Abstract: A ball joint connects a swinging shaft and a bell-crank provided on a change lever for transmitting a swinging movement of the change lever in a select direction to the bell-crank. The ball joint includes a ball having a pair of flat surfaces for defining a width smaller than the maximum diameter of the ball, a ball hole which is formed at one end of the bell-crank and in which the ball is rotatably fitted, a shaft hole which formed in the ball so as to open through both the flat surface and in which the swinging shaft of the change lever is slidably fitted. A rotation of the ball in the ball hole permits a relative swinging movement between the swinging shaft and the bell-crank. A sliding movement of the swinging shaft in the shaft hole permits an axial displacement of the swinging shaft with respect to the bell-crank.

Abstract: For a toroidal type continuously variable transmission, the end portion of a radial needle bearing provided for a trunnion is protruded from the inner face of the trunnion. Also, the inner face of the trunnion is made substantially flat. Therefore, the processing of the trunnion is made easy, and the holder of the thrust needle bearing can be easily positioned simultaneously. Also, the structure is arranged to enable the recess formed on the trunnion to engage with the extrusion formed on the holder, thus preventing any plane pressure from being exerted excessively on the rolling surface of the needles of the thrust needle bearing, as well as preventing the needles from falling out of the pockets of the holder.

Abstract: A bifurcated rack bearing assembly for a steering system includes a bearing member having a pair of bearing surfaces and which is pivotable within a base. The bearing member has a pair of curved riding surfaces which slide on a curved saddle surface of the base to permit the bearing surfaces to pivot into alignment coaxial with an axis of translation of the rack. The bifurcated rack bearing assembly can be substituted for the rack bearings of conventional steering systems.

Abstract: An electric starter includes a metal base plate which supports the body of a starter head which is actuated by a lever articulated on an articulation support member. The articulation support member is carried by the base plate, on which it is formed by being molded in a plastics material. A crown having internal teeth is also molded on to the base plate in a plastics material, simultaneously with the molding of the support member. The support member and the toothed crown are two separate components, each formed in the mold from a separately injected, separate charge of plastics material.

Abstract: A machine tool of the present invention includes a base fixed to an outside fixed portion, a travelling plate to which a tool is to be attached, plural guide portions radially outwardly fixed to the base at a predetermined angle, and plural rods. Each of the plural guide portions is provided with a slide table movable in a longitudinal direction of the guide portion and an actuator for moving the slide table. One end of each rods is connected with one of the slide tables through first joint means and another end of each of the rods is connected to the traveling plate through second joint means.

Abstract: A steering column clamping mechanism has bolt links interconnecting substantially parallel spaced-apart plates which basically form a rectangle and are so linked one to another that the rectangle can assume an orientation defining a non-rectangular parallelogram or lozenge. One of the connecting bolts is mounted in a bracket fixed to a chassis of a vehicle, the bracket having a depending reaction plate against which an actuating member can be urged to push the plate member away from the reaction member. Through the linkage, this causes the other plate member to compress onto a steering column tube member to clamp it between that plate and the opposite side of the reaction plate.

Abstract: A mechanical oscillator including a shaft having an endless groove in its periphery, a nut body carried by and slidable along the shaft at the location of the endless groove, and a roller pin carried by the nut body, having a nose portion extending into and engaging a wall of the endless groove and having a tail portion disposed deeply in the nut body. A plurality of anti-friction bearings is carried by the nut body, the bearings carrying the roller pin. The anti-friction bearings include both a ball bearing and a needle bearing, the ball bearing being disposed adjacent the nose portion of the roller pin, and the needle bearing being located adjacent the ball bearing and engaged with a tail portion of the roller pin. Multiple roller pins can be used, carried on two carrier strips respectively, which are axially displaced and disposed at opposite sides of the nut body. The carrier strips and associated roller pins can be removed as units, thereby simplifying replacement as required by damage or wear.

