Transmission ratio changing apparatus and method

An apparatus for modifying an input rotation to produce a modified rotational output, comprising:

• (a) means for establishing said input rotation;
• (b) first means for generating solely from said input rotation a first epicyclic motion consisting of an orbital component rotating in the same direction and at the same speed as said input rotation and a rotational component;
• (c) second means for generating solely from said input rotation a second epicyclic motion consisting of an orbital component and a rotational component, said second epicyclic motion being identical to said first epicyclic motion, except that the rotational component of said second epicyclic motion is out of phase with the sinusoidal rotational component of said first epicyclic motion by 90 degrees;
• and
• (d) means for simultaneously coupling said first and second epicyclic motions to an output shaft in a way which causes the shaft to rotate and thereby provide a rotational output, said coupling means being designed to average the rotational components of said first and second epicyclic motions such that the rotational output is an output which exceeds the speed of the orbital component of each of said epicyclic motions and therefore exceeds the speed of said input rotation by an amount which is the average of their rotational components.

A method of modifying an input rotation to produce a modified rotational output, comprising the step of:

• (a) establishing said input rotation;
• (b) producing solely from said input rotation a first intermediate rotation which varies in speed in accordance with a first specific waveform at a particular peak amplitude corresponding to the maximum speed of said intermediate rotation, said first intermediate rotation varying in speed between a minimum speed equal to said input rotation and a maximum speed exceeding said input rotation;
• (c) producing solely from said input rotation a second intermediate rotation which varies in speed in accordance with a second waveform identical to but 90 degrees out of phase with said first waveform;
• (d) simultaneously coupling said first and second intermediate rotations to an output shaft to cause said shaft to rotate and thereby provide a rotational output, said coupling step being provided in a way which averages said intermediate rotations such that said rotational output is a substantially smooth output corresponding in speed to the average of said first and second waveforms, whereby the speed of said output shaft depends upon the peak amplitude of said waveforms.

A method of modifying an input rotation to produce a modified rotational output, comprising:

• (a) establishing said input rotation;
• (b) generating solely from said input rotation a first epicyclic motion consisting of an orbital component rotating in the same direction and at the same speed as said input rotation and a rotational component;
• (c) generating solely from said input rotation a second epicyclic motion consisting of an orbital component and a rotational component, said second epicyclic motion being identical to said first epicyclic motion, except that the rotational component of said second epicyclic motion is out of phase with the rotational component of said first epicyclic motion by 90.degree.;
• and
• (d) simultaneously coupling said first and second epicyclic motions to an output shaft in a way which causes the shaft to rotate and thereby provide a rotational output, said coupling step serving to average the rotational components of said first and second epicyclic motions such that the rotational output is a substantially smooth output which exceeds the speed of the orbital component of each of said epicyclic motions and therefore exceeds the speed of said input rotation by an amount which is the average of their rotational components.

An epicyclic motion generating arrangement, comprising:

• (a) means for generating an input rotation at a certain speed and in a certain direction;
• (b) means supporting a planetary assembly for rotation about its own axis in response to and synchronism with said input rotation such that said planetary assembly rotates at the same speed and in the same direction as said input rotation, said planetary assembly including first and second shafts supported for back and forth rotation about their own axes and positioned equidistant from and on opposite sides of the axis of said planetary assembly, whereby rotation of the planetary assembly in the direction and at the speed of said input rotation imparts to said first and second shafts an orbiting component of epicyclic motion about the axis of the planetary assembly in the same direction and at the speed of said input rotation;
• (c) means supporting an index plate for rotation about its own stationary axis parallel with the axis of said planetary assembly, said index plate including first and second slots positioned equidistant from and on opposite sides of the axis of the index plate;
• (d) means for moving said index plate to a limited extent normal to its axis of rotation between a first stationary position concentric with said planetary assembly and a second stationary position eccentric to said planetary assembly to varying degrees;
• (e) first and second crank means fixedly connected to common ends of said first and second shafts, respectively, and disposed within said first and second slots, respectively;
• and
• (f) means for coupling said index plate to said planetary assembly in a way which causes said index plate to rotate in the same direction and at the same speed as said planetary assembly whether the index plate is concentric with or eccentric to said planetary assembly, whereby, when the index plate is eccentric to the planetary assembly, it causes said first shaft to reciprocate about its own axis, first increasing then decreasing in speed in the same direction as its orbital component during a first half cycle of said orbital component and thereafter increasing and then decreasing in speed in the opposite direction during the second half-cycle of the orbital component and whereby it causes said second shaft to reciprocate in a like manner, except 180 degrees out of phase with the reciprocating motion of said first shaft, said reciprocating motion of each shaft serving as a reciprocating component of its overall epicyclic motion.

