Abstract: A compliant overrunning ratchet and pawl clutch mechanism with centrifugal throwout comprising a ratchet wheel and a one-piece pawl wheel. The ratchet wheel has plurality of angled teeth disposed about its perimeter. The pawl wheel comprises a one-piece circular hub concentrically surrounding the ratchet wheel, and has a plurality of elongate compliant biasing members extending from its inside surface toward the ratchet wheel. The biasing members each terminate in a pawl configured for engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel when the pawl wheel rotates in a first engaging direction, and for sliding over the teeth of the ratchet wheel when the pawl wheel rotates in a second overrun direction. The biasing members and clutch pawls are integrally formed as a single piece from the material of the pawl hub, and the pawls may comprise either compression or tension members.

Abstract: A hand brake for motor vehicles, and including a trestle provided with a toothing, a brake lever pivotally supported on the trestle, a locking pawl for retaining the brake lever on the trestle in an arbitrary selected pull position, at least one brake cable, a spring-biased tensioning element for the brake cable supported on the trestle, and a spring-biased arrangement for connecting the brake lever with the tensioning element, with the tensioning element being formed as a tooth segment or a tooth wheel which is constantly form-lockingly connected with the brake lever and a brake cable connector associated with the trestle.

Abstract: A pawl for a ratchet wrench to be engaged with a ratchet gear. The pawl has a slot formed on each side of the pawl. The slot extends between the top and the bottom of the pawl near the teeth on the front of the pawl. The pawl flexes to compress the slot when torque is applied to the wrench and engagement between the teeth on the pawl and teeth on the ratchet gear is improved.

Abstract: An apparatus for operating a bicycle transmission shifting device having an operating component for mounting to a bicycle in close proximity to a brake operating unit for alternately pulling and releasing a transmission element, a first lever is mounted to the operating component for movement which causes the operating component to pull the transmission element and second lever is mounted to the operating component for movement which cause the operating component to release the transmission element. The first lever and the second lever are mounted to the operating component so that the brake operating unit is disposed between the first lever and the second lever when the shifting device is mounted to the bicycle. In order to be able to construct the shifting device with only a single pawl for the release mechanism the takeup element for the transmission element includes a control member having a plurality of large and small position retaining teeth for engaging the single release pawl.

Abstract: Apparatus for releasably locking the tilt steering column assembly of an automotive vehicle in an adjusted position. A rack on the steering column assembly is engaged by a pawl to lock the steering column assembly in the position selected by the driver. A bracket is provided to hold the pawl engaged with the rack and prevent it from becoming disengaged. The tilt of the steering column can be re-adjusted by moving the bracket so that the pawl can disengage the rack. A wedge is provided for retaining the bracket in its position holding the pawl engaged with the rack. The rack has an arcuate series of teeth engageable with an arcuate series of pawl teeth. The pawl teeth includes a group of intermediate teeth of full size for full engagement with the rack teeth and at each end of the group of intermediate teeth a group of truncated teeth of shorter length than the teeth of the intermediate group to enable engagement and disengagement of the pawl and rack teeth without interference or binding.

Abstract: A return preventing device preventing return of an object driven when a vehicle suddenly decelerates includes: a gear receiving drive force of a drive device, which drives the object, so as to rotate in a first direction, and transmitting the drive force to the object so as to drive the object; a rotation-preventing pawl disposed so as to be meshable with the gear, and preventing rotation of the gear in a second direction opposite the first direction in a state in which the rotation-preventing pawl and the gear are meshed; and an elastic member for making the rotation-preventing pawl mesh with the gear substantially synchronously with rotation of the gear in the second direction. Accordingly, the rotation-preventing pawl reliably meshes with the gear substantially synchronously with rotation of the gear in the second direction.

