Abstract: This invention provides a continuously variable transmission (CVT) system using variable disk friction drive. The CVT system comprises a variator (17) including a roller (216), having a cam follower (243; 247), which is radially displaceable from a central axis and mounted in friction drive contact with a drive disk (15); and a rotatable spiral cam (181 ) including a spiral cam cavity (301) arranged such that the roller (216) and the cam follower (243; 247) protrudes through the spiral cam cavity (301), the spiral cam (181) being rotatable about a central axis to radially displace the roller (216). The invention includes a three-mode synchronous system adapted to cooperate with the variator (17).

Abstract: A continuously variable transmission in which a circular driver, positioned between and frictionally engaged with op posing surfaces of two oppositely rotatable disks, which are urged towards each other with a biasing mechanism, is mounted to, and is movable axially along, a drive shaft which extends radially from an input shaft which rotates the drive shaft about a longitudinal axis of the input shaft, and wherein output drive is taken from the disks via a speed balancing system.

Abstract: A continuously variable transmission in which a circular driver, positioned between and frictionally engaged with op posing surfaces of two oppositely rotatable disks, which are urged towards each other with a biasing mechanism, is mounted to, and is movable axially along, a drive shaft which extends radially from an input shaft which rotates the drive shaft about a longitudinal axis of the input shaft, and wherein output drive is taken from the disks via a speed balancing system.

Abstract: A ratcheting-type, rotor controlled, continuously variable transmission machine wherein the circumferential length of a cross-sectional profile of a body of the rotor is substantially constant, and the maximum positive swivel angle of the body is substantially equal in magnitude to the maximum negative swivel angle of the body.

Abstract: An incrementally variable transmission machine with an input drive and an output drive which are linked by a drive chain, and which includes an oscillating cam arrangement which, at each of two limiting positions, can act on an actuating mechanism to vary the speed of the output drive by an increment.

Abstract: An IVT machine includes an input shaft, a drive wheel on the input shaft, an output shaft, a ratio changing device which is mounted on the output shaft, an endless belt which passes over the drive wheel and in an open loop on the ratio changing device, control elements for enlarging and reducing the belt loop dimension about the output shaft axis, belt guide elements providing a throat through which the belt enters and leaves its loop on the ratio changing device, and a drive arrangement on the ratio changing device for the transmission of drive power to the output shaft and is engaged with the belt in a portion of its loop on the device and engageable with the belt on both sides of the throat in its transition across the throat during rotation of the ratio changing device.

Abstract: An incrementally variable transmission machine with an input drive and an output drive which are linked by a drive chain, and which includes an oscillating cam arrangement which, at each of two limiting positions, can act on an actuating mechanism to vary the speed of the output drive by an increment.

Abstract: A ratcheting-type, rotor controlled, continuously variable transmission machine wherein the circumferential length of a cross-sectional profile of a body of the rotor is substantially constant, and the maximum positive swivel angle of the body is substantially equal in magnitude to the maximum negative swivel angle of the body.

Abstract: An IVT machine includes an input shaft, a drive wheel on the input shaft, an output shaft, a ratio changing device which is mounted on the output shaft, an endless belt which passes over the drive wheel and in an open loop on the ratio changing device, control elements for enlarging and reducing the belt loop dimension about the output shaft axis, belt guide elements providing a throat through which the belt enters and leaves its loop on the ratio changing device, and a drive arrangement on the ratio changing device for the transmission of drive power to the output shaft and is engaged with the belt in a portion of its loop on the device and engageable with the belt on both sides of the throat in its transition across the throat during rotation of the ratio changing device.

Abstract: An IVT machine includes an input shaft, a drive wheel on the input shaft, an output shaft, a ratio changing device which is mounted on the output shaft, an endless belt which passes over the drive wheel and in an open loop on the ratio changing device, control elements for enlarging and reducing the belt loop dimension about the output shaft axis, belt guide elements providing a throat through which the belt enters and leaves its loop on the ratio changing device, and a drive arrangement on the ratio changing device for the transmission of drive power to the output shaft and is engaged with the belt in a portion of its loop on the device and engageable with the belt on both sides of the throat in its transition across the throat during rotation of the ratio changing device.

Abstract: An IVT machine includes an input shaft, a drive wheel on the input shaft, an output shaft, a ratio changing device which is mounted on the output shaft, an endless belt which passes over the drive wheel and in an open loop on the ratio changing device, control elements for enlarging and reducing the belt loop dimension about the output shaft axis, belt guide elements providing a throat through which the belt enters and leaves its loop on the ratio changing device, and a drive arrangement on the ratio changing device for the transmission of drive power to the output shaft and is engaged with the belt in a portion of its loop on the device and engageable with the belt on both sides of the throat in its transition across the throat during rotation of the ratio changing device.

