Infinitely variable ratio gearbox - has hemispherical gears with teeth evenly spaced in all directions over entire surface

摘要

The variable-ratio gearbox has one or more of the gears (4, 6) in the form of a hemisphere, on which teeth (5, 7) are formed at regular intervals in all directions all over the surface (4', 6') of the hemisphere. The radial axes (5', 7') of all teeth pass through the hemisphere mid-point. The first gear (4) can rotate on one axis (3), while the second one (6) rotates both about its axis (8) in the direction of drive transmission, and also rolls against the first gear at right angles to this direction. The first gear can be the driving one while the second acts as a selector gear, whose shaft is coupled to the output shaft. The second gear also pivots on an axis passing through its mid-point and at right angles to its shaft. The second axis is guided in a curve centred on the mid-point of the first gear.