Frederick Manufacturing Company

John H Francis

Roy E VanDerLinden

Roy E Van Derlinden

A variable speed drive varies the speed ratio between an input shaft and an output shaft. The input shaft is coupled to the output shaft through a cone which is connected to the input shaft by a rigid link and to the output shaft by a constant velocity joint. The cone rolls on a curvilinear surface to transmit motion from the input shaft to the output shaft. In order to vary the speed ratio, the position of the cone on the curvilinear surface is changed.

Variable speed drive--apparatus and method of fabricating the apparatus

Conical drives for changing the speed of an output shaft relative to an input shaft include a conical coupling between the output shaft and a conical driving member within the drive. The output and input shafts are aligned with a first axis and the conical driving member rolls around the first axis without slipping while rotating about a second axis disposed obliquely with respect to and intersecting the first axis at a coincidence point. The apexes of the conical coupling and the conical driving member are coincident with the coincidence point. The conical coupling is utilized with both single and multispeed drives.

Conical drive

A speed reducing and torque transmitting mechanism includes a planar surface which is perpendicular to a first axis and a cone which rolls on the planar surface as the cone revolves around the first axis. The axis around which the cone rotates as it rolls intersects the first axis at the same point that the first axis intersects the planar surface so that under ordinary circumstances there is no slippage between the cone and the planar surface. The cone is driven by an input shaft which is coaxial with the first axis. An output shaft is connected to the cone via a crank having an arm oriented obliquely thereto in which arm the cone is rotatably journaled. An output shaft is connected to the cone adjacent to the apex thereof by a universal joint. The output shaft rotates in a direction opposite to the input shaft at substantially reduced rate with increased output torque. The mechanism is inherently torque limiting and delivers constant output torque if supplied with constant input torque.

Speed reducing and torque transmitting mechanism

A multi-speed drive has input and output shafts aligned on a first axis and connected to one another by a cone drive which has a plurality of conical surfaces sloped at various angles to form a 'composite' cone. The composite cone is connected to the input shaft by a crank and rotates about a second axis which is oblique to, but intersects, the first axis at a point of intersection which is also a point of coincidence of the apexes of the conical surfaces. The composite cone rolls on one of a plurality of annular, conical surfaces, each of which is aligned with one of the conical surfaces on the cone. In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, all of the annular surfaces are free to rotate with respect to the composite cone, with the exception of the single annular surface that the composite cone rolls upon. This surface may be selected by stopping its rotation with a braking device, such as a pin or a prony brake. In the alternative, the conical annular surfaces may be slid axially in and out of engagement with their respective annular surfaces on the composite cone to select the desired output speed. A constant velocity joint connects the composite cone to the output shaft so as to transmit the rotation of the composite cone to the output shaft. By selecting a single angle (.gamma.) between the first and second axis, and by selecting appropriate angles (.alpha.) for the conical surfaces, various output speeds and torques may be applied to the output shaft for a single input speed according to the ratio (R) wherein: ##EQU1## The aforedescribed multi-speed drive provides positive speed reductions and negative speed reductions. In addition, it provides 'overdrive', direct drive, 'park ' and neutral modes of operation.

Multi-speed drive

A rolling wobble press includes a planar surface which is perpendicular to a first axis and a cone which rolls on the planar surface as the cone revolves around the first axis. The axis around which the cone rotates as it rolls intersects the first axis at the same point that the first axis intersects the planar surface so that under ordinary circumstances, there is no slippage between the cone and the planar surface. The cone is driven by a drive shaft which is coaxial with the first axis. The drive shaft is connected to the cone via a crank having an arm oriented obliquely thereto in which arm the cone is rotatably journaled. In accordance with one embodiment of the press, the press is used to drive a plurality of punches in a riveting machine.

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Charles Town, WV, United States of America

John H Francis