Modified cranking mechanism for epicyclic transmission

摘要

An epicyclic motion generating arrangement especially suitable for use as part of a continuously variable transmission is disclosed herein. This arrangement, in its preferred embodiment, includes a planetary assembly supporting four equally circumferentially spaced shafts for rotation about a given planetary axis, and an index plate mounted for rotation about its own axis parallel with but sometimes eccentric to the axis of the planetary assembly. Means are provided for rotating the planetary assembly and its shafts at a given speed and in a given direction whereby to impart an orbiting component of epicyclic motion to each shaft without regard to any back and forth rotation of the shafts about their own respective axis. At the same time, means are provided for coupling the index plate to each shaft in a way which causes that shaft to rotate back and forth about is own axis as it orbits about the planetary axis, whereby that back and forth rotation of each shaft serves as a reciprocating component of the epicyclic motion.