Variable speed power transmission for small vehicles and the like

Claim 2

A power transmission apparatus, comprising a first shaft, a second shaft, a rotatable housing member supported for independent rotation with respect to the first and second shafts, a housing shaft rotatably supported in the housing and in spaced, parallel relation to the first and second shafts, a first gear means in the housing comprising a gear connected to the first shaft for rotation therewith, and a second gear rotatably connected with said housing shaft, said gears being connected in driving relation one to the other, a second gear means in the housing comprising a gear rotatably connected to said housing shaft and a gear connected for rotating the second shaft, said gears being connected in driving relation one to the other, rotary drive means connected to the housing for rotating the latter, a variable resistance means connected to the first shaft operable for resisting rotation thereof, the second shaft being driven at variable speed responsive to variations of resistance of said resistance means, and means connected to said resistance means operable for varying the resistance of rotation of the first shaft.

Claim 3

The power transmission of claim 1 including a third shaft connected for rotation with the housing, said third shaft being adjacent the second shaft and independently rotatable with respect thereto, an output rotary drive means for applying rotary power, and means for alternatively connecting said output drive means a. to said second shaft for rotation at a different speed from the rotary speed of the housing, or b. to said third shaft for rotation at the same speed as the housing.

Claim 4

The power transmission of claim 1, in which the variable resistance means comprises a rotary fluid pump, the pump being connected to the first shaft for rotation thereby, a source of fluid, and a conduit circuit connected between the pump outlet, said source and the inlet of the pump, said means operable for varying the resistance comprising an adjustable flow regulating valve means interposed in said conduit circuit for regulating the flow of fluid through said circuit, thereby varying the load on said pump.

Claim 5

The power transmission of claim 3, including a fluid check valve connected in the conduit circuit preventing reverse fluid flow therein.

Claim 6

The power transmission of claim 1, in which the gears of said first gear means are connected in driving relation by their teeth running in mesh with each other.

Claim 7

The power transmission of claim 5, in which said first gear means is characterized by the gear on the first shaft being of substantially larger diameter than said second gear on the housing shaft.

Claim 8

The power transmission of claim 1 in which the gears of said second gear means are connected in driving relation by the endless chain meshing with the teeth of the gear on the housing shaft and the gear on the second shaft.

Claim 9

The power transmission of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a hollow rotary shaft rotatable therewith concentric and independently rotatable with respect to said second shaft, an output rotary drive means for applying rotary power from the transmission, a reversing device connected to said output drive means, and means for alternatively connecting the reversing device a. to said second shaft for rotation selectively in either direction, or b. to said third shaft for rotation at the same speed as the housing in one direction.

Claim 10

The power transmission of claim 8 wherein the reversing device when connected to said second shaft for rotation of the output drive means in either direction is at a different speed from the rotary speed of the housing.

Claim 11

The power transmission of claim 8 in which the reversing device comprises a rotatably mounted second housing having a hollow input shaft rotatable therewith, an output shaft rotatable in the housing and connected to the output rotary drive means, an internal shaft parallel with the input shaft and spaced therefrom, said second shaft being concentric with the housing input shaft and extending into the housing, a gear fastened on the second shaft and rotated thereby, a gear on the internal shaft connected for rotation together, a second gear on the internal shaft rotated thereby, a gear on the output shaft, the second gear and gear on the output shaft being drivably connected together, and means for alternatively a. connecting the second and third shafts and input shaft for rotation together, thereby driving the output shaft in one direction at the same speed as the rotation of the first-mentioned housing, or b. connecting the second shaft and the input shaft of the second housing for rotation together thereby driving the output shaft in one direction at a variable speed with relation to the rotation of the first-mentioned housing, or c. connecting the second shaft to the output shaft and holding the second-mentioned housing stationary, thereby driving the output shaft in the other direction at a variable speed.

Claim 12

A power transmission comprising in combination a primary transmission device having variable speed output drive, a secondary transmission device in series with said primary device and having forward and reverse modes, said secondary device being connected to said output drive of the primary device and to a driven rotary load, a power drive means connected to operate the said primary device in one direction of rotation, a variable control means consisting of a fluid pump and a flow regulation means connected to the primary transmission device for varying the speed output thereof independent of variation of the driving speed of the power means, and a control shift device for connecting the primary and secondary transmissions to produce a direct drive therebetween in the forward mode of the secondary device and a variable drive of multiple gear ratio between the two in either of the forward and the reverse modes of the secondary device.

Claim 13

A power transmission comprising in combination a primary transmission device having variable speed output drive, a secondary transmission device in series with said primary device and having forward and reverse modes, said secondary device being connected to said output drive of the primary device and to a driven rotary load, a power drive means connected to operate the said primary device in one direction of rotation, a variable control means consisting of a fluid pump and a flow regulation means connected to the primary transmission device for varying the speed output thereof independent of variation of the driving speed of the power means, and a control shift device for connecting the primary and secondary transmissions to produce a direct drive therebetween in the forward mode of the secondary device and a variable drive of multiple gear ratio between the two in either of the forward and the reverse modes of the secondary device.

Claim 14

A power transmission apparatus comprising a first shaft for attachment to a means for arresting rotation thereof, said means applying a varying load resisting rotation of the first shaft, an output shaft coaxial with said first shaft for attachment to a driven rotary load, a housing journaled for rotation on an axis coaxial with said shafts, a rotary drive means connected to rotate said housing, a counter shaft carried by said housing on an axis parallel to and spaced from the axis of rotation of said housing, a pair of engaged spur gears interconnecting said first shaft and said counter shaft to drive said counter shaft in the same direction as the said housing, a drive chain interconnecting said counter shaft with said output shaft whereby said output shaft is driven by said counter shaft in the same direction as said housing.

