Variable speed belt transmission

Claim 2

A variable speed belt transmission comprising: a. spaced driving and driven pulley elements each having a pair of opposed substantially cone-faced, rotatably supported disk sections coupled by a flexible coupling for simultaneous rotation, one disk section of each pair being axially fixed and the other disk section being axially movable, the axes of rotation of the disk sections of each pair being disposed at a predetermined angle relative to one another; b. means for adjusting said axially movable disk sections toward and away from said axially fixed disk sections; and c. an endless Vee-belt composed of a material having a predetermined compressibility extending around said pulley elements to transmit rotary movement from the driving to the driven pulley element.

Claim 3

The variable speed belt transmission of claim 1 in which the endless Vee-belt is provided on the inner side with pulley engaging lobes.

Claim 4

The variable speed belt transmission of claim 1 in which the disk sections of each pair are coupled together for simultaneous rotation.

Claim 5

The variable speed belt transmission of claim 1 in which the axially adjustable disk section of one pulley element is disposed on the opposite side of the transmission from the axially adjustAble disk section of the other pulley element.

Claim 6

The variable speed belt transmission of claim 1 in which the means for adjusting said axially movable disk sections toward and away from said axially fixed disk sections is actuated by fluid pressure.

Claim 7

The variable speed belt transmission of claim 5 in which means are provided to control the application of fluid pressure to said fluid pressure actuated means to cause the axially movable disk section of one pulley element to move toward the axially fixed disk section of such element when the axially movable disk section of the other pulley element moves away from the axially fixed disk section thereof.

Claim 8

The variable speed belt transmission of claim 5 in which the axially movable disk adjusting means includes piston and cylinder units.

Claim 9

The variable speed belt transmission of claim 7 in which valve means are provided to simultaneously connect one piston and cylinder unit with a source of pressure and the other piston and cylinder unit with exhaust.

Claim 10

The variable speed belt transmission of claim 1 in which each disk section has a shaft portion supported for rotation in antifriction bearings.

Claim 11

The variable speed belt transmission of claim 9 in which the movable disk sections are splined to the respective shaft portion for rotation therewith and adjustment axially relative thereto.

Claim 12

A variable speed belt transmission comprising: a. transmission support means; b. spaced driving and driven pulley elements each having a pair of opposed substantially cone-faced rotatably supported disc sections, each of said disc sections having a shaft portion supported for rotation in antifriction bearings, one disc section of each pair being axially fixed and the other disc section being axially movable, said movable portion being splined to its respective shaft portion and adjustable axially relative thereto, said movable section further forming a cylindrical chamber at one end thereof, the axes of rotation of the disc sections of each pair being disposed at a predetermined angle relative to one another; c. piston means in axially fixed relation to the shaft portions and disposed in said cylindrical chambers and forming a fluid receiving chamber therebetween; d. means for introducing and exhausting fluid under pressure into said chamber for adjusting said axially movable disc section toward and away from said axially fixed disc section; in response to changes in pressure of said fluid; and e. an endless Vee-belt composed of a material having a predetermined compressibility extending around said pulley elements to transmit rotary movement from the driving to the driven pulley element.

Claim 13

A variable speed belt transmission comprising: a. transmission support means; b. spaced driving and driven pulley elements each having a pair of opposed substantially cone-faced rotatably supported disc sections, each of said disc sections having a shaft portion supported for rotation in antifriction bearings, one disc section of each pair being axially fixed and the other disc section being axially movable, said movable portion being splined to its respective shaft portion and adjustable axially relative thereto, said movable section further forming a cylindrical chamber at one end thereof, the axes of rotation of the disc sections of each pair being disposed at a predetermined angle relative to one another; c. piston means in axially fixed relation to the shaft portions and disposed in said cylindrical chambers and forming a fluid receiving chamber therebetween; d. means for introducing and exhausting fluid under pressure into said chamber for adjusting said axially movable disc section toward and away from said axially fixed disc section; in response to changes in pressure of said fluid; and e. an endless Vee-belt composed of a material having a predetermined compressibility extending around said pulley elements to transmit rotary movement from the driving to the driven pulley element.

Claim 14

The variable speed belt transmission of claim 11 in which said piston means are attached to said support means.

Claim 15

A variable speed belt transmission comprising: a. transmission support means; b. spaced driving and driven pulley elements supported in said support means, each of said pulleys having a pair of opposed substantially cone-faced rotatably supported disc sections, one of said disc sections of each pair being axially movable with respect to its axis of rotation and the other being axially fixed with respect to its axis of rotation, the axes of rotation of the disc sections of each pair being disposed at a predetermined angle other than zero relative to one another; c. means for adjusting said axially movable disc sections toward and away from said axially fixed disc sections; and d. an endless Vee-belt composed of a material having a predetermined compressibility extending around said pulley elements to transmit rotary movement from the driving to the driven pulley element.

Claim 16

A variable speed belt transmission comprising: a. transmission support means; b. spaced driving and driven pulley elements supported in said support means, each of said pulleys having a pair of opposed substantially cone-faced rotatably supported disc sections, one of said disc sections of each pair being axially movable with respect to its axis of rotation and the other being axially fixed with respect to its axis of rotation, the axes of rotation of the disc sections of each pair being disposed at a predetermined angle other than zero relative to one another; c. means for adjusting said axially movable disc sections toward and away from said axially fixed disc sections; and d. an endless Vee-belt composed of a material having a predetermined compressibility extending around said pulley elements to transmit rotary movement from the driving to the driven pulley element.

Claim 17

A variable speed belt transmission as defined in claim 13 wherein each disc section has a shaft portion rotatably supporting said disc section on said support means, each respective pair of shaft portions being connected to each other for simultaneous rotation about their respective axes of rotation.

Claim 18

A variable speed belt transmission according to claim 14 wherein each pair of shaft portions is connected by a flexible coupling.

Claim 19

A variable speed belt transmission comprising: a. spaced driving and driven pulley elements each having a pair of opposed generally cone-spaced disc sections forming a groove therebetween, said disc sections being rotatably supported for simultaneous rotation, the respective axes of rotation of each disc section of each pair being disposed in a nonparallel relationship and forming a predetermined angle at their junction, one of said discs being axially movable with respect to its axis of rotation and the other being axially fixed with respect to its axis of rotation; b. means for axially adjusting said axially movable disc sections with respect to their respective axially fixed disc sections; and c. an endless Vee-belt of a material having a predetermined compressibility extending around said pulley elements to transmit rotary movement from the driving to the driven pulley element.

Claim 20

A variable speed belt transmission comprising: a. spaced driving and driven pulley elements each having a pair of opposed generally cone-spaced disc sections forming a groove therebetween, said disc sections being rotatably supported for simultaneous rotation, the respective axes of rotation of each disc section of each pair being disposed in a nonparallel relationship and forming a predetermined angle at their junction, one of said discs being axially movable with respect to its axis of rotation and the other being axially fixed with respect to its axis of rotation; b. means for axially adjusting said axially movable disc sections with respect to their respective axially fixed disc sections; and c. an endless Vee-belt of a material having a predetermined compressibility extending around said pulley elements to transmit rotary movement from the driving to the driven pulley element.

Claim 21

The variable speed belt transmission according to claim 16 wherein each of said disc sections has a shaft portion, said shaft being supported for rotation about the axes of rotation of its respective disc section.

Claim 22

The variable speed belt transmission according to claim 17 wherein the shaft portions of each pair of disc sections are connected at the junction of their rotational axes for simultaneous rotation.

Claim 23

The variable speed belt transmission according to claim 18 wherein each pair of shaft portions are connected by a flexible coupling.