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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!oliveb!tymix!kanner
From: kanner@tymix.UUCP (Herb Kanner)
Newsgroups: net.auto.tech
Subject: Re: Continuous Transmission
Message-ID: <569@tymix.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 11-Nov-85 13:55:18 EST
Article-I.D.: tymix.569
Posted: Mon Nov 11 13:55:18 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 13-Nov-85 08:26:41 EST
References: <10878@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <922@burl.UUCP> <923@burl.UUCP>
Reply-To: kanner@tymix.UUCP (Herb Kanner)
Organization: Tymnet Inc., Cupertino CA
Lines: 40
Summary: 

In article <923@burl.UUCP> ahs@burl.UUCP (Spinks Albert H. ) writes:
>> > 
>> > 	Have anyone heard about this so-called continuous
>> > transmission? According to some friends, a car equipped with
>> > one was presented in this year's Automobile show in Turin, 
>> > Italy. 
>> > 	As it was described to me, it is basically a pair of
>> > controllable variable diameter wheels linked by a belt; which
>> > enables the driver to choose among any of the infinitely many 
>> > transmission ratio possible.
>> > 	Any information would be helpful.
>> > 	Thanks,
>> > --Marcio
>> > 
>> > 	carvalho@ucb-vax.edu
>> > 	ucbvax!carvalho
>> 
>> *** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE ***
>> The type of transmission you have discribed has been used on farm equipment
>> for at least 25 years, especially large grain combines.  The system is 
>> composed of two variable diameter pulleys with a belt in between.  One 
>> pulley has a hydrolic cylinder attachment that controls its diameter
>> and the diameter of the second cylinder simply 'follows' the first
>> through a spring loaded arrangement.  The hydrolic system is under the control
>> of the operator.  
>> 
>> This system works quite well; at least the ones that I am familiar with did.
>> No maintenance was ever required, etc.  But they were huge; size was not a
>> serious factor on the side of a big piece of field equipment.  It is hard
>> for me to picture a manufacturer development anything like the above that
>> would fit in as small a space as our standard car transmissions.
>> 
I lived in England between 1970 and 1977.  Saw quite a few specimens of a
car with a continuous transmission.  It was called a DAF, and was made in
Holland.  Used a belt and cone pulleys.  I was told that the belt was no
more likely to break than an axle on a conventional drive.
-- 
Herb Kanner
Tymnet, Inc.
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