Gear unit transforming a uniform driver to a non-uniform power take-off

Claim 1

A gear unit for generating a non-uniform power take-off from a uniform drive, such as for the shedding mechanism of a weaving machine useful in a ribbon weaving machine, comprising an axially extending rotatable power take-off shaft, a stationary sun gear coaxial with said power take-off shaft, a driving member rotatably mounted on said power take-off shaft and the axis of said driving member is coaxial with said sun gear, means for uniformly driving said driving member, a crankshaft mounted in said driving member, a planet pinion in meshed engagement with said sun wheel and connected to said crankshaft, said crankshaft including a crank pin, a swing arm connected to said power take-off shaft for rotation therewith, a connecting element connected to said crank pin and to said swing arm, wherein the improvement comprises that means for supporting said power take-off shaft comprising a pair of bearings spaced apart in the axial direction of said power take-off shaft said driving member is formed as a driving cage comprising a pair of side walls rotatably supported on and spaced apart in the axial direction of said power take-off shaft and located between said pair of bearings, said crankshaft extending between and supportably mounted in said side walls, said connecting element hinged to said crank pin of said crankshaft, and a bolt supported in said swing arm, said bolt connects said connecting element to said swing arm.