Abstract: A transmission for reducing the pulley ratio between a drive shaft and a transmission shaft. The transmission is adapted to convert a higher speed rotary motion to a lower speed linear motion. The transmission has two pulleys rigidly mounted together on a shaft and the pulleys have a different number of teeth. A pair of belts are mounted on the drive shaft and a follower shaft, each one of the belts engages one of the transmission pulleys. One belt on the transmission shaft engages a pulley on the top of a first transmission pulley and another on the bottom of a second transmission pulley. When the drive shaft imparts motion to the belts, the belts move the transmission between the drive shaft and the follower shaft. By arresting the movement of one of the belts by a clutch/brake, the transmission can be converted into a two speed transmission. If the belts are independently driven, one each by two motors, the transmission becomes operable in an infinite number of pulley ratios.

Abstract: In a belt transmission device in which rotating inertia torque of a rotor of an alternator is avoided, by a one-way clutch, from being inversely transmitted to a crank shaft of an engine, the one-way clutch is composed so as to effectively respond to slight variation in angular velocity of the crank shaft to prevent a mis-locking, thereby preventing a slip of a transmission belt and extending a belt life. To attain this purpose, an angle of operational delay of the outer roller type one-way clutch until the one-way clutch is switched from the freed state to the locked state between a driving-side outer race and a driven-side inner race is set to be smaller than a specified angle of displacement of slight variation in angular velocity to be transmitted to the outer race in a high-rpm region of the engine.

Abstract: In a belt transmission device for preventing a slip of a belt, the belt is wound between a crank pulley of an engine and an alternator pulley on an alternator shaft connected to an alternator as an auxiliary for making belt transmission. The alternator pulley is attached to the alternator shaft through a one-way clutch for connecting the alternator pulley and the alternator shaft only at the time of increase in angular velocity of a crank shaft. A centrifugal clutch which becomes engaged by the increase in centrifugal force accompanied with rotation of the alternator shaft is arranged in parallel with the one-way clutch. When the angular velocity is small, the centrifugal clutch is disconnected but only the one-way clutch is connected. When the angular velocity becomes larger than an allowable frequency of the one-way clutch, the centrifugal clutch operates to block the function of the one-way clutch.

Abstract: A wheel chair system including a pair of levers mounted to each side of an operator seated in the wheelchair, each lever having a handle which the operator can articulate between a position aligned with the levers and a position normal to the levers. The levers are each connected to a planetary gear system and a double ratchet assembly and are movable by the operator forwardly and rearwardly through an arc. Each double ratchet assembly is connected to two chains, one of which is driven when the lever is rotated in one direction and the other of which is driven when the ratchet is rotated in the opposite direction. The handles, levers, ratchets and gears are configured and interconnected such that when the operator moves the handles and levers through a rowing motion, the wheel chair is powered in a forward direction. The gear set can be chosen, and modified, to be compatible with the strength characteristics of the upper body musculature of the operator.

Abstract: A serpentine belt drive system for an automotive vehicle in which the sequence of driven assemblies includes an alternator assembly comprising a housing and an armature assembly mounted in the housing for rotation about an armature axis. A hub structure is carried by the armature assembly outwardly of the housing for rotation therewith about the armature axis.

Abstract: Rotational control apparatus in the form of fan clutches (C) are disclosed including a first, friction disc portion (12) splined on a hub (20) and rotatably mounted on a shaft (24). The friction disc portion (12) is reciprocal between a first position rotatably related to the facing (52) of a sheave (50) rotatably mounted on the hub (20) and a second position rotatably independent of the sheave (50). A second friction disc portion (212) is splined on the hub (20) and is reciprocal between a first position rotatably related to the facing (252) of a second sheave (250) rotatably mounted on the hub (20) and rotating at a different rotational speed than sheave (50). By selective engagement of the friction disc portions (12, 212), the hub (20) will be rotated on the shaft (24) at either the rotational speed of the first sheave (50) or the second sheave (250). In another form, a second, friction disc portion (112) is rotatably mounted on a reciprocal piston (100) and rotatable relative to the hub (20).

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a belt-drive method and apparatus wherein the rotational force of a drive shaft is accompanied by minute fluctuations in the angular velocity, and a driven shaft has rotational inertia. A one-way clutch is provided in the belt drive, which forms a selective interruption of the rotational force transmission through the belt drive while the angular velocity at the drive shaft side is decelerating, the force being transmitted only while the angular velocity is increasing.

