Variable speed drive
OwnerGeorge C. Clarkeinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable speed drive for a riding lawn mower or the like has a double pulley variable speed sheave assembly coupled between a driving pulley and a driven pulley by first and second V-belts, respectively. A mechanical control linkage is operable to shift the sheave assembly along the cam profile of a cam arm from a stopped position with both belts declutched to a range of low to high speed positions with the belts drivingly engaged. Said control linkage is springably biased to urge the sheave assembly toward the stopped position. The cam arm is also springably biased generally away from the driving and driven pulleys to maintain the belts under driving tension throughout the range of low to high speed positions in a manner such that belt tension varies with variations in operating speed.
Claims34
A variable speed drive comprising a frame;
- a driving pulley and a driven pulley each rotatably mounted with respect to said frame;
- a double pulley variable speed sheave assembly;
- a first belt reeved about said driving pulley and sheave assembly;
- a second belt reeved about said driven pulley and sheave assembly;
- a cam arm having a cam surface;
- means for movably mounting said cam arm with respect to said frame;
- means for moving said sheave assembly along said cam surface to alter the drive ratio of said sheave assembly through a range of low to high speed operating positions with said first and second belts under driving tension;
- and biasing means for biasing said sheave assembly generally away from said driving and driven pulleys.
A variable speed drive comprising a frame;
- a driving pulley and a driven pulley each rotatably mounted with respect to said frame;
- a double pulley variable speed sheave assembly;
- a first belt reeved about said driving pulley and sheave assembly;
- a second belt reeved about said driven pulley and sheave assembly;
- a cam arm having a cam surface with first and second portions;
- means for pivotally mounting said cam arm on said frame;
- control means for controllably moving said sheave assembly along said cam surface to alter the sheave assembly drive ratio between a stopped position with said first and second belts drivingly disengaged when said sheave assembly is along the first portion of the cam surface to a range of low to high speed positions with said first and second belts under driving tension when said sheave assembly is along the second portion of the cam surface;
- and biasing means for biasing said sheave assembly generally away from said driving and driven pulleys.
In a vehicle having a frame with a driving pulley, a driven pulley, and a double pulley variable speed sheave assembly respectively rotated mounted thereon, and first and second belts respectively reeved about said driving pulley and sheave assembly and said driven pulley and sheave assembly, the improvement comprising spring lever means having a cam surface;
- means for pivotally mounting said spring lever means on said frame;
- and means for moving said sheave assembly along the cam surface to alter the drive ratio of said sheave assembly, said spring lever means including means for biasing said sheave assembly generally away from said driving and driven pulleys to maintain said first and second belts under driving tension.
A variable speed drive comprising a frame;
- a driving pulley and a driven pulley each rotatably mounted with respect to said frame;
- a double pulley variable speed sheave assembly;
- a first belt reeved about said driving pulley and sheave assembly;
- a second belt reeved about said driven pulley and sheave assembly;
- a cam arm having a cam surface with first and second portions;
- means for pivotally mounting said cam arm on said frame;
- means for controllably moving said sheave assembly along said cam surface to alter the sheave assembly drive ratio between a stopped position with said first and second belts drivingly disengaged when said sheave assembly is along the first portion of the cam surface to a range of low to high speed positions with said first and second belts under driving tension when said sheave assembly is along the second portion of the cam surface, said moving means including dead man control means for biasing said sheave assembly toward said stopped position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.