Abstract: A transmission ratio control apparatus for a friction-wheel CVT requires no feedback of the offset of a friction wheel and performs stable transmission ratio control. A control circuit is provided for controlling the offsetting of the friction wheel to change transmission ratio. A first unit of the control circuit determines a target input rotational speed based on the throttle valve opening and the vehicle speed. A second unit determines target transmission ratio corresponding to the target input rotational speed. A third unit determines an rotational angle instructional value for a motor to achieve the target input rotational speed. A fourth unit determines a changing rate of actual transmission ratio based on the input rotational speed and the vehicle speed. A fifth unit corrects the motor rotational angle instructional value to reduce changes in transmission ratio as the transmission ratio changing rate increases, and outputs the corrected instructional value to the motor.

Abstract: A starter motor with an intermediate gear includes a retaining member free from being deformed or damaged due to the centrifugal force induced by the high-speed revolution of the intermediate gear of a starter motor driven by the ring gear of an engine. The retaining member is used to prevent a movable coupling for coupling an overrunning clutch and the intermediate gear from axially slipping out. A flange-like retaining member 67b for preventing the movable coupling 68 from axially slipping out is integrally formed on the diametral outside of the end portion of the boss 67a of the intermediate gear 67.

Abstract: An energy absorber for a motor vehicle steering column including a yoke pivotable about a lateral centerline of a motor vehicle body and an energy absorbing means between the yoke and the mast jacket responsive to linear translation of the mast jacket relative to the yoke. The mast jacket extends through a bore in the yoke and a plastic bushing in the bore prevents the mast jacket from tilting relative to the yoke before and during linear translation of the mast jacket. The energy absorbing means includes a flat metal strap attached at one end to the mast jacket and bent over a convex anvil on the yoke. The metal strap is pulled over the anvil parallel to a longitudinal centerline of the mast jacket and plastically deformed to convert into work a fraction of the kinetic energy of an impact on the steering column.

Abstract: A preliminary thrusting mechanism for a screw device serves to achieve not only constant position type preliminary thrusting but also constant pressure type preliminary thrusting. The preliminary thrusting mechanism includes as essential components a screw shaft having a spirally extending screw groove formed axially along the outer surface thereof, a first nut threadably engaged with the screw shaft, a second nut operatively connected to the first nut in series and threadably engaged with the screw shaft, a rotation stopping unit for preventing the second nut from being rotated relative to the first nut, a thrusting unit including a thrusting member adapted to impart to the first nut and the second nut a certain intensity of thrusting power effective in the opposite direction for allowing them to be displaced away from each other in the axial direction, and a stopping unit for preventing the thrusting member from being displaced further when the thrusting member is displaced by a predetermined distance.

Abstract: The present invent provides an improvement in the handling and operation of portable working machines, particularly in a loop front handle and an operation lever adjacent to the handle for easy operation. An operation lever mechanism for a handle according to the present invention includes: a rotatably supported body; a swingable operation lever pivotally supported by the rotatably supported body; and an operating portion movable in a direction along an axis X--X of the rotatably supported body, the operating portion connected to a swinging end of the operation lever, wherein the rotation axis X--X of the rotatably supported body is situated so as to encompass a virtual center X of a loop handle or a point adjacent to the center X, and the grip portions of second swinging end of the swingable operation lever rotate and move along an arc of the loop handle.

Abstract: A shift lever support structure for an automatic transmission includes a T-shaped shift lever having a transverse boss, and a U-sectioned lever mount having first and second bearing holes defined in opposite side walls thereof for rotatably supporting first and second opposite ends of the transverse boss. The first bearing hole is elongated so as to have opposite straight side edges and opposite round ends continued with each other through the straight side edges, said round ends being spaced a distance sufficient to facilitate mounting of the transverse boss on the lever mount. A first stopper is disposed in the lever mount for restricting a radial displacement of the first end of the transverse boss within the first bearing hole which would result from the first bearing hole oversized relative to the diameter of the transverse boss.

