Variable speed transmission

Claim 2

A transmission assembly for transmitting the rotary movement of the driving member to a driven member at different selected speeds comprising a housing having a series of at least four parallel shafts journaled therein for rotational movement about axes spaced annularly within a cylindrical plane having its axis parallel with and equidistantly spaced from the axes of said shafts, a series of at least four rotary motion transmitting members of different diameter size operatively fixed to said shafts in alignment with one another in a transverse direction intermediate the ends of said shafts, means disposed in transverse alignment with said rotary members drivingly interconnecting the peripheries of said rotary members so that said series of shaft will rotate simultaneously about their axes at different speeds proportional to the diameter size of the rotary member associated therewith, means for selectively drivingly connecting a driving member with one end of any one of said series of shafts, and means for selectively drivingly connecting a driven member with the other end of any one of said series of shafts.

Claim 3

A transmission assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said means drivingly interconnecting the peripheries of said rotary members comprises an endless flexible member.

Claim 4

A transmission assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said means drivingly interconnecting the peripheries of said rotary members comprises an idler gear having teeth on the exterior periphery thereof, and meshing teeth formed on the exterior periphery of said rotary members.

Claim 5

A transmission assembly for transmitting the rotary movement of a driving member to a driven member at different selected speeds comprising a housing having a series of at least four parallel shafts journaled therein for rotational movement about axes spaced annularly within a cylindrical plane having its axis disposed parallel with the axes of said shafts, a series of at least four gears rotatably fixedly mounted on said series of shafts intermediate the ends thereof, said series of gears being of different size and having exterior peripheral teeth of a different number, a central idler gear journaled in said housing for rotational movement about an axis parallel with the axis of said cylindrical plane, said idler gear having peripheral teeth disposed in meshing relation with the peripheral teeth of said series of gears for drivingly interconnecting the same so as to effect simultaneous rotational movement of said series of shafts at different speeds, means for selectively drivingly connecting a driving member with one end of any one of said series of shafts so that the rotational movement of said one shaft determines the different speeds of simultaneous movement of said series of shafts, and means for selectively drivingly connecting a driven member with the other end of any one of said series of shafts so that the driven speed of said driven member is determined by the speed of the one shaft to which it is drivingly connected, thus enabling the operator to select a number of different driven member speeds for a given driving member speed.

Claim 6

A transmission assembly for transmitting the rotary movement of a driving member to a driven member at different selected speeds comprising a housing having a series of at least four parallel shafts journaled therein for rotational movement about axes spaced annularly within a cylindrical plane having its axis disposed parallel with the axes of said shafts, a series of at least four gears rotatably fixedly mounted on said series of shafts intermediate the ends thereof, said series of gears being of different size and having exterior peripheral teeth of a different number, a central idler gear journaled in said housing for rotational movement about an axis parallel with the axis of said cylindrical plane, said idler gear having peripheral teeth disposed in meshing relation with the peripheral teeth of said series of gears for drivingly interconnecting the same so as to effect simultaneous rotational movement of said series of shafts at different speeds, means for selectively drivingly connecting a driving member with one end of any one of said series of shafts so that the rotational movement of said one shaft determines the different speeds of simultaneous movement of said series of shafts, and means for selectively drivingly connecting a driven member with the other end of any one of said series of shafts so that the driven speed of said driven member is determined by the speed of the one shaft to which it is drivingly connected, thus enabling the operator to select a number of different driven member speeds for a given driving member speed.

Claim 7

A transmission assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for selectively drivingly interconnecting said driving member includes a first driving shaft having one end thereof drivingly connected with said driving member and mounted for rotational movement thereby about an axis in alignment with the axis of said cylindrical plane, a rigid structure mounted for rotation about the axis of said first driving shaft, a second driving shaft journaled in said rigid structure for rotation about an axis aligned with said cylindrical plane and spaced from the axis thereof a distance equal to the aforesaid spacing and for movement with said rigid structure about the axis of said first driving shaft to position the axis of said second driving shaft in any desired position within said cylindrical plane, means for drivingly connecting said first and second driving shafts, and means for detachably drivingly connecting an end of said second driving shaft selectively to the one end of any one of said series of shafts when moved into axial alignment therewith.

