Abstract: A torque dividing gear drive system, a method of driving an output gear, and a method of evenly dividing an output torque between three gears is provided. The torque dividing gear drive system that is provided has a first gear driven by an engine, a second gear coupled to the first gear, a third gear coupled to the first gear, a fourth gear coupled to the first gear, a fifth gear driven by the second gear, a sixth gear driven by the third gear, a seventh gear driven by the fourth gear, and an eighth gear driven by the fifth, sixth and seventh gears. The first gear may be a floating gear. A method of operating such system is also provided.

Abstract: A torque dividing gear drive system, a method of driving an output gear, and a method of evenly dividing an output torque between three gears is provided. The torque dividing gear drive system that is provided has a first gear driven by an engine, a second gear coupled to the first gear, a third gear coupled to the first gear, a fourth gear coupled to the first gear, a fifth gear driven by the second gear, a sixth gear driven by the third gear, a seventh gear driven by the fourth gear, and an eighth gear driven by the fifth, sixth and seventh gears. The first gear may be a floating gear. A method of operating such system is also provided.

Abstract: A gear arrangement for transmitting torque through an angle and through a plurality of power extraction paths. The arrangement includes a driving shaft, a floating spur gear pinion concentrically mounted on the drive shaft, a pair of concentric and opposed face gears that are in meshing engagement with the pinion, a primary driven shaft mounted to one of the face gears and at least one non-floating spur gear also in meshing engagement with both face gears. The driving shaft is located by a bearing or a flexible coupling at the shaft end remote from the gear box to allow the pinion to float freely. Useful power may be extracted from both face gears and the non-floating spur gear as well as additional spur gears that are placed in meshing engagement with the face gears.

Abstract: A gear arrangement for an offset transmission includes two concentric, counter-rotating face gears in meshing engagement with an engine output shaft, the face gears being connected to respective concentric, vertical counter rotating face gear shafts of unequal length, each shaft ending in a helical spur gear that is in meshing engagement with an output helical face gear. The helical output face gear is connected to the output shaft, thereby completing the offset transmission. The face gear shafts can be coupled together by means of thrust bearings that couple the axial thrusts of one shaft to the other in an opposite direction. The shafts can also be coupled via a preload spring that ensures the torque split between the pinion gears is statically determinant. The gear arrangement can be applied to twin engine designs, with a spur gear train coupling the two engines together via an interconnect shaft.

Abstract: A gear arrangement includes a horizontally inclined rotary shaft having a pinion and two face gears rotating in parallel but axially spaced planes. The two face gears are in meshing engagement with the pinion. Each face gear rotates about a shaft that includes a spur gear. A combining gear is in meshing engagement with both spur gears. Torque from the rotary shaft is equally split between the two face gears, reducing the amount of torque each face gear must transmit. The torque is combined from the two face gears by the combining gear, where the torque may then be used to drive the desired mechanism.

Abstract: A roller bearing includes a slotted cage structure that separates and controls tapered rollers as they roll on the bearing races. The cage is a load-bearing structure that is in sliding contact with the larger diameter axial end surface of the rollers, thereby preventing any sliding contact between the bearing races and the axial ends of the rollers. The point of sliding contact between the cage and the rollers can be selected for minimizing friction. The roller bearing can be provided in either a crossed roller bearing configuration or in a multiple row configuration.

Abstract: A linear actuator includes a single drive gear that engages two driven gears of the same pitch diameter, which in turn drive a spindle and a sleeve, respectively. The sleeve is internally threaded to receive the spindle, which is externally threaded. The sleeve and spindle are driven rotationally at slightly different rates due to different numbers of teeth on the two driven gears, producing linear motion of the spindle relative to the sleeve. The drive gear can be rotated in increments corresponding to integral numbers of teeth and the rest positions of the gears can be full engagement positions to minimize play in the gears.

Abstract: A gear blank is integrally formed with a shaft or other central structure protruding axially from what is to be the toothed face of the gear. A spiral bevel gear is then cut by the face mill generation method, but with the cutter distance exceeding the outer cone distance. The cutter does not intrude into the area occupied by the shaft. The resulting gear has a negative spiral angle and a reverse tooth curvature.

Abstract: A flexible coupling for drivingly connecting two rotatable shafts or the like includes a flex member connected between driving and driven members. The flex member consists of four flat arms, arranged to form two Vs with their interior angles facing one another, and a connecting piece connected to and extending between the vertices of the two Vs. Angular and endwise misalignment of the axes of the two rotatable parts joined by the coupling is accommodated by bending of the flat arms out of the neutral plane of the flex member and by twisting of the connecting piece. The flex member is easily fabricated as a one-piece unit by cutting it from a flat sheet of metal or plastic or by forming it through a molding or casting process. The coupling may include only a single flex member or it may have a number of such members connected in series to increase its misalignment capabilities.

Abstract: In a gear drive for drivingly connecting two rotatable shafts the transmitted power and torque is split between two parallel paths to reduce the size and required power handling capacity of the gears and other components. The power and torque is divided between the two paths by an axially shiftable torque distributing member carrying two gears each meshing with a respective one of two other gears each comprising part of a respective one of the two parallel power paths. The torque distributing member is rotatably supported relative to the frame or casing of the drive by a bearing surrounding and engaging the member itself. This accurately locates and fixes the axis of rotation of the member and reduces the bearing requirements for its associated shaft.