The Beier variable-ratio gear or Beier variator is a mechanical drive offering a continuously variable gear ratio between input and output. The gear relies on the inter-meshing of a number of thin disks. By varying their separation, the effective radius of one disk varies, thus changing the overall gear ratio. This varying-radius principle is shared by a number of other variator mechanisms. An advantage of the Beier is that a large number of disks may be stacked on a common shaft, thus increasing its torque capacity for only a small increase in overall length.