USRE22312E - Automatic transmission - Google Patents

Description

May-18, 1943 0.1-1. BANKER AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Original Filed Sept l8, 1936 7 Sheets-sheaf 1 May 13., 1943 a. H. BANKER AUTOMAT IG 'I'IfANSMISS IGN Original Filed s t. 18, 1935 v Sheets-Sheet 2 May 18,1943 0.1-1. BANKER I Re. 22,312

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION;

Original Filed spt. 18, 1936 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 I? cvwezflg /Z\ 52 K a May 18, 1943 o. H. BANKER Re. 22,312

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION '7 Sh ets-Shet 4 Original Filed Sept. 18, 1936 y 4 0. H..BANKEI Re; 22,312 5 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Original Filed Sept. 18, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Mgy'l8, 1943 o. H. BANKEE:

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ori inal Filed Sept. 18, 1936 Ma y 18, 1943 o. HBANKER AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Original Filed Sept. 18. 1936 Re. 22,312 I 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 2 if 0W 0. W J. 7 i gQ O/ w 2 Reissued May 1a, 1943 Jscar H. Banker, Chicago- IIL. asslgnor to New Products Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Original No. 2,262,747, dated November 18, 1941,

Serial No. 101,450, September 18, 1936. Application for reissue January 31, 1942, Serial, No.

7 Claims.

This invention relates to transmission devices and more particularly to an automatic transmission of a type particularly adapted for use in automotive vehicles. It is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved automatic transmission for this purpose.

Another object is to provide such an automatic transmission with silent third and fourth speeds by using planetary gearing for third speed and having no gearing between the motor and the rear axle gearing at fourth speed.

Another object is to provide an automatic four-speed transmission unit so arranged that the change from, third speed to fourth speed may be made only after the car has attained a predetermined speed.

Another and important object of the invention is to provide an automatic four-speed transmission which enables the use of high speed rear axle gears in an automobile, so that when in fourth speed the automobile will'be operating with a minimum engine speed and a minimum of parts in rotation transmitting power. In present day practice, it is customary to furnish, with a three-speed transmission, and low speed rear axle gearing, an overdrlve" device so that at high car speeds (when the three-speed transmission is in "high and a 1:1 ratio) there are two sets of gearing in operation, i. e., the overdrive" mechanism and the rear axle gears. In the present invention, by embodying the means for obtaining a fourth speed in a compact transmission unit, a lower propeller shaft speed is obtained at 1111 car speeds. and at high car speeds only one set of gearing is in operation, 1. e., the

- rear axle gears.

Another object is to provide a four-speed automatic transmission arranged so thatin accelerating the car the shift will be from first to third and then from third to fourth, the shift from third to fourth being attainable when the car speed is about 30 miles per hour and both shifts being automatically affected but initiated under the control of the operator of the car A further object is to provide such a trans-' mission with means for positively shifting from or other purposes requiring increased power; this means serving to shift from ,third back to first when the car is traveling in third speed.

. fourth back to second for hill climbing purposes,

Yet a further object is to provide an automatic transmission, including planetary gearing, shiftable to at least first, second and third gear forward, in which the engine is effective to brake the car when the transmission is in any gear above second. Still a further object is to provide an automatic transmission having first, second, third and fourth. speeds in which the engine is effective to brake the car when the; transmission is in third or fourth speeds and i effective to brake the car in first and second speeds at the option of the driver.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal central section through Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section along the line 4- -4 of Fig. 1.

. Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section along the line 6-8 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '71s a fragmentary sectlon'along the line 'l--.-'!- of Fig. 1. 1

Fig. 8 is a section along the line H of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a section along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a transmission unit illustrating one form of control mechanism for clutch l6.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a transmission unit illustrating another form of control mechanism for clutch i8.

Fig. '12 is a view partially in longitudinal section of a transmissionunit illustrating a modifled form of control mechanism for shifting from third to fourth.

Fig. 13 is a view showing a transmission unit.

drive shaft and rear axle gearing in operative The invention is herein disclosed embodied principally in a four-speed transmission unit as employed in conjunction with high speed rear axle gearing. Hereinafter the transmission will be referred to as having flrst," sedond. "third and "fourth gear or speeds. The gearing for first, second andthird may be selected in view of the high speedrear axle gearing to produce car speeds comparable to the speeds produced by the present day three-speed hand operated transmission. Fourth gear, herein, produces a.

car speed comparable to the car speed produced by a present day overdrive? The transmission is contained in a casing A (Figs. 1 and 13) which may be suitably mounted upon the vehicle chassis. A drive shaft 10 is rotatably mounted in the casing in axial alinement with a driven shaft ll, herein connected by a flexible couping II, a propeller shaft ll", and differential rear axle gearing generally designates B (see Fig. 1-3) to a rear axle E. The diflerential gearing is of usual construction but is designed in view of the construction of the transmission to have a gear ratio of approximately 321. The drive shaft ll may be connected to the driven shaft H (see Fig. 1) by means including a planetary gear device II, a clutch device l3 of the overrunning jaw type (for shifting from third to fourth), centrifugally operated mechanism ll for actuating clutch l3, reduction gearing l5 of the spur type which is in operation for both first and second gear, a clutch device ii for shifting from first to third and vice versa and from fourth to second, and reverse gearing ii engageable by manually shiftable means.

