Multiple countershafts transmission |
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| 申请号 | US3654822D | 申请日 | 1970-05-01 | 公开(公告)号 | US3654822A | 公开(公告)日 | 1972-04-11 |
| 申请人 | WHITE MOTOR CORP; | 发明人 | SINGER ROBERT B; MUIR EARL B; KOTZAR ANDREW J; | ||||
| 摘要 | A gearset including an input shaft, multiple identical countershafts, a quill shaft and appropriate gears and clutches provides choice among multiple paths of power flow to a ring gear and as well as to a sun gear of a set of planetary gearing, the planet gear carrier of the set being connected to an output shaft. In addition, brake means are provided to selectively immobilize the ring gear and the sun gear. The clutches and brakes may be operated in various combinations to provide a progressive series of 32 ratios of speed output to speed input. Gear shift control units may be mounted on the basic transmission assembly interchangeably to provide gear ratios selected from the 32 overall ratios to transform the basic transmission assembly into anyone of five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 15 speed transmissions, there being a family of transmissions available in each category. | ||||||
| 权利要求 | 1. In a transmission of the character described, the combination of: a rotary input member; a rotary output member; a transmission assembly operatively connecting the input member to the output member, said transmission assembly incorporating multiple gear trains for use in various combinations to provide a given number of paths of power flow through the transmission assembly of different overall gear ratios in a progressive series of overall gear ratios, said given number being substantially in excess of the number of overall gear ratios required for the operation of any one of a plurality of vehicles; a plurality of controls including a plurality of clutches incorporated in the transmission assembly for use selectively to activate said given number of paths of power flow, respectively; and a plurality of shift control units for operative connection interchangeably to said transmission assembly for actuating said controls, each of said interchangeable shift control units being effective to activate a selected number of saId paths of power flow less than said given number in a progressive series of overall gear ratios, said selected number of paths of power flow operable by each of the interchangeable shift control units being appropriate for a particular vehicle in a particular kind of service. 2. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said transmission assembly comprises a gearset and planetary gearing having at least three interacting rotary components, the gear set being operatively connected to two of the rotary components, the third rotary component being connected to said rotary output member; and in which said gear set includes two countershaft means with plural paths of power flow for use selectively from the rotary input member through the two countershaft means to said two of the rotary components. 3. A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which said first countershaft means comprises at least one shaft parallel with the axis of the rotary input member; in which said second countershaft means is a tubular shaft in axial alignment with the rotary input member, and in which a shaft extending through the tubular shaft is connected to one of said two rotary components. 4. A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which said plurality of control means includes releasable means to immobilize at least one of said first and second components of the planetary gearing. 5. A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which said plurality of control means includes means to immobilize said first rotary component of the planetary gearing, and means to immobilize the second rotary component. 6. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which all of said plurality of controls are employed in said selected number of combinations. 7. A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said given number of paths of power flow is substantially larger than the number of gear trains. 8. In a transmission of the character described, the combination of: a rotary output member; a gearset including a rotary input member, first countershaft means and second countershaft means; planetary gearing having at least three interacting rotary components; gear trains to interconnect various parts of the gearset and to connect the gearset to the planetary gearing, said gear trains including a first plurality of gear trains or different gear ratios in the gearset to connect the rotary input member to the first countershaft means, said gear trains further including a second plurality of gear trains of different gear ratios in the gearset to connect the first countershaft means to the second countershaft means; controls to activate said gear trains selectively; a control including a clutch to connect the first countershaft means to one of a first and a second of said rotary components to rotate said one rotary component in one direction; a control including a clutch to connect the second countershaft means to the same rotary component to rotate the same rotary component in the opposite direction; a third rotary component of the planetary gearing being connected to said output member; a control to immobilize at least one of said first and second rotary components of the planetary gearing; and means to operate a given number of predetermined combinations of said controls selectively to complete the given number of paths of power flow through the gearset to the planetary gearing to drive said third rotary component of the planetary gearing at different speeds relative to the speed of said input member in a progressive series of relative speeds, said given number of combinations exceeding the total number of gear trains. 