Continuously variable transmission

Claim 1

A continuously variable transmission means for motor vehicles including a driving pulley with a fixed member and a movable member, said movable member being actuated by a hydraulic cylinder to form a V-shaped opening therebetween, a driven pulley with another fixed member and another movable member, said another movable member being actuated by another hydraulic cylinder to form another V-shaped opening therebetween, and a flexible endless member spanning the driving and driven pulleys, said continuously variable transmission means comprising: a first output shaft connected with the driven pulley; a first gear secured on the first output shaft; a second gear secured on the first output shaft; a reverse gear secured on the first output shaft; a second output shaft provided in a parallel relationship to the first output shaft; a third gear mounted on the second output shaft, the third gear being in a constant meshing relationship with the first gear; a jaw clutch mounted slidably between a first position and a second position on the second output shaft, the jaw clutch being in a meshing relationship with the third gear at said first position, the jaw clutch, the first gear and the third gear comprising a low gear train, the jaw clutch being in a meshing relationship with the reverse gear at said second position; the jaw clutch and said reverse gear comprising a reverse gear train; a first one-way clutch provided between the third gear and the second output shaft, the first one-way clutch transmitting a torque from the first output shaft to the second output shaft through the jaw clutch when said first output shaft is driven faster than said second output shaft and the jaw clutch is in said first position; a fourth gear mounted on said second output shaft, the fourth gear being in a constant meshing relationship with the second gear, the fourth gear and the second gear comprising a high gear train; a hydraulic clutch means for engaging the fourth gear with said second output shaft when the motor vehicle is driven at a medium or a high velocity, said hydraulic clutch means disengaging said fourth gear from said second output shaft when the motor vehicle is driven at a low velocity; and a second one-way clutch provided between the fourth gear and the second output shaft, the second one-way clutch transmitting a torque from the second output shaft to the first output shaft when said hydraulic clutch means disengages said fourth gear from the second output shaft and the second output shaft is rotated faster than the first output shaft.