In order that the construction of the transmission, about to be described, may be more readily understood. it is mentioned briefly that when the transmission is in first gear the power from drive shaft ill to driven shaft Ii is transmitted through the planetary gear device I! and the reduction gearing it; both the clutch l3 and the clutch l6 being disengaged, the gear ratio between the shafts being approximately 3.3 to 1.

.shift again under the control of the operator of the car, to lock the planetary gear device and cause the same to rotate as a unit. Both the clutch l3 and the clutch l8 are now in engagement thereby locking the transmission so'that power is transmitted directly from the drive, shaft in to the driven shaft ii at a ratio of 1:1. Second gear is obtained by disengaging clutch l6 thereby again rendering the reduction gearing 15 effective while clutch i3 is in engagement. In second the gear ratio is approximately 2.08 to 1. Such disengagementof the clutch l6 herein is effected manually and is primarily employed to shift the transmission from. fourth gear to second 1 gear. When the transmission is in third gear, disengagement of the clutch ii shifts the transmission toflrst gear.

More particularly the drive'shaft III is rotatably mounted in one end wall A of the casing by v to the carrier 21, i. e., prevent the drive shaft means of a bearing 2| and has a fiangedportion 2| to the outer edge of which a gear element 22 is secured by means of a plurality of bolt and nut devices 28. The gear 22 forms one member, herein a sun or orbit gear, of the planetary gear device l2 and preferably is formed as an internal Herein the gear 22 normally constitutes a driving member, while the reaction member of the planetary gear device I2 is formed by a sun gear 25; Pinions 2|, constituting planetgears, mesh with the gears 22 and 25. The pinions 24 are mounted on short shafts 28 supported on a carrier 21, herein the driven member, which carrier is spllned at 28 to an intermediate shaft 28 rotatably mounted at one end by means of an anti-friction bearing 30 in a socket formed in drive shaft l0 and rotatably mounted at its other end in an antifriction bearing 4| positioned in an intermediate wall A" of the casing. The carrier 21 comprises a disk ll (Figs. 1 and 3) which is splined through a hub II to the shaft 28 and an annular member I2 having projecting portions or blocks 33 (Figs. 2 and 3) adapted to be disposed between the pinions 24 for spacing the member 32 longitudinally fromthe disk 3!. The

member 22 is secured to the disk Si by a plurality of bolt and nut devices 33 terminatingin re-' the hub portion 3! of the carrier 21, and wedging rollers 42. The rollers are held in a retainer 42' which is urged by a single coil spring I!" in a direction tending to wedge the rollers between the cam member and the flange portion 2!, the spring being anchored at one end to the cam member 43 and at the other end to the retainer 3. Herein the clutch device is arranged to per-' mit the drive shaft i0 (and its flanged portion 2 I) to overrun the carrier 21 in a clockwise direction as viewed from the left in Fig. 1 (counterclockwise or in the direction of the arrow on shaft portion II in Fig. 4), but prevents the drive shaft from rotating in the opposite direction relative from rotating slower than the carrier- The sun gear 25 of the planetary gear device l2 (Fig. 1) is formed integrally with a sleeve 44 which surrounds the shaft 28 and is rotatably mounted at oneend by means of an antifricticn bearing 45 and at itsother end by means of an antifriction bearing 45. An overrunning or oneway brake device 41, similar to clutch 42, is in-.

serted between the right hand end of the sleeve 44 and an annular flange J8 projecting from the adjacent wall A" of the casing. This brake device, as best seen in Fig. 7 serves to permit roright hand end in an antifriction bearing 60 in the right hand wall of the casing A and at its inner end by means of an antifrlction bearing ii carried in a socket in the adjacent end of the intermedlate shaft, 29. The drive from the intermediate shaft to the driven shaft for first and second speeds is through the reduction gearing II which comprises a helical gear 02 on the intermediate shaft fl, a helical gear II on a parallel stub, shaft I, an overrunning clutch'device ll positioned intermediate the gear 63 and an adjacent coaxial helical gear 88, and a helical gear I! splined at it on the driven shaft ii. Clutch the gears 03 and 88 when gear I! is driving bu to permit gear I! to'overrun gear Q3.