Claim 8

A transmission assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said means for drivingly connecting said first and second driving shafts comprises meshing gears fixed to said first and second driving shafts respectively.

Claim 9

A transmission assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for selectively drivingly interconnecting said driving member includes a second series of at least four shafts, means mounting said second series of shafts for rotational movement about axes aligned with the axes of said first-mentioned series of shafts respectively and spaced therefrom a distance equal to the aforesaid spacing, means drivingly connected with said driving member for simultaneously driving said second series of shafts, and means for detachably drivingly connecting the one end of any one of the first-mentioned series of shafts with an adjacent end of the aligned shaft of said second series of shafts.

Claim 10

A transmission assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for simultaneously driving said second series of shafts comprises a driving shaft having one end thereof drivingly connected with said driving member, means journaling said driving shaft for rotational movement about an axis aligned with the axis of said cylindrical plane, a driving gear fixed to said driving shaft and a second series of gears fixed to said second series of shafts respectively, said second series of gears being of the same size and disposed in meshing relation to said driving gear.

Claim 11

A transmission assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for simultaneously driving said second series of shafts comprises a second series of gears fixed to said second series of shafts respectively, said second series of gears being of different diameter size and having peripheral teeth of a different number, a second idler gear having peripheral teeth disposed in meshing engagement with the teeth of said second series of gears, said means for mounting said second series of gears comprising a second housing structure, means mounting said second housing structure for pivotal movement about the axis of said cylindrical plane so as to enable any one of said second series of shafts to be moved into axial alignment with any one of said first series of shafts, and means for selectively drivingly connecting a driving member with the other end of any one of the second series of shafts.

Claim 12

A transmission assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for selectively drivingly interconnecting said driven member includes a first output shaft having one end thereof drivingly connected with said driven member and mounted for rotational movement thereby about an axis in alignment with the axis of said cylindrical plane, a rigid structure mounted for rotation about the axis of said first output shaft, a second output shaft journaled in said rigid structure for rotation about an axis aligned with said cylindrical plane and spaced from the axis thereof a distance equal to the aforesaid spacing and for movement with said rigid structure about the axis of said first output shaft to position the axis of said second output shaft in any desired position within said cylindrical plane, means for drivingly connecting said first and second output shafts, and means for detachably drivingly connecting an end of said second output shaft selectively to the one end of any one of said series of shafts when moved into axial alignment therewith.

Claim 13

A transmission assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein said means for drivingly connecting said first and second output shafts comprises meshing gears fixed to said first and second output shafts respectively.

Claim 14

A transmission assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein said means for selectively drivingly interconnecting said driving member includes a first input shaft having one end thereof drivingly connected with said driving member and mounted for rotational movement thereby about an axis in alignment with the axis of said cylindrical plane, a second rigid structure mounted for rotation about the axis of said first driving shaft, a second input shaft journaled in said second rigid structure for rotation about an axis aligned with said cylindrical plane and spaced from the axis thereof a distance equal to the aforesaid spacing and for movement with said second rigid structure about the axis of said first input shaft to position the axis of said second input shaft in any desired position within said cylindrical plane, means for drivingly connecting said first and second input shafts, and means for detachably drivingly connecting an end of said second input shaft selectively to the one end of any one of said series of shafts when moved into axial alignment therewith.

Claim 15

A transmission assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for selectively drivingly interconnecting said driven member includes a second series of at least four shafts, means mounting said second series of shafts for rotational movement about axes aligned with the axes of said first-mentioned series of shafts respectively and spaced therefrom a distance equal to the aforesaid spacing, means drivingly connected with said driven member for simultaneously driving said second series of shafts, and means for detachably drivingly connecting the one end of any one of the first-mentioned series of shafts with an adjacent end of the aligned shaft of said second series of shafts.

