MECHANISMS AND TRANSMISSIONS WITH MAGNETIC LINKS.

Three types of mechanisms that resemble pairs of gear wheels, but transmit motion from driver to driven member by magnetic linkage rather than physical contact, are described. In the first example, the magnetic link depends on mutual attraction of the two members across a fixed gap of 0. 5 to 1 mm. In the second case, the ″teeth″ intermesh but do not touch; each tooth is a magnet and the teeth of mating members are arranged with like poles facing each other, hence tending to repel each other. The teeth are shaped so that as the wheels begin to rotate the air gap and hence, the acting forces also begin to change so as to produce a driving torque. The third device consists of two elliptical trapezoidal-toothed wheels to provide cyclically changing velocity ratios. Several other mechanisms, a cam, belt transmission, friction disks, and electromagnetic clutch are also described, all depending on magnetic elements for the driving force.