Infinitely variable ratio gear transmission

Claim 2

In an angular motion phase generator for an infinitely variable change speed transmission having two phase generators for driving a summing differential: a frame, a power input shaft journalled in said frame, a power output shaft, first and second cams in phase with one another and rotatable with said input shaft, adjustable ratio control means reciprocable by said cams and including opposed drive members having oppositely facing parallel drive surfaces at opposite sides of said output shaft, first and second driven gear means in out-of-phase relationship, one way clutch means unidirectionally connecting said gear means to said output shaft for driving the same, said gear means being engaged by said drive surfaces, and said ratio control means including means for angularly adjusting said drive surfaces with respect to said gear means to vary the ratio of input to output motion caused by reciprocation of said ratio control means.

Claim 3

In an angular motion phase generator as defined in claim 1, said means for angularly adjusting said drive surfaces including means connected with said frame to anchor said ratio control means against rotation.

Claim 4

In an angular motion phase generator as defined in claim 1, cam follower means interposed between each of said cam means and said ratio control means, linear bearing means mounting said cam follower means in said frame, and means mounting said ratio control means in said cam follower means for angular adjustment of said ratio control means.

Claim 5

In an angular motion phase generator as defined in claim 3, said linear bearing means including opposed races having rollers alternately revolvable about axEs offset 90*.

Claim 6

In an angular motion phase generator as defined in claim 3, said linear bearing means including relatively reciprocable members having laterally spaced walls on one member receiving the other member and defining therewith a fluid bearing space, and one of said members having an inlet for bearing fluid.

Claim 7

In an angular motion phase generator as defined in claim 1, said frame having opposed side walls, bearings supporting said input shaft in said side walls, said output shaft being hollow an disposed about said input shaft, and bearings supporting said output shaft about said input shaft at opposite ends of said output shaft.

Claim 8

In an angular motion phase generator as defined in claim 1, said frame having opposed side walls, bearings supporting said input shaft in said side walls, said output shaft being hollow and disposed about said input shaft, and bearings supporting said output shaft about said input shaft at opposite ends of said output shaft, said output shaft having a central output gear thereon and said first and second driven gear means being disposed on opposite sides of said output gear.

Claim 9

In an angular motion phase generator as defined in claim 1, said frame having opposed side walls, bearings supporting said input shaft in said side walls, said output shaft being hollow and disposed about said input shaft, and bearings supporting said output shaft about said input shaft at opposite ends of said output shaft, said output shaft having a central output gear thereon and said first and second driven gear means being disposed on opposite sides of said output gear, said first and second driven gear means having hubs disposed about said output shaft, and said one way clutch means being disposed between said hubs and said output shaft.

Claim 10

In an angular motion phase generator as defined in claim 1, cam follower means interposed between each of said cam means and said ratio control means and including a slide, linear bearing means mounting said slide for reciprocating movement with respect to said input shaft, said slide having cam follower rollers rotatably mounted for rotation at opposite sides of said input shaft, said cam being interposed between said rollers.

Claim 11

In an angular motion phase generator as defined in claim 1, cam follower means interposed between each of said cam means and said ratio control means and including a slide, linear bearing means mounting said slide for reciprocating movement with respect to said input shaft, said slide having cam follower rollers rotatably mounted for rotation at opposite sides of said input shaft, said cam being interposed between said rollers and having a profile in contact with said rollers throughout rotation of said cam.

Claim 12

In an angular motion phase generator as defined in claim 1, cam follower means interposed between each of said cam means and said ratio control means and including a slide, linear bearing means mounting said slide for reciprocating movement with respect to said input shaft, said slide having cam follower rollers rotatably mounted for rotation at opposite sides of said input shaft, said cam being interposed between said rollers, and said means for angularly adjusting said drive surfaces with respect to said gear means including a pair of segmental gears, one of said segmental gears being rotatably mounted on the respective slides and being connected with said ratio control means, a pair of pinion gears rotatably supported on each of said slides, and adjustor means for simultaneously driving said pinion gears.

