Two-speed drive mechanism

Claim 1

A MULTI-SPEED DRIVE MECHANISM COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING A DRIVE SHAFT ADAPTED TO BE DRIVEN BY A MOTOR, A DRIVEN SHAFT EXTENDING FROM SAID HOUSING, A FIRST PLATE ATTACHED TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, A SECOND PLATE MOVABLY ATTACHED TO SAID DRIVEN SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, SAID SECOND PLATE EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID FIRST PLATE, MEANS NORMALLY HOLDING SAID PLATES IN FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER WHEREBY ROTATION OF SAID DRIVE SHAFT EFFECTS ROTATION OF SAID DRIVEN SHAFT AT THE SAME SPEED, A SPEED REDUCING DRIVE MECHANISM COMPRISING A STATIONARY OUTER BEARING RACE SURROUNDING SAID DRIVE SHAFT, SAID DRIVE SHAFT INCLUDING A PORTION ACTING AS AN INNER BEARING RACE, A PLURALITY OF BALLS LOCATED ABOUT SAID DRIVE SHAFT BETWEEN SAID OUTER RACE AND SAID INNER BEARING RACE SHAFT PORTION, AND A BEARING CAGE SEPARATING SAID BALLS, SAID CAGE INCLUDING A PORTION DISPOSED ADJACENT TO AND SPACED FROM SAID SECOND PLATE, AND MAGNETIC CONTROL MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY MOVING SAID SECOND PLATE AWAY FROM SAID FIRST PLATE AND INTO FORCIBLE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CAGE PORTION WHEREBY SAID DRIVE SHAFT ROTATES SAID DRIVEN SHAFT THROUGH SAID SPEED REDUCING DRIVE MECHANISM RATHER THAN THROUGH FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT OF SAID PLATES THEREBY TO EFFECT ROTATION OF SAID DRIVEN SHAFT AT A REDUCED RATE IN RESPONSE TO OPERATION OF SAID CONTROL MEANS.