Patent GB-356662-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to change-speed gears
IPC: F16H9/04
Filed: 1930-03-04
Abstract: 356,662. Variable-speed gearing. GLASSNER, K., 11, Vojtesska, Prague. March 4, 1930, No. 7055. Convention date, Sept. 30, 1929. Void [Published under Sect. 91 of the Acts]. [Class 80 (ii).] The Specification describes a continuously variable friction gear comprising two axially movable spring pressed friction cones 3, 3<1> mounted on a shaft 4, and a rigid friction ring 1, adapted to roll on said friction cones and encircling the shaft 4 so as to have a variable eccentricity with this shaft, the said ring 1 having on its outer periphery, either, teeth 9 for engagement with teeth 11 on a wheel 12 on the driven shaft 13, or a friction surface for engagement with a belt or other flexible transmission means connecting it to the driven shaft 13, said ring 1 also having surface portions or rings 16, 17 which run on corresponding peripheral surfaces 19, 20 on rigid members, such as 12, for the support of the ring 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the supporting surfaces 16, 17 of the ring 1 engage a rigid guiding ring 21 having surfaces 19, 20 which engage the surfaces 16, 17 through ball bearings 22. Additional surfaces 16<1>, 17<1> are provided on the ring 1 for engagement with corresponding surfaces on the driven wheel 12 and these surfaces also engage the surfaces 19, 20 through ball bearings 22<1>. Arms 23 encircling the arrangement 1, 21 pass round the shaft 13 and are adapted to be swung about this shaft to vary the eccentricity of the ring 1 with the shaft 4 by means of a toothed actuating wheel 25 engaging teeth 24 on the ring 21 or arms 23. The external peripheral supporting surfaces may be located on wheels independently rotatable on the shaft 13 or they may be mounted as rigid pinions on other parallel shafts. A number of cone and friction ring arrangements may be mounted around a single toothed wheel 12 on a shaft 13, Fig. 3, in which case the surfaces 19, 20 of this wheel support all the planetary friction rings and the gear 12 drives all the friction rings and their shafts such as 4, 28, &c. In addition, the rings, 1, 31 &c. may be moved together so as to vary their distances from the axes of their shafts. Fig. 4 shows an arrangement in which the gear 12 meshing with the friction ring 1 and a toothed wheel 28 is adapted to be swung about the shaft 26 of the gear 28 by an arm 59 pivoted at 26 and actuated by a cam 60 or other means automatically or periodically so as to vary the position of the gear 12 and hence of the ring 1. In order that the shafts may not be displaced in varying the gear ratio, a number of ring and cone arrangements, each having its own friction ring and cones may be arranged so that the rings all engage one another, Fig. 5. One pair of cones is moved axially through a hand-wheel 77 and worm gear arrangement 73, 72. In this case, actuation of the wheel 77 moves the friction ring 31 which moves all the other rings with which it is engaged by teeth 29, 30 and surfaces 19, 20 and so varies the gear ratio. Alternatively, Fig. 6, a large ring 41 may encircle a number of friction ring arrangements such as 1, 3 or one such ring arrangement and a number of wheels 42, said large ring 41 having supporting surfaces and transmission surfaces, e.g. teeth or friction lining, on its inner periphery for engagement with the friction rings 1 or wheels 42. The transmission ratio is altered by varying the distance between the shafts 4, 45. Several forms of tooth, supporting surface, friction cone and friction ring edge shape, &c. are described. The peripheral guiding surfaces 16, 17, Fig. 11, on the friction ring may be formed by the rims of side flanges 54, 54<1> forming the ring, said flanges then having the shape of the cones 3, 3<1> and being engaged on the friction side surface by discs 3, 31 which now have narrow friction rims 2, 2<1>. This form is suitable for flexible transmission and the rims 16, 17 are supported on a wheel located on a parallel shaft (not shown). The entire gear may be arranged in an oil casing. Various forms of resilient mounting for the cones 3, 3<1> are described in which spiral, buffer or strip springs or rubber buffers are used. Displacement of the axes for variation of gear ratio may be obtained by a worm gear arrangement operated by hand or foot or remotely by means of a chain or the like and the weight of the driving motor may be used to facilitate displacement of the shafts. A number of disc shaped rings may be encircled by a tube carrying the supporting and transmission surfaces so as to form the equivalent of the rigid friction ring 1. The drive may be used for stationary machines and vehicles especially motor cycles.