Universal mechanical power transmission coupling

Claim 1

A POWER TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY TO INTERCONNECTING A ROTATING DRIVING SHAFT TO A ROTATED DRIVEN SHAFT THROUGH A NON-ROTATING SUPPORTING ARM AND PERMITTING SAID INTERCONNECTED SHAFTS TO ASSUME ANY ANGLE RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, SAID TRANSMISSION COMPRISING: (A) AN IDLER SHAFT EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO ONE OF SAID INTERCONNECTED SHAFTS; (B) GEAR MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID ONE INTERCONNECTED SHAFT AND SAID IDLER SHAFT FOR TRANSFERRING ROTARY MOTION BETWEEN SAID IDLER SHAFT AND SAID ONE INTERCONNECTED SHAFT, SAID GEAR MANS RETAINING SAID ONE INTERCONNECTED SHAFT AND SAID IDLER SHAFT IN POWER-TRANSMITTING ENGAGEMENT WHEN SAID ONE INTERCONNECTED SHAFT IS BODILY ROTATED ABOUT THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID IDLER SHAFT IN A MANNER SUCH THAT THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID ONE INTERCONNECTING SHAFT REMAINS IN A TANGENTIAL RELATIONSHIP TO AN IMAGINARY CIRCLE OF PREDETERMINED RADIUS COAXIALLY POSITIONED WITH RESPECT TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID IDLER SHAFT; (C) YOKE MEANS ROTATABLY JOURNALLED ON SAID IDLER SHAFT; (D) A FIRST GEAR WHEEL KEYED TO SAID IDLER SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH; (E) A SECOND GEAR WHEEL ROTATABLY SUPPORTED ON SAID YOKE MECHANISM IN SPACED RELATION FROM SAID IDLER SHAFT AND ENGAGING SAID FIRST GEAR WHEEL AT A PREDETERMINED ANGLE TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF THE AXIS OF ROTATIVE MOVEMENT FROM THAT OF THE AXIS OF SAID FIRST GEAR WHEEL; (F) A SUPOORTING ARM ROTATABLY JOURNALLED ON SAID YOKE MEANS FOR ROTATION RELATIVE TO SAIS SECOND GEAR WHEEL AND ABOUT THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID SECOND GEAR WHEEL, SAID SUPPORTING ARM ROTATABLY JOURNALLING SAID OTHER INTERCONNECTED SAHFT AND FIXING SAID SHAFT IN A PLANE EXTENDING THROUGH THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID SECOND GEAR WHEEL; AND (G) A THIRD GEAR WHEEL COAXIALLY KEYED TO SAID OTHER INTERCONNECTED SHAFT AND DRIVINGLY ENGAGING SAID SECOND GEAR WHEEL WHEREBY SAID THIRD GEAR WHEEL MAY BE REVOLVED AROUND THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID SECOND GEAR WHEEL WHEN SAID SUPPORTING ARM IS R