Transmission with minimal orbiter

A continuously and infinitely variable transmission for connecting an engine drive with an output drive shaft comprising:

• an orbiter connectable between said engine drive and said output drive shaft, said orbiter varying said engine drive throughout a continuum from a predetermined low gear reduction up to said engine drive;
• said orbiter having only (i) an input gear mounted on a first axis and connected to said engine drive, (ii) an output gear mounted on said first axis and connected to said output drive shaft, (iii) at least one cluster gear meshed with only said input and output gears and mounted for rotation on an orbit shaft positioned parallel with said first axis, (iv) a web supporting said orbit shaft for rotation about said first axis to permit said orbit shaft and said cluster gear to orbit, respectively, said first axis and said input and output gears;
• and (v) said gear tooth ratios between said cluster gear and said input and output gears being selected so that, when rotation of said web is prevented, rotation of said input gear produces rotation of said output gear at said predetermined low gear reduction;
• and
• a control motor driven by said engine drive for controlling rotation of said orbiter web so that (a) preventing rotation of said web causes said output gear to rotate relative to said input drive solely at said predetermined low gear reduction, (b) rotating said web in a first direction diminishes said predetermined low gear reduction proportional to the speed of rotation of said web, (c) permitting rotation of said web in the opposite direction at a predetermined speed stops the rotation of said output gear, and (d) rotating said web in said opposite direction at greater than said predetermined speed causes said output gear to rotate opposite to the rotation of said input drive.