US3596528A — Infinitely variable cone pulley transmission

Claim 1

Independent Claim 236 words

An infinitely variable cone pulley transmission having driving and driven shafts, at least two pairs, each composed of first and second conical pulley discs, one pair on each of said shafts, at least one endless transmitting element connecting and running between said two pairs of conical pulley disks, wherein one disk of each pair on the driving and driven shafts is movable in the axial direction on its shaft relative to the other disk and forms a rotating hydraulic cylinder containing a piston rigidly connected to said shaft, and wherein hydraulic fluid supply means create solely the contact pressures with which the conical disks are applied against the transmitting element at both sides of the transmission in a manner so as to be automatically load-responsive, a control element for maintaining and varying the speed ratio of the transmission, said movable disks moving axially in response to variations in torque on the shafts, and a distributing slide valve acted upon by said control element and adapted to distribute the pressure fluid supplied to it from said supply means to the hydraulic cylinders, in which said supply means includes a pressure control valve, and means responsive to a change of the axial position of one of the axially movable disks for regulating said pressure control valve for controlling the hydraulic pressure so as to be load-responsive as well as responsive to the adjusted speed ratio of the transmission.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 236 words

An infinitely variable cone pulley transmission having driving and driven shafts, at least two pairs, each composed of first and second conical pulley discs, one pair on each of said shafts, at least one endless transmitting element connecting and running between said two pairs of conical pulley disks, wherein one disk of each pair on the driving and driven shafts is movable in the axial direction on its shaft relative to the other disk and forms a rotating hydraulic cylinder containing a piston rigidly connected to said shaft, and wherein hydraulic fluid supply means create solely the contact pressures with which the conical disks are applied against the transmitting element at both sides of the transmission in a manner so as to be automatically load-responsive, a control element for maintaining and varying the speed ratio of the transmission, said movable disks moving axially in response to variations in torque on the shafts, and a distributing slide valve acted upon by said control element and adapted to distribute the pressure fluid supplied to it from said supply means to the hydraulic cylinders, in which said supply means includes a pressure control valve, and means responsive to a change of the axial position of one of the axially movable disks for regulating said pressure control valve for controlling the hydraulic pressure so as to be load-responsive as well as responsive to the adjusted speed ratio of the transmission.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 23 words

A transmission as defined in claim l, having a compression spring acting on the pressure control valve continuously urging it to closed position.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 210 words

A transmission as defined in claim 1, in which at least one shaft is provided with a first channel extending through the shaft substantially parallel to its axis forming part of the means for supplying the pressure chamber in the cylinder with hydraulic fluid, and with a second channel branching off through a connection from said first channel and leading to the outside; the pressure control valve being mounted in the shaft and adapted to throttle the connection between said two channels; the hub of the axially movabLe disk having in the wall of its bore at least one inclined surface, said torque-responsive means including an intermediate movable element partly projecting radially from the shaft and having an inner end acting through a compression spring upon the control valve, the outer end of said element engaging said inclined surface in the wall of the bore, said inclined surface extending substantially parallel to the axis of the shaft, said outer end of the element being acted upon by said inclined surface in response to the load acting upon this side of the transmission; said inclined surface, for acting upon the pressure control valve in response to the varying speed ratio of the transmission having a varying angularity in its axial direction.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 64 words

A transmission as defined in claim 3, in which said hub has two inclined surfaces, the outer end of the intermediate element being disposed between said surfaces, said inclined surfaces intersecting at a line forming a vertex extending parallel to the axis of the shaft and the inclined surfaces being disposed at equal angles to each radial plane of the shaft intersecting said vertex.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 63 words

A transmission as defined in claim 3, in which said hub has two inclined surfaces, the outer end of the intermediate elements being between said surfaces, said inclined surfaces intersecting at a vertex extending parallel to the axis of said shaft, and the surfaces being disposed relative to each other at different angles to each radial plane of the shaft intersecting said vertex.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 15 words

A transmission as defined in claim 3, in which the intermediate element comprises a ball.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 188 words

