Abstract: A device with one or more actuator racks carried by a housing for reciprocation and each meshing with a separate pinion gear having a non-circular central hole in which a complimentary coupling shaft can be removably received for rotation in unison with the gear(s). The pinion gears are carried and journalled for rotation in the housing by a pair of co-axial bushings with generally opposed and spaced apart axially projecting rims received in mating peripheral shoulders in the side faces of the gears. The gear teeth extend generally axially continuously between their side faces with the shoulders in their side edges. Preferably the radial extent of each shoulder is less than the radial extent of the teeth. When the coupling shaft is removed from the gears each pinion can rotate independently of the shaft and each other to initially position its associated rack at a desired location and when the shaft is inserted in the pinion gears they rotate in unison to simultaneously actuate the rack(s).

Abstract: A structural element made of a castable or extrudable polymeric material reinforced by fillers, said structural element having a contact surface in sliding engagement with another element, the structural element being provided on its contact surface with a layer, thin in comparison to the structural element's dimensions, of polymeric material free of fillers, the said layer being unitary with the structural element.

Abstract: In a system that includes a linearly movable carriage or the like, a mechanism to convert rotary motion of a leadscrew to linear motion of a nut and, hence, linear movement of the carriage to which the nut is mechanically secured. The leadscrew has a special threadform and the nut has a special threadform that matches the threadform of the leadscrew with a pressurized fluid interface therebetween, there being both axial clearance and radial clearance sufficient to accommodate angular and lateral misalignment between the leadscrew and the carriage. Shallow independent grooves along each side of the nut's helical threadform act to equalize fluid pressure across each respective side of the threadform and orifices or other fluid flow control devices connect to the grooves or passages to permit introduction of high pressure air or other fluid thereto. Exhausts are provided from the region by radial clearance between the leadscrew threadform and the nut threadform.

Abstract: A coaxial type starter device comprises an overrunning clutch device having a clutch inner member and a pinion shaft with a pinion at an end, the pinion shaft being inserted in the clutch inner member so as to be engageble therewith by helical splines formed at the pinion shaft and the clutch inner member so that a torque is transmitted from the clutch inner member to the pinion shaft and a radial load by the pinion shaft is borne by the helical spline of the clutch inner member, wherein the helical splines of the clutch inner member and the pinion shaft have radially contacting portions wherein the outer surfaces of the teeth of the helical spline of the clutch inner member are in slide-contact with the corresponding parts of the helical spline of the pinion shaft, and have radially non-contacting portions wherein the other portions of the helical spline of the clutch inner member face, with gaps, the corresponding parts of the helical spline of the pinion shaft, and wherein the total surface area of the rad

Abstract: In an accessory drive unit e.g. as used in a gas turbine engine, some of the gears in a gear train are provided with pockets 20 in which drainage oil is collected on engine shut down. On re-starting of the engine, the collected oil is acted upon by ribs 16 and is flung onto the teeth of the gears so as to provide immediate lubrication, rather than experience a delay until main lubricant supply pressure is increased. Friction and wear on start up is reduced.

Abstract: A boat steering assembly (10) having a substantially circular rotary gear (12) engaging an output gear such that the leverage is varied between the output gear (16, 16') and the steering wheel (32). The steering wheel (32) has a shaft gear (28) engaging in idler gear (22) which eccentrically rotates the circular gear (12) about the first axis (14). The eccentrically rotating circular gear (12) engages the output gear (16, 16') having a partially sinusoidal profile thereby automatically varying the distance (i.e., leverage) between the first axis (14) and a point of contact (52) between the circular (12) and output (16, 16') gears.

Abstract: A spline connection which comprises a spline boss having inward spline teeth; and a spline shaft engaged slidably with the spline boss and having outward spline teeth is disclosed. A header passage for a lubricant is formed along a core of the spline shaft and oil passages are further formed in the spline shaft in such a manner as to pierce therethrough radially from the header passage. At least one of the outward spline teeth of the spline shaft is provided at the top thereof with a groove crossing transversely the outer spline tooth so as to have the open end of the oil passage disposed in the groove.

