Intake-driven air filter with variable speed reducing drive mechanism

Claim 1

IN A SELF-CLEANING AIR FILTER DEVICE INCLUDING A CASING DEFINING AN INLET CHAMBER AND AN OUTLET CONNECTABLE TO AN AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM, A CYLINDRICAL FILTER ELEMENT ROTATABLY SUPPORTED INTERMEDIATE THE INLET CHAMBER AND THE OUTLET OPENING, A NOZZLE MEMBER MOUNTED WITHIN THE CASING AND HAVING AN OPENING ENGAGEABLE WITH THE INLET CHAMBER EXPOSED SURFACE OF THE FILTER ELEMENT, AND MEANS FOR CAUSING REVERSE FILTER CLEANING AIR FLOW THROUGH THE FILTER ELEMENT AND NOZZLE OPENING: MEANS FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING AND DRIVING THE FILTER ELEMENT RELATIVE TO THE FILTER CLEANING NOZZLE INCLUDING A TURBINE ROTATABLY MOUNTED WITHIN THE OUTLET AND DRIVEN BY THE AIR FLOW INDUCED THROUGH THE FILTER ELEMENT AND A BALL TYPE SPEED REDUCER INTERMEDIATE THE TURBINE AND FILTER ELEMENT, SAID SPEED REDUCER COMPRISING A STATIONARY REACTION CUP SUPPORTED BY THE CASING IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE OUTLET AND A DRIVEN CUP CARRIED BY THE FILTER ELEMENT IN SPACED OPPOSED RELATION TO THE REACTION CUP, SAID CUP MEMBERS HAVING OPPOSITELY AND DIFFERENTIALLY INCLINED FRUSTO-CONICAL SURFACES THEREON, A PLURALITY OF PLANETARY BALLS ROTATABLY AND DRIVINGLY ENGAGEABLE WITH THE FRUSTO-CONITAL SURFACES OF SAID CUP MEMBERS, AN ANNULAR CARRIER ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID BALLS, AND SHAFT MEANS ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID TURBINE WITHIN SAID CASING AND DRIVINGLY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID PLANETARY BALLS.