An apparatus for modifying an input rotation in continuously variable increments to produce a rotational output, said apparatus comprising:

• an input rotation shaft operatively connected to a power generating apparatus for rotation of said input shaft at an input rpm;
• a planetary assembly operatively connected to said input rotation shaft for rotation of said planetary assembly at said input rpm;
• a plurality of planetary offset shafts carried by and arranged radially and concentrically with respect to said planetary assembly, whereby to cause said offset shafts to orbit at said input rpm;
• means acting on said planetary offset shafts for causing each of said planetary offset shafts to rotate about its central longitudinal axis in a sinusoidal rotational motion in response to and solely as a result of said input rpm;
• and
• a processing assembly for combining said sinusoidal rotational motions in a predetermined way and then processing said combined rotational motion in a parallel fashion to produce a modified rotational output.

A method of modifying an input rotation to produce a modified substantially smooth rotational output, comprising the steps of:

• (a) establishing said input rotation;
• (b) producing solely from said input rotation a first intermediate rotation which varies in speed in accordance with a first specific waveform defined by the like half-cycles of a sinusoidal waveform at a particular peak amplitude corresponding to the maximum speed of said intermediate rotation said input rotation and said intermediate rotations being in the same direction and each of said intermediate rotations varying in speed between a minimum speed equal to said input rotation and a maximum speed exceeding said input rotation;
• (c) producing solely from said input rotation a second intermediate rotation which varies in speed in accordance with a second waveform identical to but 90 degrees out of phase with said first waveform;
• (d) simultaneously coupling said first and second intermediate rotations to an output shaft to cause said shaft to rotate and thereby provide a rotational output, said coupling step being provided in a way which averages said intermediate rotations such that said rotational output is a substantially smooth output corresponding in speed to the average of said first and second waves, whereby the speed of said output shaft depends upon the peak amplitude of said waveforms;
• and
• (e) changing the maximum speed of said intermediate rotations from a speed equal to the input rotation, whereby the peak amplitude of said waveforms is zero, to a predetermined speed greater than the input rotation, whereby the peak amplitude of said waveforms is greater than zero and whereby the speed of said uniform rotational output can be varied from a speed equal to said input rotation to a predetermined higher speed.

An epicyclic motion generating arrangement, comprising:

• (a) means for generating an input rotation at a certain speed and in a certain direction;
• (b) means supporting a planetary assembly for rotation about its own axis at the same speed and in the same direction as said input rotation, said planetary assembly including first and second shafts supported for back and forth rotation about their own axes and positioned equidistant from and on opposite sides of said planetary assembly, whereby rotation of the planetary assembly in the direction and at the speed of said input rotation imparts to said first and second shafts an orbiting component of epicyclic motion about the axis of the planetary assembly in the same direction and at the speed of said input rotation;
• (c) means supporting an index plate for rotation about its own axis parallel with the axis of said planetary assembly, said index plate including first and second sliding guides positioned on opposite sides of the axis of the index plate;
• (d) means for moving said index plate to a limited extent normal to its axis of rotation between a first position concentric with said planetary assembly and a second position eccentric to said planetary assembly to varying degrees;
• (e) first and second motion bar arrangements fixedly connected to common ends of said first and second shafts, respectively, and disposed within said first and second sliding guides, respectively, said motion bar arrangements coupling said index plate to said planetary assembly in a way which causes said index plate to rotate in the same direction and at the same speed as said planetary assembly whether the index plate is concentric with or eccentric to said planetary assembly, whereby, when the index plate is eccentric to the planetary assembly, it causes said first shaft to reciprocate about its own axis, first increasing then decreasing in speed in the same direction as its orbital component during a first half cycle of said orbital component and thereafter increasing and then decreasing in speed in the opposite direction during the second half cycle of the orbital component, and whereby it causes said second shaft to reciprocate in a like manner, except 180.degree. out of phase with the reciprocating motion of said first shaft, said reciprocating motion of each shaft serving as a reciprocating component of its overall epicyclic motion.