Abstract: A hydrostatic gear wheel mechanism has two intermeshing gear wheels in the work space of a housing. To continuously rinse the gear wheel and housing surfaces which slide on each other, grooves on the gear wheel convey lubricant from the work space to between the gear wheel front faces and the axial end walls of the work space.

Abstract: A degasser for removing contaminating gases from an aqueous fluid including a motor having a depending drive shaft, a hollow gear box casing having a lubricant inlet port formed therein adjacent the top thereof, a reduction gear arrangement comprising a stationary ring gear fixed to said gear box casing below said inlet port; the ring gear arrangement including a ring gear having a lubricant outlet port formed therein in a groove between two of the teeth, a plurality of reduction gears operatively interconnected to said drive shaft, a lubricant reservoir adjacent the gear box, a lubricant inlet line interconnecitng the lower portion of the lubricant reservoir with the gear box inlet port, and a lubricant outlet line interconnecting the top portion of said lubricant reservoir with the gear box outlet port, whereby each rotation of the reduction gears will force a pulse of lubricant form said gear box through said outlet port and said outlet line to said lubricant reservoir and, whereby, a corresponding pulse o

Abstract: In a system that includes a linearly movable carriage or the like, a mechanism to convert rotary motion of a leadscrew to linear motion of a nut and, hence, linear movement of the carriage to which the nut is mechanically secured. The leadscrew has a special threadform and the nut has a special threadform that matches the threadform of the leadscrew with a pressurized fluid interface therebetween, there being both axial clearance and radial clearance sufficient to accommodate angular and lateral misalignment between the leadscrew and the carriage. Shallow independent grooves or passages are distributed along the length nut's helical threadform to equalize air pressure therealong and orifices are provided to the grooves or passages to permit introduction of high pressure air or other fluid thereto. Exhausts are provided from the region of clearance between the leadscrew threadform and the nut threadform. Both threadforms are ideally in the form of square threads.

Abstract: A wide scan drive mechanism for use in a vacuum, e.g. in space, comprising a motor assembly (20) associated with a gearing device (10) which comprises a drive system via triangular teeth sliding over one another, wherein the various ball bearings and triangular teeth of the gearing device are subjected to dry lubrication treatment.

Abstract: A static pressure lead screw includes a porous ceramic body having fluid flow paths as part of a flank. The porous ceramic body is fixed by a tubular base member through which the fluid does not flow. Fluid guide holes for supplying the fluid to the porous body extend through the tubular base member and are connected to the porous body. In a preferred embodiment, an electroless-plated layer is formed in a surface layer of the flank or an inner portion continuous with the surface layer, thereby obtaining various high-accuracy static pressure guides with high statical stiffness.

Abstract: A micro-contoured surface is formed about a substantial portion of the edge of the end bearing face of each gear tooth of a gear having a plurality of circumferential gear teeth each with an end bearing face for carrying an axial thrust load against a flat housing bearing face or the like. The micro-contoured surface forms a wedge space between the bearing faces which when filled with a fluid establishes a hydro-dynamic film pressure distribution over the entire end bearing face of the gear tooth upon relative motion between the bearing faces.

Abstract: A device for controlling the rectilinear translation of a movable member, comprises a screw engaged by a nut having cooperatingly shaped thread surfaces the dimensions of which are such that there is a radial clearance between the screw and the nut and an axial clearance between adjacent helical flanks of the screw and the nut. The nut is provided with radial passages communicating with the chambers defining the radial clearances, which can be put into communication with a source of compressed gas enabling the formation of an air cushion or air bearing between the two relatively movable members thereby reducing the turning moment necessary for effecting rectilinear movement of the movable member.

