Eaton Corporation

Elmer A Richards

Edward J Bogema

Eugene R Braun

Alan R Davis

John R Vandervoort

Russell C Holmes

Thomas V McNamara

Carl D Roberts

A blocked jaw clutch assembly (156) having a second positive stop member (200,202) to limit axial movement of a second jaw clutch member (116) away from the first stop member (134) is provided. During initiation of a shifting operation, if the first (164) and second (116) jaw clutch members are not at substantially synchronous rotation, the second stop member will limit axial movement of said first jaw clutch member (108, 164) to a preselect position (FIG. 9B) axially intermediate the neutral axial position (FIG. 9A) and fully engaged axial position (FIG. 9C) thereof.

Blocked jaw clutch assembly

A compound change gear semi-blocked transmission (10) of the splitter type is provided. The transmission comprises a multi-speed main section (12) connected in series with an multi-speed auxiliary section (14). The main section utilizes manually engaged, non-blocked, nonsynchronized jaw clutch assemblies (56, 58, 60) while the auxiliary section utilizes resiliently shifted blocked jaw clutch assemblies (114, 116, 118, 120). The blocked jaw clutch assemblies are provided with ramps (176, 178, 180, 182) which will cause unblocking during a clutching operation if the main section is not engaged.

Semi-blocked transmission

A multiple, load-sharing countershaft assembly (12, 14) change gear transmission (10) utilizing double-helical gearing is provided.

Herringbone geared multiple load sharing countershaft transmission

A blocked jaw clutch assembly (156) of the type having sensor unblocking ramps (176, 178, 180, 182) is provided with structure tending to cause the blocking torque friction surface (188) carried by the blocker ring (124) to frictionally engage the blocking torque friction member (190) carried by the first jaw clutch member (108, 164, 188) with a circumferentially non-symetrical axial force.

An automatic mechanical change gear transmission system (10) is provided. The transmisssion (12) is a splitter type comprising a main section (48) connected in series with a blocked splitter type auxiliary section (50). The auxiliary section blockers (172) and clutch members (164) are provided with ramps (218, 220, 222, 224) which will tend to align the blockers and ramps in a nonblocking condition under the influence of biasing spring (178) if the main section is in neutral. A control unit (38) receives input signals and commands transmission shifts in a sequence including shifting the main section into neutral and shifting the auxiliary section to a new ratio during each shift procedure.

Automatic mechanical transmission system

A multiple substantially identical countershaft powershift transmission is provided. The transmission (10) comprises an input shaft (12) and preferably three (16, 18 and 20) input gears and an output gear (22) concentric and rotatable relative thereto. A plurality of substantially identical countershaft assemblies (42, 42A) carrying countershaft gears (54, 56, 58 and 60) constantly meshed with the input gears and output gear surround the input shaft and an output shaft (24) generally coaxial with input shaft (12) and carrying the output gear (22) rotationally fixed thereto are provided. A first double acting friction clutch mechanism (26) for selectively frictionally coupling first speed input gear (16) or third speed input gear (18) to the input shaft and a second double acting friction clutch mechanism (28) for selectively coupling second speed input gear (20) or fourth speed output gear (22) are provided and are concentric and driven by the input shaft (12). Means (V, C) are provided for selectively actuating the clutch portions (30, 32, 36 and 38) of the double acting clutch assemblies with overlapping engagement of the clutch portion being released and the clutch portion being applied.

Multiple identical countershaft powershift transmission

A multiple substantially identical countershaft (16, 16A), simple change gear transmission (10) having two-piece (20, 20A, 22, 22A) countershafts is provided. The use of two-piece countershafts allows the countershafts to be supported by three bearings (72, 74 and 76) while not requiring greater than normal manufacturing accuracy of the transmission housing (H). A driving connection between the front and rear countershaft portions is utilized which will allow a degree of axial misalignment between the front and rear portions and which when connected assures proper circumferential alignment of the countershaft gears. In the preferred embodiment, proper circumferential alignment of the front (20, 20A) and rear (22, 22A) countershaft portions is assured by providing a splined connection between the countershaft portions wherein the number of spline teeth (37, 66) is evenly divisible into the number of countershaft gear teeth carried by any gear on one of the countershaft portions (22, 22A) and wherein each spline tooth carried by the one countershaft portion has the same circumferential alignment with the countershaft gear teeth carried by said one portion as all of the other spline teeth carried by the one portion.

Multiple countershaft simple transmission

An improved, blocked, change gear transmission utilizing at least one improved resilient jaw clutch assembly to selectively engage a selected gear to a shaft is provided. The improved jaw clutch assembly comprises two axially engageable jaw clutch members and a blocker mechanism to prevent engagement of the jaw clutch members until the jaw clutch members are rotating at a substantially synchronous speed. Preferably, one of the jaw clutch members carries axially and radially outwardly extending external clutch teeth designed for selective interengagement with axially and radially inwardly extending internal jaw clutch teeth carried by the other jaw clutch member. The improvement comprises providing a back-lash between the interengageable clutch teeth which is substantially greater than the back-lash normally utilized with similar clutch assemblies, said increased back-lash being in the range of five to fifteen times greater than normal back-lash and preferably about ten times greater than normal back-lash.