Abstract: A shift lock arrangement for an automatic transmission shift lever device having a shift lock lever in contact with a position pin of the shift lever device positioned in a parking position has a lock lever in contact with the shift lock lever to restrict the movement of the position pin in the parking position. A key lock unit is connected with the shift lock lever so that the shift lock lever keeps latching the position pin in the parking position when an automotive key is not set therein. A slidable stopper pin is connected with a push rod pushed by a brake pedal in a released condition. The stopper pin latches the shift lock lever so as to prevent the movement of the position pin from the parking position to the other positions when the brake pedal is in the released condition. When the brake pedal is depressed, the push rod is released from the brake pedal and the stopper pin is disengaged from the shift lock lever.

Abstract: A mechanical manipulator having actuators therein operating across orthogonal pivot joints formed between pivot connection structures and a link arrangement, and also between these same pivot connection structures and a corresponding effector. The actuators are coupled to effectors to position them as selected by having portions of such actuators coupled to the effectors that are capable of moving toward and away from other portions of such actuators connected to the link structure. The components of the mechanical manipulator, except for portions of the effectors, can be enclosed so as to allow the effectors to move in response to the actuators while excluding foreign matter from the enclosed portion thereof.

Abstract: The outer member (23) of a constant velocity joint is supported inside of a tubular housing (5) and is rotatable and slidable in the axial direction through the slide sleeve (8) and ball bearing (9) inside of the tubular housing. Between the axle hub (2) and the outer member (23), mutually engageable engaging portions (26) are provided which enable the sliding engaging and disengaging. A selector device makes the outer member displace against force of a spring to change over the engaging and disengaging.

Abstract: A variable dwell cycloidal indexing device for converting a uniform rotational motion into intermittent rotational motion with greater than one predetermined dwell point. The device includes an input shaft having an axis of rotation with a stub shaft extending eccentrically from a distal end of the input shaft. A planetary gear is rotatably mounted on the stub shaft. There is an internal gear rotatably supported on the input shaft and mounted coaxially therewith with the planetary gear intermeshing with said internal gear. A crank pin projects from the planetary gear at a position eccentric to the axis of rotation of the planetary gear. The motion of the crank pin during rotation of the input shaft is defined by allowing the crank pin to oscillate in a slide slot at a fixed location, or by attaching the crank pin to a pivoting link which is, in turn, attached to a fixed point. In either case, rotation of the planetary gear about its own axis is limited.

Abstract: The current invention discloses methods and apparatus for quieter sorters. The quieter sorter reduces the collision noises generated by movable pins of the sorter trays and a Geneva wheel which controls the movement of the sorter trays. The movable pins generally receive a force, and the force is necessary to advance the trays in a predetermined direction. As a particular pin approaches the Geneva wheel, a collision protector isolates this approaching movable pin from the force. When the Geneva wheel engages the isolated movable pin, since the isolated pin is free from the force, the isolated pin does not collide onto the Geneva wheel. This smooth engagement of the Geneva wheel substantially reduces the noise level associated with the travel of the movable pins.

Abstract: In order to drive a shaft selectively in two opposite directions of rotation by means of a pivoting handle, use is made of a mechanism including an internally toothed ring which drives the shaft, a guide arranged diametrically inside the ring and mounted so that it can rotate, with friction, about the axis of pivoting of the handle, and a follower arranged with play inside the ring and driven by the handle with radial play and angular play. The follower exhibits two sets of toothing close to the ends of the guide for meshing with the internal toothing of the ring when the handle moves away from a neutral position, these sets of toothing being prevented from meshing with the internal toothing through interaction between reliefs of the follower and a slideway when the handle returns towards its neutral position.

Abstract: An actuator has a linearly elongate frame, side, end, and top covers detachably and selectively mounted on side surfaces of the frame, a table mechanism displaceable in the axial direction of the frame in response to energization of an electric motor, and a ball screw for transmitting drive forces from the electric motor to the table mechanism. The operator can select various actuator configurations depending on the environment in which the actuator is to be installed and the application in which the actuator is to be used.