' The gear 8! is helically splined on the sha I I so that it may be shifted longitudinally thereon from the forward position shown in Fig. 1 toward the right to a neutral position wherein gear 81 is disengaged from gear 6|. and further toward the right to a reverse position wherein gear 61 meshes with an idler gear 89 (Fig. 8)

thedriven shaft ll directly to the intermediate shaft 29 and cutting out the reduction gearing ii. The clutch device i8 is of theoverrunning jaw type comprising jaws II formed on one face of the gear I! and corresponding jaws ll formed on a shiftable clutch collar ll. The laws have bevelled or inclined faces 11' and II for the well known purpose of enabling the clutch to be urged towardengagement and yet remain disengaged until the respective jaws. approach synchronous speed. Clutch It maybe operated by suitable means tending to urge the collar 14 to the left (Fig. 1). Forming part of such means is a cross-shaft 1.6 having a yoke I! fixed thereon and engaging the clutch collar ll.

Two forms of operating mechanisms for the clutch II are' illustrated herein, one form in Figs. 1 'and and the other in Fig. ll. In the form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 10, the clutch operating mechanism includes a separate centrifugal device C attached to the engine clutch housing 'D and a yieldable connection between the centrifugal device and clutch collar 14. The yieldable connection comprises a sleeve I" (Fig. 1) slidable longitudinally on a hub ill of the clutch housing D and provided with a flange II: which abuts an arm portion III of the centrifugal device C, this centrifugal device being pivotally mounted on the clutch housing D by means including a pin I24. The other end of the sleeve ill abuts a collar I" which is provided with a pair oi radially extending pins III which .ena in notches in a bifurcated, element I21 secu'red-toa cross shaft Ill. The shaft ll proiebflthrough the casing A as shown in Fig. 10

and carries on its outer end an arm I28. A coiled spring I is connected intermediate the free end of the arm II! and .an anchoring device iii on the casing A so as normally to hold. the centrifugal device Cin the inner position lilustrated in Fig. 1. An. adlustable connecting rod II! is pivoted atone end to anintermediate portion of the arm in by means of' a pin III and adjacent its other end passes through a suitable aperture in an arm. I! keyed to a projecting' end of shaft II. A collar ill is fixed to the rod I32 and engages one side of the arm ill, while-a slidable collar "I on the rod III device OI also is similar to clutch l2 and herein is arranged to eii'ect a driving engagement between engages the other side of the arm [li and is maintained in such engagement by means of a coil spring I" positioned intermediate the collar I" and a nut I38 threaded on the end of the rod ill. The spring I" thus permits the centrifugal device C to move the rod in towards the left (Fig. 10) and urge collar ll toward engagement with laws 12. Such engagement, however, does not take place because of the bevelled faces 12' and 13' of the laws until by deceleration of the car, the speed of jaws If, i. e., intermediate shaft 28 has dropped down to and fractionally below thespeedof collar 14, i. e., driven shaft H. The centrifugal device C is'eifective to tension the spring I31 at a car speed of from 3 to 5 miles -per hour so that shift from first to third may'be made whenever the car is at or above that speed.

In the second form of operating mechanism. shown in Figs. '11 to 13. an arm I1 is secured on the projectingend of shaft 16 and is urged by a tension spring 11' iii a direction tending and a follower pin 11" on arm 11, so that when I the engine clutch is engaged (as in Fig. 11) the clutch collar is tensioned toward its engaged on the clutch teeth slide over each other with the result that the clutch does not engage, but upon releasing the accelerator so that the intermediate shaft 29 slows down slightly below the speed of the driven shaft Ii the clutch teeth are thereupon engaged automatically to effect a shift from first speed to third speed.

Shift from third to fourth is-effected by engagement of the clutch device I! by the centrifugal means H. Clutch device it, which effects the shift by locking theplanetary gear device l2 to cause the same to function as a unit. is of the overrunning jaw type. It is formed by means of jaws It on the carrier 21 and cor responding 'jawili formed on a collar 52 splined at 53 to the sleeve 44 for movement longitudinally thereof. The faces of the jaws are bevelled in well known manner so that even though the laws are yieldably urged toward one another they will not engage until they reach synchronous speed. For a purpose which will become apparent shortly, the jaws ill and lil are made to have asubstantial blacklash when in engage! ment, which backlash is in excess of the total backlash in the planetary gear device.

