Abstract: A method of controlling the speed of the output of a V-belt drive having an output driven pulley driven by a V-belt from an input driver pulley wherein the rotational speed of the driver pulley is determined, the ratio of the effective belt drive diameters of the driver and driven pulleys are determined and the effective belt to drive diameter of at least one of the pulleys is adjusted to provide a preselected speed of the drive output.

Abstract: A spring-locked variable speed pulley, such as may be used as a drive device for automotive, motorcycle or industrial applications, wherein the engagement of a spring with the side of a stopper and movable pulley piece are improved in such a manner that the pulley can be used in a wide variety of applications. The movable pulley piece is mounted on a shaft adjacent to a stationary pulley piece with the movable pulley being movable axially as well as being rotatable. A stopper and a spring are interposed between the movable and fixed pulley pieces. Pins protrude from the side of the confronting surfaces of the movable pulley piece and the stopper, which pins engage in holes formed in the ends of the spring, the holes being disposed diametrically opposite one another with respect to the center longitudinal axis of the spring.

Abstract: In an infinitely variable transmission equipped with a V-shaped pulley having a stationary pulley element and a movable pulley element fitted on a shaft, and an endless belt engaged between the pulley elements, a movable pulley element pinch force control device includes a plurality of through bores formed through the peripheral wall of the shaft in axially spaced relation, and a slider axially slidably received within a hydraulic fluid introducing passage in the shaft and urged by the fluid pressure in a direction of closing the through bores. The movable pulley element is urged by the fluid pressure in a direction of closing the through bores, and by the force of the belt in a direction of closing the through bores, whereby the total opening area of the through bores is automatically varied in response to changes in the positions of the slider and the movable pulley element, to control the pinch force of the movable pulley element in a stepwise manner.

Abstract: The present invention provides a control unit for use with a variable speed system for dispersing, milling or otherwise processing solid particles in liquid. The apparatus used in the system includes a fixed center-drive pulley combination. The control unit automatically resets the pulley combination to a slow start-up position to prevent damage to the system drive train during initiation of a processing operation. In addition, the control unit allows a system operator to precisely and safely adjust the setting of the pulley combination to control the speed of the processing operation. In one arrangement the speed is controlled by manually operated valves that control fluid pressure on opposite sides of a piston that controls the pulley combination. In another arrangement, valves automatically control fluid pressure on the piston to maintain a position in response to a signal from a pressure regulator which is manually or otherwise adjusted to provide a selected speed.

Abstract: A variable pulley torque drive system comprising a pair of flexible straps, each connected at one end to a pivot on a drive member or a movable pulley sheave, and at the other end to the other of either the movable sheave or drive member, the straps being in tension when driving and flexed and deflected to compression in the undriven mode.

Abstract: A control apparatus for use of a continuously variable transmission. The apparatus controls a rate of changing a RPM ratio in a continuously variable transmission connected to the engine. The transmission has a driving pulley mounted on an input shaft a driven pulley mounted on an output shaft, and an endless belt member spanning the pulleys so that an effective diameter of the pulleys can be varied at different rates with regard to each other so that different speed ratios can be obtained. When a prompt acceleration of a vehicle is required by an operator, a flow control device drains an amount of oil in a hydraulic cylinder of the driving pulley within a first prescribed time period. During a second prescribed time period after the first prescribed time period elapses, a second control device stops the draining of oil in the hydraulic cylinder, thereby maintaining a RPM ratio in a continuously variable transmission to the value at the time when the first prescribed time period elapses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an automatic gear box and a control therefor of a motor vehicle, including two pulleys connected by a transmission belt (driving belt), each of which is formed by a couple of disks, of which one is movable in regard to the other one, in order to vary the winding radius of the belt. The control for the automatic gear box includes an hydraulic circuit which incorporates a number of actuating cylinders, a couple of delaying valves and a valve for issuing a fluid gradually and under increasing pressure only if the inlet pressure is above a preestablished value.

