Variable speed torque transmitting means

Claim 1

AN INFINITELY VARIABLE SPEED TORQUE TRANSMITTING APPARATUS HAVING ROTATABLE INPUT AND OUTPUT SHAFTS, AND MEANS OPERABLY CONNECTING SAID SHAFTS, SAID MEANS INCLUDING AN INFINITELY VARIABLE SPEED FRICTION DRIVE MECHANISM AND A HYDRODYNAMIC DRIVE DEVICE, SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND SPACED ANNULAR ROTATABLE FRICTION MEMBERS, AN ANNULAR ROTATABLE IDLER ELEMENT BETWEEN AND FRICTIONALLY ENGAGING SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS FOR THE DRIVE OF EITHER OF SAID MEMBERS IN ONE DIRECTION UPON ROTATING OF THE OTHER IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, MEANS CONNECTING SAID FIRST MEMBER TO SAID INPUT SHAFT, SAID DEVICE HAVING A PLURALITY OF ROTATABLE PORTIONS, MEANS CONNECTING SAID SECOND MEMBER TO ONE OF SAID PORTIONS, MEANS CONNECTING ANOTHER OF SAID PORTIONS TO SAID OUTPUT SHAFT, SAID DEVICE BEING OF THE FLUID FILL AND SAID OUTPUT FOR CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION OF TORQUE TO SAID OUTPUT SHAWFT, ROTATION OF SAID INPUT SHAFT IN ONE DIRECTION UPON FILLING OF SAID DRIVE DEVICE PROVIDING A ROTATION OF SAID OUTPUT SHAFT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, AND SELECTIVELY OPERATED CLUTCH MEANS DIRECTLY CONNECTING SAID INPUT SHAFT AND SECOND MEMBER BYPASSING SAID MECHANISM AND PROVIDING A DRIVE TO SAID OUTPUT SHAFT IN THE ONE DIRECTION.