Abstract: A double-eccentric friction drive having a natural and automatic friction-increasing effect under load includes a friction ring and a wheel which is located eccentrically with respect to the friction ring, and a hollow cylindrical or ring-shaped wedged member that is eccentric relative to the wheel and the friction ring and whose side wall is held against the friction ring by the wheel. In continuously variable embodiments of the friction drive, one or more of the three members comprises a pair of spaced-apart halves whose spacing from each other is infinitely adjustable, and one or more of the members includes tapered surfaces which coact with the movable halves so as to effectively vary the diameters of contact surfaces between the members. The eccentricity of the wheel is infinitely adjustable in harmony with the movable halves to constantly urge the wedged member against the friction ring, whereby the ratio of an input speed to an output speed of the drive is infinitely adjustable.

Abstract: A container and dispensing apparatus for discharging selected amounts of a paste, cream or other viscous material or products such as toothpastes which includes a generally cylindrical container having a dispensing nozzle at one end and a generally circular base portion at the other end thereof. The base portion of the container is received within a dispenser and collector assembly which includes a plurality of cutter blades which surround a central fixed piston whereby, as the container is urged downwardly against the cutting blades the container is cut into a plurality of separate strips which are received and stored within the dispenser while the product in the container is urged outwardly of the dispensing nozzle by the fixed piston.