Abstract: A reversing preventing device for preventing the reversing of an object which is driven during a sudden deceleration of a vehicle includes: a gear which rotates and is connected to a driving member for driving the object; a pawl for preventing rotation of the gear, the pawl being supported by a base in such a manner as to be able to mesh with the gear, the pawl meshing with the gear when the object is tending to reverse; and a receiving portion provided in the base at a portion different from a portion for supporting the pawl, the receiving portion being adapted to receive part of a load acting on the pawl. Accordingly, the load acting on the pawl is dispersed to the portion for supporting the pawl and the receiving portion.

Abstract: A power tool is provided with a yoke having first and second chambers each of which open into said bore; an annular toothed gear is rotatably disposed in said bore, each gear tooth being rounded at its outer extremity and each gap between adjacent teeth being rounded in such manner that the outwardly presented angle of each gap is greater than the inwardly presented angle of each tooth; one pawl comprising a cylindrical element and a wing is pivotally disposed in each chamber, each wing having a first pawl tooth sized for snug fitting disposition between adjacent gear teeth and a second pawl tooth which is sized and shaped for using an adjacent gear tooth to urge the first pawl tooth snugly into a gap on the gear as the first pawl is pivoted toward the gear; a biasing member in each chamber which urges the wing towards the gear, and a direction control which selectively allows only one of the two pawls to engage the gear as the yoke is moved with respect to the gear.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a driving structure of the external rotary disk of the crystal ball the inner rim the external rotary disk of which is provided with two set of gears which is engaged with the external rotary disk. The diameters of center gear for each set of the gears are different with each other, wherein the center gears are formed an unidirectional device with the axle of the spring. Therefore, the external rotary disk is driven by the dynamic force of the spring of the music box through one of the gears sets, on the contrary, the external rotary disk can be rotated with a preset direction, thus the other gear set will be driven to rapidly tightly wind the spring of the music box.

Abstract: An overrunning clutch for a torque converter utilizing a housing having an endless inner surface. A plurality of ratchet teeth are located on the endless inner surface of the housing such that each of the ratchet teeth possess a contact surface. A retainer having an endless outer surface fits within the inner surface of the housing. A series of recesses on the endless outer surface of the retainer hold or confine a plurality of spring actuated sprags. Each of the sprags extends from the recesses to bears on the contact surface of a ratchet tooth on the endless inner surface of the housing. Such contact takes place upon the rotation of the housing relative to the retainer.

Abstract: A parking brake mechanism for vehicles includes a cam plate free to rotate about main shaft with respect to a foot operated parking brake pedal lever and having cam portions. When a brake control cable is connected with the wheel brake assembly, the cam plate is held in integral relation with the brake pedal lever by one of the cam portions, a cam follower and a tension spring so that the cable cam be easily connected with the cam plate regardless of the biasing force of the tension spring.

Abstract: In a fishing reel with an instantaneously disengageable non-return device, the non-return device has teeth on the inside face of the line recovery device drum. A pawl pivots about an offset spindle on the reel frame and engages with the teeth on the drum in a locked position. A lever pivoting about the main axis of the reel is friction driven by the drum and in turn drives the pawl. The coupling area of the pawl is near the rotation spindle of the pawl and away from the main axis of the reel, so that there is a large multiplication ratio between rotation of the lever and rotation of the pawl. The pawl can therefore be locked to the teeth after imperceptible rotation of the lever and the drum. This achieves an instantaneous non-return function of the drum.

Abstract: A park pawl in a transmission is rotatably supported on a manually rotatable control rod and resiliently biased toward engagement with a toothed output gear by a spring acting between the control rod and the pawl. A lost-motion driving connection provided between the control rod and the pawl function to permit movement of the pawl toward and away from engagement with the toothed output gear under influence of the spring and independent of the control rod position when the control rod is rotated to a Park position. However, when the control rod is rotated to a non-Park position, the driving connection is established to forcibly move the pawl out of engagement with the toothed output gear.

