Reversible transmission mechanism

Claim 1

IN A TRANSMISSION MECHANISM OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED COMPRISING AXIALLY ALIGNED DRIVING AND DRIVEN SHAFTS ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN A HOUSING MEMBER, A GEAR MEMBER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ABOUT EACH OF SAID SHAFTS AND ADAPTED TO BE SELECTIVELY BRAKED AND RENDERED NONROTATIVE SO AS TO PROVIDE A FULCRUM, EACH OF SAID GEAR MEMBERS PROVIDING A CYLINDRICAL BRAKING SURFACE, BRAKING MEANS ABOUT EACH OF SAID SURFACES ADAPTED TO BE SELECTIVELY TENSIONED ABOUT THE ASSOCIATED SURFACE TO DRIVING GEAR FIXED TO SAID DRIVING ATED GEAR MEMBER, A DRIVING GEAR FIXED TO SAID DRIVING SHAFT, A PINION CAGE ON SAID DRIVEN SHAFT, AND TWO SETS OF PINIONS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SID PINION CAGE, ONE SET ENGAGING SAID DRIVING GEAR AND THE OTHER SET OF PINIONS, THE LAST-MENTIONED SET MESHING WITH BOTH OF SAID GEAR MEMBERS, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING; A REVERSING SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING, TENSIONING MEANS MOVABLY CARRIED IN GUIDE MEANS DEFINED IN SAID HOUSING BETWEEN SAID REVERSING SHAFT AND EACH OF SAID BRAKING MEANS, SAID REVERSING SHAFT HAVING RECESSES DEFINED THEREIN RECEIVING ONE END OF EACH OF SAID TENSIONING MEANS, WHEREBY ROTATION OF SAID REVERSING SHAFT IN A FIRST DIRECTION FORCES ONE OF SAID TENSIONING MEANS TO ENGAGE THE ASSOCIATED BRAKING MEANS AND TENSION IT ABOUT THE BRAKING SURFACE OF THE ASSOCIATED GEAR MEMBER AND ROTATION OF SAID REVERSING SHFT IN THE OTHER DIRECTION FORCES THE OTHER OF SAID TENSIONING MEANS TO ENGAGE THE OTHER OF SAID BRAKING MEANS AND TENSION IT ABOUT THE BRAKING SURFACE OF THE OTHER GEAR MEMBER.