Abstract: An operator for controlling the movement of a window sash relative to a frame, including a base attachable to a frame; a linkage secured to the base and attachable to a window sash to control the movement of the window sash relative to a frame; a rotatable input shaft rotatably secured to the base and driveably engaging the arm, the input shaft having a female drive region formed therein; a drive member; a transmission shaft secured on one end to the drive member and having a male drive region disposable within and mateable with the input shaft female drive region to transfer rotation of the transmission shaft to the input shaft; and means for locking the transmission shaft to one of the base and the input shaft to hold the male drive region in mateable engagement with the female drive region.

Abstract: There is provided a guide roller assembly for use in a wastewater treatment facility comprising a pin and a guide roller, wherein the guide roller directly surrounds the pin and the pin rotates within the roller. There is also provided a guide roller assembly for use in a cog rake bar screen comprising a pin and a guide roller, the guide roller surrounding the pin, wherein the guide roller comprises a low-friction polymeric material and the pin rotates within the guide roller, the guide roller being free to rotate.

Abstract: A plastic gear is rotatably supported on at least one plastic fixed support stud, which is preferably formed of plastic and molded on a metal support plate. The fixed support stud has three equiangularly spaced lobes extending from its outer surface without any nominal clearance with an inner surface of a hub of a plastic gear defining a bore in the gear hub to receive the fixed support stud. The lobes cause deformation of portions of the gear hub between the adjacent lobes. By increasing the clearance between the outer surface of the fixed support stud and the inner surface of the gear hub, spaces are provided between the adjacent lobes to allow portions of the inner surface of the gear hub to extend thereinto due to the deformation of the plastic. This reduces the vibration or jitter of the plastic gear, which is the output gear of a gear train for driving a photoconductive drum of a laser printer to improve its print quality.

Abstract: A molded plastic circular gear which has removed its wall portions on the inside of a tooth root of its circumferential gear teeth portion. The gear has a circular rim formed at a distance from and on an inside of the tooth root. The gear is further formed by injection of resin through gates located in the web portion of the inside of the rim. The gear is further characterized in that the thickness in the axial direction of the web portion of the inside of the rim is made larger than that of the web portion on the outside of the rim.

Abstract: A system for transmitting power and motion is presented in which at least one component for transmitting power and motion communicates power and motion to another component in which two means are articles of polyketone polymer. In one aspect of the invention the component for transmitting power and motion are spur gears. In another aspect of the invention at least one of the component for transmitting power and motion includes worm gearing.

Abstract: According to the invention, when a plurality of radial ribs are formed integrally with the web of a spur gear for the sake of rigidity thereof, the same rigidity as that of heretofore known gears can be assured while increasing the size accuracy of gear in comparison with the usual gears by locating the ribs with outer ends thereof opposed to the base of corresponding teeth.

Abstract: A gear arrangement for a high reduction of the input rotational velocities is achieved in a single reduction gear train, utilises a long narrow driving pinion (12) located between two idler pinions (13) to mesh with the teeth of both, and the teeth of both idler pinions (13) mesh with teeth (14) of a year wheel, thereby sharing the load of the idler pinions (13), which can be of nylon for providing a quiet gear train.

Abstract: A cylindrical tubular substrate for an electrophotographic photoconductor is made of a conductive resin. The substrate is smoothly rotatable about its axis of rotation, securely grounded, and easily and inexpensively manufactured. It has a cylindrical tube portion and a flange portion with a gear and a shaft through-hole. These portions can be integrated as a unit of a material containing an electrically conductive resin as the main component. Alternatively, the shaft is integrated unitarily with the substrate by single-step molding. Or further, a flange, made of a resin with high sliding wear resistance and with a gear and a shaft through-hole, or a previously molded flange made of a resin with high sliding wear resistance and with a gear and a shaft insert-molded to the flange, with an electric conductor, is disposed in an assembling molding step at an end of a cylindrical tube made essentially of a conductive resin.