Abstract: There is provided an improved hand throw device of an electric motor driven switch machine having a ratchet mechanism that permits torque to be applied to the hand throw device in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction as desired by an operator. The ratchet mechanism is a self contained module that can be easily installed to either side of the switch machine. The ratchet mechanism also permits the operator to assume a favorable position for application of force to the hand throw device with minimum stress and strain to his or her body. In addition, the ratchet mechanism has a gear system that provides a 2 to 1 mechanical advantage so that less torque is required for movement of the hand throw device.

Abstract: A ratchet mechanism for telescope devices on toy vehicles comprises a manually drivable driving gearwheel rotatably positioned on a telescope base body, a rack on the telescopic arm, the rack engaging with the driving gearwheel, and a pawl of ratcheting engagement with a tooth gap of the driving gearwheel for the telescopic arm to be fixed in different positions of displacement on the telescopic base body. The pawl consists of elastically flexible plastics material so that on the one hand it ratchets over the teeth of the driving gearwheel upon actuation of the driving gearwheel for the extraction of the telescopic arm and that on the other hand it is elastically deformable upon actuation of the telescopic arm in the direction of retraction. The pawl then ratchets over the teeth of the driving gearwheel while releasing the telescopic arm in the latter's direction of retraction.

Abstract: A locking system for articulated fittings of car seats with a free-swivelling backrest. In particular, a wobble fitting is used with the articulated fitting and is made up of at least one notch, with which a pawl engages in a locking position, and a first clamping surface as the contact surface for an operating and safety element. The operating and safety element can be rotated around a swivel axis so as to increase the clamping force exerted on the pawl and is spring-loaded to secure the pawl in the locking position by using a second clamping surface, which rests without self-locking against the first clamping surface of the pawl. The operating and safety element includes a catch surface such that, when the pawl rests against the first clamping surface, it prevents the pawl from exerting an opening moment on the operating and safety element.

Abstract: An improved non-jamming self-adjust pawl and ratchet mechanism for use in an automotive parking brake system or the like, includes cam-out and cam-in devices that are spaced to define an overlap dwell distance to insure suitable engagement between the adjuster pawl and the adjuster ratchet as a foot or hand brake operating lever is pivoted from a brake disengaged position toward a brake fully-engaged position. In the case of the foot-operated lever, the spacing distance between the cam-out and cam-in devices is greater than the bounce-back travel distance of the lever upon the removal of cable tension load thereon.

Abstract: At least one toothed roller cooperates with a deformable bar with respect to a casing which contains at least one V-shaped cam. The V-shaped cam has a central portion with opposed toothed ramps cooperating both with the toothed roller. A control cam acting on the V-shaped cam for permitting a blockage of the whole assembly is provided. The deformable bar is either made of vertical blades assembled and fixed to one another or provided with transverse bores. The bar will be deformed under action of the toothed roller upon great impact in an accident.

Abstract: A multi-position ratchet mechanism for holding a surgical retractor blade which permits a retractor blade to be rotated into the wound and retracted at the same time to duplicate the natural "toe-in" method of retraction achieved with the hand. The ratchet mechanism includes a ratchet holder to which is pivotally attached a ratchet pivot housing. The retractor blade is mounted in an opening projecting through ratchet pivot housing and held in position by a retractor pawl attached to the ratchet pivot housing. The ratchet pivot housing also has a curved ratchet which depends into a cooperating slot in the ratchet holder and engages a ratchet release bar which is mounted on the ratchet holder and spring biased into the ratchet slot. One end of ratchet release bar is positioned under an actuating surface of the retractor pawl. The application of pressure on the actuating surface will release both ratchets to allow adjustment of the retractor blade.