9. In a transmission of the character described, the combination of: a rotary output member; planetary gearing having at least three interacting rotary components; a gearset including a rotary input member, first countershaft means in parallel with said rotary input member, second counteRshaft means in the form of a tubular shaft in axial alignment with the rotary input member and a shaft extending through the tubular shaft to one of a first and a second of said rotary components of the planetary gearing; gear trains to interconnect various parts of the gearset and to connect the gearset to the planetary gearing, said gear trains including a first plurality of gear trains of different gear ratios in the gearset to connect the rotary input member to the first countershaft means, said gear trains further including a second plurality of gear trains of different gear ratios in the gearset to connect the first countershaft means to the second countershaft means; controls to activate said gear trains selectively; controls to operatively connect the gearset selectively to a first rotary component and a second rotary component of the planetary gearing; a third rotary component of the planetary gearing being connected to said output member; a control to immobilize at least one of said first and second rotary components of the planetary gearing; and means to operate a given number of predetermined combinations of said controls selectively to complete the given number of paths of power flow through the gearset to the planetary gearing to drive said third rotary component of the planetary gearing at different speeds relative to the speed of said input member in a progressive series of relative speeds, said given number of combinations exceeding the total number of gear trains. 10. A combination as set forth in claim 9 which includes means to releasably connect the input member to the shaft that extends through the tubular shaft. 11. A combination as set forth in claim 9 in which said first countershaft means comprises a plurality of countershafts in symmetrical arrangement about the axis of the input member. 12. A combination as set forth in claim 11 in which the planetary gearing includes a sun gear, a ring gear and a planet gear carrier, said planet gear carrier being connected to said rotary output member; and in which said shaft that extends through the tubular shaft is united with said sun gear for rotation thereof. 13. A combination as set forth in claim 12 in which one of said clutch means is effective to operatively connect the tubular shaft to the ring gear. 14. A combination as set forth in claim 11 which further includes: a central gear floatingly mounted on the tubular shaft; idler gear means in constant mesh with said last mentioned central gear and with said ring gear; and in which said clutches include a clutch to operatively connect said last mentioned floating central gear with the tubular shaft. 15. A combination as set forth in claim 14 in which said idler gear means comprises a plurality of gears rotatably mounted on the plurality of shafts of the first counter shaft means. 16. In a transmission of the character described, the combination of: a rotary output member; a gearset including a rotary input member, first countershaft means and second countershaft means; planetary gearing having at least three interacting rotary components; gear trains to interconnect various parts of the gearset and to connect the gearset to the planetary gearing, said gear trains including a first plurality of gear trains of different gear ratios in the gearset to connect the rotary input member to the first countershaft means, said gear trains further including a second plurality of gear trains of different gear ratios in the gearset to connect the first countershaft means to the second countershaft means; controls to activate said gear trains selectively; controls to operatively connect the gearset selectively to a first rotary component and to a second rotary component of the planetary gearing; a third rotary component of the planetary gearing being connected to said output member; a control to immobilize at least one of said fiRst and second rotary components of the planetary gearing; and means to operate a given number of predetermined combinations of said controls selectively to complete the given number of paths of power flow through the gearset to the planetary gearing to drive said third rotary component of the planetary gearing at different speeds relative to the speed of said input member in a progressive series of relative speeds, said given number of combinations exceeding the total number of gear trains. 17. A combination as set forth in claim 16 which includes means including a clutch means operative to connect the first countershaft means to one of said first and second components; and which includes clutch means to lock the planetary gearing for rotation as a unit. 18. A combination as set forth in claim 16 in which at least most of said predetermined combinations of the controls consist of combinations of four controls. 19. A combination as set forth in claim 16 in which said first plurality of gear trains constitute the sole paths of power flow from said input member. 20. A combination as set forth in claim 16 in which the second countershaft means is actuated solely by said second plurality of gear trains. 21. A combination as set forth in claim 16 in which said given number substantially exceeds the number of different speeds required for any one vehicle; in which said given number includes various sets of fewer than said given number of combinations suitable for particular vehicles; and in which the combinations in each of said sets includes all of said controls. 22. A combination as set forth in claim 21 which includes a removable shift control unit to operate said controls to provide a selected one of said various sets of combinations appropriate for a given vehicle. 23. A combination as set forth in claim 22 in which said removable shift control unit is one of a plurality of different interchangeable shift control units to permit the transmission to be adapted to the needs of different vehicles. 