Blocked change gear transmission utilizing resilient shifting mechanisms

An improved shiftable change speed transmission is provided. The improved transmission is preferably provided with at least one countershaft having countershaft gears thereon disposed in meshing engagement with main shaft gears encircling the transmission main shaft. Gears are selectively axially movable relative to the associated shaft by conventional means for effecting shifting of the transmission. The axially movable gears cooperate with clutch rings which surround and are supported on and for rotation with the associated shaft by splines, preferably the clutch rings also are axially movable relative to the associated shaft and are resiliently urged in a direction toward the respective gear with which same cooperates, whereby shifting of the axially movable gear toward its respective clutch ring causes resilient axial movement of the latter until synchronization is achieved to permit the clutch ring to move axially in response to said resilient urging and engage the main shaft gear. The improvement comprises providing spline teeth on the clutch ring or the associated shaft which are of a substantially constantly varying thickness and are arranged such that, when the clutch rings are in the non-axially displaced position, the circumferential spacing betwen cooperating clutch ring and shaft spline teeth is smaller at the axial end of the clutch ring closest to the gear with which it is associated than at the other end of the clutch ring.

Transmission with resilient shifting mechanism

An improved, blocked, change gear transmission having an input shaft driven by a prime mover through a normally engaged, selectively disengageable, master friction clutch is provided with means for decelerating and positively reverse rotating the transmission input shaft. The means for decelerating and positively reverse rotating the transmission input shaft may be selectively operator actuated and/or automatically actuated. The means for decelerating and positively reverse rotating the transmission input shaft is preferably only actuatable upon disengagement of the master clutch and may be selectively or automatically actuated by the master clutch control.

Blocked transmission

A mechanism for selectively and/or automatically decelerating and positively reversing the normal direction of rotation of a rotatable shaft is provided. The mechanism includes a member which is meshingly engaged to a shaft driven by a one-way drive, such as the input shaft of a change gear transmission driven by a Diesel engine, and is operable to decelerate the shaft and positively rotate the shaft in the opposite direction of rotation.

Transmission input decelerating and reversing mechanism

An improved, blocked, change gear transmission having an input shaft normally driven by a one-way prime mover and an output shaft normally connected to a driven device is provided. The transmission utilizes at least one improved blocker and jaw clutch assembly which allows engagement of a selected ratio gear under static conditions, i.e., when the driven device is at rest and the blocked transmission is in neutral.

Blocked change gear transmission and improved blocker and jaw clutch

Improved blocker and jaw clutch means for shiftable change speed gearing is provided for effecting engagement of the low speed gearing of a simple transmission, or the low speed gearing of the main transmission section of a splitter type compound transmission. A transmission having an input shaft driven by a one-way prime mover, a main shaft and at least one countershaft, and including pairs of shiftable gears arranged on and cooperatively between said shafts, is provided with positive clutches, preferably spring loaded jaw clutches, for effecting connection to one of said shafts of a selected one gear of a selected one of said pairs of said gears upon the achievement of substantial synchronization between such gear and such shaft. Blockers are provided for protecting the positive clutch teeth from excessive wear during such shifting. At least one of said jaw clutches, preferably the jaw clutch for engaging the low speed pair of gears in a simple transmission, or the jaw clutch for engaging the low speed pair of gears in the main transmission section of a splitter type compound transmission, is provided with an improved blocker effective to sense only one type of nonsynchronous condition, namely, that condition corresponding to one of the clutch members overspeeding the other clutch member but not effective to sense the other clutch member overspeeding the one clutch member. The provision of improved blockers effective to sense only one type of nonsynchronous condition, and effective to prevent or block a clutch engagement only upon the sensing of that one type of nonsynchronous condition, is an improvement since the possibility of such blocker being incorrectly positioned or sensing a false nonsynchronous condition is substantially reduced or eliminated.

Blocker and jaw clutch assembly

Improved change speed gearing utilizing an improved blocker means for effecting engagement of the jaw clutch associated with the low speed gearing of a simple transmission, or with the low speed gearing of the main transmission section of a splitter type compound transmission. A transmission having an input shaft driven by a one-way prime mover, a main shaft and at least one countershaft, and including pairs of shiftable gears arranged on and cooperatively between said shafts, is provided with positive clutches, preferably spring loaded jaw clutches, for effecting connection to one of said shafts of a selected one gear of a selected one of said pairs of said gears upon the achievement of substantial synchronization between such gear and such shaft. Blockers are provided for protecting the positive clutch teeth from excessive wear during such shifting. One of said blockers, preferably that blocker associated with either the positive clutch for engaging the low speed pair of gears in a simple transmission, or that blocker associated with the positive clutch for engaging the low speed pair of gears in the main transmission section of a splitter type compound transmission, is effective to sense only one type of nonsynchronous condition, such as, that condition corresponding to one of the clutch members overspeeding the other clutch member in a given direction of rotation.

Shiftable change speed transmission utilizing improved blocker and jaw

Transmission and engine control means for a vehicle wherein the engine is connected through at least one friction clutch to a transmission having a positively geared power train therethrough. A low speed governor is provided to sense an engine speed at or shortly below idling speed and functions to increase fuel supply to the engine as same is lugged down for maintaining, within the capacity of the engine, at least said selected minimum speed. Further, means are provided responsive to the position of the throttle control, such as the accelerator pedal, for modulating the engagement pressure of said clutch in response to the position of such throttle control, progressive opening of the throttle effecting progressive increase in the torque transmitting capacity of the clutch, whereby the torque transmitting capacity of the clutch is under all throttle settings maintained at a value a little greater than the load torque normally applied thereto at such throttle setting. If desired, further means may be provided for deactivating and disengaging said transmission clutches entirely when the throttle is in its idling position and the vehicle is either at standstill or at a speed below a selected value.

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Kalamazoo, MI, United States of America

Elmer A Richards