Infinitely variable mechanical torque converter

Claim 1

INFINITELY VARIABLE MECHANICAL TORQUE CONVERTER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A DRIVE SHAFT; A DRIVEN SHAFT; A FIRST EPICYCLIC GEAR UNIT, AND A SECOND EPICYCLIC GEAR UNIT. EACH OF SAID UNITS DRIVEN WITH DIFFERENT ROTATIONAL SPEED FROM SAID DRIVE SHAFT AND EACH OF SAID UNITS INCLUDING A FIRST GEAR FIXED ON SAID DRIVEN SHAFT, A SECOND GEAR FREE ROTATING WITH REGARD TO DRIVE SHAFT, ROTARY PLANETARY CARRIER MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO AND DRIVEN FROM SAID DRIVE SHAFT, PLANETARY SHAFT MEANS TURNABLY MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIER MEANS (FOR ROTATION) AND INCLUDING CENTRIFUGAL WEIGHT MEANS EXERTING A TURNING MOMENT ON SAID PLANETARY SHAFT MEANS DURING ROTATION OF SAID PLANETARY CARRIER, TWO PLANETARY GEARS TURNABLY MOUNTED ON SAID PLANETARY SHAFT MEANS AND RESPECTIVELY MESHING WITH SAID FIRST GEAR CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVEN SHAFT AND WITH SAID SECOND GEAR FREE ROTATING WITH REGARD TO DRIVEN SHAFT, AND TWO ONE-WAY COUPLING MEANS FOR COUPLING SAID SHAFT MEANS TO SAID PLANETARY MEANS RESPECTIVELY FOR TRANSMITTING TURNING FORCE ONLY IN ONE DIRECTION; AND DIFFERENTIAL TRANSMISSION MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID SECOND GEAR OF SAID FIRST UNIT TO SAID SECOND GEAR OF SAID SECOND UNIT AND INCLUDING A PLANETARY CARRIER MEMBER OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT AND DRIVEN FROM THE SAME, ALL TRANSMISSION RATIOS IN SAID EPICYCLIC GEAR UNITS AND IN SAID DIFFERENTIAL TRANSMISSION GEAR MEANS CONNECTING THE TWO UNITS BEING SUCH THAT THE PROJECTION OF EACH OF THESE COUPLINGS IN SAID UNITS GENERALLY REMAIN PERMANENTLY CONTACTED IN ANY TRANSMISSION RATIO BETWEEN DRIVE SHAFT AND DRIVEN SHAFT, SO THAT THE DRIVING IMPULSE OF THE CENTRIFUGAL WEIGHT MEANS IS TRANSMITTED ON TO THE DRIVEN SHAFT, WHEREAS THE BRAKING IMPULSE OF CONTRARY DIRECTION IS DIVERTED FROM THE DRIVEN SHAFT, AND OVER THE DIFFERENTIAL TRANSMISSION MEANS EITHER TRANSMITTED ON TO THE OTHER EPICYCLIC UNIT IN ORDER TO RECONVEY ITS CENTRIFUGAL WEIGHT MEANS INTO INITIAL POSITION, OR TO RECONDUCT THE ENERGY INTO THE DRIVEN SHAFT, SO THAT THE MOMENT OF ROTATION IS VARIED IN ACCORDANCE WITH A LOAD TORQUE ACTING ON THE DRIVEN SHAFT.