Continuously variable traction transmission and control system

An apparatus for continuously varying the rotational speed and torque of a drive comprising:

• a rotatable input shaft;
• a rotatable output shaft;
• variable transmission members in driving connection with said input and output shafts and in tangential contact with each other along their surfaces for transmission of rotational motion from said input shaft to said output shaft, the torque of said output shaft being variable with respect to a given torque of said input shaft over a preselected range by relative orientation of said variable transmission members with respect to each other;
• and
• means for initially orienting said transmission members in a relative position for commencing rotation of said output shaft upon a predetermined input torque, said orienting means being adjustable to change said predetermined input torque at which rotation of said output shaft commences,
• said orienting means including a spring having a tension adjustment for initially orienting said transmission members in said relative position for commencing rotation of said output shaft upon said predetermined input torque;
• a lead screw for adjusting the tension of said spring, and a gear movable in a first direction to rotate said lead screw in a first direction, and movable in a second direction to rotate said lead screw in a second direction, said gear having a neutral position imparting no rotation to said lead screw.

an apparatus for continuously varying the rotational speed and torque of a drive comprising:

• a rotatable input shaft;
• a rotatable output shaft;
• variable transmission members in driving connection with said input and output shafts and in tangential contact with each other along their surfaces for transmission of rotational motion from said input shaft to said output shaft, the torque of said output shaft being variable with respect to a given torque of said input shaft over a preselected range by relative orientation of said variable transmission members with respect to each other;
• means for initially orienting said transmission members in a relative position for commencing rotation of said output shaft upon a predetermined input torque, said orienting means being adjustable to change said predetermined input torque at which rotation of said output shaft commences, including a lead screw for adjusting the orientation of at least one of said transmission members relative to the other of said transmission members, and
• a gear movable in a first direction to rotate said lead screw in a first direction and movable in a second direction to rotate said lead screw in a second direction, said gear having a neutral position imparting no rotation to said lead screw.