GB905090A - Variable speed drives - Google Patents

Abstract

905,090. Variable-speed friction gear; expanding-wheel gear. BATTISTIN, F. Oct. 14, 1960 [Oct. 29, 1959], No. 35260/60. Class 80 (2). In a variable-speed friction gear for motor vehicles, wherein conical driving (or driven) discs such as 8, 7, 11 frictionally engage driven (or driving) rings such as 13, 14 and the ratio is varied by varying the distance between the rotational axes thereof, each ring comprises and retains therein two sets of rotatable, cylindrical rollers 2, 3 which are tangentially arranged in circumferentially equispaced, parallel, contacting pairs, and project from the sides of the ring to engage the discs. The rollers may be hollow or pierced and their height is preferably less than their diameter. As shown, an intermediate shaft 12, transversely movable with respect to coaxial input and output shafts 10, 18, carries driven rings 13, 14 engaging input shaft driving discs 8, 7, 11 and driving discs 15, 16, 17 engaging output shaft driven rings 19, 20. The discs 7, 11 and 16, 17 have limited axial movement on their respective shafts 10, 12 and are loaded to engage the rollers 2, 3 by helical or, as shown, cup springs 25. The rings 13, 14 and 19, 20 have guide ribs 23 for limited axial movement within bell housings 21, 22 respectively secured to the shafts 12, 18. The intermediate shaft 12 may be moved automatically by output speed responsive means. In Fig. 8 each pair of rollers is seated in an inner ring member 31 and, together with a retaining bridge 35, is circumferentially located by closely-arranged radial grooves 36 in the bell housing. Each bridge 35 is an accurate sliding fit in its groove for slight axial movement of the rollers and bridge in the bell housing which comprises annular recesses such as 33 accommodating the discs. In a series arrangement, the discs may be alternately driving and driven elements.