US 10,054,195 B2 · Multiple speed gear box

Abstract

A gear box includes an output shaft defining multiple output drivers and includes a plurality of gear sets having the same diametral pitch. A common input shaft is operatively attached to each of the plurality of gear sets such that the gear sets rotate continuously and concurrently with rotation of the input shaft. Each of the output drivers is operatively attached to the output shaft and rotatably driven by a respective one of the plurality of gear sets. The multiple output drivers share a common axis of rotation with the output shaft. The output speed of the gear box may be changed by disconnecting one of the output drivers from a driven device and reconnecting another one of the output drivers to the driven device. The output speed of the gear box may be changed without having to disengage and/or change out any of the gears in the gear box.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A gear box configured to drive a device selectively connected to the gearbox, the gear box comprising:

an output shaft including a first output driver and a second output driver;
wherein the first output driver is operatively attached to the output shaft and the second output driver is rotatably attached to the output shaft such that the first driver, second driver and output shaft have a common axis of rotation defined by the output shaft;
and
wherein the first output driver and the second output driver extend from a common side of the gear box.

1 more element

A method for changing the output speed of a gearbox driving a device selectively connected to the gearbox from an initial output speed to a changed output speed, the method comprising:

providing a gear box including:
an input shaft configured to receive a driving input;
an output shaft including a first output driver and a second output driver;
wherein the first output driver is operatively attached to the output shaft and the second output driver is rotatably attached to the output shaft such that the first driver, second driver and output shaft have a common axis of rotation defined by the output shaft;
wherein the first and second drivers and the first and second plurality of gears are concurrently rotated in use by rotation of the input shaft;
and
wherein the first output driver and the second output driver extend from a common side of the gear box;
disengaging an initial driver from the device;
wherein:
the initial driver is one of the first and second output drivers;
the initial output speed of the gearbox corresponds to the initial driver;
and
selectively connecting the other of the first and second output drivers to the device to change the output speed of the gearbox from the initial output speed to a changed output speed corresponding to the other of the first and second output drivers.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multiple speed gear box

Life of this patent

Multiple speed gear box

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20