While the collar 52 may be shifted in a variety of ways, the centrifugal means it is herein employed. To that end centrifugal weights N are pivotally mounted on pins I on a'plate 5' secured to the sleeve 44 for rotation therewith,

and are operable, when they swing outwardly,

to urge the clutch collar 52 toward the laws I by means-of an arm portion If on each weight, a slidable collar It on the collar 52, and a coiled spring 59 interposed between collar ll and-an annular shoulder 52' on collar I! (see Fig.6). The collar 58 is limited in its movement to the right by a splitring I!" secured in a groove of the collar 52. Guide pins 56' (Fig. 6) extend from'the plate 5 through apertures in laterally extendingears El on the collar I and have v fretaining devices 587' on their outer ends between .which and the collar 50 coiled compression springs ll'f-are positioned. These springs serve 4 to urge thewelghts it toward their inner or inoperative position.

, gear 25 is held against rotation, the carrier 21 will also rotate in clockwise or forward" direction. Under these conditions the sun gear Ii tends to rotate in a counterclockwise or freverse" direction. Such reverse rotation of the sun gear, however, is prevented by means of the uni-directional or overrunning brake device II which, as previously described, functions to hold the sun gear against such reverse rotation. If. however, the drive shaft 18 is suddenly reduced in speed as, for example, by releasing the accelerator ofthe engine there is a reversal of torque through the planetary gear device due to the momentum of the vehicle, causing the driven shaft Ii to become in effect a-drive shaft. This reversal of torque through the planetary gear device causes the sun gear 25 and the plate 88 keyed thereto to rotate in a .forward: or clockwise direction free from any restraining action of the brake device 81. accelerator the attendant reversal of torque effects the rotation of the weight carrying plate 58 and the outward movement of the weights When the vehicle is operating above a preselected speed, say 30 miles per hour, releasing the accelerator so as to slow down the drive- Thus by releasing the basis mission is in third or fourth gear. when the tranmission is in fourth gear the clutch device I! is in engagement compelling the planetary gear device to function as a unit, thereby locking the drive shaft ll tothe intermediate shaft 28 which in turn is locked to the driven shaft I I, the overrunning device being wholly eliminated from the drive train at that time. When the transmission is in third gear the engine is effective to brake shaft HI causes the weights to urge the clutch collar 52 toward the left (Fig. 1) to engage the jaws 58. However, because of the beveled surfaces on the Jaws 80 and 8|, final engagement does not take place until the carrier 21 and the clutch collar 52 reach synchronous speed at which time the carrier speed also will be identical with the speed of the drive shaft l0.

It is to aid and insure the final engagement of the Jaws 50 and 8| that the overrunningclutch l2 and the backlash between the jaws are pro vided. The overrunning clutch II, as previously described, prevents the drive shaft Hi from dropping below the speed of the carrier 21, thereby quickly bringing the drive shaft, the carrier and the clutch collar 52 to rotate in unison, and

thus synchronize the speed of the carrier and will engage before the overrunning device 42 becomes effective to hold the carrier and the drive shaft l8 against relative rotation. This backlash between Jaws 50 and 8| also serves to facilitate disengagement of the jaws should the overrunning device 82 hold the carrier 21 and the drive shaft l8 against relative rotation after all backlash in the planetary gear device has been taken up. When final engagement between the jaws 58 and ii does take place, intermediate shaft 28 is then caused to rotate in unison with driven shaft rotating in unison with the drive shaft. The engine is now transmitting torque to the rear axles at approximately the same ratio;

obtained with the present day overdrive but obtains such transmission of torque with only the rear axle gearing in operation.

The overrunning device 42 serves a second function in that it assures'thatthe engine will i always be available as a brake when the transthe car because the overrunning device 8! prevents the drive'shaft Ill from dropping below the speed of the carrier 21. As the car is decelerated, by releasing the accelerator pedal, the torque through the planetary gear device is reversed and with a slowing down of the motor the carrier 21 is caused to rotate at an increased speed. Because of the overrunning device 42 this speed cannot exceed that of the drive shaft HI and thus will compel the carrier to pick up and rotate with it the drive shaft and hence the engine.

Herein second is employed largely for hill motion connection enabling the arm I34 to functionindependently of the rod 91 when the rod is in the position shown in Fig. 10, while at the same time enabling the rod 81 upon a shift to 'the right positively to disengage the collar 18.

With the actuating mechanism shown in Fig. 11. no manual means in addition to that shown is necessary. Rocking of the clutch pedal 18 in a counterclockwise direction, asviewed in Fig. 11.

causes the cam 18' to swing arm 11 upwardly, thereby positively disengaging collar 14 if it is not already disengaged.

As illustrated herein a manual control is provided for locking out the overrunning clutch 65 and for shifting the transmission from forward to neutral or reverse and vice versa. This control includes a cam shaft (Figs. 8 and 9) which may be suitably connected to a 'control device on the dash of the car. A cam disk 8| is mounted on the shaft 8|) and has its periphery engaged by a follower 82' of an actuator 82 slidably mounted on a rod 83 and urged by a compression spring 83 in a direction to maintain the follower 82 in contact with the cam.

