Variable speed drive

Claim 1

IN A VARIABLE SPEED V-BELT DRIVE OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED AND EMBODYING A DRIVING SHAFT, A DRIVEN SHAFT, V-SHEAVE HALVES MOUNTED ON EACH SHAFT, AT LEAST ONE SHEAVE HALF BEING MOUNTED ON ITS RESPECTIVE SHAFT FOR FREE RELATIVE ROTATION AND AXIAL TRANSLATION, AND COILED HELICAL SPRINGS EXERTING AXIAL THRUSTS ON EACH FREE SHEAVE HALF TENDING TO MOVE THOSE HALVES ON THEIR RESPECTIVE SHAFTS TOWARD THEIR RESPECTIVE OTHER HALVES; THE COMBINATION OF A SPRING SEAT MEMBER AFFIXED TO AT LEAST ONE OF SAID SHAFTS, A SPRING SEAT MEMBER AFFIXED TO THE FREE SHEAVE HALF THAT IS ON SAID ONE SHAFT, THE SPRING SEATED ON SAID SPRING SEAT MEMBERS FORMING THE DRIVING TORQUE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID ONE SHAFT AND ITS ASSOCIATED FREE SHEAVE HALF, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID SPRING SEAT MEMBERS HAVING AN ANNULAR GROOVE CO-AXIAL WITH THE SHAFT AND WITH WALLS DEFINING A TAPERED GROOVE SECTION IN A RADIAL PLANE, SAID GROOVE TAKING AN END OF THE ASSOCIATED SPRING, THE TAPER OF SAID GROOVE CONTRACTING IN THE DIRECTION OF AXIAL THRUST OF SAID SPRING, A NOTCH IN ONE WALL OF SAID ANNULAR GROOVE EXTENDING RADIALLY FROM SAID WALL AND HAVING AT LEAST ONE NOTCH WALL EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION TOWARD SAID GROOVE WALL AND ACUTELY ANGLED IN THAT DIRECTION AWAY FROM A LINE RADIAL WITH RESPECT TO THE GROOVE AXIS, THE SPRING END HAVING A RADIALLY EXTENDING END PORTION ENTERING SAID NOTCH, AND THE GROOVE WALL OPPOSITE SAID ONE GROOVE WALL BEING CONICAL IN FORM WITH ITS CONICAL ELEMENTS AT AN ACUTE ANGLE TO THE GROOVE AXIS, SAID ANGLE OPENING IN AN AXIAL DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THE DIRECTION OF AXIAL SPRING THRUST, WHEREBY EXCESSIVE DRIVING TORQUE FORCES SAID SPRING END RADIALLY AGAINST SAID OPPOSITE WALL OF THE ANNULAR GROOVE AND TENDS TO MOVE THAT SPRING END AGAINST THE DIRECTION OF SPRING THRUST TO ALLOW THE RADIALLY EXTENDING PORTION OF THE SPRING END TO MOVE OUT OF SAID NOTCH.