Abstract: In a hydrostatic pressure worm-rack device of the type comprising a worm formed with operating oil supply opening at the opposite flanks of respective teeth of the worm, opposite flanks of respective teeth of the rack being formed with oil pockets, there are provided an oil distributor mounted on one end of the worm shaft for supplying oil to mating surfaces and not mating surfaces of the teeth of the worm and rack and for supplying pilot oil to pilot oil supply ports provided for the flanks of the teeth at the opposite ends of the worm which firstly mate with the teeth of the rack.

Abstract: Disclosed is apparatus for automatically applying lubricant in a lifting device which raises and lowers a platform by intermeshing of pinions of a jack-up device mounted on the platform and racks provided in the longitudinal direction of legs for supporting the platform, rockable arms supported by a frame of the jack-up device being provided above the pinion meshing with the rack, a roller brush being rotatably provided on the rockable arms so as to come into sliding contact with the pinion, and a lubricant supplying device being connected to the roller brush.

Abstract: A lead screw positioner (10) is described, which has extremely low noise, including a nut (12) lying about a lead screw (14) and means for flowing gas under pressure between the nut and screw to keep them slightly spaced. The nut forms a plenum chamber (34) which receives pressured air, and has several holes (32) leading from the chamber to the clearance space (20) between the nut and screw to apply pressured air thereto. The nut and screw are devoid of direct sealing contact, so the pressured gas flows from the holes and axially along the screw to the end of the nut, where the gas flows into the environment.

Abstract: A lubrication system with a lubricant feeding device disposed in the housing of a speed change mechanism for auxiliary devices. The lubricant flows from a central lubricant reservoir within the speed change mechanism through the moving surfaces to the inner surface of the housing due to centrifugal force. Excess lubricant is returned to the lubricant reservoir by the lubricant return device. If a planetary gear mechanism is used, the lubricant return force is provided by the meshing action of the pinion gears with the primary power transmission gear and an outer ring gear. The lubricant flow is directed by lubricant guide walls which substantially enclose said meshing portions and direct the lubricant to lubricant return passages.

Abstract: A rack lubricator is bolted to a drive pinion housing. The lubricator supports a porous felt gear on a rotatable shaft. Lubricant is ported through the shaft to the inner surface of the gear, and the gear wicks the lubricant onto the rack teeth, thereby coating the surface of the rack with minimal lubricant as the felt gear rolls with the rack.

Abstract: A motor-reduction gearbox combination has the driven shaft output gear on the floor of the casing and below the driving shaft which is perpendicular to the driven shaft. The drive shaft has two multi-start corner screw portions of opposite hand and preferably of equal arithmetic pitch, to be engaged by respective pinions. Each pinion forms part of a respective double gear unit by being fixed to, or more preferably formed integrally with, a gearwheel meshing with the driven shaft output gear. For each double gear unit, the ratio of the number of teeth on the gearwheel to the number of teeth on the pinion is equal to the number of thread starts of the associated worm screw portion of the driving shaft, and in the preferred case the double gear units both have the same such ratio.

Abstract: A synchromesh gear for a speed-change gear drive including a conically-shaped friction surface in the form of sharp-edged teeth each supporting a friction surface, which are separated from each other by oil evacuating grooves, and which is adapted for frictional mating engagement with a smooth opposite or counter cone. The teeth are arranged obliquely in the friction surface at an angle with the range of between 10.degree. and 70.degree., and preferably about 30.degree., with respect to the direction of the generatrix of the conically-shaped friction surface. The profiles of the teeth may consist of two regions having different profile slopes, in which the region of the tooth crown evidences the steeper profile slope. The oil removal or evacuation grooves and teeth can be located on the outer surface of the synchromesh gear, as well as on its interior surface. The teeth can also be distributed either uniformly over the entire interior surface of the gear ring or also arranged discontinuously.

Abstract: A gear drive arrangement having at least two meshing spur gears which are helical or straight toothed in only one direction. One of the meshing spur gears has at least two axially spaced gear parts thereon and, approximately in the center thereof, at least one peripheral groove separating the two gear parts. The depth of the groove is at least as great as the height of the tooth and preferably extends below the root circle. The other meshing spur gear is free of a peripheral groove thereon.