,The actuator 82 is provided with an extending portion 84 bifurcated at 85 to engage a manually shiftable clutch element H8 (Fig. 1) splined on a sleeve 18 of the reverse gear 10 which in turn is keyed to the sleeve 53' as previousiy described. Formed on the clutch" element H8 are teeth H8 adapted upon a shifting of the clutch" H8 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, to engage with cooperating teeth 68 formed'internally of the gear 68. It will be apparent that by such engagement the overrunning clutch 65 is locked out so as to eliminate freewheeling when the transmission is in first or second gear.

To eifecta shift of the gear 51 to forward, neutral or reverse'position, the cam disk 8| has acam slot 8! therein (see Fig. 9) in which a 101? lower 81 engages, said follower being carried on 22,812 an actuator 88 slidabie on the rod 83 and provided arm has a lost motion connection with the yoke,

ll, actuating the collar "of clutch i6, and to that end is provided with an arcuate axial extension 99 adapted to cooperate with an arcu-' ate axial extension It on the yoke 15. The total arcuate length of these extensions is less than 360 so as to provide play between the extensions as at I00, permitting shifting of the collar it when the cam disk is in forward position, as shown in Fig. 9, but positively disengaging collar 14 when the cam disk 8| is shifted to neutral position, that is with the cam 8i rotated counterclockwise approximately 45.

With the parts in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 9, the control disk 8| as well as the shiftable gear 61 is in forward position. To shift the gear 81 to neutral position the cam disk BI is rotated counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. '9. whereupon the radial portion 85' of the slot 88 engages follower 81 to shift actuator 88 to the right and thereby shift gear 61 to neutral position. During such rotation the follower 82 rides on the dwell surf-ace 9| and thus remains in the position shown in Fig. 9, and the clutch element IIB correspondingly remains in its normal, .disengaged position. Follower 99 rides on the cam surface 92 and .thus swings the arm 98 upwardly withthe result that the extension 99 would engage the extension I and thereby disengage clutch collar M if it is not already disengaged.

for shifting movement but does not effect a shift.

To shift the gear 61 to reverse, the cam disk II is given a further counterclockwise rotation. as viewed in Fig. 9. The radial portion 86' of the slot 96 would then shift the actuator It a step farther causing gear 61 to mesh with reversing gear Ill. During such further rotation the'.fol-

lower 82' would continue to ride on the dwell surface 9| while follower 98' would now ride on a dwell surface 93 thereby retaining the clutch collar it in disengaged position.

To look out the overrunningmlutch SI the cam disk 8| is rotated in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 9. During such rotation cam surface 8t would engage follower I! to shift actuator 82 to the left thereby engaging clutch element III with gear 86. At the same time the follower I1 would-ride in the arcuate portion 88" of the slot 86, thereby leaving actuator 88 in the position shown in Fig. 9, while the follower 98 would ride on the dwell surface 9| leaving the clutch collar it free to move to the left in Fig. 1. However. with the overrunning clutch. it locked out in this manner the clutch collar 'l-l cannot be synchronized with gear 62 and therefore the clutch It cannot be engaged.

The operation of the transmission in the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 10 will now be described. It is contemplated that the clutch drum D il- .ustrated in Fig. 1 may be one element of a manually operable clutch, the other element of which is controlled by the usual clutch pedal or, if, desired, the clutch drum D'may be one element of an automatic clutch. Such clutches may be of the type disclosed in applicant's Patent -No. 2,042,454, dated June 2. 1936. Furthermore clutch element D may represent one element of such well known automatic p'ower transmitting mechanism as a fluid flywheel. An automatic engine clutch device is preferably used with the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 10,

so that when the engine is idling the engine clutch is disengaged and upon increasing the speed of the engine the engine clutch automatically engages at a predetermined speed.

} Let it be assumed that the engine with which the transmission is associated is running at an idling speed and that the transmission is in neutral. Under those conditions, gear 61 is shifted to neutral position out of engagement with gear 68 and clutch collar 14 is positively shifted to disengage clutch It by the cam disk 8|, which also thereof. The transmission is now in first gear and the vehicle will run in a forward direction. the torque being transmitted from drive shaft ll through the planetary gear device l2, shaft 29, reduction gearing It, and gear 61 to the driven shaft ll. As the car is accelerated the centrifugal device C is actuated and thus through link I32 and spring I31 urges the clutch collar 14 toward engagement with the clutch Jaws 12. Engagement of the clutch. however. does not take place because the faces of the jaws are bevelled and the laws 12 are rotating at a greater speed than are the Jaws l3.