Abstract: A continuously variable V-belt transmission has a change-direction gearing upstream of a drive pulley, and a hydraulic control system. The hydraulic control system comprises a shift control valve for controlling the distribution of fluid pressure between the drive and driven pulleys, a pitot tube for generating an engine revolution speed indicative signal fluid pressure, a pitot tube for generating a drive pulley revolution speed indicative signal fluid pressure indicative of not only of a revolution speed of the drive pulley in the forward direction but also of a revolution speed of the drive pulley in the reverse direction, and a shift prohibiting valve for prohibiting the supply of fluid pressure to at least one of the cylinder chambers of the drive and driven pulley until a difference between the engine revolution speed indicative signal oil pressure and the drive pulley revolution speed indicative oil pressure is less than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A control system for a belt drive continuously-variable speed automatic transmission (CVT) for a vehicle wherein the discharge speed of a working fluid from a hydraulic servomotor provided on an input pulley of CVT is restricted by a downshift control mechanism to prevent a slip produced at the time of kickdown. The downshift control mechanism comprises a downshift controlling solenoid valve, a reduction ratio control mechanism and an electric control circuit for controlling these elements, wherein at the time of the kickdown, the solenoid valve is deenergized to close a drain port for the hydraulic servomotor of the reduction ratio control mechanism, and at the time of the coastdown, the solenoid valve is energized to open the drain port for the hydraulic servomotor of the reduction ratio control mechanism.

Abstract: A V-belt type stepless transmission, basically including an input pulley and an output pulley mounted on parallel input and output shafts, respectively, each of the input and output pulleys having a stationary flange and a movable flange axially displaceable relative to the stationary flange and rotatable integrally therewith; an endless V-belt lapped around the input and output pulleys to transmit power therebetween; a servo mechanism for the movable flange, constituted by a drive member having a first screw or a second screw, the first screw formed on the movable flange or on a structure integrally connected to the movable flange, the second screw threadedly engaged with the first screw for axially displacing the movable flange by rotation of the second screw relative to the first screw, and a drive mechanism for the drive member; and a cam mechanism provided at least on one of the input and output shafts to vary compressive belt gripping force of the stationary and movable flanges in proportion to the torq

Abstract: A method of making the combination of a power transmission belt that is to be operated in an endless path and a tensioner for the belt is provided, the tensioner comprising a support unit fixed relatively to the belt, a belt engaging unit carried by the support unit and being movable relative thereto, a biasing unit operatively associated with the support unit and the belt engaging unit urging the belt engaging unit relative to the support unit in a belt tensioning direction against the belt with a force to tension the belt, and a control unit operatively associated with the biasing unit to progressively decrease its urging force on the belt engaging unit as the speed of movement of the belt progressively increases from a certain low speed of movement thereof to a certain high speed of movement thereof.

Abstract: A transmission, in particular for a motor vehicle, provided with an infinitely variable V-belt transmission having a primary and a secondary pulley over which the V-belt has been looped and provided with an input shaft, which is connected through a reversing gear to the primary pulley. The reversing gear being operated by means of a forward and a reverse command, respectively, in such a way as to transmit the same or the opposite direction of rotation. The primary pulley of said transmission is connected to an annular channel radially closed from the outside and into which a stationary pitot tube terminates for picking up a hydraulic signal depending on the speed of rotation, whereby the incorporation of means of control which prevent the reverse signal putting into operation the reversing gear, depending on the hydraulic signal.

Abstract: A torque transmission system has driving and driven pulley units around which an endless V-belt extends. Each pulley unit has a stationary pulley part rotatable with a shaft and a movable pulley part disposed to define with the stationary pulley part a circumferentially continuous groove for receiving the V-belt. The movable pulley parts of the pulley units are axially resiliently biased so that the radii of the circle along which the V-belt engages the driving and driven pulley units are varied to change the speed-change ratio of the transmission system. The movable pulley part of the driven pulley unit is axially shifted by the action of fly weights held between a stationary plate fixed to the shaft and a holder fixed to the movable pulley part.

Abstract: A continuously variable V-belt transmission comprises a hydrodynamic transmission unit including a lock-up means. A switch valve is provided which is responsive to fluid pressure in a cylinder chamber of a drive pulley, which fluid pressure being indicative of the reduction ratio of a continuously variable V-belt transmission unit. The lock-up means is engaged in response to the state of the switch valve to lock the hydrodynamic transmission unit when the reduction ratio is small. The switch valve may be responsive to stator reaction of a stator of the hydrodynamic transmission unit so that the lock-up means is released as long as the hydrodynamic transmission unit multiply torque.

