GB949175A - Improvements in torque transmitters - Google Patents

Abstract

949,175. Variable-speed gear. INPOWER WORKS (PROPRIETARY) Ltd. April 1, 1960 [April 13, 1959 ; Aug. 26, 1959], No. 11633/60. Heading F2D. A variable-speed planetary gear comprising a carrier mounting planets connected indirectly by gearing means such as idlers or the like to a driven sun wheel, has the rotation of each planet wheel opposed by a mass of liquid in at least one container mounted thereon, the liquid being scooped out of a surrounding rotatable drum and rejected from the container when radially inwards of the planet wheel orbital path. In one form, a driving shaft 40, Figs. 6, 7, carries a drum 42 within which are mounted planet pinions 10 meshing idlers 34 in turn meshing a sun gear 22 on a driven shaft 44, the drum containing liquid which is scooped into containers 12a fast with the planet pinions. In a modification, Fig. 8 (not shown), the drum is rotatably mounted upon the driving and driven shafts, and the planet pinions and containers are mounted upon a carrier therein, rotation of the containers causing the formation of a ring of liquid. In another form, a planet pinion 10, Fig. 10, again meses through an idler 34 with a sun wheel 22 fast on an output shaft 44, but oil impinging from a container in the form of a vaned wheel 52, Fig. 9, fast with the planet pinion, is directed by a shroud 50 carried in the drum 42 upon another vaned wheel 52a, itself fast with a planet pinion 58 meshing through an idler 60 with a sun gear 64 permanently fixed to a surrounding housing 46. Thus the planet pinion 58 effects regenerative driving. More than one shroud 50 may be provided. The planet pinions need not necessarily drive through idlers to the sun wheel, alternative constructions comprising a chain and sprockets or a connecting rod between each planet pinion and the sun wheel.