Abstract: A countershaft type power transmission has a plurality of selectively engageable friction clutches for establishing a plurality of forward drive ratios and a reverse drive ratio between meshing gear members on an input shaft, a countershaft and an output shaft. One of the power paths established by the meshing gears includes a gear member rotationally fast on the output shaft. A parking pawl member is selectively engageable with this gear member to prevent output shaft rotation when parking is desired. The pawl has teeth formed thereon having a profile which permit continuous simultaneous engagement between two teeth on the pawl and two teeth on the gear member regardless of the rotational bias imposed on the output shaft during parking.

Abstract: A locking mechanism for a system of movable storage units is actuated passively to prevent the storage units from moving back toward one another once an access aisle has been created therebetween. The locking mechanism includes a first gear which rotates with the operating handle during movement of a storage unit and a floating gear mounted to a support plate so that it meshes with the first gear. After a storage unit has been moved in one direction to create an access aisle, rotating the operating handle to move the storage unit in the opposite direction to close the aisle will cause the support member and floating gear to pivot toward a position in which the floating gear is engaged with an arresting member, whereupon the storage unit will be locked from movement in that opposite direction. A logic system controls the actuation of the locking mechanism responsive to the position of the storage unit with respect to adjacent storage units.

Abstract: A ratchet assembly for a medical instrument having a handle and a trigger member for operating the medical instrument, the trigger member being movable relative to the handle between a first position and a second position and being biased by a biasing member toward the first position, the ratchet assembly comprising a rack disposed in the handle, an engagement member for engaging the rack, slidably disposed in the handle relative to the rack and connected to the trigger member so that displacement of the trigger member slides the engagement member relative to the rack, the engagement member being biased into engagement with the rack so that, as the trigger is displaced from the first position to the second position, the engagement member engages the rack in a plurality of positions so as to hold the trigger member at a desired point between the first position and the second position against the biasing member, and a cam member, arranged in the handle, for disengaging the engagement member from the rack when t

Abstract: A recliner for a vehicle seat assembly is disclosed in which the locking pawl of the recliner is formed with teeth configured to resist damage when the seat back is rotated to a forward dump position. The pawl teeth at the end of the pawl closest to the slide face of the recliner latch gear are of a shorter length than the remainder of the pawl teeth to enable the teeth to resist bending deformation caused by impact with the latch gear end face. The pawl teeth are of a progressively longer length from the end of the pawl inward, over a limited number of teeth.

Abstract: This brake, suitable for being connected to a brake cable (6), comprises a toothed sector (1) fitted with a dentation (2) which sector is intended to be fixed to the floor of the vehicle, a pawl (9) provided with locking teeth (13) interacting with the dentation (2) of the sector and a hollow manual gripping lever (5) equipped with an internal push-button rod (7), one end (7a) of which interacts with the pawl in order to keep it in the locking position of the brake due to the thrust of a return spring (14); the pawl (9), articulated about a pin (11), interacts with a member (17), which may be an additional tooth (17) forming part of an over-moulded covering (16) on the metal body (12) of the pawl, positioned between the teeth (13) of the locking mechanism and the pin (11), or an intermediate member which is not integrally connected to the pawl; this member is dimensioned in order to slide over the dentation (2) while the lever (5) is being operated, thereby keeping the teeth (13) of the locking mechanism away

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a park locking mechanism for a selected gear of a vehicle transmission. The mechanism includes a manually actuatable shift rod, a pivotally mounted pawl lever for selectively engaging the gear, a rod assembly operatively connected to the pawl lever, a rotatable rod operatively connected to the shift rod, an actuating lever secured to the rotatable rod for rotation therewith, "lock" and "unlock" recesses formed in the distal end of the actuating lever, spring-loaded lug means for alternately engaging said recesses, and an opening formed in the actuating lever for connection with the rod assembly for pivoting the pawl lever into engagement with said selected gear when the PARK mode is selected by the operator.

