Title: Constant speed drive

• Summary
• Claims
• Description
• View all

Abstract: A constant speed belt drive system includes a belt connecting a drive V-pulley to a driven V-pulley. Each pulley comprises a pair of axially displaceable half-sheaves. One pulley has a half-sheave which is axially displaceable by biasing spring means; the other pulley has a half-sheave which is axially displaceable by centrifugal movement of balls riding on ramp means between the half-sheaves. In operation, the balls are located at their radially innermost positions when the system is running at a predetermined drive speed. Upon increase of speed of the system above the predetermined speed, the balls are displaced radially outwardly along their ramps under centrifugal force and axially displace the pulley half-sheaves effecting thereby a change in the speed ratio between the driving and driven pulley. Either the ramp means or the spring biasing means or both are arranged to provide a non-linear rate of axial displacement of the half-sheaves and consequent non-linear rate of speed ratio change. In the case of the ramp means, the non-linear rate is attained by forming the ramp means with two surfaces of different inclination to the pulley axis of rotation. In the case of the spring biasing means, the non-linear rate is by providing sequentially acting springs of different spring rates.


Do you think this is a good invention? Vote now: