Variable speed ratio transmission

Claim 1

ADJUSTABLE SPEED CHANGES APPARATUS PROVIDING A CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE RANGE OF SPEED RATIOS BETWEEN A ROTATABLE DRIVING MEMBER AND A ROTATABLE DRIVEN MEMBER, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: (A) A PLATE CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID MEMBERS TO ROTATE COAXIALLY THEREWITH AND HAVING A FRICTION FACE NORMAL TO ITS AXIS; (B) A ROTOR CONNECTED TO THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS TO ROTATE COAXIALLY THEREWITH; (C) MEANS MOUNTING SAID MEMBERS WITH THEIR AXES PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER AND FOR TRANSLATORY MOTION OF ONE OF SAID MEMBERS TRANSVERSELY TO ITS AXIS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS TOWARD AND FROM THE AXIS OF THE OTHER MEMBER; (D) A PLURALITY OF ROLLER CARRIERS, EACH HAVING AN AXIS OF ROTATION; (E) MEANS MOUNTING SAID ROLLER CARRIERS ON THE ROTOR (1) FOR ROTATION OF EACH ROLLER CARRIER ABOUT ITS OWN AXIS AND RELATIVE TO THE ROTOR, AND (2) FOR ORBITAL MOTION OF THE ROLLER CARRIERS WITH THE ROTOR, SAID ROLLER CARRIERS BEING DISOSED WITH THEIR AXES (A) PARALLEL TO THAT OF THE ROTOR, (B) EQUIDISTANT FROM THE ROTOR AXIS, AND (C) CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER; (F) ROLLER MEANS CARRIED BY EACH OF THE ROLLER CARRIERS FOR ROTATION AND ORBITAL MOTION THEREWITH, SAID ROLLER MEANS ALSO BEING ROTATABLE RELATIVE TO THE ROLLER CARRIER ABOUT AN AXIS FIXED IN THE ROLLER CARRIER AND NORMAL TO THE ROLLER CARRIER AXIS; (G) MEANS MAINTAINING SAID ROLLER MEANS PERIPHERALLY ENGAGED UNDER BIAS WITH THE FRICTION FACE OF THE PLATE; AND (H) MEANS FOR ROTATING EACH ROLLER CARRIER RELATIVE TO THE OTHER AT AN ANGULAR VELOCITY WHICH IS ONE-HALF THAT OF THE ROTOR, AND IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF THE ROTOR, WITH THE ROLLER CARRIERS SO ORIENTED THAT THE AXES OF ALL OF THE ROLLER MEANS AT ALL TIMES INTERSECT AT A POINT LYING ON A PLANE THAT IS ON THE AXES OF THE ROTOR AND THE PLATE.