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US 4,068,539 AGranted
Variable-ratio transmission
OwnerWladimir Nycinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A transmission capable of providing an infinitely variable drive ratio between a predesigned minimum and maximum ratio, either automatically or manually variable.
Claims19
A transmission connecting a drive shaft to a driven shaft having variable requirements to torque and speed, said transmission comprising:
- a. a frame;
- b. a first drum rotatably mounted on said frame for rotation about a first axis;
- c. first means for connecting said drive shaft and said first drum;
- d. a first substantially circular resilient band mounted coaxially on said first drum for radial expansion and contraction;
- e. a second drum rotatably mounted on said frame for rotation about a second axis;
- f. second means for connecting said second drum and said driven shaft;
- g. a second substantially circular resilient band mounted coaxially on said second drum for radial expansion and contraction;
- h. an endless belt connecting said first circular band and said second circular band, said belt being effective to transfer power from said drive shaft and said first drum to said second drum and said driven shaft;
- i. said first means for connecting said drive shaft and said first drum including spring means connected therebetween for transferring power from said drive shaft to said first drum and yieldable in response to change in torque transmitted therethrough thereby to permit limited relative angular displacement between said drive shaft and said first drum, and
- j. means responsive to such displacement to vary the diameter of said first circular band.
7 more elements
A transmission connecting a drive shaft to a driven shaft having variable load requirements of torque and speed, said transmission comprising:
- a. a frame;
- b. a first drum mounted on said frame for rotation about a first axis;
- c. a drive shaft
- d. a torque transmitting spring drivingly connecting said drive shaft to said first drum;
- e. a second drum mounted on said frame for rotation about a second axis parallel to said first axis;
- f. a plurality of primary positioning members movable mounted on said first drum equidistant from said first axis and being movable toward and away from said first axis;
- g. a plurality of secondary positioning members movably mounted on said second drum equidistant from said second axis and being movable toward and away from said second axis;
- h. resilient means urging said secondary positioning members outwardly from said second axis;
- i. an endless belt trained over and frictionally engaging said primary positioning members and said secondary members, said belt being effective to transfer power from said drive shaft and said first drum to said second drum and said driven shaft;
- and
- j. means responsive to angular displacement between said drive shaft and said first drum resulting from variable load demands for changing the diameter of the first circle formed by said primary positioning members and being responsive to an increase in such torque to decrease the diameter of said circle, the diameter of the second circle of the secondary positioning members increasing under the influence of said resilient means in response to the reduction of belt tension resulting from such decrease in diameter of said first circle.
8 more elements
A transmission connecting a drive shaft to a driven shaft having variable requirements of torque and speed, said transmission comprising:
- a. a frame;
- b. a primary drum rotatably mounted on said frame for rotation about a primary axis, said primary drum including a first outer drum having a plurality of spiral slots formed therein and a first inner drum having a plurality of radial slots formed therein;
- c. means for connecting said drive shaft and said primary drum;
- d. primary spring means connecting said first outer drum and said first inner drum for transferring power therebetween and allowing limited relative angular displacement between said first outer drum and said first inner drum;
- e. a plurality of primary positioning blocks equidistant from said primary axis and disposed in respective adjacent ones of said spiral slots and said radial slots for movement along said slots in response to relative angular displacement between said first outer drum and said first inner drum;
- f. a secondary drum rotatably mounted on said frame for rotation about a secondary axis said secondary drum including a second external drum having a plurality of spiral slots formed therein and a second internal drum having a plurality of radial slots formed therein;
- g. means for connecting said secondary drum and said driven shaft;
- h. secondary spring means connecting said second internal drum and said second external drum for transferring power therebetween and allowing limited relative angular displacement between said second internal drum and said second external drum;
- i. a plurality of second positioning blocks equidistant from said secondary axis and disposed in respective adjacent ones of said spiral slots and said radial slots for movement along said slots by an amount related to the extent of relative angular displacement between said second external drum and said second internal drum;
- j. an endless belt connecting said primary drum and said secondary drum, said belt frictionally engaging said primary positioning blocks and said secondary positioning blocks, the linear speed of said belt relative to the rotational speed of said drive shaft being responsive to changes in the diameter of the circle formed by said equidistant positioning blocks in said primary drum responsive to the torque applied through said primary spring means and the rotational speed of said secondary drum relative to the linear speed of said belt being responsive to changes in the diameter of the circle formed by said positioning blocks in said secondary drum responsive to the tension applied by the power-transmitting tensioned run of said belt.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.