초록 ▼

Drive mechanism, particularly for use with a bicycle, of the type having variable diameter drive and driven members connected by an endless belt which engages adjustable segments on the members. Through a control member the drive ratio can be adjusted to multiple, discrete settings. Belt wrap is mai

Drive mechanism, particularly for use with a bicycle, of the type having variable diameter drive and driven members connected by an endless belt which engages adjustable segments on the members. Through a control member the drive ratio can be adjusted to multiple, discrete settings. Belt wrap is maintained between the belt and the drive and driven members at all settings by two idlers which are independently supported for movement. A locking rail is used to release and secure the segments on the members and a split clutch is used with the driven member for easy rear wheel removal. The mechanism has a lost motion device to accommodate forward and rearward pedaling without harming the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is modular in contruction so it can be used with frames of varying sizes and the drive mechanism can be quickly removed from or assembled to the bicycle frame when replacement is desired.

대표청구항 ▼

A variable ratio drive mechanism comprising: drive sheave means; driven sheave means; endless member which drivingly couples the sheave means to each other; at least one of said sheave means including a set of sheave segments, each sheave segment having a bearing surface engagable by the endless mem

A variable ratio drive mechanism comprising: drive sheave means; driven sheave means; endless member which drivingly couples the sheave means to each other; at least one of said sheave means including a set of sheave segments, each sheave segment having a bearing surface engagable by the endless member and means for placing and securing the sheave segments to said one sheave means in any of a series of positions distributed on said one sheave means so that the bearing surfaces can be selectively positioned at a series of concentric circles, the endless member applying pressure to all the sheave segments except those in an adjustment zone of said one sheave means where the endless member is disengaged from the sheave segments; gate means in the adjustment zone of said one sheave means for adjusting the sheave segments to a selected position; driving means for operating the drivable sheave means; and means for adjusting the gate including a control means and actuating means that is responsive to the control means and that is operated by the driving means for effecting displacement of the gate to discrete positions corresponding to discrete positions of the sheave segments.