An apparatus for modifying an input rotation to produce a modified rotational output, comprising:

• (a) means for establishing said input rotation;
• (b) first means responsive to said input rotation for producing a first intermediate rotation which varies in speed in accordance with a first specific waveform at a particular peak amplitude corresponding to the maximum speed of said intermediate rotation;
• (c) second means responsive to said input rotation for producing a second intermediate rotation which varies in speed in accordance with a second specific waveform identical to but 90 degrees out of phase with said first waveform;
• and
• (d) means for simultaneously coupling said first and second intermediate rotations to an output shaft in a way which causes said shaft to rotate and thereby provide a rotational output, said coupling means being designed to average said intermediate rotations such that said rotational output is an output which corresponds in speed to the average of said first and second waveforms, whereby the speed of said output shaft depends upon the amplitude of said waveforms;
• (e) said input rotation and said intermediate rotations rotating in the same direction and each of said intermediate rotations varying in speed between a minimum speed equal to said input rotation and a maximum speed exceeding said input rotation;
• (f) means for changing the maximum speed of said intermediate rotations from a speed equal to the input rotation, such that the amplitude of said waveforms is zero, to a predetermined speed greater than the input rotation such that the peak amplitude of said waveforms is greater than zero, whereby the speed of said rotational output can be varied from a speed equal to said input rotation to a predetermined higher speed;
• (g) said first intermediate rotation producing means including
• (i) first means for generating first epicyclic motion consisting of an orbital component in the same direction and at the same speed as said input rotation, and a reciprocating component first increasing and then decreasing in speed in the same direction as said orbital component during a first half-cycle of said orbital component and thereafter increasing and then decreasing in speed in the opposite direction during the second half-cycle of said orbital component, in accordance with a particular waveform,
• (ii) second means for generating second epicyclic motion identical to said first epicyclic motion, except that its reciprocating component is 180.degree. out of phase with the reciprocating component of said first epicyclic motion, and
• (iii) means for converting said first and second epicyclic motions to said first intermediate rotation;
• (h) said second intermediate rotation producing means including
• (i) third means for generating third epicyclic motion identical to said first and second epicyclic motions except that its reciprocating component is 90.degree. out of phase with the reciprocating components of said first and second epicyclic motion,
• (ii) fourth means for generating fourth epicyclic motion identical to said first, second and third epicyclic motions, except that its reciprocating component is 180.degree. out of phase with the reciprocating component of said third epicyclic motion and 90.degree. out of phase with said first and second epicyclic motions;
• and
• (iii) means for converting said third and fourth epicyclic motions to said second intermediate rotation;
• (i) said first, second, third and fourth means for generating epicyclic motion including
• (i) a common plate arrangement mounted for rotation about an axis concentric with said input rotation,
• (ii) means coupling said input rotation with said common plate arrangement for rotating the latter at the same speed and in the same direction as said input rotation,
• (iii) first, second, third and fourth shafts corresponding to said first, second, third and fourth epicyclic motions, respectively, mounted to said common plate arrangement in parallel relationship with and equally circumferentially spaced about the axis of the common plate arrangement such that said first and second shafts are opposite one another and said third and fourth shafts are opposite one another, each of said shafts being mounted for rotation with said common plate arrangement, whereby to provide the orbital component of its epicyclic motion, and also being mounted to said common plate means for rotation about its own axis, and
• (iv) means separate from said common plate means for imparting to each of said shafts the reciprocating component of its epicyclic motion;
• and
• (j) said separate means for imparting to each of said shafts the reciprocating component of its epicyclic motion including
• (i) an index plate in parallel relationship to and mounted for rotation with said common plate arrangement about its own axis,
• (ii) means for varying the position of said index plate relative to said common plate arrangement such that the two can be made to be concentric with one another or eccentric to varying degrees, said position varying means serving as said means for changing the maximum speed of said intermediate rotations,
• (iii) means for coupling an end of each of said shafts to a corresponding segment of said index plate, and
• (iv) synchronizing means interconnecting said common plate arrangement with said index plate so as to cause said index plate to rotate in the same direction and at the same speed as said common plate arrangement, and, therefore, at said input rotation.