Abstract: A ratchet device is disclosed which includes a body, a ratchet wheel rotatably supported by the body, a feed pawl having an engaging portion engageable with teeth of the ratchet wheel, a support member for holding the feed pawl, a member for biasing the feed pawl toward the wheel teeth, and a drive device for moving reciprocating the support member between two positions to place the feed pawl alternately in its fully advanced and retracted positions, so as to rotate the ratchet wheel a predetermined angle in one direction. The ratchet device further includes a stopper member for contact with the feed pawl when the pawl is placed in the fully retracted position, to thereby prevent the engaging portion of the pawl from disengaging from the teeth of the ratchet wheel.

Abstract: A hand brake for a motor vehicle includes a hand lever pivotably supported on a support bracket fixed to the vehicle body, and an adjusting disc likewise supported on the support bracket and connecting the hand lever with a pull member leading to a wheel brake shoe. A detent pawl supported on the hand lever cooperates with a toothed segment formed integrally with the support bracket and is released with an actuation rod longitudinally displaceable in the hand lever. The hand lever is connectable with the adjusting disc by a coupling pawl supported on the hand lever and slidably engaging a guide pin secured to a side surface of the support bracket. The adjusting disc is springbiased in the rotational direction so that it provides for progressive pull member displacement/force ratio.

Abstract: In a vehicle park lock mechanism having a rotatable lock arm (5) for locking a gear (3) which is fixedly mounted on a transmission shaft (2), a pawl device integral with the lock arm is comprised of first and second locking pawls (6F, 6R) which are operable to engage the gear so as to prevent forward and backward directional rotations of the gear. The first and second pawls are arranged such that they may project into one and another toothe spaces (3b) of the gear which are spaced circumferentially of the gear with at least one tooth space therebetween. Gear having a relatively large pressure angle such as a transmission gear may satisfactorily be used as the gear for the lock mechanism.

Abstract: A drive mechanism for converting a reciprocating angular movement into one directional angular movement is disclosed for driving a shaft in a submersible cleaning device. In particular, a positive engagement clutch converts an alternating pivotal or angular motion of a shaft to a unidirectional circular motion of a driven gear. The shaft is affixed to a collar formation comprising pockets in which pawl elements are movably placed. The pawl elements engage teeth of a periphery ring that encloses the collar. The driven gear is affixed to the ring. The pawl elements operate in a dense medium such as the water of a pool in which the device is operating. The water imparts a high degree of inertia to the pawl elements and cause them to engage in the peripheral ring during the alternating motion of the shaft. Rotational movement of the driven gear to one direction is accomplished using a second pawl engaging a ratchet affixed to the periphery of the ring.

Abstract: The locking device (100) includes a pivoting ratchete (10) and a component (30) that is movable between two extreme stop positions. The pivoting ratchet (10) is symmetrical about a plane including its pivot axis (35), and it includes first and second locking fingers (15, 25) each of which is designed to engage in stable manner and under the action of a load (F) acting on the moving component (30) in a corresponding one of symmetrical notches (50a, 50b) formed in the moving component. A spring (20) is mounted in a prestressed state so that for a given resilient reaction (R1) thereof, the distance of said reaction from the pivot axis (35) of the ratchet (10) in either of the two stable locking positions is such that the ratchet (10) is unlocked by applying the smallest load that is likely to be applied to the moving component (30) in the direction that tends to switch it from one extreme stop position to the other.

Abstract: A ratchet wheel having a locking device, includes a housing, a ratchet wheel disposed pivotally in the housing in such a manner that one end of its axle couples with an external rotating object, a braking member having a shank provided at one end thereof with a wedge angle and at other end thereof with a pivot, and a lock. The pivot is coupled pivotally with the housing in such a way that it moves between a first position and a second position. When the braking member is at the first position, its wedge angle meshes with ratchet wheel. When the braking member is at the second position, its wedge angle disengages from the ratchet wheel. The lock has a lock core capable of moving between a locking position and an unlocking position. The locking position of the lock core corresponds to the first position of the braking member, while the unlocking position of the lock core corresponds to the second position of the braking member.