Claim 16

A transmission assembly as defined in cclaim 13 wherein said means for simultaneously driving said second series of shafts comprises an output shaft having one end thereof drivingly connected with said driven member, means journaling said output shaft for rotational movement about an axis aligned with the axis of said cylindrical plane, an output gear fixed to said output shaft and a second series of gears fixed to said second series of shafts respectively, said second series of gears being of the same size and disposed in meshing relation to said output gear.

Claim 17

A transmission assembly as defined in claim 14 wherein said means for selectively drivingly interconnecting said driving member includes a third series of at least four shafts, means mounting said third series of shafts for rotational movement about axes aligned with the axes of said first-mentioned series of shaft respectively and spaced therefrom a distance equal to the aforesaid spacing, means for detachably drivingly connecting the one end of any one of the first-mentioned series of shafts with an adjacent end of the aligned shaft of said second series of shafts, an input shaft having one end thereof drivingly connected with said driving member, means journaling said input shaft for rotational movement about an axis aligned with the axis of said cylindrical plane, an input gear fixed to said input shaft and a third series of gears fixed to said third series of shafts respectively, said third series of gears being of the same size and disposed in meshing relation to said input gear.

Claim 18

A transmission assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein said means for simultaneously driving said second series of shafts comprises a second series of gears fixed to said second series of shafts respectively, said second series of gears being of different diameter size and having peripheral teeth of a different number, a second idler gear having peripheral teeth disposed in meshing engagement with the teeth of said second series of gears, said means for mounting said second series of gears comprising a second housing structure, means mounting said second housing structure for pivotal movement about the axis of said cylindrical plane so as to enable any one of said second series of shafts to be moved into axial alignment with any one of said first series of shafts, and means for selectively drivingly connecting a driving member with the other end of any one of the second series of shafts.

Claim 19

A variable speed transmission assembly comprising a central housing structure, a plurality of parallel shafts journaled in said central housing structure for rotational movement about axes spaced annularly within a cylindrical plane having its axis parallel with and equidistantly spaced from the axes of said shafts, a plurality of rotary motion transmitting members of different diameter size operatively fixed to said shafts in transverse alignement with one another intermediate the ends of said shafts, means disposed in transverse alignment with said rotary members drivingly interconnecting the peripheries of said rotary members so that said plurality of shafts will rotate simultaneously about their axes at different speeds proportional to the diameter size of the rotary member associated therewith, an input housing structure at one side of said central housing structure, an input rotary member journaled in said input housing structure for rotational movement about an axis disposed within said cylindrical plane in parallel spaced relation thereto a distance equal to the aforesaid spacing, an output housing structure at the opposite side of said central housing structure, an output rotary member journaled in said output housing structure for rotational movement about an axis disposed within said cylindrical plane in parallel spaced relation thereto a distance equal to the aforesaid spacing, means mounting at least two of said housing structures for pivotal movement about the axis of said cylindrical plane for enabling said input and output rotary members to be separately axially aligned with any one of said plurality of shafts, means for detachably drivingly connecting said input rotary member with the adjacent end of the shaft aligned therewith, and means for detachably drivingly connecting said output rotary member with the adjacent end of the shaft aligned therewith.

