An automatic shaft lock is incorporated into the transmission or drive components of a power driving tool of the type commonly used to tighten or loosen threaded fasteners, for example. The automatic shaft lock operates to prevent an externally-applied rotational back--force or back-torque, such as results from use of the tool to manually tighten or loosen a fastener, from being transmitted all the way through the drive components to the tool's motor or armature shaft. The shaft lock also effectively reduces the amount of back- torque, functioning automatically in either rotational direction, due to being disposed at an intermediate location in the drive train, between an intermediate gear enmeshed for driving rotation with the tool's armature shaft and an output gear enmeshed in a driving relationship with the tool's output shaft.

Automatic shaft lock

A pair of zero-turn, hydrostatic transaxles (HZTs) that may be joined to form an integrated, zero-turn, hydrostatic transaxle. Each of the hydrostatic transaxles are further comprised of a casing carrying a hydraulic pump driven by an input shaft, a hydraulic motor driven by a the hydraulic pump through porting contained within a center section, and an axle shaft driven by the hydraulic motor. The hydrostatic transaxles are joined along an interface extending generally perpendicularly to the axle shafts.

Zero-turn hydrostatic transaxle

Method and apparatus for installing a replacement automatic transmission in place of an original automatic transmission in a four-wheel-drive vehicle, said replacement automatic transmission being of shorter overall length than said original transmission. An adapter kit, comprising an extension housing, an output shaft, fastening means and sealing means is installed in the drive train of the four-wheel-drive vehicle, rendering this substitution possible.

Automatic transmission adapter kit

A high torque resistant and strong screwless plastic gear box has a reduced thickness at its output shaft. The gear box and a reduction drive assembly therein may be used particularly, but not exclusively, in a slot machine with a spinning drum or hopper which holds coins or tokens to be released therefrom. The gear box includes a main body and a cover which is ultrasonically welded thereto. Locating posts, holding tubes, inner welding pads, outer surrounding tubes, and locating ribs are provided to weld the cover to the main body. Acoustical chambers are formed between outer walls and inner arcuate walls of the main body. The inner arcuate walls surround all of the shafts and gears inside the main body. This double-walled construction reduces noise and provides surprising mechanical strength. All of the gears are mounted on only three shafts secured between the main body and the cover. Four of the gears are stacked on a single central shaft and rotate in two pairs independently of each other.

High torque resistant and strong screwless plastic gear box

A headlight adjuster gear assembly (100) is provided having a pair of angularly oriented intermeshed gear members comprising a driven gear member (4) adapted to be rotated and cause rotation of a driving gear member (4) which is operable upon rotation to adjust a vehicular headlight. Gear members (2, 4) are enclosed by a pair of housing members (80, 90) that are hinged together at one end and fastened at an opposite end by pins (28) or other suitable means to prevent loss of either or both housing members (80, 90) upon their detachment as well as provide improved resistance to their separation from torque arising during the adjusting process.

Headlight adjuster gear assembly

A gearbox drive that adapts the drive train ratios of vehicles to standard speedometers, including an input gear, an intermediate gear and an output gear rotatable about axes defining an equilateral triangle, arranged so that upon rotation of the input shaft in either direction, the reaction forces on the intermediate gear will be substantially balanced. The gears are supported in mating cup-shaped input and output gear cases with the input gear case member having an input gear bearing and two secondary bearings each of which selectively supports either the intermediate gear or the output gear. The output gear case member has an output gear bearing and two secondary bearings each of which selectively supports either the intermediate gear or the input gear. By rotating the output gear case member 120 degrees with respect to the input gear case member during assembly and reversing the relative positions of the input and output gears, the same force balance on the intermediate gear is achieved for rotational motion of the input gear in either direction. The gearbox also accommodates reverse rotation of the output gear by eliminating the intermediate gear and directly meshing the input and output gears. The gear case members are constructed of plastic to reduce the weight and cost of the gearbox, while certain bushings along with the gears and their supporting shafts are constructed of steel to maintain the reliability, strength and integrity of the gearbox.

George M. Ponczek

Papers

Gearbox drive for a speedometer