Abstract: A carriage on which a head is mounted has a rack which can be engaged with gear teeth located on a specific position. The gear teeth can be moved so as to engage with and disengage from the rack. The rack has a first pitch different from a second pitch of the gear teeth so as to maintain sure engagement.

Abstract: Releasable ratchet mechanism for medical instruments such as endoscopic instruments are disclosed. The ratchet mechanism includes: a leaf spring with a locking barb which is located on a handle of the medical instrument; a ratchet on a lever arm of the medical instrument which lever arm is pivotally engaged to the handle; and a latch on the handle of the medical instrument. The latch on the handle engages and resiliently deforms the leaf spring to cause engagement of the locking barb in a groove of the ratchet when the latch is in a first position. When in a second position, the latch releases the locking barb from the ratchet groove. Preferably, the locking barb has an extending edge surface on an axis which is substantially parallel to the pivoting axis of the handle and lever arm, and the teeth of the ratchet have extending edge surfaces on axes substantially parallel to the extending edge surface of the locking barb.

Abstract: A parking-brake operating device comprises a braking-force holding mechanism including a plate-like bracket having a ratchet wheel and mounted at a location adjacent a seat on a body floor, a swing arm mounted to the bracket for angular movement, and a ratchet pawl supported on the swing arm for angular movement and engageable with and disengageable from the ratchet wheel so as to hold the swing arm onto the bracket; an operating lever supported by the bracket coaxially with the swing arm and for angular movement, and having at least one opening; a support shaft mounted on the swing arm and loosely fitted in the opening so as to permit a predetermined quantity of relative movement between the swing arm and the operating lever; a link mechanism including a bell crank supported on the operating lever for angular movement, and a link element having its both ends which are connected respectively to one end of the bell crank and the ratchet pawl for angular movement; a release element mounted to the operating leve

Abstract: A releasably lockable hinge device comprises a pair of hingably connected hinge members rotatable about a common pivot and mutually positionable in an at least one mutually releasably locked position by a locking pawl selectively movable between locking and unlocking positions. First and second longitudinally spaced toothed portions of the locking pawl, when biased into a locking position, are interferingly wedgingly engaged with respective corresponding surfaces of the pair of hinge members, in rigidly, bridging interlocking relation therebetween.

Abstract: Improved pawl assembly for starting mechanisms of small engines mounted on the engine flywheel provided with a bore therein and includes an integrally molded, polymeric pawl, a U-shaped torsion spring and retaining means disposed in the bore of the flywheel. The pawl has a depending shank rotatably fitted into the bore of the flywheel and oppositely extending end portions. The outer end portion, or spur, is adapted to engage a fin or vane of the flywheel to orient the inner end portion, or toe, of the pawl to engage the teeth of the ratchet surface of a pulley type starter. The closed end of the torsion spring is fitted over the shank and urges the pawl to its ratchet engaging position. The spring includes leg portions fitted into the bore of the flywheel and each leg terminates in a laterally extending hook portion adpated to interfit within the retaining means disposed at the end of the bore opposite the end into which the shank is fitted.

Abstract: A steering column for motor vehicles with a steering shaft that is movable in the axle direction and held by a positive connection notching. The notching is formed between a jacket barrel (1) placed so that it is fixed from turning, and a solid body thrust bearing (2) and consists of toothed gearing segments (4, 5) on the width of the jacket barrel (1) and anchored toothed elements (6, 7) that are movable on the thrust bearing (2) with at least a gear tooth (9, 10). Wedge bodies (11, 12) are provided that by means of a control are movable in the bolt position brought about by the notching. The gearing tooth portions on the jacket barrel (1) include at least two segments (4, 5) developed with the same tooth spacing, that nevertheless are arranged around a half gear segment displaced with respect to each other.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment a self-adjusting vehicle wheel drum brake is provided having an adjuster strut with a threadably extending star wheel and an adjuster pawl mechanism having a dual step tip. The dual step tip allows the adjuster mechanism to move the adjuster pawl in small incremental steps, thereby lowering in half or in close approximate thereto, the amount of wear required upon a pair of brake shoes before the adjuster pawl will effectuate outward movement of the brake shoes.

