Clark Equipment Compnay

Robert W Wolfe

Theodore A Malott

A manual shift transmission having multiple input and output portions is provided with a control having input and output shift rails. A laterally movable control shaft extends axially through cutouts in respective shift rails and carries cams adapted to cooperate with cam follower surfaces on corresponding cutouts to effect rectilinear movement of the shift rails upon rotation of the control shaft. The cams are arranged on the shaft so that the shaft may be positioned to place respective cams in register with the input and output shift rails while all other cams are out of register with the rail cutouts. The shift movement of respective output and input shift rails is overlapped during the rotation of the control shaft to decrease the throw of the shift lever. The control shaft is spring biased to provide variable resistance in response to movement of a control lever to enable the operator to determine his position in the shift pattern of the transmission.

Biased transmission control shaft

In combination with a transmission having both multiple input and output portions, each of which contains a plurality of speed change gears, is a manual shift control system having pluralities of both input and output shift rails that are adapted to cooperate with input and output cam shafts that extend through shift rail input and output cam shaft cutouts, with one or both cam shafts having at least one one-way cam which may be in combination with one or both of a two-way cam and an interlock cam, said one-way and two-way cams being adapted to cooperate with one-way and two-way cam follower surfaces, respectively, to effect bidirectional and unidirectional movement of the respective shift rails upon oscillation of the cam shafts, with the cam follower surfaces also being adapted to alternately cooperate with the interlock cams to arrest all but the selected ones of the input and output shift rails against axial movement. Details of actuating means and mechanical interlock means are also set forth.

Manual shift control system for a multiple input-multiple output

For use in a speed change transmission having shift rails to effect speed changes, a shaft carrying a double oscillating motion - single linear motion cam, with a cam follower surface in a shift rail being adapted to cooperate with the cam to effect axial movement of the shift rail in one and the same direction upon both clockwise and counter clockwise rocking of the shaft, with the cam and cam follower surface including substantially similar opposed upper and lower cam operating surfaces and cam follower notches, respectively.

Double oscillating motion-single linear motion cam

In a manually operable shift control mechanism operatively connected with a transmission through shifting means wherein a shift lever controls a preselector valve means for selectively establishing one of a multiplicity of consecutively arranged speed ratios in the transmission, an escapement assembly including an arcuate control member, affixed to the shift control housing, having a multiplicity of detent cut-outs corresponding with the angular location but exceeding the number of the transmission settings; an escapement latch pivotally secured to the shift lever and having allochiral tooth portions alternately capable of entering into one of the detent cut-outs to cause at least momentary interference between the control member and the escapement latch; and bias means for sequentially pivoting and again centering the escapement latch relative to the control member for each transmission setting, whereby all but the slowest movement of the shift lever will cause a momentary entry and subsequent momentary interference between the control member and the escapement latch, thereby producing sequential single-step shifts of the transmission. Means for centering the shift lever relative to the detent cut-outs as well as providing distinct operator 'feel' and escapement override means are also set forth.

Escapement assembly for shift control mechanism

In combination with a transmission having a multiple input portion and a multiple output portion, each of which contains a plurality of speed change gears, is a shift control system having a plurality of fluid-pressure operated actuators that respond to movement of a preselector valve control member having a plurality of positions that correspond to separate ones of the drive ratios. Shift sensing means produce a first signal upon movement of the preselector valve control member whereas neutral position sensing means produce a second signal upon movement to neutral of the transmission input portion. A neutral sequence valve has a movable spool member maintainable in first and second alternate positions in response to the first and second signals, with mechanical interlock means, associated with the actuators, locking the transmission output portion in gear whenever the transmission input portion is in gear and locking the input portion in neutral whenever the output portion is in neutural. Details of the mechanical interlock means as well as shifting and interlocking methods are also set forth.

Shift control system for a multiple input transmission

A rotatable, axially movable first clutch member, having first clutch teeth, is adapted to meshingly engage with a second rotatable clutch member, having second clutch teeth, and blocker means coact with the clutch members for positively preventing engagement of the clutch teeth so long as a substantial difference in relative rotational speed exists therebetween, the blocker means including an annular blocker ring having a plurality of axially projecting struts, with the struts having blocking portions thereon, and some of the first clutch teeth are provided with spaces therebetween capable of receiving therethrough the axially projecting struts, and their blocking portions, when the struts and spaces are axially aligned to permit the blocking portions to move axially into the spaces so that the clutch teeth can be engaged. Torque transmitting means transmit torque between the second clutch member and the blocker means for initially circumferentially offsetting the blocker means relative to the first clutch member when the clutch members are disengaged, with this strut blocking portions engaging with an annular side surface of the first clutch member in the disengaged position while frictionally cooperating surfaces on the blocker means and the second clutch member provide a rotational force to the blocker means both before and when the first clutch portion is shifted toward the second clutch member.

Transmission with shift blocker clutch mechanisms

A multiple input and preferably multiple output transmission for industrial, commercial and other vehicles includes axially aligned input and output shafts, a single aligned countershaft, first, second and third input gears, a plurality of foward output gears with one of the forward output gears also being capable of serving as one of the input gears. First, second and third driven countershaft gears are in constant mesh with respective ones of the input gears, and each one of a plurality of driving countershaft gears is in constant mesh with a separate one of the forward output gears, with one of the driving countershaft gears also being capable of serving as one of the driven countershaft gears. Multiple clutch means are utilized for selectively drivably connecting the countershaft with one of the input gears and for selectively drivably connecting the output shaft with the countershaft. A reverse-idler shaft together with its associated gearing provides for a plurality of reverse speeds.

Growing community of inventors

Jackson, MI, United States of America

Robert W Wolfe