Abstract: A fluid driven tank cleaning device is provided. The device includes an inlet that connects to a source of cleaning solution under pressure and a stem coupled to the inlet having a fluid receiving chamber. A hermetically sealed gear box is also provided which is coupled to the stem and has a secondary chamber separated from the receiving chamber by a common wall. A primary drive shaft rotatably mounted within the fluid receiving chamber is driven by an impeller which rotates in response to fluid entering the fluid receiving chamber. The primary drive shaft is magnetically coupled to a secondary drive shaft rotatably mounted within the secondary chamber. A gear train reduces the speed of the secondary shaft. A first output shaft rotatably mounted within the secondary chamber is connected to the secondary drive shaft via the gear train. The output shaft is magnetically coupled to a second output shaft which rotates a main housing relative to the stem about a first axis.

Abstract: A gear for power delivering apparatus comprises body unit, gear unit engaging with another gear at the outer periphery of the body unit, and impact absorbing member between the body unit and the gear unit. The impact absorbing member, including space between the body unit and the gear unit and a plurality of arms in space, absorbs the impact applied to teeth of the gear unit. The arms are helically formed, so that absorption of the impact applied to the gear depends on the rotation direction of the gear.

Abstract: A composite gear includes one or more metal stamped plates, and two thermoplastic layers disposed on opposite sides of the plates. Apertures are provided in the stamped metal plates so that the molten thermoplastic material may flow through the apertures and anchor the two thermoplastic layers to each other as well as to the metal plates. The composite gear has composite gear teeth which consist of one or more metal gear teeth portions sandwiched between two thermoplastic gear teeth portions. The thermoplastic gear teeth portions extend outwardly from the metal gear teeth portions so that the thermoplastic teeth portions absorb loads under normal operating conditions. Under abnormal conditions such as when an abrupt stop occurs, the thermoplastic portions of the gear teeth are compressed and the higher torque forces resulting from the abnormal condition are absorbed by the metal gear teeth portions.

Abstract: A cylindrical tubular substrate for an electrophotographic photoconductor is made of a conductive resin. The substrate is smoothly rotatable about its axis of rotation, securely grounded, and easily and inexpensively manufactured. It has a cylindrical tube portion and a flange portion with a gear and a shaft through-hole. These portions can be integrated as a unit of a material containing an electrically conductive resin as the main component. Alternatively, the shaft is integrated unitarily with the substrate by single-step molding. Or further, a flange, made of a resin with high sliding wear resistance and with a gear and a shaft through-hole, or a previously molded flange made of a resin with high sliding wear resistance and with a gear and a shaft insert-molded to the flange, with an electric conductor, is disposed in an assembling molding step at an end of a cylindrical tube made essentially of a conductive resin.

Abstract: An injection-molded gear for an utility engine has a high reliability, tenacity, and accuracy, capable of being manufactured at low cost without requiring cutting, and ensuring a substantial reduction in noise. An inner part of a cam crankshaft gear is formed of an insert ring of a sintered iron alloy. An outside portion and a toothed crest portion of the gear are formed by injection-molding a polyamide resin such as nylon 66 and heat-treating the resulting molded product so that its relative viscosity is equal to or larger than 3.5. The relative viscosity is defined as .eta./.eta..sub.0 where .eta..sub.0 is a viscosity of sulfuric acid of 98% concentration and .eta. is a viscosity of a solution of the 98% sulfuric acid in which the polyamide resin is dissolved at a concentration of 1.0%.

Abstract: A shaft assembly and method of forming a shaft assembly having an elongated hollow shaft with a stepped portion on the surface of the shaft. The stepped portion of the shaft surface is formed of two straight edge sections joined by an inclined section. A gear having a corresponding straight/inclined edge configuration engages the shaft and contacts the shaft only on the corresponding straight edge portions. Both the shaft and gear are made of plastic.

Abstract: A drive-end gear wheel is engaged by a drive disc through an intermediate cushion that accepts slave bars of the driving disc and reinforcement ribs of the drive-end gear wheel. The reinforcement ribs couple an inner hub with an outer ring gear flange of the drive-end gear wheel. The reinforcement ribs are formed with transition curves that uniformly transmit tangential and radial deformation stresses to the outer ring gear flange, ensuring reliable and durable operation of the drive gear.

Abstract: A transmission assembly used to connect with a rotatable ornament or a toy to provide bilateral rotations for achieving their cosmetic effect comprises a casing enclosing a set of three pinions which are driven by a battery-operated electrical circuit therein. An elastic rectangular bar used to restrict the rotary extent of a first pinion will elastically obstruct the rotary movement of the pinion in order to provide continuous bilateral rotation and each turn of the bilateral rotation will exceed 360.degree. without making any noise. The noses of the spindles of the pinions are formed as tapering sockets or as tapering pointed plugs to enhance the intensity of the assembly. Most of the components in this assembly are made integrally of plastic material so as to reduce the time and cost to manufacture.