A transmission as defined in claim 3, in which the slide valve is provided with four control edges, said fluid supply means includes a fluid supply line and a fluid return line connected to said slide valve, said slide valve having two annular chambers each connected to one of said cylinders; each annular chamber being associated with a pair of said control edges, the first edge of each said pair being adapted to control the supply of fluid to one of said cylinders and the second edge adapted to control the return flow of fluid to the return line; the two first edges of both pairs being axially spaced from each other at such a distance that, when the slide valve is in its central position, the fluid supply passages of said valve leading to the two cylinders are equally opened, while the fluid return passages to said return line are closed by said second control edges; and the axial distance between the first and second control edges of one pair which are associated with each annular chamber being smaller than the axial length of said annular chamber.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 189 words

A transmission as defined in claim 3, in which the slide valve is provided with four control edges, said fluid supply means includes a fluid supply line and a fluid return line connected to said slide valve, said slide valve having two annular chambers each connected to one of said cylinders; each annular chamber being associated with a pair of said control edges, the first edge of each said pair being adapted to control the supply of fluid to one of said cylinders and the second edge adapted to control the return flow of fluid to the return line; the two first edges of both pairs being axially spaced from each other at such a distance that, when the slide valve is in its central position, the fluid supply passages of said valve leading to the two cylinders are equally opened, while the fluid return passages to said return line are closed by said second control edges; and the axial distance between the first and second control edges of one pair which are associated with each annular chamber being slightly larger than the axial length of said annular chamber.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 24 words

A transmission as defined in claim 3, in which the slide valve is provided with two control edges and forms an adjustable flow distributor.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 79 words

A transmission as defined in claim 3, in which said supply means includes separate means of equal pressure to supPly fluid to each of said cylinders and a return line from each cylinder, one of said pressure control valves being provided in the supply means to each cylinder and said slide valve having two control edges and being adapted to control the return line from the cylinder on the side of the transmission then forming the driven side thereof.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 157 words

A transmission as defined in claim 3, in which, for producing the load-responsive and speed ratio-responsive contact pressures, each axially movable disk has a second pressure chamber connected thereto on the opposite side of the piston from the first cylinder, a second hydraulic fluid supply means being provided comprising a source of oil under pressure and a flow distributor connected thereto; means connecting the flow distributor to the second pressure chamber of each disk; each second pressure chamber being formed by the piston and a hub on the associated axially movable disk which is axially movable within the second cylinder and acts therein as a movable piston; means connecting the second pressure chamber through the pressure control valve to the outside; the fluid supply means to the first pressure chamber including said slide valve, said slide valve having four control edges; excessive amounts of fluid flowing without pressure past the outer control edges of the slide valve.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 234 words

A transmission as defined in claim 1, in which at least one shaft is provided with a first channel extending through the shaft substantially parallel to its axis forming part of the means for supplying the pressure chamber in the cylinder with pressure fluid, and with a second channel branching off through a connection from the first channel and leading to the outside; the pressure control valve being mounted in the shaft and adapted to throttle the connection between said two channels; said torque-responsive means including an intermediate movable element partly projecting radially from the shaft and having an inner end acting through a compression spring upon the control valve, the hub of the movable disk on said shaft having a recess therein facing the shaft and extending parallel to the axis thereof, a lever in said recess pivoted on said shaft about a radial axis thereof, said lever having an inclined surface extending substantially parallel to the axis of the shaft, the outer end of said element engaging said inclined surface, said outer end being adapted to be acted upon by this inclined surface in response to the load acting upon this side of the transmission; said lever having a longitudinal slot extending substantially parallel to the axis of said shaft; and a pin is secured to and projecting radially inwardly from the wall of said hub into said slot in said lever.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 42 words

A transmission as defined in claim 1, in which the control element comprises a two-armed lever one end of which engages into a peripheral groove in the outer wall of one of the axially movable disks, while its other end is adjustable.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 39 words

A transmission as defined in claim 1, in which the control element comprises a speed governor which is rotatable at a speed directly proportional to the speed of one of the axially movable conical disks and is also adjustable.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1974-08-02	1975-02-01	1975-08-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1978-08-02	1979-02-01	1979-08-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1982-08-02	1983-02-01	1983-08-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Infinitely variable cone pulley transmission

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag