Abstract: A shielded electrical ribbon cable includes adjacent first and second longitudinal conductor sets where each conductor set includes two or more insulated conductors. The first conductor set also includes a ground conductor that generally lies in the plane of the insulated conductors of the first conductor set. At least 90% of the periphery of each conductor set is encompassed by a shielding film. First and second non-conductive polymeric films are disposed on opposite sides of the cable and form cover portions substantially surrounding each conductor set, and pinched portions on each side of each conductor set. When the cable is laid flat, the distance between the center of the ground conductor of the first conductor set and the center of the nearest insulated conductor of the second conductor set is ?1, the center-to-center spacing of the insulated conductors of the second conductor set is ?2, and ?1/?2 is greater than 0.7.

Abstract: A transaxle or gear drive unit with an improved shift mechanism and gear drive is set forth. The shift mechanism is of the shift key type and certain gears have recesses to receive a lug of the shift key with the recesses having ramps which depress the lug when the key is shifted. One of the gears has a smooth bore adjacent the recesses to serve as a neutral position for the shift key. A wide gear having teeth or splines around its periphery extending the length thereof is rotatably mounted on one shaft of the gear drive unit. The wide gear has a plurality of additional gears affixed thereto for simultaneous rotation. The wide gear extends beyond the additional gears and connects with a forward speed gear and a reverse gear on another shaft. The wide gear thus functions as a mechanical connection for the additional gears as well as serving as a gear itself.

Abstract: Shift mechanism is provided for a gearbox, such as a transmission or transaxle, of a small vehicle. The shift mechanism has three functions. It shifts or changes the gear-engaged condition of the gearbox. It moves a clutch between engaged and disengaged positions. It also actuates a brake of the vehicle to move it between a braking position and a release position. Further, the shift mechanism achieves all three of these functions through a single shift lever which is manipulated by an operator. The shift mechanism also causes the brake to be moved to its braking position at any time the gearbox is moved between a forward speed condition and a reverse speed condition, to avoid extreme, lurching movements of the vehicle.

Abstract: Shifting mechanism for shifting gears in a gear box. The gear box has a housing, a gear shaft in the housing, a plurality of gears on the shaft, a shift key movable along the shaft for individually connecting the gears to the shaft, a shift collar positioned around the shaft and engaged with the shift key, and a shift fork for moving the collar along the shaft. The shift key moves along a longitudinal groove in the shaft and has a lug with an extended position and a retracted position. The gears have bores through which the gear shaft extends so that the gears are rotatably supported on the shaft. At least one of the gears has a plurality of uniformly spaced recesses circumferentially located around the bore to receive the lug of the shift key so that the gear rotates with the shaft. The recesses have ramps extending regularly in common directions from the bottoms of the recesses toward a common face of the gear.

Abstract: A gearbox, specifically a transaxle, which has the usual input shaft and only two additional, parallel shafts. The two shafts include an intermediate shaft on which a plurality of first gears and a first reverse sprocket are rotatably mounted. These have recesses which individually receive a shift member which is rotatably mounted on the intermediate shaft and is selectively engaged with the recesses to cause the gears and the sprocket to be selectively individually rotated with the intermediate shaft. A drive gear is also affixed to and rotates with the intermediate shaft. The two shafts also include an output shaft or axle on which a plurality of second gears and a second reverse sprocket are rotatably mounted. The second gears mesh with the first gears and the second reverse sprocket is connected to the first reverse sprocket. An output gear meshes with the input gear and is connected to and rotates with the output shaft.

Abstract: Shift mechanism is provided for shifting gears in a gearbox. The gearbox has a housing, a gear shaft in the housing, a plurality of gears rotatably mounted on the shaft, a connecting member moveable along the shaft for individually connecting the gears to the shaft, and a collar positioned around the shaft and engageable with the connecting member to move it along the shaft. The shaft mechanism includes a shifter fork for moving the collar and the connecting member along the shaft, the fork having a shift shaft pivotally mounted in the housing transversely to the gear shaft. This shaft has a first arm affixed thereto and extending on one side of the collar, with the arm having a projection on an end portion engaging a first portion of the collar. The shifter fork also has a detent plate affixed to the shift shaft and extending on the other side of the collar, with the plate having a second projection engaging a second portion of the collar generally diametrically opposite the first portion thereon.