Abstract: In a planet gear type torque transmission device, the internal teeth of an internal gear integrally formed by resin molding are arranged regularly for the ribs for coupling the inner periphery and the outer periphery of the gear. Thus, the mold can also be modified regularly so as to form the internal teeth with high accuracy.

Abstract: A gear and a rack attached to the gear periphery are molded in one piece. A housing recess contains the gear and a channel accommodates the rack so that, as the gear is turned by a knob, the rack is driven by the gear so that it wraps or unwraps about the gear and a free end of the rack moves along the channel. The channel is linear or curved to determine the direction of motion of the free end. A cable or other device is controlled by the free end of the rack.

Abstract: Disclosed is a high strength, self-lubricating, non-metallic gear which requires no lubrication when running with a metallic gear. The gears are cut with a non-standard tooth form to provide superior power transmission performance and the metallic gear is selected from special pinions having range indicators for assuring proper gear and pinion combination.

Abstract: A reduction gear mechanism applicable for a geared motor used for lifters for business equipment or the like. A trochoid tooth profile internally meshing type planetary reduction gear mechanism is used as the basic reduction gear mechanism. Each of an external gear and an internal gear is formed of a resin having a small rigidity. Each of an output shaft and a bearing supporting the external gear is formed of a metal having a large rigidity. As a result, the reduction mechanism ensures the rigidity and rotational smoothness in usual operation. Moreover, when a torque more than a value required for a mating member to be driven is applied, the external gear and internal gear are deformed, resulting in the increased meshing loss. The reduction mechanism can reduce the efficiency mechanically by the increase in the meshing loss. Even if a reversing load is applied from the output shaft side, the efficiency can be also reduced by the same meshing loss.

Abstract: Motor vehicle gearbox with an input shaft (2), two countershafts (3,4) and an output shaft (5). On the first countershaft (4) there is a rotatable gear (30) which cooperates with brake elements through which a frictional torque is transmitted via a gear (10) on the output shaft to the second countershaft (3) and from the second countershaft to the output shaft (5) and back to the first countershaft (4).

Abstract: To reduce the mass of internally or externally toothed gears, a thin metal ring having internal or external toothing is made and bonded to a ring of fibrous composite material. Furthermore, to make rings for gears having internal or external toothing, fabric hoses of fibrous composite materials having a fibre orientation of .+-.45.degree. are applied in a number of layers in the peripheral direction to the bottom and side flanks of a U-shaped groove-like depression of a rotating production device; the remaining free space in the interior of the applied fabric hose layers is filled with a unidirectionally wound roving, thereby forming an integral ring after the curing or hardening. Moreover, to make rings for gears having internal or external toothing, two thin-walled rings of fabric laminates serving as shear walls and having a fibre orientation of .+-.45.degree.

Abstract: A gear is comprised of a central radial hub, a radial gear-toothed rim and a stress dissipating structure.

Abstract: A hinge joint for use in the seats of motor vehicles to permit changes of inclination of the back rest has a first leaf secured to the body supporting portion of the seat, a second leaf secured to the back rest and a composite shaft having an eccentric cylindrical portion turnably mounted in the first leaf and two coaxial conical portions flanking the eccentric portion and turnably mounting the second leaf. At least one conical portion has a cylindrical core of a metallic material and elastic sleeve surrounding the core and having a conical external surface. A diaphragm spring reacts against the shaft and urges the second leaf axially of the shaft against the first leaf, and a spur gear of the first leaf mates with an internal gear of the second leaf.

Abstract: Disclosed is a high strength, self-lubricating, non-metallic gear which requires no lubrication when running with a metallic gear. The gears are secured to their shafts with keyless retaining devices, and the gear set is cut with a non-standard tooth form to provide superior power transmission performance.

Abstract: A quieted motorized servoactuator with a sub-fractional horsepower high rpm, low voltage motor driving a gear train with about 900:1 reduction overall. The motor shaft has a metal worm meshing with a first stage thermoplastic elastomeric material, preferably polyamide polyester, of a hardness not greater than 72 on the Shore "D" scale. The first stage gear has an integral pinion meshed with a second stage gear of harder thermoplastic material, preferably acetal. The second stage gear has an integral pinion meshed with an output sector gear formed of harder thermoplastic material preferably comprising polyamide filled one-third by volume with fine glass particles.