Abstract: A ratchet mechanism comprising a rotatable member incorporating a toothed periphery, the rotatable member being suitably mounted to allow free rotation thereof, a pawl incorporating apparatus for engaging the toothed periphery, the pawl being suitably mounted to permit movement thereof from a position in which the pawl allows said rotatable member to rotate freely in either direction of rotation to a position in which the pawl prevents said rotatable member from rotating in one direction, and selectively operable apparatus to move the pawl between said positions, said selectively operable apparatus incorporating an over-dead-center spring arrangement to bias the pawl into the selected position.

Abstract: An improved dog used with a ratchet which is subject to rapid withdraw which dog has a biased probe extending outwardly from the ratchet contacting face of the dog. The biased probe reduces or eliminates the tendency of the dog to bounce along the teeth of the ratchet when the ratchet is rapidly turning.

Abstract: An adjusting device for automatically compensating for cable strand elongation in a vehicle parking brake utilizes a rotatable disc cam having a circumferential edge which spirals radially out to effect a displacement of a cable yoke in a cable tensioning direction as slack develops in a cable strand of the parking brake. The disc cam is tensioned by a torsion spring, the entire device having a small number of parts and high operational reliability even when dirty.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for jacking and dollying a vehicle wheel assembly, while the assembly remains affixed to the vehicle, the wheel assembly including a pneumatic tire, a wheel and an axle. The apparatus features a "U" shaped framework having telescoping body section members to which orthogonally extending arms are attached. Wheel assembly engaging elements in the form of roller assemblies are mounted on the framework arms for engaging the tire of a wheel assembly located therebetween for lifting. The apparatus also includes an actuator mounted on the framework body section members for driving the roller assemblies against the wheel assembly tire to cause lift, and form the framework and roller assemblies into a carriage for retaining the wheel assembly. Still further, the framework is mounted on casters to enable transport of the supported wheel assembly and framework.

Abstract: A gear lock is moved between a free movement position, at which the gear is freely rotatable, and a locking position, at which the gear and gear lock become self-locking. The gear lock has two locking faces facing one another which fit around one or more teeth with the locking faces adjacent the sides of the gear teeth. The locking faces and the gear sides define tangent contact planes at the positions of contact. The tangent of the angle between the direction of movement of the gear tooth at the contact region and the contact plane is less than the coefficient of friction between the gear and the gear lock. Doing so makes the gear lock self-locking since the component of the gear force parallel to the contact plane does not exceed the frictional force between the two surfaces. The gear lock also provides any final positioning of the gear as it moves into the locking position with the gear teeth opposite the locking faces.

Abstract: A tiltable steering column for an automotive vehicle includes a main steering shaft made up from a lower steering shaft and an upper steering shaft tiltably rotationally connected to the lower steering shaft, and a column tube assembly which includes a lower tube which rotatably supports the lower steering shaft from the body of the automotive vehicle and an upper tube which rotatably supports the upper steering shaft and is pivotally mounted so as to be able to tilt relative to the lower tube. A tilt locking mechanism also included in the steering column includes a first side ratchet mechanism on one side of the column tube assembly and a second side ratchet mechanism on the other side of the column tube assembly.

Abstract: A tiltable steering column for an automotive vehicle includes a main steering shaft made up from a lower steering shaft and an upper steering shaft tiltably rotationally connected to the lower steering shaft, and a column tube assembly which includes a lower tube which rotatably supports the lower steering shaft from the body of the automotive vehicle and an upper tube which rotatably supports the upper steering shaft and is pivotally mounted so as to be able to tilt relative to the lower tube. A tilt locking mechanism also included in the steering column includes a first side ratchet mechanism on one side of the column tube assembly and a second side ratchet mechanism on the other side of the column tube assembly. Each such side ratchet mechanism includes a ratchet fixedly attached to one of the upper tube and the lower tube, a means which acts constantly for biasing the pawl so as to engage it with the ratchet, and a means for selectively biasing the pawl so as to release its engagement with the ratchet.