Claim 20

A variable speed transmission assembly comprising a central housing structure, a plurality of parallel shafts journaled in said central housing structure for rotational movement about axes spaced annularly within a cylindrical plane having its axis parallel with and equidistantly spaced from the axes of said shafts, a plurality of rotary motion transmitting members of different diameter size operatively fixed to said shafts in transverse alignement with one another intermediate the ends of said shafts, means disposed in transverse alignment with said rotary members drivingly interconnecting the peripheries of said rotary members so that said plurality of shafts will rotate simultaneously about their axes at different speeds proportional to the diameter size of the rotary member associated therewith, an input housing structure at one side of said central housing structure, an input rotary member journaled in said input housing structure for rotational movement about an axis disposed within said cylindrical plane in parallel spaced relation thereto a distance equal to the aforesaid spacing, an output housing structure at the opposite side of said central housing structure, an output rotary member journaled in said output housing structure for rotational movement about an axis disposed within said cylindrical plane in parallel spaced relation thereto a distance equal to the aforesaid spacing, means mounting at least two of said housing structures for pivotal movement about the axis of said cylindrical plane for enabling said input and output rotary members to be separately axially aligned with any one of said plurality of shafts, means for detachably drivingly connecting said input rotary member with the adjacent end of the shaft aligned therewith, and means for detachably drivingly connecting said output rotary member with the adjacent end of the shaft aligned therewith.

Claim 21

A transmission assembly as defined in claim 17 wherein said means drivingly interconnecting the peripheries of said plurality of rotary members comprises an endless flexible member.

Claim 22

A transmission assemBly as defined in claim 17 wherein said means drivingly interconnecting the peripheries of said plurality of rotary members comprises an idler gear having teeth on the exterior periphery thereof, and meshing teeth formed on the exterior periphery of said plurality of rotary members.

Claim 23

A variable speed transmission assembly comprising: a pair of side-by-side housing structures, each of said housing structures having a plurality of parallel shafts journaled therein for rotational movement about axes spaced annularly within a cylindrical plane having its axis parallel with and equidistantly spaced from the axes of said shafts, a plurality of rotary motion transmitting members of different diameter size operatively fixed to said shafts in alignment with one another in a transverse direction intermediate the ends of said shafts, and means disposed in transverse alignment with said rotary members drivingly interconnecting the peripheries of said rotary members so that said plurality of shafts will rotate simultaneously about their axes at different speeds proportional to the diameter size of the rotary member associated therewith, means mounting at least one of said housing structures for pivotal movement about the axis of said cylindrical plane for enabling any one of one plurality of shafts to be axially aligned with any one of the other plurality of shafts, means for detachably drivingly connecting the adjacent ends of the aligned shafts, means for selectively drivingly connecting a driving member with the other end of any one of said one plurality of shafts, and means for selectively drivingly connecting a driven member with the other end of any one of the other of said plurality of shafts.

Claim 24

A variable speed transmission assembly comprising: a pair of side-by-side housing structures, each of said housing structures having a plurality of parallel shafts journaled therein for rotational movement about axes spaced annularly within a cylindrical plane having its axis parallel with and equidistantly spaced from the axes of said shafts, a plurality of rotary motion transmitting members of different diameter size operatively fixed to said shafts in alignment with one another in a transverse direction intermediate the ends of said shafts, and means disposed in transverse alignment with said rotary members drivingly interconnecting the peripheries of said rotary members so that said plurality of shafts will rotate simultaneously about their axes at different speeds proportional to the diameter size of the rotary member associated therewith, means mounting at least one of said housing structures for pivotal movement about the axis of said cylindrical plane for enabling any one of one plurality of shafts to be axially aligned with any one of the other plurality of shafts, means for detachably drivingly connecting the adjacent ends of the aligned shafts, means for selectively drivingly connecting a driving member with the other end of any one of said one plurality of shafts, and means for selectively drivingly connecting a driven member with the other end of any one of the other of said plurality of shafts.

Claim 25

A transmission assembly as defined in claim 20 wherein said means drivingly interconnecting the peripheries of each of said pluralities of rotary members comprises an endless flexible member.

Claim 26

A transmission assembly as defined in claim 20 wherein said means drivingly interconnecting the peripheries of each of said pluralities of rotary members comprises an idler gear having teeth on the exterior periphery thereof, and meshing teeth formed on the exterior periphery of the associated plurality of rotary members.