An apparatus for modifying an input rotation in continuously variable increments to produce a rotational output, said apparatus comprising:

• an input rotation shaft operatively connected to a power generating apparatus for rotation of said input shaft at an input rpm;
• a planetary assembly operatively connected to said input rotation shaft for rotation of said planetary assembly at said input rpm;
• a plurality of planetary offset shafts arranged radially and concentrically with respect to said planetary assembly, said offset shafts including a first pair of opposed shafts and a second pair of opposed shafts
• means for rotating each of said planetary offset shafts about its central longitudinal axis in a sinusoidal rotation motion;
• and
• a processing assembly for combining said sinusoidal rotational motions in a predetermined way and then processing said combined rotational motions in a parallel fashion to produce a modified substantially smooth rotational output;
• said processing assembly including a recombination differential gear assembly operatively engaged with said planetary offset shafts, and
• at least one overrunning gear mounted on each of said planetary offset shafts, each of said overrunning gears being operatively engaged with said recombination differential gear assembly.

An apparatus for modifying an input rotation in continuously variable increments to produce a rotational output, said apparatus comprising:

• an input rotation shaft operatively connected to a power generating apparatus for rotation of said input shaft at an input rpm;
• a planetary assembly operatively connected to said input rotation shaft for rotation of said planetary assembly at said input rpm;
• a plurality of planetary offset shafts arranged radially and concentrically with respect to said planetary assembly;
• means for rotating each of said planetary offset shafts about its central longitudinal axis in a sinusoidal rotational motion said rotating means including means for generating epicyclic motion, said means for generating epicyclic motion including an index plate assembly which is adjustable from an alignment which is concentric with respect to said planetary assembly in continuous increments through a variety of eccentric alignments;
• and
• a processing assembly for combining said sinusoidal rotational motions in a predetermined way and then processing said combined rotational motions in a parallel fashion to produce a modified substantially smooth rotational output.

An apparatus for modifying an input rotation in continuously variable increments to produce a rotational output, said apparatus comprising:

• an input rotation shaft operatively connected to a power generating apparatus for rotation of said input shaft at an input rpm;
• a planetary assembly operatively connected to said input rotation shaft for rotation of said planetary assembly at said input rpm;
• a plurality of planetary offset shafts arranged radially and concentrically with respect to said planetary assembly;
• means for rotating each of said planetary offset shafts about its central longitudinal axis in a sinusoidal rotational motion;
• a processing assembly for combining said sinusoidal rotational motions in a predetermined way and then processing said combined rotational motions in a parallel fashion to produce a modified substantially smooth output;
• and
• means for further processing said modified rotational output to produce a final rotational output.

An epicyclic motion generating arrangement, comprising:

• (a) means for generating an output rotation at a certain speed and in a certain direction;
• (b) means supporting a planetary assembly for rotation about its own axis in response to and in synchronism with said input rotation such that said planetary assembly rotates at the same speed and in the same direction as said input rotation, said planetary assembly including first and second shafts supported for back and forth rotation about their own axes and positioned equidistant from and on opposite sides of the axis of said planetary assembly, whereby rotation of the planetary assembly in the direction and at the speed of said input rotation imparts to said first and second shafts an orbiting component of epicyclic motion about the axis of the planetary assembly in the same direction and at the speed of said input rotation;
• (c) means supporting an index plate for rotation about its own stationary axis parallel with the axis of said planetary assembly;
• (d) means for moving said index plate to a limited extent normal to its axis of rotation between a first stationary position concentric with said planetary assembly and a second stationary position eccentric to said planetary assembly to varying degrees;
• and
• (e) means for coupling said index plate to said planetary assembly including said shafts so as to cause said index plate to rotate in the same direction and at the same speed as said planetary assembly and therefore at the same speed and in the same direction as said input rotation whether the index plate is concentric with or eccentric to said planetary assembly, whereby when the index plate is eccentric to the planetary assembly, it causes said first shaft to reciprocate about its own axis, first increasing then decreasing in speed in the same direction as its orbital component during a first half cycle of said orbital component and thereafter increasing and then decreasing in speed in the opposite direction during the second half-cycle of the orbital component and whereby it causes said second shaft to reciprocate in a like manner, except 180.degree. out of phase with the reciprocating motion of said first shaft, said reciprocating motion of each shaft serving as a reciprocating component of its overall epicyclic motion.

