Patent GB-344064-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to variable speed power transmission
IPC: F16H61/664
Filed: 1929-09-02
Abstract: 344,064. Equalizing .load on friction rollers. HAYES, F. A., Middletown, New Jersey, U.S.A. Sept. 2, 1929, No. 39104/30. Convention date, May 7, 1929. Divided on 343,988. [Classes 80 (i) and 80 (ii).] In torus disc variable-speed gear operating by the precession of intermediate rollers, load is equalized amongst the rollers of each set, and between twin sets of rollers. The rollers of a set are supported by pivoted linkages subjected to the balancing differential movement of a floating or wabbling connecting ring. Thus floating member 150, Fig. 10, schematically supporting rollers at 2, 3, 4, may move about instantaneous centre 5 so that support 2 moves between points 2a, 2b thereby causing the corresponding roller to precess to a new group position in which load is equalized. The invention is described applied to the twin epicyclic arrangement described in Specification 343,988. End discs 10, 11, Fig. 1, are keyed upon engine shaft 12, and the spiders 25, 55 supporting the twin sets of rollers 19, 50, are secured to a connecting sleeve 13a upon which a double abutment disc 15 turns. The first set, shown also in Fig. 2, is modified for connection with a control slider 46 which functions as described in Specification 344,061. The floating balancing ring 35 of this set is centrally arranged with little floating movement about shaft 12. The rollers 19 are supported in rockers 28 pivoted upon the spider 25 at 27, as described in Specification 344,062, and the equalizer ring 35 is connected to each rocker by a radially extending arm 34. The control slider 46 has a differential cam connection 40 with drums 37, 39 leading to the ring 35 and spider 25 respectively, and the elastic deformation of these drums and of arms 36 assists in the balancing action of wabble ring 35. The second roller set, shown also in Fig. 8, is modified for connection through drum 75, Fig. 1, with load shaft 63. The floating equalizer ring 56 is peripherally arranged and on inwardly extending ears 58a carries pins 58, Fig. 9, having slotted connections 58b with the rockers 54 supporting the rollers 50. These slots 58b allow of the wabbling motion of ring 56, which has clutch teeth for transmitting the load. The means for equalizing load between the two sets is shown schematically in Fig. 11. The spiders 25, 55 supporting the two sets of rollers 19, 50 are connected by sleeve 13a, and the torus surfaces are connected to rotate in pairs. The load of driven shaft 63 is applied at 161 to rockers 54 which serve to precess the rollers 50. The arbitrary control is applied to rollers 19, and is indicated by wedge 162. Since the torus surfaces rotate together in pairs, and the spiders 25, 55 of the two sets also rotate together, the rollers. 19, 50 of the two sets must precess in unison for the same speed ratio, anything else being impossible. Also, the load is applied to rockers 54, and each rocker is a lever dimensioned so as to render equal the parts of the load placed upon the rollers 50 directly, and upon the rollers 19 through the spider 55, sleeve 13a, and spider 25. This explains why the arbitrary control can be applied to one set by a slider 46, Fig. 1, while the load is taken on floating equalizer ring 56, Figs. 1 and 8, of the other set.