Abstract: A rotor controlled CVT including: input and output shafts (28,44), an elongated cam-shaped rotor (12) which is uniformly and linearly tapered over its length and is engaged for rotation with the input shaft, a plurality of cam follower units (54) which are located in structure about and are reciprocated by the rotor and include rollers (56) having treads which bear and rotate in circumferential paths on the rotor surface, angular velocity extraction devices (38) which are each engageable and partially rotated by a cam follower, means (14) for causing the extraction devices to collectively produce an output velocity at the output shaft, elements for causing relative movement between the rotor and cam followers to vary the ratio of rotation between the input and output shafts, and elements for keeping the roller treads in contact with the roller surface. The roller treads are in line contact with the rotor surface.

Abstract: A Geneva motion controller for operating a machine in forward and reversed indexed increments on demand includes a Geneva wheel which is rotatable with and slidable on the controller output shaft, two cam units which are rotatable on axes which are parallel to and located on opposite sides of the output shaft axis, each cam unit including three axially spaced formation arrangements with the central formation of both cam units being adapted to lock the Geneva wheel against rotation while enabling continued rotation of the cam units with the upper formation arrangement of the first of the cam units including a downwardly directed Geneva wheel engaging formation and the lower formation arrangement of the second cam unit an upwardly projecting formation, and a cammed trigger unit for moving the Geneva wheel into contact with any of the three cam unit formation arrangements.

Abstract: A self energizing clutch includes a shaft (26), a clutch disc (14) on the shaft, engaging elements (30, 32) for disengaging and engaging the disc from and with structure adjacent the disc, and an actuator (34) for moving the engaging elements between its disengaged and engaged positions. The engaging elements include a wedge member (30) one face of which rests on a first face of the disc with its wedging angle diminishing in the direction of rotation of the disc, and a ramp formation which is fixed to the structure and on which a second face of the wedge member, is movable in the direction of rotation of the disc to its engaged position with the engaging force applied by the wedge to the disc, during rotation of the disc, being substantially greater than the locking force created by the actuator with the disc stationary relatively to the structure.

Abstract: A variable sprocket IVT machine has a sprocket wheel, on an input shaft, including a plurality of wheel bodies which are independently rotatable on the shaft, a sprocket slidably located in and projecting radially from a sleeve in each wheel body, connecting arrangements, connecting the wheel bodies in the composite wheel, which are adapted to vary the angular disposition between and the degree of radial projection of adjacent sprockets relatively to each other to ensure clean engagement of the sprockets with uniformly spaced apertures in a drive chain which partially surrounds the wheel in a radially movable zone of sprocket engagement, elements for engaging the wheel bodies of the sprockets in the zone with the input shaft and a control arrangement which supports the sprockets not in the zone and which is movable to vary the ratio of rotation of the input shaft relatively to a chain driven output shaft.

Abstract: An angular velocity profile generator [22,24] comprising an input shaft [46], an output shaft [56], a universal joint coupling the shafts by pivot pins [70,75] situated on two pivot axes which are normal to one another, means [49] in the joint for varying the path of rotation of the pin [70] relatively to that of the pin [75], a first control arrangement [32] for varying the angle between the shafts and a second control arrangement [84], external to the universal joint, connected to the pivot pin path varying member which is activated by the first control arrangement to suit a specific velocity profile produced by the generator. The invention extends to an infinitely variable transmission machine including transmission stages [16] which each include two of the profile generators connected in series and an angular velocity profile portion extraction device.

Abstract: An infinitely variable transmission comprising an angular velocity input member (12), an angular velocity output member (14), two parallel stages (18, 20) of cyclic angular velocity generating devices (24, 30), a drive arrangement (16) for applying angular velocity from the input member (12) to each of the angular velocity generating devices (24, 30), extraction devices (26, 32) which are each driven by a cyclic angular velocity generating device (24, 30) in each of the two stages (18, 20) means for varying the amplitude of the cyclic angular velocity produced by at least one of the stages (18, 20) and an arrangement (28, 34, 22) for summing and combining the pulsating angular velocity outputs from the extraction devices (26, 32).

Abstract: An angular velocity profile generator [22,24] comprising an input shaft [46], an output shaft [56], a universal joint coupling the shafts by pivot pins [70,75] situated on two pivot axes which are normal to one another, means [49] in the joint for varying the path of rotation of the pin [70] relatively to that of the pin [75], a first control arrangement [32] for varying the angle between the shafts and a second control arrangement [84], external to the universal joint, connected to the pivot pin path varying means which is activated by the first control arrangement to suit a specific velocity profile produced by the generator. The invention extends to an infinitely variable transmission machine including transmission stages [16] which each include two of the profile generators connected in series and an angular velocity profile portion extraction device.

Abstract: An infinitely variable transmission comprising an angular velocity input member (12), an angular velocity output member (14), two parallel stages (18, 20) of cyclic angular velocity generating devices (24, 30), a drive arrangement (16) for applying angular velocity from the input member (12) to each of the angular velocity generating devices (24, 30), extraction devices (26, 32) which are each driven by a cyclic angular velocity generating device (24, 30) in each of the two stages (18, 20) means for varying the amplitude of the cyclic angular velocity produced by at least one of the stages (18, 20) and an arrangement (28, 34, 22) for summing and combining the pulsating angular velocity outputs from the extraction devices (26, 32)