Abstract: In a transmission mechanism having an actuator member which is movable to adjust the speed ratio of the transmission, the rate of movement of the actuator member is controlled to provide a desired overall response function. When the ratio error is less than a reference value, the actuator rate of movement is controlled as a function of speed ratio such that the overall rate of change of ratio produces stable response. When the ratio error is at or greater than the reference value, the actuator rate of movement is controlled as a function of ratio error such that the overall rate of change of ratio produces fast response consistant with driveability.

Abstract: A method for shifting a transmission with a predominantly mechanical speed sensing actuator to within a 10 percent shifting zone around a chosen operating line on an engine rpm/torque map by matching the force balance of the driver pulley to a force balance on the driven pulley.A variable speed belt drive transmission system with a predominantly mechanical speed sensing driver pulley and a torque sensing driven pulley that responds to an operating line, monotonic in torque having a slope from about 0.004 lb-ft/rpm to about 0.060 lb-ft/rpm where the driver pulley has an actuator that controls speed for a chosen torque value. The actuator has at least one centrifugal weight connected to an end of a torque producing spring to wind the spring. A second end of the spring is operatively connected through an articulated linkage to a movable half of the pulley such that the generated axial force is not directly proportional to square of the speed.

Abstract: A variable speed V-belt transmission in which the axially movable pulley half has fixed to it a cap that defines an internal cavity in which the speed responsive mechanism is incorporated for axially moving this pulley half. The cap is formed with a plurality of apertures that pass a portion of the transmission when the axially movable pulley half is in one of its extreme positions for cooling the transmission.

Abstract: A V-belt type continuous speed change mechanism including a stationary disc secured to the driving shaft and a movable disc axially slidable with respect to the shaft. The discs define a circumferential groove of a V-shaped configuration with which a V-belt is engaged. The movable disc is formed at its back side with slider accommodating recesses of a circular cross-section extending in parallel with the shaft. A slider is received in the recess for rotation about an axis parallel with the driving shaft and has a groove extending in parallel with the driving shaft. A spider secured to the driving shaft has radial arms each of which is fitted at an end to the long groove in the slider.

Abstract: A variable drive ratio pulley system has longitudinally adjustable pulley halves operated by fluid pressure which acts on piston and cylinder structures operatively connected with the adjustable pulley halves. The fluid pressure in one of the piston and cylinder structures is controlled by a valve spool responsive to an actuator on which a lever member is pivotally disposed and maintained in abutment with the drive surface on the adjustable pulley half. The lever member also abuts a control rod which is linearly movable in response to command signals. Linear movement of the control rod initiates pivoting of the lever member and enforces or permits resultant linear movement of the actuator so that the spool valve is operated to change the pressure level operating on the piston thereby permitting movement of the pulley half resulting in a change of the drive ratio.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a variable air volume cooling system for a building which utilized changes in the diameter of the belt going around a two piece driver pulley and a follower two piece driven pulley to effect changes in fan speed and, accordingly, the air volume supplied. A control means to operate a servo-motor connected to the driver pulley provides for separating the two piece driven pulley to slow the fan, driving the two pieces of the driven pulley together to speed up the fan, and for maintaining the same speed should a desired temperature range be obtained. The control compares the temperature of the area to be cooled with the speed of the fan to produce its outputs. Deadband operation is provided to eliminate toggling and other excesses of output reversals.

Abstract: A motor vehicle transmission unit provided with an automatic variable ratio transmission mechanism and a supplementary fixed ratio transmission mechanism which transmits torque from an input shaft to an output shaft of the unit in conditions of low speed and high torque. A free wheel clutch allows the variable ratio transmission mechanism to take over the drive when the speed increases, this being accomplished by means of an automatic speed sensitive clutch which engages when the speed of the output shaft reaches a predetermined threshold valve. A torque converter or other progressive coupling device links the input shaft of the unit, via an isolating friction clutch, to the fixed ratio transmission mechanism.