An epicyclic motion generating arrangement, comprising:

• (a) means for generating an input rotation;
• (b) means supporting a planetary assembly including a given shaft for rotation about a radially inward, parallel central planetary axis, said shaft being supported for back and forth rotation about its own axis, said planetary assembly being coupled to said input rotation generating means so as to cause said planetary assembly to rotate in the direction and at the speed of said input rotation, whereby to impart to said shaft an orbiting component of epicyclic motion about said central planetary axis in the same direction as and at the same speed of said input rotation without regard to any back and forth rotation of the shaft about its own axis;
• (c) means supporting an index plate for rotation about its own stationary axis parallel with but eccentric to said central planetary axis;
• (d) means for coupling said index plate to said planetary assembly so as to cause the index plate to rotate at the same speed and in the same direction as the planetary assembly in response to said input rotation;
• and
• (e) means for coupling said index plate to said shaft in a way which causes said shaft to rotate back and forth about its own axis as it orbits about said central planetary assembly and said index plate, whereby the back and forth rotation of said shaft serves as a reciprocating component of said epicyclic motion.

An apparatus for modifying an input rotation in continuously variable increments to produce a uniform rotational output, said apparatus comprising:

• an input rotation shaft operatively connected to a power generating apparatus for rotation of said input shaft at an input rpm;
• an planetary assembly operatively connected to said input rotation shaft for rotation of said planetary assembly about its own planetary axis at said input rpm;
• a plurality of planetary offset shafts carried by and arranged radially and concentrically with respect to said planetary assembly, whereby to cause said offset shafts to orbit at said input rpm;
• an index plate assembly including an index plate and means supporting said index plate for rotation as they orbit about its own stationary axis and for movement transverse to its own axis between one stationary position in which its axis is concentric with the planetary axis of said planetary assembly and other stationary positions in which its axis is eccentric to said planetary axis, said index plate being operatively connected to said planetary assembly and said input rotation shaft whereby to cause said index plate to rotate at said input rpm when the index plate is in one of its stationary positions;
• means for coupling offset shafts to said index plate so as to cause the offset shafts to reciprocate in a predetermined way as they orbit when said index plate is rotating at said input rpm in one of its eccentric positions;
• and
• a processing assembly for processing the orbiting and reciprocating motions of said offset shafts in a predetermined way to produce a modified rotational output.

An epicyclic motion generating arrangement, comprising:

• (a) means for generating an input rotation at a certain speed and in a certain direction;
• (b) means supporting a planetary assembly for rotation about its own axis in response to and synchronism with said input rotation, said planetary assembly including first and second shafts supported for back and forth rotation about their own axes and positioned equidistant from and on opposite sides of the axis of said planetary assembly, whereby rotation of the planetary assembly in the direction and at the speed of said input rotation imparts to said first and second shafts an orbiting component of epicyclic motion about the axis of the planetary assembly in the same direction and at the speed of said input rotation;
• (c) means supporting an index plate for rotation about its own stationary axis parallel with the axis of said planetary assembly, said index plate including first and second slots positioned equidistant from and on opposite sides of the axis of the index plate;
• (d) means for moving said index plate to a limited extent normal to its axis of rotation between a first stationary position concentric with said planetary assembly and a second stationary position eccentric to said planetary assembly to varying degrees;
• (e) first and second crank means fixedly connected to common ends of said first and second shafts, respectively, and disposed within said first and second slots, respectively;
• and
• (f) means for coupling said index plate to said planetary assembly in a way which causes said index plate to rotate in the same direction and at the same speed as said planetary assembly whether the index plate is concentric with or eccentric to said planetary assembly, whereby, when the index plate is eccentric to the planetary assembly, it causes said first shaft to reciprocate about its own axis, first increasing then decreasing in speed in the same direction as its orbital component during a first half cycle of said orbital component and thereafter increasing and then decreasing in speed in the opposite direction during the second half-cycle of the orbital component and whereby it causes said second shaft to reciprocate in a like manner, except 180.degree. out of phase with the reciprocating motion of each shaft serving as a reciprocating motion of each shaft serving as a reciprocating motion of each shaft serving as a reciprocating component of its overall epicyclic motion.