Abstract: A spring operating mechanism for a circuit interrupter comprises means for converting the rotation of an electric motor into a rocking motion of a pawl, a ratchet wheel having teeth for being engaged by the pawl to be rotated by the rocking motion of the pawl and a closing spring which is charged by the rotation of the ratchet wheel, whereby energy charged in the closing spring is used for the closing and the tripping of the circuit interrupter. The mechanism comprises a catch arranged to come into engagement with the tip of the pawl when the tip of the pawl begins to ride on a large-diameter outer circumferential toothless portion of the ratchet wheel and to be brought out of the above engagement by the rocking motion of the pawl.

Abstract: This tiltable steering column is for an automotive vehicle, and includes a main steering shaft made up from a lower steering shaft and an upper steering shaft tiltably rotationally connected to the lower steering shaft, and a column tube assembly which includes a lower tube which rotatably supports the lower steering shaft from the body of the automotive vehicle and an upper tube which rotatably supports the upper steering shaft and is pivotally mounted so as to be able to tilt relative to the lower tube. A tilt locking mechanism also included in the steering shaft includes a first side ratchet mechanism on one side of the column tube assembly and a second side ratchet mechanism on the other side of the column tube assembly.

Abstract: An anti-decoupling mechanism for preventing unwanted decoupling of an electrical connector as a result of vibration. The decoupling mechanism includes a one-piece gull-shaped spring (400) mounted to a connector coupling ring (300). The spring (400) includes a central portion (410) having an arcuate groove (411) formed thereon and a pair of wing members (420, 430) extending outwardly therefrom, the arcuate portion being secured in place by a pin (600) interference fit through a hole (331) disposed in the coupling ring. Each wing member includes first and second strips in superposed relation and a medial enlargement or tooth member (440) projecting radially inward from a forward surface of one of the strips and adapted to engage ratchet teeth (141) disposed on one of the connectors, the wings biasing the tooth against the ratchet teeth to increase anti-decoupling torque.

Abstract: A drive mechanism for an energy accumulator of a stored energy circuit breaker includes a toothed ratchet wheel intermittently coupled to a shaft connected to an energy accumulating spring through a crank arm. A pair of drive levers are rotatably mounted upon the shaft and support a U-shaped drive claw and a pawl. The toothed periphery of the ratchet includes a gap wherein teeth are not formed. A drive spring biases the drive claw and pawl into engagement with the periphery of the ratchet, with the ratchet being positioned in the gap when the energy accumulating spring is fully charged. The drive levers are connected to one end of a connecting rod, the other end of which is connected to a motor assembly which causes reciprocating motion of the connecting rod when the motor assembly is energized. A lock means selectively prevents the shaft from rotating when the energy accumulating spring is fully charged.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a control device incorporating at least one electrical switch which can be actuated abruptly, for closing and opening, by a single rotary control cam.The control device incorporates a control cam 1 possessing a plurality of identical abrupt-drop notches 3 separated respectively by solid parts 4 identical to one another. A lever system is arranged between this cam 1 and the reversing switch 2. It comprises a first and a second lever 21 and 22 each of which pivots about a fixed axle 15 and the noses 31, 32 of which interact with the profile of the cam 1 under the action of a spring 8. A link 20 is articulated, on the one hand, at 21a on the first lever 21 and, on the other hand, at 22a on the second lever 22. It possesses a relief part 23 interacting with the reversing switch 22. When the nose 31 drops into a notch 3, with the nose 32 remaining on a solid part 4, the reversing switch is released, 6a-6b being closed and 6c-6d being open.