Infinitely variable transmission for pedal-driven vehicles

An apparatus for providing a plurality of drive ratios between a pedal crank and a driven wheel on a pedal-driven vehicle, said apparatus being adapted to be mounted externally of a wheel hub, comprising:

• a. a sprocket adapted to be driven by a chain connected with a pedal crank, and said sprocket having mounted for rotation therewith at least one stub axle upon which a planetary pinion is mounted, such that the sprocket functions as the carrier in a transmission of the planetary type;
• b. an internally toothed ring gear mounted for rotation with respect to the vehicle frame, said gear having a peripheral surface whose configuration is adapted to engage a retarding means mounted on the frame, which retarding means is adapted to selectively retard rotation of the ring gear in step-less increments, and said ring gear meshing at all times with the planetary pinion;
• c. a sun gear adapted to be mounted concentrically with the driven wheel's axle and to mesh with the planetary pinion, said sun gear having means for driving engagement with the wheel to be driven;
• and
• d. a hand-operated control means adapted to operate through the retarding means to selectively retard rotation of the ring gear, whereby torque transferred from the pedal to the sprocket is imparted to the wheel in a manner determined by the relative rotation between the ring gear and the vehicle frame.

A multi-speed bicycle transmission of the planetary gear type which is adapted to be mounted exteriorly of a wheel hub, comprising:

• a. a single sun gear adapted to be mounted concentrically with the bicycle's rear axle, said sun gear having a bore for accommodating the axle and a bearing therefor, and said sun gear having means for driving engagement with the rear wheel;
• b. a pinion carrier adapted to be driven by a pedal crank, and said carrier having at least one stub axle upon which is mounted a pinion gear that engages the sun gear at all times, and there being a cover plate rigidly fixed to the carrier for rotation therewith, with the pinion gear being retained between the carrier and the cover plate;
• c. an internally toothed ring gear mounted for continuous engagement with all of the pinion gears, and said ring gear being physically supported by the combination of the pinion carrier, the pinion gear and the cover plate, whereby the periphery of the ring gear is unobstructed;
• d. a bracket adapted to be rigidly affixed to the bicycle frame adjacent the ring gear;
• e. means for controllably affecting the permitted rotation of the ring gear with respect to the bracket, such that the rotation of the sun gear when the pinion carrier is driven is a function of the permitted rotation of the ring gear, with said means including structure engaging the periphery of the ring gear;
• and
• f. hand-operable means adapted to be affixed to the bicycle frame and having a functional connection with said means for affecting rotation of the ring gear.

In a pedal-operated vehicle including a frame, at least two supporting wheels, and a driven wheel hub, a variable ratio drive system comprising:

• a. a planetary gear set mounted adjacent the driven wheel hub and externally thereof, with said set including a sun gear, a ring gear, and at least one planet gear rotatably mounted in a carrier, with the sun gear being engageable with the wheel hub for driving the same;
• b. a foot-operated crank drivingly connected to the planetary carrier, whereby torque generated by the crank is transferable to the planetary carrier;
• c. rotation controllling means located externally of the ring gear and fixed to the frame for affecting the rotation which the ring gear is permitted to have as the planetary carrier is turned, with said means providing a multiplicity of increments of drag on said ring gear;
• d. a hand-operable control unit connected to the rotation controlling means fpr adjusting the effectiveness of said means, whereby the speed of rotation of the sun gear is a function of the rotation which the ring gear is permitted to have.

In combination with a bicycle having a frame, a front and rear wheel, and a pedal-driven crank, a variable ratio transmission, comprising:

• a. a planetary gear set contained within a housing adjacent the rear wheel, and the set including a single sun gear adapted to drivingly engage the rear wheel hub, a ring gear having internal teeth, and at least two pinion gears which engage the sun and ring gears at all times, with the pinion gears being rotatably mounted on stub axles fixed to a carrier;
• b. front and rear sprockets connected by a chain, with the front sprocket being fixed to the pedal-driven crank and the rear sprocket being fixed to the pinion carrier;
• c. a hub upon which the planetary gear housing is rotatably mounted about the rear wheel axle, with said hub being counterbored for receiving one of the two axle bearings;
• d. a coaster brake contained within the rear wheel hub and adapted to be actuated upon reverse rotation of the sun gear;
• e. means for selectively retarding the rotation of the ring gear as torque is applied to the pinion carrier, such that the rotational speed of the sun gear is affected in accordance with the amount of drag imparted to the ring gear;
• and
• f. hand-operable control means mounted on the frame and being funtionally connected with said means for retarding rotation of the ring gear in such a way as to permit selection of any of a plurality of drive ratios between the pedal-driven crank and the driven wheel.

A multi-speed bicycle transmission of the planetary gear type which is adapted to be mounted adjacent the pedal cranks, comprising:

• a. a single sun gear adapted to be mounted concentrically with the shaft that connects the bicycle's two pedal cranks, said sun gear extending beyond the pedal crank hub for a sufficient distance to be drivingly engaged by a pinion gear, and said sun gear being rigidly connected to a front sprocket which is adapted to drive a chain that extends over a rear sprocket connected to a rear wheel;
• b. a pinion carrier mounted between the two pedal cranks and rigidly fixed to the same, and said carrier having at least one stub axle upon which is mounted a pinion gear that engages the sun gear at all times;
• c. an internally toothed ring gear mounted for continuous engagement with all of the pinion gears;
• d. a bracket adapted to be rigidly affixed to the bicycle frame adjacent the ring gear;
• e. means for controllably affecting the permitted rotation of the ring gear with respect to the bracket, such that the rotation of the sun gear when the pinion carrier is driven is a function of the permitted rotation of the ring gear, with said means being adapted to provide a plurality of different rotational speeds of said ring gear by virtue of imposing a plurality of different drag loads on the periphery of the ring gear;
• and
• f. hand-operable means adapted to be affixed to the bicycle frame and having a functional connection with said means for affecting rotation of the ring gear.