Multiple-input shaft-mounted drive

Claim 1

SHAFT-MOUNTED DRIVE MEANS FOR DRIVING ROTATIONALLY A SHAFT JOURNALED FOR ROTATION IN BASE SUPPORT MEANS; SAID DRIVE MEANS COMPRISING: A DRIVE SLEEVE CONNECTED TO AND SUPPORTED BY THE SHAFT TO BE DRIVEN; A HOUSING ENCIRCLING, ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON, AND SUPPORTED SOLELY BY, SAID DRIVE SLEEVE AND SHAFT TO BE DRIVEN; A MAIN DRIVE GEAR WITHIN SAID HOUSING ENCIRCLING, SECURED, AND SUPPORTED BY, SAID DRIVE SLEEVE; A PLURALITY OF INTERMEDIATE SHAFTS SUPPORTED IN SAID HOUSING AT REGULARLY SPACED INTERVALS ALONG A CIRCULAR PATH, SAID INTERMEDIATE SHAFTS SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF OUTPUT PINIONS MOUNTED IN A RING-LIKE CLUSTER ABOUT SAID MAIN DRIVE GEAR AND IN MESH THEREWITH AT REGULARLY SPACED INTERVALS, EACH INTERMEDIATE SHAFT ALSO SUPPORTING AN INPUT GEAR SECURED TO AND MOUNTED FOR ROTATION WITH EACH OUTPUT PINION; A PLURALITY OF INPUT SHAFTS SUPPORTED IN SAID HOUSING AT REGULARLY SPACED INTERVALS ALONG A CIRCULAR PATH LARGER IN DIAMETER THAN SAID FIRST-MENTIONED CIRCULAR PATH, SAID INPUT SHAFTS SUPPORTING A PLURALITY OF INPUT PINIONS MOUNTED IN A RING-LIKE CLUSTER ABOUT SAID INPUT GEARS AND IN MESH THEREWITH AT REGULARLY SPACED INTERVALS; A PLURALITY OF DRIVE MOTORS SUPPORTED ON SAID HOUSING AT REGULARLY SPACED INTERVALS ALONG SAID LARGER CIRCULAR PATH, THERE BEING ONE DRIVE MOTOR COUPLED TO EACH INPUT PINION; ANCHOR MEANS AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID HOUSING; AND RESILIENT TORQUE-RESTRAINING MEANS COUPLING EACH END OF SAID HOUSING TO SAID ANCHOR MEANS FOR PREVENTING ROTATION OF SAID HOUSING ABOUT SAID DRIVE SLEEVE WHEN SAID DRIVE MOTORS ARE ENERGIZED TO DRIVE ROTATIONALLY SAID SHAFT.