Claim 13

In an angular motion phase generator as defined in claim 1, cam follower means interposed between each of said cam means and said ratio control means and including a slide, linear bearing means mounting said slide for reciprocating movement with respect to said input shaft, said slide having cam follower rollers rotatably mounted for rotation at opposite sides of said input shaft, said cam being interposed between said rollers, and said means foR angularly adjusting said drive surfaces with respect to said gear means including a pair of segmental gears, one of said segmental gears being rotatably mounted on the respective slides and being connected with said ratio control means, a pair of pinion gears rotatably supported on each of said slides, and adjustor means for simultaneously driving said pinion gears including an adjustor shaft, a pair of adjustor gear means drivable by said adjustor shaft, means connecting said adjustor gear means with said frame, and a sliding drive connection between said adjustor gear means and said pinions for allowing reciprocation of said slide and said pinions.

Claim 14

In an angular motion phase generator as defined in claim 1, said adjustable ratio control means including a supporting structure having a guide surfaces disposed in parallel spaced relation, said drive gears having hubs engaged by said guide surfaces, a support member, and linear bearing means mounting said support structure at diametrically opposite locations on said supporting member.

Claim 15

In an angular motion phase generator as defined in claim 1, said adjustable ratio control means including a supporting structure having guide surfaces disposed in parallel spaced relation, said drive gears having hubs engaged by said guide surfaces, a support member, and linear bearing means mounting said support structure at diametrically opposite locations on said supporting member, said linear bearing means being in a plane paralleling said drive surfaces.

Claim 16

In an angular motion phase generator as defined in claim 14, said linear bearing means including opposed races having rollers alternately revolvable about axes offset 90*.

Claim 17

In an infinitely variable change speed transmission, first and second angular motion phase generator means in complementary out-of-phase relationship, power input means for driving said phase generator means, power output means driven by said phase generator means, and means for adjusting said phase generator means in unison to vary the ratio of said transmission, each of said phase generating means comprising a frame, a power input shaft journalled in said frame, a power output shaft, first and second cams in phase with one another and rotatable with said input shaft, adjustable ratio control means reciprocable by said cams and including opposed drive members having oppositely facing parallel drive surfaces at opposite sides of said output shaft, first and second driven gear means in out-of-phase relationship, one way clutch means unidirectionally connecting said gear means to said output shaft for driving the same, said gear means being engaged by said drive surfaces, and said ratio control means including means for angularly adjusting said drive surfaces with respect to said gear means to vary the ratio of input to output motion caused by reciprocation of said ratio control means.

Claim 18

In an infinitely variable change speed transmission, first and second angular motion phase generator means in complementary out-of-phase relationship, power input means for driving said phase generator means, power output means driven by said phase generator means, and means for adjusting said phase generator means in unison to vary the ratio of said transmission, each of said phase generating means comprising a frame, a power input shaft journalled in said frame, a power output shaft, first and second cams in phase with one another and rotatable with said input shaft, adjustable ratio control means reciprocable by said cams and including opposed drive members having oppositely facing parallel drive surfaces at opposite sides of said output shaft, first and second driven gear means in out-of-phase relationship, one way clutch means unidirectionally connecting said gear means to said output shaft for driving the same, said gear means being engaged by said drive surfaces, and said ratio control means including means for angularly adjusting said drive surfaces with respect to said gear means to vary the ratio of input to output motion caused by reciprocation of said ratio control means.

Claim 19

In an infinitely variable change speed transmission as defined in claim 16, cam follower means interposed between each of said cam means and said ratio control means, linear bearing means mounting said cam follower means in said frame, and means mounting said ratio control means on said cam follower means for angular adjustment of said ratio control means.

Claim 20

In an infinitely variable change speed transmission as defined in claim 16, said frame opposed side walls, said frames being disposed in side-by-side relation with said input shaft extending therebetween and common to both of said phases, bearings supporting said input shaft in said side walls, said output shaft being hollow and disposed about said input shaft, and bearings supporting said output shaft about said input shaft at opposite ends of said output shaft.

Claim 21

In an infinitely variable change speed transmission as defined in claim 16, said frame having opposed side walls, said frames being disposed in side-by-side relation with said input shaft extending therebetween and common to both of said phases, bearings supporting said input Shaft in said side walls, said output shaft being hollow and disposed about said input shaft, and bearings supporting said output shaft about said input shaft at opposite ends of said output shaft, said output shaft having a central output gear thereon and said first and second driven gear means being disposed on opposite sides of said output gear, and including gear means drivingly connecting the output gear of the respective phases with said power output means.

Claim 22

In an infinitely variable change speed transmission as defined in claim 16, said power output means comprising differential gear means drivingly connected with each of said phase generator means and summing the angular motion derived therefrom.