Abstract: A lock assembly for securing nuts to rotatably driven shafts in which a generally U-shaped locking spring is mounted with one leg thereof disposed along an opening in the rotatably drive shaft or a component keyed to the shaft and the other leg thereof disposed through and beyond a hole in the nut with a tab portion of such leg extending perpendicularly of the hole so that the tab will be urged outwardly of the hole by centrifugal force as the drive shaft is rotated to thereby create a more secure engagement of the locking spring with the nut.

Abstract: An apparatus as described for transmitting rotational energy from a prime mover having a first shaft to a torque load driven by a second shaft through a spur gear train. A splined shaft (30) having a sun gear (32) at one end is coupled to the prime mover. The sun gear (32) meshes spur-wise with three compound star gears (50). These star gears are positioned at approximately the same distance from the axis of the splined shaft. The star gears (50) drive a second sun gear (56) carried at the end of a second quill shaft (54) which is adapted to be connected to the torque load. Preferably the sun gears and the star gears are fully crowned and machined to have a high contact ratio such that at least two pairs of gear teeth of each mesh are substantially in contact at all times. Because one end of each quill shaft is supported by the compound star gears, the pitch circles of the associated sun gear and star gears are substantially tangent to each other thereby minimizing vibration, noise, and stress.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for lubricating a sun gear 32 connected to a hollow coupling shaft 30 which is adapted to be joined to a source of rotational energy. The shaft 30 defines at least one opening 90 intermediate its ends which is adapted to receive a source 92 of lubricating fluid under pressure periodically throughout the rotational cycle of the shaft. By damming 108 the periphery of the opening on the interior of the shaft 30, the film of lubricating fluid formed along the interior surface of the shaft by centrifugal force is precluded from draining out of the opening 90 when that opening is not supplied with lubricating fluid under pressure. Channels 142 are provided across the walls 96 of the shaft to distribute the lubricating fluid thereformed axially towards the sun gear 32.