Abstract: The coupling device is an assembly comprising of three congruently shaped axially extending parts with mating wedge-like angular cuts intended to cause said parts to expand in a direction of the minor width when a screw type fastener pulls the two outer members together. those angular surfaces are made so the parts do not permanently lock up, thereby allowing the device to be removed and re-used. The angles should be equal so the parts stay put axially when the screw is tightened. The cross-section of each of the three members is in the form of identical cat-eyes, (e.g. two intersecting circles whose centers do not coincide, and whose minor width is less than the radii. The circles comprising the cat-eye are preferably equal. This is the preferred embodiment.

Abstract: A torque coupler for coupling rotatable inner and outer parts. The torque coupler comprises an inner slip section, and an outer slip section. The inner slip section is connected to the inner rotatable part to rotate with the inner part when the inner part is rotating. The inner slip section has an outer circumferential surface disposed around the inner part. The outer surface has a predetermined number of detents formed therein. The outer slip section is connected to the outer rotatable part to rotate with the outer part when the outer part is rotating. The outer slip section is seated against the inner slip section with an inner surface of the outer slip section in contact with the outer surface of the inner slip section. The inner surface of the outer slip section has a predetermined number of spring loaded teeth.

Abstract: Adjustable-drive-ratio multiple-step transmission wherein a multiple-v belt passes around driving and driven pulleys each including movable sheave elements individually shiftable in discrete steps along respective trackways away from or toward the pulley axis for changing effective diameters for changing driving ratio (rotational speed relationship) between the two pulleys. In the appropriate rotation direction, either pulley can be driving or driven. Advantageously, the individual sheave elements are one-piece belt-load-locked units engaged with saw-toothed shaped steps along their respective individual trackways by action of belt force applied off-set to torque each sheave element in the plane of the pulley forcing its saw-toothed shaped gripping teeth into engagement with steps along one side of the trackway automatically retaining each sheave element in its shifted position when under belt loading.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a variable speed drive for a bicycle. In accordance with the invention there is provided a variable diameter driving mechanism rotatably mounted on the bicycle, the mechanism including a mounting plate having a plurality of radial tracks therein. A plurality of movable sheave elements are each mounted in one of the tracks, each sheave element having a releasable retaining means which normally retains it at a substantially fixed radial position in its track. A flexible driving means, preferably a V-belt, is partially wrapped around the driving mechanism and engages different adjacent ones of the sheave elements depending on the rotational orientation of the driving mechanism. A gate or interposing means is positioned to sequentially coact with the non-engaged sheave elements and is operative, under manual control, to release the retaining means of a sheave element to allow radial motion of the sheave element.