Abstract: A planter population reduction drive system includes a third shaft adapted to be added onto a planter implement transmission unit having existing first and second shafts. The individual planter units are driven by the second shaft which is connected by a series of adjustable wheels to the first shaft for a selected population rate. The new third shaft is driven by the ground wheels and includes primary and secondary belt drive connections to the first shaft. A normally engaged wrap spring clutch on the third shaft normally provides for the transmission of torque from the third shaft to the first shaft but when the wrap spring clutch is disengaged, torque is transmitted through a secondary drive wheel which is mounted on the third shaft by an over running clutch.

Abstract: A drive system (10) for rotating a plurality of engine mounted accessories comprising an input member (16) supporting a crank unit (12) and a remotely positioned auxiliary drive unit (14). The units include a plurality of output pulleys (22, 30, 90, 98) linked by drive belts (100, 102). The crank unit (12) comprises an axially movable clutch (38) and an electric responsive actuator (50, 66, 68, 72) for moving the clutch between engaged and disengaged conditions, including means for compensating for the wear of the internal components of the drive unit to affect repeatable engagement intervals.

Abstract: A planter population reduction drive system includes a third shaft adapted to be added onto a planter implement transmission unit having existing first and second shafts. The individual planter units are driven by the second shaft which is connected by a series of adjustable sprockets to the first shaft for a selected population rate. The new third shaft is driven by the ground wheels and includes primary and secondary chain drive connections to the first shaft. A normally engaged wrap spring clutch on the third shaft normally provides for the transmission of torque from the third shaft to the first shaft but when the wrap spring clutch is disengaged, torque is transmitted through a secondary drive sprocket which is mounted on the third shaft by an over running clutch.

Abstract: A two speed rear wheel hub transmission for BMX bicycles and the like that can be utilized as original equipment or as a conversion kit. High and low speed drive sprockets are mounted with intermediary overrunning clutches on the rear wheel hub of a BMX bicycle with each adapted to be concurrently chain driven by larger diameter high and low speed sprockets commonly mounted on the pedal drive shaft. Both the high and low speed drive systems are normally biased into driving engagement with the rear wheel hub but with the high speed drive system normally overriding the low speed system which free wheels during normal high speed bicycle operation. Downshifting is effected by a manually induced counter-rotational precessing of the rear wheel mounted high speed drive sprocket for selective driving disengagement thereof and automatic, delay free shifting to the low speed drive without effective interruption of drive pedal sprocket rotation.

Abstract: A manure spreader including a rotary distributor at the rear end and an endless apron having a span movable along the bottom of the body is powered from a p.t.o. or the like from a tractor to drive the distributor at a predetermined rate while the speed of the apron may be varied between slow, fast and very fast by variable drive mechanism adjacent the rear end of the body and includes a jaw clutch associated with the distributor, a slidable clutch member movable selectively between driven sprocket gears respectively for relatively slow and fast drive of the apron, together with a direct drive connection between a main drive shaft and a secondary drive shaft connected to the apron to provide a very fast speed for the apron while the distributor is idle to effect a fast cleanout of the body at the end of distributing a load of manure. The direct drive referred to is supplemented by an overriding clutch.

Abstract: A fixing and heating device for an electrostatic copying apparatus includes a fixing roller which (a) remains stationary at least until a toner is softened, (b) is driven at a low speed to even the surface temperature of the fixing roller when the surface temperature is lower than a temperature suitable for fixing, and is equal to the temperature suitable for fixing except during a fixing operation, and (c) is driven at a speed suitable for fixing when the surface temperature is suitable for fixing during the fixing operation.

Abstract: A two-speed transmission having an input shaft and an output shaft. A slow speed input pulley and a high speed input pulley are provided on the input shaft. An overrunning clutch and a selectively engageable clutch are provided on the output shaft, each of which has a pulley provided thereon. A pair of timing belts, each of which has teeth on both sides thereof, pass around the pulleys provided on the input shaft and the pulleys provided on the output shaft causing the output shaft to rotate at an opposite direction from the input shaft. By selectively engaging and disengaging the selectively engageable clutch, the output shaft can be rotated at two distinct speeds and at the high speed, it overruns the drive mechanism for the slow speed stage as a result of the use of the overrunning clutch.

Abstract: A motor vehicle transmission unit provided with an automatic variable ratio transmission mechanism and a supplementary fixed ratio transmission mechanism which transmits torque from an input shaft to an output shaft of the unit in conditions of low speed and high torque. A free wheel clutch allows the variable ratio transmission mechanism to take over the drive when the speed increases, this being accomplished by means of an automatic speed sensitive clutch which engages when the speed of the output shaft reaches a predetermined threshold valve. A torque converter or other progressive coupling device links the input shaft of the unit, via an isolating friction clutch, to the fixed ratio transmission mechanism.