While final engagement of the laws 12 and II is effected by the centrifugal device 0 and the spring ill, the time of such engagement is determined by the operator of the car. such engagement, the operator simply releases the accelerator pedal thereby causing the gear 62 to slow. down rapidly while clutch collar 14 condirectly connectingthe driven shaft II to theintermediate shaft 29 and cutting out the reduc tion gear It. The transmission now is in third gear, and the torque from drive shaft in is transmitted through the planetary gear device II. the intermediate shaft 29. and clutch it directly to the'driven shaft Ii. With the high speed rear axle gearing herein disclosed as employed. third missions. 1

When the car has'obtained a speed of thirty miles or more, the transmission may be shifted to fourth gear which withthe high speed rear axle gearing corresponds to the overdrive employed with some transmissions. This shift again is made automatically but with the time of shift under the control of the operator of the car. To effect the shift from third to fourth, the operator again releases the accelerator thereby permitting the engine to drop to idling speed. Such release of the accelerator-pedal effects a' reversal of the torque in the transmission with the result that the driven shaft 1 I now in eflect becomes a drive shaft. As an incident to such reversal of torque, the disk 56, carrying centrifugal weights 54, which heretofore had been held against counterclockwise rotation as viewed from the drive shaft gear corresponds to high gear of ordinary transtion and in such rotation is unrestrained by the v 22,312 end of Fig. 1, isnow rotated in a clockwise direcoverrunnlng brake ll. With such rotation of the disk It the centrifugal weights It are thrown outwardly thereby shifting collar II and through "spring 59 urging clutch collar If in a direction to effect engagement with clutch laws formed on the planet gear carrier 21. Jaws II and ti because of the lost motion provided in the intermediate connections so as to insure that the clutch will be fully, engaged when the pedal is released. The connections between the arm ,1!

and the shaft 16 are so designed that when the pedal' II is moved from its full linepositionof Fig. 13 to the intermediate dashed line position again have beveled faces so that engagement does not take place until the rotation of the, jaws is synchronized, that is,'.when the .planetary gear device is operating as a unit. Such engagement is aided and facilitated by the provision of the overrunning clutch 42 which, as previously described in detail, prevents the drive shaft II from dropping below the speed of the carrier 21 and thus tends to lock the planetary gear device when the carrier and the drive. shaft are rotating at the same speed, that is,'when the planetary gear device is operating as a unit. Engagement of the laws 50 and II prior to such locking {of the drive shaft and carrier 21 is assured by the provision of the large back-lash betweenthe Jaws -which is in excess of the total back-ll .h in the planetary gear device. with the clutch l3 engaged. the intermediate. shaft 2! is in effect coupled directly to the drive shaft ll therebycausing the entire transmission to transmit the torque inthe ratioof 1 to l'becausethedrivenshaft ll already is directly connected to the intermediate L the cam It is rotated so that the high point raises the roller 11" and thereby rotates the shaft II to hold the clutch collar ll out of engagement with clutch teeth I2. Thus the clutch Il may be disengaged without disengaging the engine .clutch. However, when the foot pedal is released and moves to its full line'position the roller 11" rides down on the lower portion of the cam I! thus allowing the arm II to rotate the shaft I. under the influence of spring I1 so as to permit engagement of the clutch I.

when the parts thereof are properly synchronized.

' for the operator to disengage the clutch Ii to shift gears by depressing the pedal ll half way without disengaging the engine clutch. Furthermore when starting, with the motor running and the pedal II in its fully depressed position, the

cutting out the overrunning clutch It. In third gear the engine is available to brake the car because the overrunning clutch ll prevents the carrier 21 from exceeding the speed of-rotation of 1 the drive shaft II. This is an extremely desirable characteristic of the transmission for it gives to the operator a control over the car not found in a transmission having freewheeling at corresponding gears. w i

First, third and fourth gears usually provide a range of gear ratios required for normal driving conditions. Second gear is employed primarilyforhillclimbingandsimiiarpurposesand tothat end is reached through fourth gear. To effect the shift to second gear, the clutch I. is positively disengaged again to restore the reduction gearing II in the drive train, while the planetary gear device continues to function as a unit. Such disengagement of the clutch II is effected manually and with the form of actuating mechanism shown in Fig. 10 is accomplished through the manipulation of suitable means, not

shown, acting through the rod 81 to rock shaft II, In the form of operating mechanism shown in Fig. 11, the clutch I! is ed by depressing operator may by releasing the pedal half way, to its intermediate position, engage the engine clutch and start the car while still holding the clutch II disengaged until the gearing is in full operation, after which the pedal ll may be fully released to its full line position of Fig. 13 without danger of starting in third speed instead .of

first.