Claim 15

A power transmission apparatus comprising a first shaft for attachment to a means for arresting rotation thereof, said means applying a varying load resisting rotation of the first shaft, an output shaft coaxial with said first shaft for attachment to a driven rotary load, a housing journaled for rotation on an axis coaxial with said shafts, a rotary drive means connected to rotate said housing, a counter shaft carried by said housing on an axis parallel to and spaced from the axis of rotation of said housing, a pair of engaged spur gears interconnecting said first shaft and said counter shaft to drive said counter shaft in the same direction as the said housing, a drive chain interconnecting said counter shaft with said output shaft whereby said output shaft is driven by said counter shaft in the same direction as said housing.

Claim 16

The power transmission apparatus of claim 12, wherein the speed of the output shaft varies as a function of the resistance against rotation applied to the first shaft by said means, the output shaft rotating at a different speed than the speed of rotation of the housing.

Claim 17

A power transmission apparatus, comprising a primary transmission device having a housing rotatable on a central axis about an input shaft and an output shaft, the housing including a counter shaft spaced from and parallel with said central axis, a gear connected on the input shaft for rotating therewith and operatively connected by gear means for rotating the counter shaft, said counter shaft being connected by drive means to rotate said output shaft; a secondary transmission device having a housing rotatable on a central axis common with the axis of said primary transmission and spaced therefrom, the housing including a counter shaft spaced from and parallel with said central axis, a gear rotatable in said housing and connected to said output shaft of said primary transmission for rotation thereby about said central axis, an output shaft on the central axis rotatable independently of the housing, said gear being operatively connected by rotary driving elements for rotating the counter shaft, and the counter shaft being connected by rotary driving elements to the output shaft for rotating the latter; a variable resistance means operatively connected to the input shaft of the primary transmission device for applying resistance to rotation of the input shaft at selected times; a rotary drive means connected to the housing of the primary transmission housing for rotating it about its central axis; and a coupling device between the first and second transmission devices comprising a coupling member encircling said primary output shaft and connected to the secondary transmission housing for rotating therewith, and for reciprocating axial movement along said shaft, means carried by said primary output shaft engageable by said coupling member, means carried by the primary transmission housing engageable by said coupling member, means for axially moving said coupling member at times between engagement with said means on said primary output shaft, and engagement with both said last-mentioned means and the means carried by said primary housing, and disengagement with both said means, and holding means engageable with the housing of the secondary transmission to prevent rotation of said housing.

Claim 18

A power transmission apparatus, comprising a primary transmission device having a housing rotatable on a central axis about an input shaft and an output shaft, the housing including a counter shaft spaced from and parallel with said central axis, a gear connected on the input shaft for rotating therewith and operatively connected by gear means for rotating the counter shaft, said counter shaft being connected by drive means to rotate said output shaft; a secondary transmission device having a housing rotatable on a central axis common with the axis of said primary transmission and spaced therefrom, the housing including a counter shaft spaced from and parallel with said central axis, a gear rotatable in said housing and connected to said output shaft of said primary transmission for rotation thereby about said central axis, an output shaft on the central axis rotatable independently of the housing, said gear being operatively connected by rotary driving elements for rotating the counter shaft, and the counter shaft being connected by rotary driving elements to the output shaft for rotating the latter; a variable resistance means operatively connected to the input shaft of the primary transmission device for applying resistance to rotation of the input shaft at selected times; a rotary drive means connected to the housing of the primary transmission housing for rotating it about its central axis; and a coupling device between the first and second transmission devices comprising a coupling member encircling said primary output shaft and connected to the secondary transmission housing for rotating therewith, and for reciprocating axial movement along said shaft, means carried by said primary output shaft engageable by said coupling member, means carried by the primary transmission housing engageable by said coupling member, means for axially moving said coupling member at times between engagement with said means on said primary output shaft, and engagement with both said last-mentioned means and the means carried by said primary housing, and disengagement with both said means, and holding means engageable with the housing of the secondary transmission to prevent rotation of said housing.

Claim 19

The power transmission apparatus of claim 14 in which said variable resistance means comprises a fluid pump operatively connected to the input shaft, a fluid conduit circuit from the pump outlet to the pump inlet, and a flow regulating means in said circuit.

Claim 20

The power transmission apparatus of claim 15 including a one way check valve in said circuit between the flow regulating means and the pump inlet preventing reverse flow of fluid from the inlet.

Claim 21

The power transmission apparatus of claim 14 wherein the coupling member of said coupling device comprises a hollow sleeve encircling said primary transmission output shaft, said sleeve including an axially extending slot, and wherein said means carried by said primary output shaft comprises a transverse pin through said shaft engageable in said slot of the hollow sleeve, and the means carried by the primary transmission housing comprises a hub shaft on said housing encircling the output shaft and a radially protruding pin member thereon engageable in said slot of the hollow sleeve.

Claim 22

The power transmission of claim 14, in which the means for moving the coupling member comprises a shift device operatively connected to the coupling member for reciprocating it between coupling engagement with said primary output shaft means and said primary housing means and disengagement with said means, and operatively connected to said holding means for engaging the latter upon movement of the coupling member in disengaging it from both said means.

Claim 23

The power transmission of claim 18 in which the holding means comprises a detent in the second transmission housing and a lug carried by the shift device engageable in said housing detent upon movement of the shift device disengaging both said means on the primary output shaft and primary housing, whereby the secondary housing is held against rotation only upon disconnecting the primary and secondary housings and the primary input shaft from each other.