US3771377A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vee-belt spring-o-matic power transmission
Assignee: United States Department of the Army
•
Filing: 1971-09-21
•
Granted: 1973-11-13
•
Expires: 1991-09-21
Abstract
Abstract A vee-belt and a pair of spring-loaded vee pulleys comprise an automatic transmission which increases torque as necessary (at the expense of speed) or automatically increases speed when high torque is not necessary.
Inventors
- 👤 C Bush
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 03:51
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H61/00; F16H61/66; F16H61/662; F16H61/6625
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
An article of manufacture comprising two sides of a veepulley, hub means supporting said two sides and permitting one side to move relative to the other, means to limit movement of one side relatively to the other side, spring means interconnecting said sides, said spring means urging said sides toward one-another under no-load conditions and being automatically tensioned to urge said sides relatively apart when torque is applied to said hub or said sides and a vee-type belt disposed between the two sides of the pulley.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
An article of manufacture comprising two sides of a veepulley, hub means supporting said two sides and permitting one side to move relative to the other, means to limit movement of one side relatively to the other side, spring means interconnecting said sides, said spring means urging said sides toward one-another under no-load conditions and being automatically tensioned to urge said sides relatively apart when torque is applied to said hub or said sides and a vee-type belt disposed between the two sides of the pulley.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
An article of manufacture as in claim 1 wherein said hub comprises two annular ends for mounting on a shaft and said spring means comprises a spring interconnecting said annular ends.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
An article of manufacture as in claim 2 wherein said spring comprises an element which is somewhat s-shaped in appearance in its unstressed condition and almost straight in its stressed condition.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
An article of manufacture as in claim 3 wherein said spring comprises a laminated bundle of leaf-spring elements.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
94 words
A device of the character described comprising a rotatable shaft, two sides of a vee-pulley mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith, hub means connecting said two sides and permitting limited movement of one side axially and rotatively relative to the other side, spring means operatively connecting said sides to urge tHem axially toward each other under no-load conditions and being automatically tensioned by relative rotational movement between the sides caused by torque applied to the sides to urge them axially apart, and a vee-type belt disposed between the two sides of the pulley.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
94 words
A device of the character described comprising a rotatable shaft, two sides of a vee-pulley mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith, hub means connecting said two sides and permitting limited movement of one side axially and rotatively relative to the other side, spring means operatively connecting said sides to urge tHem axially toward each other under no-load conditions and being automatically tensioned by relative rotational movement between the sides caused by torque applied to the sides to urge them axially apart, and a vee-type belt disposed between the two sides of the pulley.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
82 words
The device of claim 5 in which the hub comprises two axially spaced annular end members mounted on the rotatably shaft, and said spring means comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced normally curved spring rods connecting the annular end members and so constructed and arranged that torque applied by the vee-type belt will cause relative rotational movement between the pulley sides in a direction to decrease the curvature of the spring rods and thereby increase the space between the annular end members.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
171 words
A device of the character described comprising a first vee-pulley having two sides, hub means supporting said two sides and permitting one side to move relative to the other, means to limit movement of one side relative to the other side, spring means interconnecting said sides, said spring means urging said sides toward one-another under no-load conditions and being automatically tensioned to urge said sides relatively apart when torque is applied to said hub or said sides, a power input shaft carrying the hub means and rotatably therewith, a power output shaft disposed in spaced relation to the power input shaft, a second vee-pulley similarly mounted on the output shaft and having the same side, spring and hub construction as the first vee-pulley, and a vee-type belt operatively interconnecting the first and second vee-pulleys whereby speed-torque transmission from one shaft to the other shaft will automatically provide to said power output shaft high torque at low speed as required and to automatically provide high speed when high torque is not required.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
171 words
A device of the character described comprising a first vee-pulley having two sides, hub means supporting said two sides and permitting one side to move relative to the other, means to limit movement of one side relative to the other side, spring means interconnecting said sides, said spring means urging said sides toward one-another under no-load conditions and being automatically tensioned to urge said sides relatively apart when torque is applied to said hub or said sides, a power input shaft carrying the hub means and rotatably therewith, a power output shaft disposed in spaced relation to the power input shaft, a second vee-pulley similarly mounted on the output shaft and having the same side, spring and hub construction as the first vee-pulley, and a vee-type belt operatively interconnecting the first and second vee-pulleys whereby speed-torque transmission from one shaft to the other shaft will automatically provide to said power output shaft high torque at low speed as required and to automatically provide high speed when high torque is not required.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
164 words
A device of the character described comprising a rotatable power input shaft, a first vee-pulley mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith and having two sides, hub means connecting the two sides of the pulley and permitting limited movement of one side axially and rotatively relative to the other side, spring means operatively connecting said two sides to urge them axially toward each other under no-load conditions and being automatically tensioned by relative rotational movement between the sides caused by torque applied to the sides to urge them axially apart, a rotatably power output shaft, a second vee-pulley mounted on the output shaft to rotate therewith and having the same side, spring and hub construction as the first vee-pulley, and a vee-type endless belt operatively interconnecting the first and second vee-pulleys, whereby speed-torque transmission from one shaft to the other will automatically provide to said power output shaft high torque at low speed as required and high speed when high torque is not required.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
164 words
A device of the character described comprising a rotatable power input shaft, a first vee-pulley mounted on said shaft to rotate therewith and having two sides, hub means connecting the two sides of the pulley and permitting limited movement of one side axially and rotatively relative to the other side, spring means operatively connecting said two sides to urge them axially toward each other under no-load conditions and being automatically tensioned by relative rotational movement between the sides caused by torque applied to the sides to urge them axially apart, a rotatably power output shaft, a second vee-pulley mounted on the output shaft to rotate therewith and having the same side, spring and hub construction as the first vee-pulley, and a vee-type endless belt operatively interconnecting the first and second vee-pulleys, whereby speed-torque transmission from one shaft to the other will automatically provide to said power output shaft high torque at low speed as required and high speed when high torque is not required.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2054564A
Cited
US2198747A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-11-12 | 1977-05-14 | 1977-11-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-12 | 1981-05-14 | 1981-11-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-12 | 1985-05-14 | 1985-11-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |