Continually adjustable ball-type planetary gear set

Claim 1

A continually adjustable ball-type planetary gear set, comprising a housing; a driving shaft and a driven shaft supported in said housing for rotation about a common axis; a first race ring mounted on the driving shaft for joint rotation therewith, a second race ring mounted to the driven shaft for joint rotation therewith, said first and second race ring being positioned at an adjustable axial distance from each other; a first guide ring arranged on said driving shaft for free rotation about said common axis and opposite to said first race ring; a second guide ring arranged on said driving shaft for free rotation about said common axis and opposite to said second race ring, said first guide ring and second guide ring being positioned at an adjustable axial distance from each other; a plurality of rolling bodies; said first race ring, said second race ring, said first guide ring and said second guide ring having raceways limiting an annulus in which said rolling bodies run while engaging the raceways of said race rings and guide rings, the axial distance between said second race ring and said second guide ring being adjustable in accordance with a desired ratio between the number of revolutions of the driven shaft and the number of revolutions of the driving shaft; a sleeve mounted on said driving shaft for joint rotation therewith, said first race ring being arranged on said sleeve for joint rotation therewith, said driving shaft having an end portion which is provided with a toothing which connects said driving shaft with said sleeve in a locking rotation--fixed fashion, said driving shaft having a remaining portion which is surrounded by said sleeve with a play so as to allow for a slight radial movement of said sleeve relative to said driving shaft whereby raceways of said first race ring and said first guide ring are adjusted to said rolling bodies thus reducing wear and vibrations of said rolling bodies and said first race and guide rings.