Patent GB-960033-A (GB)
Title: Infinitely variable cone pulley gear
IPC: F16H9/16
Filed: 1962-01-15
Abstract: 960,033. Expanding-wheel gearing. W. REIMERS. Jan. 15, 1962 [Jan. 16, 1961], No. 1347/62. Heading F2D. Expanding-wheel gearing comprising conical pulley flanges with load-responsive means producing an axial force to engage the pulley flanges with a drive transmitting belt and having a link system applying the sum of the reaction axial forces produced by the pulleys to the flanges of both the pulleys, is so constituted that no more than the minimum force necessary to prevent belt slipping is applied to the slidable pulley flanges. As shown, a driving shaft 1 carries for rotation therewith an axially slidable pressure ring 18 formed with cam grooves coacting through balls 20 andsimilar cam grooves with the hub of a pulley flange 5, slidably but non-rotatably mounted upon a second pulley flange 3 freely mounted upon the driving shaft. A driven pulley 3<SP>1</SP>, 5<SP>1</SP> is connected to an output shaft 2 by similar torque-responsive means. Cup-shaped members 26 coact through thrust bearings with the pressure rings 18, which they surround, and engage a pair of bell-crank levers 24 pivoted upon levers 23 in turn pivoting upon a block 33 in threaded engagement with a tension adjuster spindle 11. The free ends 27 of the bell-crank levers 24 engage a thrust block 28 freely slidable upon the tension spindle 11, further levers 29 pivoting upon the thrust block 28 also pivoting upon collars 31 engaging through thrust bearings with the pulley flanges 5, 5<SP>1</SP>. When a load is imposed upon the drive shaft 1, the pulley flange 5 is biased rightwards by the balls 20 to engage a belt 37 transmitting drive to the driven pulley 3<SP>1</SP>, 5 &c. At the same time, the pressure ring 18 is slidden leftwards, and acts through the cup-shaped member 22 and the bell-crank levers 24 to slide the thrust block 28 rightwards along the tension spindle 11, thus causing the levers 29 to add an extra axial rightward component to the force engaging the pulley flanges 5, 5<SP>1</SP> with the belt 37. Similarly, the load-responsive ball means associated with the driven pulley 3<SP>1</SP>, 5<SP>1</SP> produces a component acting rightwards upon the thrust block 28. The tension thus produced in the belt 37 is of such size as just to prevent slipping of the belt under all load conditions. The levers 23, 29 also act as ratio regulating levers, being pivoted at one end upon a block 36 in engagement with a thread 37 on a ratio control shaft 14 actuated by a handle 15. Levers 8 pivoting upon collars 7 acting through thrust bearings upon the pulley flanges 3, 3<SP>1</SP> are also connected to the ratio control shaft 14, by means of a pivot block 13 screwed upon a thread 16 of opposite hand to the thread 37. The levers 8 pivot at their mid-point between the gear shafts upon a block 9 screwed upon a thread 12, upon the tension shaft 11, of opposite hand to the thread 34 upon which the block 33 is mounted. By rotating the tension spindle 11, the blocks 10, 33 can be moved inwards or outwards together, for adjustment in tension of the belt 37. The angles of the sides of the V-notches forming the cam pockets receiving the balls 20 may be symmetrical or unsymmetrical (Figs. 3 ... 5, not shown), and the arms of the bell-crank levers 24 may be the same or dissimilar.