Patent ID: 7351181

Claim:
An apparatus for providing continuously variable transmission of energy from a drive cylinder to a driven cylinder, said apparatus comprising: a housing; at least one double-conical transmitter having an axis of rotation, located adjacent to said housing and comprising a first conical surface having a base and a coaxial second conical surface having a base generally adjacent to said base of said first conical surface, said first conical surface frictionally engaging a drive cylinder and said second conical surface frictionally engaging a driven cylinder; a shifter located within said housing and comprising a first conical surface and a coaxial second conical surface, said shifter being longitudinally movable; a first elongated follower having a first end and a second end extending radially from said shifter and mounted within said housing for longitudinal movement, said first end of said first elongated follower frictionally engaging said first conical surface of said shifter and said second end of said first elongated follower rotatably engaging said first surface of said first conical surface of said transmitter; a second elongated follower having a first end and a second end extending radially from said shifter and mounted within said housing for longitudinal movement, said first end of said second elongated follower frictionally engaging said second conical surface of said shifter and said second end of said second elongated follower rotatably engaging said second conical surface of said transmitter; whereby axial movement of said shifter provides simultaneous and opposing movement of said first and second followers to impart pivotal movement of the axis of rotation of said transmitter.