24. In a transmission of the character described, the combination of: a rotary input member; a rotary output member; planetary gearing including first, second and third interacting rotary components, the third rotary component being connected to the output member; a gearset actuated by the input member and incorporating multiple gear trains to provide a number of paths of power flow through the gearset of different overall gear ratios; a plurality of control means including a first brake means to immobilize said first rotary component and a second brake means to immobilize said second rotary component and further including clutches to connect the gearset to said first and second rotary components and to activate various portions of said paths of power flow; means to operate various combinations of said clutches to lock the planetary gearing for rotation as a unit for a first mode of operation and to activate various of said paths of power flow for different speed ratios in the first mode of operation; means to operate the first brake means and various combinations of the clutches to activate various of said paths of power flow for a second mode of operation; means to operate the second brake means and various combinations of the clutches to activate various of said paths of power flow for a third mode of operation; and means to operate various combinations of the clutches to activate various of said paths of power flow to the first rotary component and simultaneously to activate various other of said paths of power flow to the second rotary component for a fourth mode of operation. 25. A method of transmitting power from a rotary input member to a rotary output member at various ratios of output speed to input speed, characterized by the steps of: connecting one of three interacting components of planetary gearing to said output member with the other two interacting components availablE for power input; connecting to said input member a gearset affording choice among multiple gear trains between the input member and a first countershaft means and choice among multiple gear trains between the first countershaft means and a second countershaft means, thereby providing choice of at least two paths of power flow to the first countershaft means and choice among at least six different paths of power flow to the second countershaft means; carrying out one mode of operation by locking the planetary gear to rotate as a unit and directing one of said paths of power flow from one of the two countershaft means to the planetary gearing for transmission thereby direct to the output member; carrying out a second mode of operation by immobilizing one of the two available components of the planetary gearing and transmitting one of said paths of power flow from one of the two countershaft means to the other of the two available components of the planetary gearing; carrying out a third mode of operation by immobilizing the other of the two available components of the planetary gearing and directing one of said paths of power flow from one of the two countershaft means to said one of the two available components of the planetary gearing; and carrying out a fourth mode of operation by directing one of said paths of power flow from the first countershaft means to one of the two available components of the planetary gearing and simultaneously directing one of said paths of power flow from the second countershaft means to the other of the two available components of the planetary gearing. 26. In a transmission, the combination of: a rotary input member; a rotary output member; epicyclic gearing including first, second and third interacting components, the third component being connected to the output member; a gear set including said input member and having a first countershaft means and a second countershaft means; means for power flow from one of said countershaft means to said first component of the epicyclic gearing; means for power flow from one of said countershaft means to the second component of the epicyclic gearing; means to releasably immobilize the second component of the epicyclic gearing; multiple gear trains for multiple paths of power flow through the gear set to said first component and for multiple paths of power flow through the gear set to said second component of the epicyclic gearing including a plurality of paths of power flow from the input member through both of the two countershaft means to said first component, said gear trains including a first plurality of gear trains for a plurality of paths of power flow from the input member to the first countershaft means and a second plurality of gear trains for a plurality of paths of power flow from the first countershaft means to the second countershaft means, said gear trains including a reversing gear train for power flow from one of said countershaft means to the second component of the epicyclic gearing; and a plurality of controls to make the various paths of power flow effective selectively, said controls including controls to activate said gear trains selectively. 27. A transmission as set forth in claim 26 in which each of the paths of power flow from the input member to the epicyclic gearing includes one of said countershaft means. 28. A transmission as set forth in claim 26 in which said plurality of controls include means to lock up the epicyclic gearing for rotation as a unit. 29. A transmission as set forth in claim 26 in which said epicyclic gearing is planetary gearing and in which said first, second and third components are respectively a sun gear, a ring gear and a planet gear carrier. 30. A transmission as set forth in claim 26 in which said input member and second countershaft means are in axial alignment with each other. 31. A transmission as set forth in claim 26 in which said plurality of controlS are operable to divide the power flow between said first and second components for a progressive series of overall gear ratios for one range of speeds; in which the plurality of controls are operable to lock up the epicyclic gearing to rotate as a unit for a progressive series of overall gear ratios for another range of speeds; and in which with said immobilizing means effective to immobilize said second component the plurality of controls are operable for power flow to said first components for a progressive series of overall gear ratios for still another range of speeds. 32. A transmission as set forth in claim 26 which includes means to releasably immobilize said first component. |
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