Continuously variable ratio transmission

For interconnecting a rotary output shaft of drive means to a rotary input shaft of means to be driven by said drive means, novel transmission means, comprising:

• (a) gear means mounted on base means for rotary movement relative thereto, with said gear means comprising first, second, third and fourth gears and each of said gears including a hollow, fluid-receiving, radially inner hub portion that is rotatably mounted to said base means and a radially outer portion that is divided into plural segments each having a radially outer end provided with teeth and a radially inner end comprising an arm mounted within said hollow hub portion for slidable movement relative thereto both towards and away from radial center of said hub portion,
• (b) said hub portion of said first gear being connectable to said output shaft, said hub portion of said fourth gear being connectable to said input shaft, and said hub portions of said second and third gears being interconnected to one another;
• (c) first endless chain means engageable with said radially outer portions of said first and second gears to interconnect the same and second endless chain means engageable with said radially outer portions of said third and fourth gears to interconnect the same;
• and
• (d) means for selectively supplying and removing pressurized fluid to and from said hollow hub portions of said gears for selectively slidably moving said segments of said gears radially outwardly and inwardly with respect to their said hub portions to thus selectively vary the radius of each of said gears by thus moving said plural segments of each of said gears through several selectively variable radial positions as related to each of said gear hub portions.