Abstract: A transmission member is fitted to a flange member to which a photosensitive drum is fitted. The transmission member is made of a synthetic resin and includes an output gear that engages with a drive gear of a transfer drum. The output gear is formed on the outer periphery of a cylindrical portion formed on one end side of the transfer member. An outer peripheral support surface is formed along the circumference on one end side of the flange member. The inner peripheral surface of a cylindrical portion of the output gear is fitted onto, and is supported by, the outer peripheral support surface of the flange member.

Abstract: A strap is coupled between the sliding upper track of a power seat adjuster and the lead screw of a horizontal drive to transmit forces acting on the upper track which move the upper track in a forward direction to the lead screw bypassing the horizontal drive gears. The horizontal drive gears coupling the horizontal drive motor output shaft to the lead screw and the gear housing surrounding the drive gears are formed of a plastic material. In one embodiment, the strap has first and second ends with the first end loosely surrounding the lead screw. The second end of the strap is coupled in a force transmitting path with the upper track. An intermediate portion of the strap between the first and second ends is formed in a predetermined contour to deform under tension toward a planar shape and is disposed bypassingly around the drive gears.

Abstract: A gear is comprised of a central radial hub with a web radially extending therefrom and an independent radial gear-toothed rim, both of which are radially coupled by a stress dissipating resilient member attached thereto and being located in a plane parallel to that of said web. The resilient member is laterally supported by the adjacent web and the resilient member side walls are proximately parallel to the web side walls such that the resilient member is not located between the outer peripheral edge of the web and the inner peripheral edge of the rim. Furthermore, the present invention comprises a process by which such a stress dissipating gear is manufactured.

Abstract: A power tool with a two-part housing has a drive motor with a pinion gear on the motor shaft. A plastic cylindrical ring gear is fixed to the motor in coaxial surrounding relationship with the pinion gear and has attachment lugs which fit between the two parts of the tool housing and are fixedly secured to each. A plastic gear carrier frame is insert molded on a splined end of a metal output shaft and is receivable within the ring gear and has radial slots for respectively receiving pins which respectively rotatably mount three planet gears in meshing engagement with the pinion gear and the ring gear. The carrier frame has a hollow stub shaft portion which receives the pinion gear therethrough, the stub shaft portion having an elastomeric O-ring seated in a circumferential groove therein for press-fitting a ball bearing thereon, the ball bearing being in turn press-fitted in a seat in the ring gear to support the planet gear assembly.

Abstract: In an epicycle reduction gear type starter device comprising a ring-shaped internal gear 20 which is molded from resin and secured to a front frame so as to engage with planet gears driven by a DC motor, the internal gear 20 has ribs 21 in the outer periphery of an annular inner portion and which are substantially equal in thickness and are arranged at substantially equal angular intervals, and a cylinder 22 which is small in wall thickness to which the outer radial edges of the ribs are connected, locking protrusions 23 are formed on the cylinder 22 which are locked to the front frame so as to prevent the rotation of the internal gear, and through-holes 24 are formed in the locking protrusions 23, respectively, into which through-bolts are inserted to secure the DC motor and the front frame.

Abstract: A combination winch and stowage reel assembly for arrays towed by submari, the assembly comprising a hub, a slip ring mounted in the hub and in communication with a receiver in the submarine, a reel rotatably mounted on the hub, the reel having gear teeth on a periphery thereof, a tow cable fixed to the reel and adapted to have attached to a free end thereof an array to be towed behind the submarine, the tow cable being in communication with the slip ring to form a communication path including the array, the tow cable, the slip ring and the receiver, a drive gear engaged with the reel gear teeth, and a motor for turning the drive gear, thereby to turn the reel on the hub to pay out and take up the cable.

Abstract: A shaker with an open frame, sides, a flat bottom and open ends. The shaker has pre-lubricated sealed bearings and a self-lubricating plastic gear with a metal gear, which not only educes the amount of friction between gear teeth, reduces maintenance and noise resulting from the gears and enables applicant to provide an integral open frame in which the gears are supported. The gears may be inserted into the frame through the openings in the frame. This provides for easy assembly and the absence of lubricant is especially important in the food industry and other industries where contamination of products would be objectionable.

