The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 23, 1989
Filed:
Jul. 11, 1988
George H Leonard, Darien, CT (US);
Other;
Abstract
This invention relates to an apparatus for positioning a bearing surface relative to a track. The invention, in one embodiment, includes a rotatably mounted drive mechanism which is provided with a plurality of radially oriented tracks. The drive mechanism preferably comprises a pair of parallel drive disks with co-linear, radial tracks having tooth-like formations arranged therein. A movable sheave segment is mounted between each set of co-linear tracks. Each sheave segment comprises two pair of engagement blocks, one pair for each track and an independent multi-element cam lock. Tooth formations on the engagement blocks provide formations for locking each sheave segment into place in the toothed track. Each sheave segment's bearing surface is engaged by an endless belt when the drive mechanism traverses through a predetermined arc of rotation but is disengaged from the drive belt when outside the predetermined arc of rotation. The multi-element cam lock associated with each sheave segment is forced by belt pressure to rigidly bias a sheave segments' engagement blocks against the tooth-like formations in the track. Springs are also provided to resiliently bias the engagement blocks into engagement with the track's tooth-like formations so that the sheave segments are lightly held in place even when out of engagement with the drive belt.