Patent GB-1479765-A (GB)
Title: Transmission device
IPC: F16H15/50
Filed: 1974-07-04
Abstract: 1479765 Variable speed gear VADETEC SA 4 July 1974 [13 July 1973] 29751/74 Heading F2D A steplessly variable friction gear comprises a planetary roller 3 rotatable about an axis 12 variably inclined with respect to that 7-7 of aligned shafts 18, 21; connected for rotation as by a constant velocity-ratio universal joint 24 to one, 21, of the shafts; and having two rolling friction surfaces 19, 20 on a surface of revolution about the inclined axis 12, contacting two complementary surfaces 8, 9 on a surface of revolution about the shaft axis 7-7 on two relatively axially adjustable parts 4, 5 of a body formed of three slidably keyed parts 1, 4, 5, rotatable about the shaft axis 7-7 and connected to a third shaft 107, all four friction surfaces 8, 9, 19, 20 having a common centre of symmetry 5 at the intersection of the axes 7, 12, whereby the inclined axis 12 of the roller 3 describes a double cone as it rotates around the axis 7, which produces a force couple providing pressure at the friction surfaces. The planetary roller 3 has an inner hub socketed on the centre 5 in a belt shaped extension 83 of the shaft 21, and rotates on a support 13, which has an outwardly flared rectangular bore receiving a square-sectioned inclined extension 17 of the shaft 18 for rotation therewith and limited tilting movement thereon. The inclination of the extension 17 produces the bi-conical movement of the roller axis 12 whilst the roller 3 rotates about its own axis 12 with the shaft 21, by the constant-velocity universal joint connection, e.g. of the Rzeppa type, comprising rollers 24 in grooves in the roller 3 and shaft bellextension 83, and mantained in the bisector plane by levers 88. Of the three coaxial shafts 18, 21, 107, any one may be input, output or reaction, or any two may be connected together directly or through fixed-ratio or planetary gearing (see below). Speed ratio is varied by varying the inclination of the roller axis 12 from zero to a maximum by mechanical, electric or hydraulic means, as by supplying pressure fluid at 97 to a sealed chamber 32 to produce relative axial movement between the body parts 4, 5. The arrangement is such that gyroscopic torque produced by the nutating movement of the planetary roller 3 produces traction pressure. In Fig. 4, not shown, the friction surfaces 8, 9 are plane radial; in Fig. 5, not shown, outwardly convex; and in Fig. 6, not shown, inwardly concave, and the surfaces may be convex or concave in both axial and circumferential planes, or convex in one and concave in the other.  In Fig. 10, not shown, the body 1, 4, 5 is driven from the shaft 18 through a fixed-ratio star-type countershaft reduction gear (113); in Figs. 11 and 12, not shown, the body 1, 4, 5 has a torque-splitting connection through a threeelement toothed planet gear (125, 133) respectively with the shaft 21 or 18 and an additional coaxial shaft (120, 105); whilst in Fig. 13, not shown, two friction gears as in Fig. 1 are arranged side-by-side, coaxial and operating in parallel, but with opposite inclinations so that gyroscopic torques are equal and opposite.