Abstract: A starter for an internal combustion engine including mechanical components subject to an impact load during operation including a shift lever, internal gear, gear cover formed integrally with the internal gear, front case, center bracket, and brush holder disposed in a rear bracket. At least one of the mechanical components is formed of a synthetic resin having a glass transition temperature greater than 90.degree. C. such as an aromatic copolymer and nylon series, whereby a workability and an impact load absorbing capacity of the mechanical components as well as the bending rupture strength are capable of withstanding an impact load caused by an abnormal operation of the starter at a high environmental temperature greater than 150.degree. C.

Abstract: An electric discharge machine has a movable ram assembly including a casing having a tubular support defining a through bore therein with an upper portion, a lower portion and a receiving space adjacent to the lower portion. A shaft vertically passes through the bore and the lower end of the shaft is connected to an electrode head. A device for moving the shaft vertically in the tubular support is provided in the casing. The casing also has an upper telescopic member extending upward from the upper portion and a lower telescopic member extending from the lower portion thereof. An insulating device is provided between the shaft and the tubular support to insulate the casing from the shaft. The insulating device includes an insulated tubular member in the lower portion, an insulated sleeve member around the shaft between the upper and lower portions, an insulated stop member at the top end of the shaft.

Abstract: A thermoplastic power transmission element having increased torque capacity. A power transmission element, such as a gear, pulley, sheave or sprocket, is formed of a thermoplastic material and includes a central hub arranged to surround and engage a keyed driven shaft. A metallic insert within the central hub engages the key to receive the driving forces transmitted therethrough. The metallic insert includes a plurality of mating surfaces engaging the central hub to distribute the driving forces over an area larger than the area of the keyway. Use of the metallic insert increases the torque capacity of the resulting power transmission element.

Abstract: A miniature reduction gear includes a sun gear, a fixed inner gear and a movable inner gear and at least one planetary gear. The planetary gear is formed of three stages of outer teeth. Each outer tooth stage separately engages one of a sun gear, fixed inner gear and movable inner gear. The sun gear provides an input to the miniature reduction gear and the movable inner gear provides an output. The number of teeth of the planetary gear which engage with the sun gear is greater than the number of teeth which engage with either of the fixed inner gear or movable inner gear.

Abstract: An engine starter apparatus comprises a housing (9), a d.c. electric motor (2), an output rotary shaft (3) with a pinion (7), and a planetary speed reduction gear (5). The planetary speed reduction gear (5) comprises a sun gear (11), an internal gear (20), a plurality of planetary gears (12) disposed between the sun gear (11) and the internal gear (20), and a planetary gear carrier (10) connected to the output rotary shaft (3) for rotatably supporting the planetary gears (12). The internal gear (20) comprises a ring-shaped internal gear member (20a), and elastic reinforcing ring member (21,22; 24) for elastically supporting the internal gear member (20a), thereby to increase rigidity of the internal gear member (20a).

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: A planetary gear includes a middle planetary gear part, a disc part on one side of the planetary gear part having a radius smaller than a radius of the tooth root circle of the planetary gear part and another disc part on another side of the planetary gear part having a radius bigger than a radius of a tooth edge circle of the planetary gear part. An internal gear includes a middle internal gear part, an inner cylindrical part on one side of the internal gear having a radius smaller than a radius of a tooth edge circle of the internal gear part and another inner cylindrical part on another side of the internal gear having a radius bigger than a radius of a tooth root circle of the internal gear part. The planetary smaller disc parts can rollingly engage the smaller inner cylindrical part of the internal gear. The planetary bigger disc parts can rollingly engage the bigger inner cylindrical part of the internal gear. The planetary gear part and two disc parts are unified in a body.

Abstract: A gear box or the like adapted for prolonged effective use in a harsh and/or corrosive environment such as found in the chemical industry and are in which salt water is prevalent. Components of the gear box are provided with protective polymer coatings which are low friction and impervious to attack from the environment and materials used therein. Exterior surfaces of the housing are coated with a polymer that also withstands impact from foreign objects as exemplified by polyamides, epoxies and fluorocarbons with nylon being preferred. Other components such as the input shaft, bushings and the like are preferably coated with one or more layers of fluorocarbon polymers, with layers in contact with the component including a thermosettable binder component such as a phenolic. Certain coating thicknesses are most preferred.