In this form of the invention, the clutch collar 14 is urgedtoward engaged position upon proper release of the clutch pedal and does not depend upon centrifugal means forits actuation as does 7,

theform of operating mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 10. Engagement of the-clutch ll, however, does not take place until by deceleration of the engine the gear has been brought down to and generally a fraction of a revolution below the speed of rotation of the clutch collar It, to fully synchronise collar II with gear 6! andposition the clutch teeth thereof in enga ing relation.

With either form of mechanism ment of clutch II when the is in fourth gear returns the-on to second gear, and disengagement of clutch" when the transmission is inthird gear returns the to v firstgear.

' the clutch pedal 18 all the way to extreme left position, shown in dotted linesin Fig.- 13, whereby rod it rotates cam w which in turn acts through arm 11 and shaft l8 positively to withdraw the clutch collar-II. with the form of operating mechanism illustrated in Figs. 11 and 13, it is contemplated that the foot pedal 18 may be moved from the line position of Fig. 13

iwherein theengine clutch is engaged) to the extreme left position, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 13, wherein the engine clutchis- In the intermediate dashed line position illustrated the engine clutchis also'e'ngaged, the

movement r the pedal is from the intermediate is Itwilibenotedthatinnrstandsecondgear thereduction gearing II is always in the drive train and thus permits of freewheeling because of'the overrunnin'g clutch 68. This overrunning clutch may be locked out and the freewheeling eliminated at the option of the operator of the car. Buch looking out of the overrunning clutch it is effected simply by rotating the cam disk ll stilifartherinaclockwisedirectiomasviewed -in Fig. 9. Duringsuch rotation of the cam disk. follower I! which shifted the gear I] from neutrol to forward position now rides idlyin the arcuate slot portion ll" while the cam follower l2 rides on a cam portion and with its actu-v ator l2 isiforced to the left, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 9, and thus shifts the clutch lllinto engagement with the gear It. This couples the gear ll directly to the gear ll cuttlngout the overrunning clutch OI. It willbe apparent that thecamdiskllmayberotatedtoiockoutthe position to the full line position being possible With this arrangement it is therefore possible basis counterclockwise direction back to neutral position thereby again shifting the gear I to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, to a position intermediate the gear 56 and gear Ill. Reverse is obtained by rotating the cam disk II in a counter clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 9, from neutral position. Such rotation of the cam disk Ii causes the actuator 89 to be shifted to the right, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 9, and causes gear ii to mesh with gear through the idler gear 69.

Fig. 12 shows a modified form of actuating means for the clutch i3, the remainder of the transmission being of the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 9, 11 and 13. In the modified form shown in Fig. 12, the clutch collar 52 is urged to clutch engaging iafiltion by a tensioning means generally designated ill! but final engagement thereof is still controlled by the operator through deceleration of the engine. The means for tensioning the clutch collar 52 toward clutch engaged position comprises a yoke Ill engaging tive to said second shaft, planet gears meshing said second gear and adapted to engage said planet gear carrier to cause said planetary gear device to operate as a unit, and means for urging said clutch collar toward engaged position, final engagement being under the control of the or erator.

2. In an automatic transmission for automotive vehicles, a casingya first shaft and'a second shaft rotatably mounted in said casing, a planetary gear device adapted to be interposed, between said shafts comprising a first gear fixed on said first shaft, a second gear rotatable relaplanet gear carrier, a one-way brake interposed between said second gear and said casing permitting said second gear to rotate in one direction but preventing rotation thereof in the. op-

the collar and pivotally mounted on a shaft 142 extending transversely of the transmission. An arm 3 also pivotally mounted on the shaft Ill and having a limited lost motion with respect to the yoke ill is connected to the yoke by a spring I to form anovercenter device 'out'f of the .tensioning means. not shown, is connected to the arm Ill to swing.

the same to the position shown in Fig. 12 in Suitable means,

which the spring I urges the collar 52 toward engagement with jaws ill or to the opposite overcenter position at which time the spring I would withdraw the collar 62 from engagement with the jaws Ill and tend to cause engagement .of Jaws! formed on the opposite end of the clutch collar with jaws I" formed on the annular flange .8. With this form of tensioning means for the clutch II, the clutch collar may be present at any time desired by the operator with engagement postponed and controlled until the engine is decelerated. With this construction clutch I: may be engaged at the time desired by the operator without reference to the speed'of the car and, moreover, the clutch I! 'may be retained disengaged when the engine is decelerated even though the car may be travelling at more than thirty miles per hour, at which the clutch I3 is engaged in the form of the transmission shown in Fig. 1. The operation of the transmission shown in Fig. 12 is identi al with that shown in Fig. 1 with the exception of the means for actuating the clutch ll. Lugs I" limit the movement of arm I43.