Abstract: A mechanical, infinitely variable speed drive is provided with reverse actuation and a single control lever. The drive includes a shaft with an output gear and two driven, face-to-face bevel gears. Shifting mechanism connects either or neither bevel gear to the shaft. A drive bevel gear engages both driven bevel gears and is driven through variable speed pulleys. A cam plate operates the shifting mechanism and a cam manipulates the variable speed pulleys. Both the cam plate and the cam are controlled by a single control lever. The output can be through a differential with the bevel gear shaft being hollow and rotatably mounted on one of the axles of the differential.

Abstract: An infinitely variable speed drive is provided which is entirely mechanical, rather than hydraulic. The drive includes a rotatable housing having an output gear or sprocket rotatable therewith. An idler shaft is carried in the housing perpendicular to an axis of rotation thereof with first and second bevel gears rotatably mounted on the shaft. First and second shafts extend into the housing on the axis of rotation and in alignment with one another. Third and fourth bevel gears are affixed to the first and second shafts in the housing and mesh with the first and second bevel gears on the idler shaft. First drive gears rotate the first shaft at a constant speed in one direction. Second drive gears rotate the second shaft at different variable speeds in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the first shaft to cause the housing to rotate and drive the gear or sprocket thereon at infinitely variable speeds. A variable speed pulley arrangement can be used to drive the first and second drive gears.

Abstract: A simplified disc brake is provided, particularly for small gearboxes in the nature of transmissions and transaxles. The gearbox includes a housing having an output shaft extending therefrom with a brake disc mounted on the shaft for rotatable and limited longitudinal movement. The housing has a structurally integral brake puck pocket holding a first brake puck facing toward an inside surface of the brake disc. The housing also has a structurally integral second brake puck pocket holding a second brake puck opposite the first and facing toward an outside surface of the brake disc. The housing forms two spaced passages communicating with portions of the second brake puck pocket and holding pins positioned to move longitudinally toward the second brake puck to move it toward the brake disc.

Abstract: An improved adjustment mechanism for adjusting the maximum flow rate of conditioned air in an air distribution system controlled by a pneumatic control circuit. An air bladder controls the distribution of air, and the pressure is bled from the bladder under the control of a diaphragm against which pressure is fed back from the downstream side of the bladder. The control orifice through which the bladder pressure is exhausted is formed in the end of an exhaust tube that is axially adjustable. A cam and set screw arrangement provides a field adjustment for the exhaust tube to move the control orifice toward and away from the diaphragm for adjustment of the maximum flow rate. The cam has three point contact provided by a pair of feet and a second set screw which permits adjustment of the inclination of the cam surface. Rocking of the cam is prevented by a spring which counters the force applied to the cam by the first set screw.

Abstract: An adjustment mechanism for adjusting the maximum flow rate of conditioned air in an air distribution system controlled by a pneumatic control circuit. An air bladder controls the distribution of air, and the pressure is bled from the bladder under the control of a diaphragm against which pressure is fed back from the downstream side of the bladder. The control orifice through which the bladder pressure is exhausted is formed in the end of an exhaust tube that is axially adjustable. A cam and set screw arrangement serves to extend and retract the exhaust tube to move the control orifice toward and away from the diaphragm for adjustment of the maximum flow rate.

Abstract: Resilient shift mechanism for shifting gears in a transaxle, transmission, gear box, or the like is provided. In a gear drive for a small vehicle such as a garden tractor or a self-propelled lawn mower, it is often difficult to disengage a shift dog from a gear when under a heavy load. In some instances, the shift mechanism, such as a shifter fork, can be distorted, bent, or broken. The new shift mechanism includes a shifter fork for moving a shift dog or clutch collar and a resilient shift lever for moving the shifter fork. The lever has a resilient leg which yields when the shift lever attempts to move the shift dog while the transmission is under a heavy load. The resilient shift lever, being stressed, will subsequently shift the shift dog when the load has diminished.

Abstract: A shift control mechanism is provided for a transmission or the like. The control mechanism prevents the transmission from being shifted directly from a forward speed to reverse or vice versa. A shift lever of the transmission engages a slider when shifting between a reverse position and a neutral position or between a forward position and the neutral position. The slider is mounted in a guide on a lockout plate with the slider being limited in movement to prevent the shift lever from moving beyond the next adjacent position of the transmission in any single motion. Thus, the transmission must always be shifted into neutral when shifting between forward and reverse.