Patents by Inventor William T. Lester

William T. Lester has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7481127
    Abstract: A transmission utilizes oscillating torque to vary the mechanical power transmitted to a load. The transmission has a rotatable input member and a rotatable mass. The transmission also has a member with an eccentric offset, with the rotatable mass rotatably coupled to the offset and being eccentric with respect to the offset. The input member is coupled to the rotatable mass by a linkage so that the rotation of the input member causes the rotatable mass to rotate and apply centrifugal force to the member with the eccentric offset. First and second one-way clutches are coupled between the eccentric offset member and an output member. The first one-way clutch drives the output member in one direction and the eccentric offset member is driven in the one direction and the second one-way clutch prevents the output member from rotating in the other direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Inventor: William T. Lester
  • Patent number: 6062096
    Abstract: A transmission utilizes oscillating torque to vary the mechanical power transmitted to a load. An arm assembly is rotatably coupled to a frame. At the ends of the arms are eccentric masses, rotatably coupled thereto. An input shaft rotates the masses about the ends of the arms. The rotating masses produce an oscillating torque that causes the arms to oscillate. The arms are coupled to an output assembly. The output assembly utilizes one way clutches, with one clutch reversed relative to the other clutch. The one way clutches convert the bidirectional rotation of the arms to unidirectional rotation for the load. The output speeds of the transmission are controlled by providing at least two side by side rotatable masses and varying the phase of one of the masses relative to the other mass. Varying the phase changes the center of gravity of the masses, thereby affecting the torque applied to the arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Inventor: William T. Lester
  • Patent number: 6044718
    Abstract: A transmission utilizes oscillating torque to vary the mechanical power transmitted to a load. An arm assembly is rotatably coupled to a frame. At the ends of the arms are eccentric masses, rotatably coupled thereto. An input shaft rotates the masses about the ends of the arms. The rotating masses produce an oscillating torque that causes the arms to oscillate. The arms are coupled to an output assembly. The output assembly utilizes one way clutches, with one clutch reversed relative to the other clutch. The one way clutches convert the bidirectional rotation of the arms to unidirectional rotation for the load. The output speeds of the transmission are controlled by providing at least two side by side rotatable masses and varying the phase of one of the masses relative to the other mass. Varying the phase changes the center of gravity of the masses, thereby affecting the torque applied to the arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Inventor: William T. Lester
  • Patent number: 5071394
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission has an input shaft rotatably mounted to a frame. Plural output wheels are located around the input shaft and are rotatably mounted to the frame. The output wheels have respective axes of rotation that lie in a plane, which plane is generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the input shaft. Each output wheel has an arcuate circumferential surface. The output wheels are arranged around the input shaft so that the innermost portions of their circumferential surfaces form a traversing path around the input shaft. The input shaft has one or more drive rollers coupled thereto so that the drive rollers can both rotate and pivot independently of the input shaft. As the input shaft rotates, the drive rollers traverse the traversing path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1991
    Inventor: William T. Lester