rotationally driven by the input source, and a centrifugal mechanism and cam for tightening the clutch band about the wheel for frictional contact and simultaneous rotation therewith. The centrifugal mechanism includes one or more weights positionable on a centrifugal arm, an actuating arm which rotates a cam member, and an adjustment linkage between the two arms. The particular rotational speed at which the clutch engages may be altered by adjusting the tension against a biasing spring that operates against the centrifugal mechanism, by replacing the spring, or by altering the lever action of the centrifugal mechanism by varying the attachment points of the adjustment linkage between the two arms.

Abstract: A mechanism useful as a clutch or brake comprising a housing member having a wall defining a bore, a friction material disposed against said wall in said bore, a driver member having inner and outer ends at least partially within said bore, the driver and housing having a longitudinal axis, the driver member having a plurality of angularly spaced triangular slots defined therein from the inner end thereof at an angle to the longitudinal axis, the slots defined by opposite surfaces,a shoe of generally triangular form in each of said slots, the shoes hvaing surfaces mating with the surfaces of a slot whereby the shoes are slidable on the slot surfaces, the shoes having an outer peripheral surfaces defined on a portion of a cylinder,the shoe outer surfaces being in contact with the friction material, amd means for adjusting the position of the shoes in said slots whereby the outer peripheral surfaces of the shoes engage the friction material in predetermined frictional engagement.

Abstract: A clutch plate wherein the input member carries friction linings and the output member includes a flange which is connected to a hub by a first damper. A second or main damper has a set of weaker and a set of stronger coil springs which are received in windows of the carrier and flange. The carrier is provided with projections which are receivable in circumferentially extending recesses of the flange to limit the extent of movability of the carrier and flange relative to each other from a neutral position to either of two end positions which can be reached by turning the carrier and the flange in opposite directions or by turning the carrier or the flange relative to the flange or carrier in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The recesses are provided in weakened sections of the flange between neighboring windows for stronger and weaker springs.

Abstract: A bicycle pedal has two opposed bilaterally symmetric tracks which are substantially identical. Each track is bounded by an axially disposed central concave surface and two substantially parallel apposed side surfaces. Each side surface extends inward, in equidistant juxtaposition with the central convex surface. Each track is slightly wider at the free end of the pedal than the end fixed to the crank arm. A shoe cleat has a bottom with a longitudinally disposed central concave surface and adjacent flat lateral surfaces as well as upper bilateral cleat side surfaces. The bottom central concave and two upper bilateral surfaces mate with the corresponding pedal track surfaces in an engagement parallel to the pedal axis. Attached to the free end of the pedal is a lead which has an exterior flush with the central convex surfaces of both pedal tracks. The lead tapers bilaterally into fins lying in front of the area between the two opposed pedal tracks.

Abstract: An adjustable viscous shear coupling suitable for use in a high performance four-wheel drive vehicle comprises a housing containing a viscous fluid therein, a shaft extending into the housing, a set of outer disks non-rotatably connected to the housing, a set of inner disks non-rotatably connected to the shaft and interleaved with the outer disks, and an axially movable pressure piston which bears against the disks and adjusts the gap width between the inner and outer disks. One of the sets of disks is provided with frictional linings. The disks are brought to bear against each other in a controlled manner so that torque can be transmitted therebetween in a smooth, hump-less manner by a combination of frictional engagement and viscous shear.

Abstract: A pawl and ratchet clutch and an air turbine starter having such a clutch is provided in which a single, torsion shaft simultaneously forces each of a plurality of pawls into engagement with the ratchet. The torsion shaft is coupled to a cam having radially extending arms with involute surface portions. Each pawl has a radially extending member that has an involute surface. The pawls and cam are disposed within the clutch so their respective involute surfaces are in rolling contact with each other. The torsion shaft is coaxially disposed within the clutch so as to be readily accessible, which permits its twist to be adjusted without dismantling the starter.

Abstract: An adaptive control of a lock-up clutch is disclosed. An initial value of an operating signal on which an electric actuator for the lock-up clutch operates is modified based on a deviation of a lag or delay from a target timer interval such that the initial value is increased when the lag is longer than the target time interval, while it is decreased when the lag is shorter than the target time interval.

Abstract: A lock-up control for smooth start-up of a motor vehicle is disclosed. A target engine revolution speed is set as a function of a load on an engine of the vehicle, and an operating signal on which an electric actuator for a lock-up control operates is modified in such a direction as to bring an actual engine revolution speed into agreement with the target engine revolution speed until the lock-up clutch is completely engaged.

Abstract: A lock-up clutch control in which an operating signal is adaptively corrected to compensate for a product to product variablity is disclosed. A feedback gain of the operating signal on which an electric actuator for the lock-up clutch operates is modified in such a direction as to decrease a deviation of a total shift time from a target time interval toward zero.

Abstract: An armature disc is attached to a resilient plastic spider by angularly spaced rivets. To prevent the spider from striking the disc and creating a buzzing noise, spacer pads are formed integrally with the spider adjacent the rivets and establish an axial gap of substantial width between the disc and the spider along arcs located between the rivets. The heads of the rivets are located in countersunk holes in the spider and pull axially through the plastic of the spider to release the armature disc from the spider if the spider becomes excessively hot as a result of slippage of the coupling. A metal washer on the hub of the coupling prevents the hot disc, when released, from dropping onto and melting a central sleeve portion of the spider.

Abstract: A self-aligning clutch release apparatus includes an axially slidable carrier sleeve, a thrust plate floatably carried on the sleeve, and an anti-friction bearing shiftably supported on the sleeve independently of the thrust plate. The thrust plate can reorient itself in accordance with forces imposed by a clutch actuating yoke. The anti-friction bearing can shift relative to the carrier sleeve so as to be in a centered position relative to an array of clutch release levers.

Abstract: Apparatus for damping vibrations between the crankshaft of the engine and the clutch plate of the friction clutch of a motor vehicle has a first flywheel which is driven by the crankshaft, a second flywheel which is rotatable relative to the first flywheel and can rotate the clutch plate, and a torque transmitting unit between the flywheels. The unit employs one or more dampers in an annular chamber of the first flywheel and a slip clutch on the other flywheel. The output element of the damper or dampers is a flange-like device which constitutes a diaphragm spring and transmits torque to an axially stressed resilent disc which forms part of the slip clutch. The disc is riveted to the second flywheel and is adjacent an axially stressed resilient diaphragm seal which engages the first flywheel to seal the chamber from the atmosphere.

Abstract: A motion converting mechanism comprising a feed member provided with a screwed portion, a screw nut member engaging with the screwed portion of the feed member, a support member rotatably supporting the feed member and the screw nut member, a single drive unit for imparting a rotational motion to the feed member, and a braking unit for braking the rotational motion imparted to the screw nut member so the feed member is given a linear motion.

Abstract: The parking brake lever cable retainer (90) comprises a wire form spring retainer (90) attached to a parking brake lever (40) in order to couple a cable (50) and cable ball (82) with the end of the lever (40). The lever (40) includes a pair of spaced-apart end feet (44, 45) with a longitudinal recess (46) extending therebetween such that the cable (50) is disposed within the longitudinal recess (46) and extends from one side (41) of the lever (40) to the opposite side (43) where the cable ball (82) is received within complementary-shaped openings (42) in each of the feet (44, 45).