I claim as m invention:

1. In an automatic transmission for automotive vehicles, a casing, a first shaft and a second shaft rotatably mounted in said casing, a planetary gear device adapted to be interposed between said shafts comprising a first gear fixed on posite direction for rendering said planetary gear device operative, a clutch collar rotatable with said second gear and adapted to engage said planet gear carrier to cause said planetary gear device to operate as a unit, and centrifugal means" carried by said second gear and operable upon rotation to urge said clutch collaftowardengaged'positionl final engagement of the clutchw being under the control of the operatonli- 3. In. an automatic transmission for ai1Q'-. motive vehicles, a casing, a. first shaft and a running clutch interposed between said planet gear carrier and said first shaft preventing said "first shaft from dropping below the speed of said planet gear carrier, a one-way brake interposed between said second gear and said casing permitting said second gear to rotate in one directiori. but preventing rotation thereof in the opposite direction for rendering said planetary gear device operative, a clutch collar rotatable with said. second gear and adapted to engage said' planet gear carrier to cause said planetary gear device to operate as a unit, and an overcenter tensioning device manually settable to urge said clutch collar toward engaged position, final engagement of the clutch being under the control of the operator. L

4. A transmission for an automotive vehicle,

' compirsing, in combination, a casing, an engine said first shaft, a second gear rotatable relative to said second shaft, planet gears meshing with said first and second gears and a planet gear carrier keyed to said second shaft, an overrunning clutch interposed between said planet gear carrier and said first shaft preventing said first shaft from dropping below the speed of said planet gear carrier, a one-way brake interposed betweensaid second gear and saidcaslng permitting said second gear to rotate in one directon but preventing rotation thereof in the opposite directicnfor renderingsaid planetary gear device'operative, a clutch collar'rotatable with drive shaft and a driven shaft rotatably mounted in said casing, reduction gearing interposed between said drive shaft and said driven shaft connectlble in at least first, second and third gear, said gearing including an overruning clutch operative when the transmission is in first or second gear to provide freewheeling, means operative when the transmission is shifted to any gear above second to render the engine effective for braking the vehicle, and manually actuable means for completing a gear train excluding said overrunning clutch to render the engine effective for braking the vehicle at all speeds.

5. An automatic transmissionfor obtaining first, second, third and fourthspeeds in automotive vehicles comprising, in combination, a

"(5 drive shaft, a driven shaft, a first reduction gearing and a second reduction gearing between said drive and driven shafts. bothgearing being operative to obtain .said' first gear, means. for

connecting said drive shaft to said driven shaft through said first reduction gearing and-independently of said second reducting gearing when said first reduction gearing is in operation to obtain said third speed, means for effecting the drive of said driven .shaft to rotate at the same speed as said drive shaft to obtain said fourth speed, and means foreflecting the drive of the I driven shaft through said second reduction gearing to obtain said'second speed, said second reduction gearing including a unidirectional clutch permitting said driven shaft to overrun said drive shaft when the transmission is in second speed, and a unidirectional clutch between the drive and driven shafts effective to prevent the drive shaft from dropping below the speed of the driven shaft to obtain braking by the engine of the vehicle in third speed.

6. In a transmission mechanism,.coaxia1 drive and driven members,- a gear free to rotate rem- 'tive to the drive and driven members, positive type clutch means adapted when engaged to establish a certain speed reductionv ratio between said drive and driven members through a gear train including said gear, a second positive type clutch means adapted when engaged to prevent relative-rotation between said gear and the drive member,-whereby direct drive will be established between the drive and driven members by way of said gear and both said clutches,

and a unidirectional clutch between the drive anddriven shafts effective to prevent the drive shaft from dropping below the speed of the driven shaft to obtain braking by the engine 5 of the vehicle when the transmission mechanism is in said first mentioned speed reduction ratio.

7. An automatic transmission for obtaining first, second, third and fourth speeds in automothe vehicles comprising, in combination, a drive shaft, a driven shaft, a first reduction gearing v and a second reduction gearing between said drive and driven shafts, both gearing being operative to. obtain saidfirst gear, means for counecting said drive shaft to said driven/shaft through said first reduction gearing and inde-' pendently of said second reduction gearing when said nrst reduction gearing is in operation to obtain said third speed, means for effecting the drive of said driven shaft to rotate at the,

same speed as said drive shaft to obtain said fourth speed. and meansthereaiter operable for the drive of the drivenshaft through esaid second reduction gearing to obtain said sec: and speed, said second reduction gearing including a unidirectionalclutch permitting said 'driven shaft to overrun said drive shaft when the'transmission is in second speed, and a uni-- directional clutch between the drive and driven shafts effective to prevent the drive shaft from l -droppinabelowtbespeedoithedriven shaftto obtain braking by the engine oftbe vehiclein oecaannasm.

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