Abstract: One of male and female rotor elements is coated with a coating which is different in hardness from the other uncoated element. Even when the rotor elements come to contact with each other during the operation due to thermal expansion or the like, because of the difference in hardness between the coating and the other uncoated element, either of them which has a less degree of hardness is scraped off. As a result, accident due to contact between the male and female rotor elements can be prevented and the screw rotor can be operated with an optimum clearance between the elements.

Abstract: A phenol resin toothed wheel having a toothed portion formed of meta-aromatic polyamide fiber spun cloth impregnated with phenol resin blended with epoxy resin.

Abstract: This cluster of moulded gears with the helical teeth, comprising a group of coaxial pinions of which the teeth have the same helical sense and the same pitch, is characterized in that, Mrn and Mri designating the real moduli of any pinions respectively of rank n and of rank i of the group, Zn and Zi designating the numbers of teeth of the said pinions, and .beta.n and .beta.i designating their helical angles, the following relationship exists between these different parameters:sin .beta.n=sin .beta.

Abstract: Applicant has discovered that the use of plastic gears in connection with metal gears on a main gear reduces the amount of friction between gear teeth and in addition reduces noise resulting from the assembly. Applicant's shaker herein requires a minimal amount of maintenance and will operate for long periods of time. Moreover, Applicant's shaker requires little or no lubrication. The gears may be disposed between the two parts of the housing and the eccentric weights outside the housing or visa versa.

Abstract: An adjustment gear mechanism utilizing a plastic adjustment gear and integrally formed structures which securely retain a drive member. The plastic gear is formed to provide both a gear tooth arrangement which cooperatively meshes with a drive gear and an integrally formed adjustment member bore which provides prevailing torque for an adjustment member. The gear tooth arrangement on the plastic gear is formed to cooperatively mesh with a metal drive gear and withstand the tooth load and deflection applied by the metal drive gear. The drive member is non-adhesively retained by the integrally formed structures which maintain operative engagement between the drive member and the drive gear which it rotates. The structure and materials of the mechanism also provide adjustment-retaining purchase such that when a desired adjustment is achieved using the adjustment mechanism the adjustment resists disturbance by accidental, vibrational or other forces exerted upon either the drive member or the adjustment member.

Abstract: A power transmission apparatus has a first shaft and a second shaft which are supported by an aluminum housing, and an iron gear and a synthetic resin gear which are respectively mounted on the two shafts and are engaged with each other. The synthetic resin used for the synthetic resin gear contains an aromatic polyamide fiber.

Abstract: To permit constructing flexible belt-rack longitudinal-movement structures of substantial length, not subject to vibration, and inexpensively built, the rack (3) is cast integrally with a slab (2) of plastic concrete. A stiffening rib (33) can be provided in the slab, preferably at the side remote from the movable machine element (7), and preferably formed with a through-bore to attach a tension rod therethrough, so that a plurality of such slabs can be longitudinally connected together. Guide rails (5) are located at the sides of the slab, on which slide bearings (6) are located which, in turn, support a movable carriage, movable along the bed. The carriage carries the drive motor (17) which drives a gear belt (22) for engagement with the rack.

Abstract: A snap-fit fastening or mounting arrangement for a motor having a mounting flange. The fastening or mounting arrangement includes a side frame member having a pair of spring-like snap elements that are integral with the side frame member for securing the motor. The frame member also includes a pair of pilot studs integral therewith and positioned to be received by apertures in the mounting flange to resist torque of the motor. The side frame member includes a plurality of hubs as an integral portion thereof and gears are journaled on the hubs in an arrangement driven by the motor. A fastening element is provided with spring fingers which are inserted into the aperture of each hub and retained thereby to secure the respective gear on the hub.

Abstract: A drive unit for a roller-type conveyor system which comprises a drive gear mounted on a drive shaft within heat sink plates and driving a number of pinion gears connected to a pinion shaft each of which is connected to a roller by crimping with a flexible shaft. Each pinion shaft is completely supported within the heat sink plates. A tangential drive frangible sprocket wheel is directly connected to the drive shaft. The mounting plates relieve heat generated from the drive shaft and the frangible sprocket wheel. A number of transport mechanisms containing rollers and a control unit as just described are mounted together to form a conveyor system.