Mechanical transmission system

Claim 2

A mechanical power transmission system comprising a transmission member, a mechanical power source for oscillating said member, a power receiving component connected to said transmission member at a pivot point and means for shifting said member and its oscillatory path relative to said pivot point to vary the power-speed ratio applied to said component.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 wherein said transmission member is a fulcrum arm pivoted on an axis, said power source and said component being connected to said arm at separate points thereon and said fulcrum arm is shifted relative to said points.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1 wherein said transmission member is a threaded shaft having at least some threads of varying pitch therealong, said shaft being mounted to oscillate longitudinally, said component being a rotatably mounted threaded member, said shaft being in threaded engagement with said component, means to oscillate said shaft longitudinally to rotate said threaded member along a portion of said shaft and means to longitudinally shift said shaft relative to said threaded member for rotation along another portion of said shaft.

Claim 5

The system of claim 1 wherein said transmission member is in threaded engagement with a pair of drive gears, said member mounted to oscillate in forward and backward strokes, driving one drive gear on the forward stroke and the other drive gear on the rearward stroke, both drive gears being engaged with a third gear for driving the same.

Claim 6

The system of claim 4 wherein said transmission member is a threaded shaft passing through the axes of said drive gears in threaded engagement therewith, said shaft having threads of varying pitch.

Claim 7

The transmission system of claim 1 wherein a drive shaft is connected to said transmission member at a connection point located a distance from said axis and remote from said power source and means for (relatively moving said axis with respect to said connection points) shifting said connection point relative to said axis.

Claim 8

The transmission system of claim 6 incorporated into a vehicle wherein said drive shaft connects said transmission member with at least one wheel of said vehicle.

Claim 9

The transmission system of claim 6 wherein said drive shaft is moved forward and backward by said member and power source, said shaft is threaded and engages at least one gear for driving the same.

Claim 10

The transmission system of claim 6 wherein said drive shaft is threaDed and engages a pair of drive gears driving one drive gear on the forward stroke and the other drive gear on the rearward stroke, both drive gears being engaged with a third gear for driving the same.

Claim 11

The transmission system of claim 6 wherein said transmission member is an oblong rod pivotably mounted on a fulcrum, said connection points being situated on said rod on opposite sides of said fulcrum.

Claim 12

The transmission system of claim 10 wherein said transmission member has a sizeable aperture at either end, each aperture extending along the longitudinal axis of said member, said power source being connected to said member via a roller bearing movable along one of said apertures, said drive shaft being connected to said member via a roller bearing movable along the other of said apertures and means for raising and lowering said member and thus said fulcrum relative to said power source and drive shaft.

Claim 13

A mechanical power transmission system comprising a threaded drive shaft, at least a pair of overriding drive gears, said shaft being in threaded engagement with said gears, said shaft mounted to oscillate in forward and backward strokes to drive one drive gear on the forward stroke and the other drive gear on the rearward stroke, both drive gears being engaged with at least one other gear for driving the same.

Claim 14

A mechanical power transmission system comprising a threaded drive shaft, at least a pair of overriding drive gears, said shaft being in threaded engagement with said gears, said shaft mounted to oscillate in forward and backward strokes to drive one drive gear on the forward stroke and the other drive gear on the rearward stroke, both drive gears being engaged with at least one other gear for driving the same.

Claim 15

The system of claim 12 wherein said drive shaft passes through the axes of said drive gears in threaded engagement therewith.

Claim 16

The system of claim 12 wherein said drive shaft contacts the peripheries of said drive gears.

Claim 17

The system of claim 1 comprising a first rotatable body having a fixed axis, a second rotatable body having a displaceable axis, said second body being connected by a rod from the axis thereof to a point on said first body removed from the axis thereof, a drive shaft, said drive shaft being connected to said second rotatable body at a point removed from the axis thereof, means for rotating said first and second rotatable bodies causing said second rotatable body to move in an oscillatory path while rotating and impart oscillatory motion components to said shaft and means for rotating said first body independently of said second body to change the relative phases of rotation of said first and second bodies and change the oscillatory motion components applied to said shaft.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said rotatable bodies are gears.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said shaft is in threaded engagement with a gear assembly for driving the same.