Power flow transmission
OwnerThomas Pierceinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automatic transmission providing enhanced shifting is disclosed. A circular plate is mechanically coupled to a hydraulic pump and a turbine shaft and supports multiple clutch spindles and a thrust washer. Five multi-plate clutches, including low, intermediate, overdrive, reverse and high clutches, are mounted on the circular plate, which transfers power from the turbine shaft to the clutches via a high clutch drum. A preload plate with bolt holes supports a set of main shaft gears and countershafts in constant mesh and provides end-play adjustment with preload caps. The arrangement enables self-shifting operation without operator intervention, eliminating planetary gear sets and synchronizers to provide smoother shifting, reduced part count and simplified manufacture for vehicles and machinery.
Claims9
An automatic transmission with enhanced shifting means, comprising:
- a hydraulic pump having perimeter holes;
- a circular plate having bolt holes and being mechanically connected to the hydraulic pump via the perimeter holes;
- a turbine shaft passing through the circular plate;
- a plurality of clutch spindles supported by the circular plate;
- a thrust washer supported by the circular plate;
- a plurality of clutches including a reverse clutch, a low clutch, an intermediate clutch, an overdrive clutch, and a high clutch, each clutch mounted to a respective clutch spindle and coupled to the turbine shaft;
- a preload plate having multiple preload-plate bolt holes;
- a plurality of gears and shafts supported by the preload plate, said gears and shafts comprising a reverse idler gear, a low-speed countershaft gear, a low-speed/reverse countershaft, a reverse drive gear, a reverse drive gear shaft, an overdrive-speed main shaft gear, an intermediate-speed main shaft gear, a low-speed main shaft gear, a main shaft, an overdrive-speed countershaft gear, an overdrive-speed countershaft, an intermediate-speed counter-shaft gear, and an intermediate countershaft;
- a preload cap, a bearing cone, and a bearing cup associated with each of the main shaft, the low speed/reverse countershaft, the intermediate countershaft, the overdrive-speed countershaft, and the reverse drive gear shaft;
- a stator support formed as part of the circular plate;
- and,
- wherein the circular plate supports the hydraulic pump and the plurality of clutches such that the turbine shaft transfers power via a high clutch drum to other clutch drums, and wherein the preload plate supports front bearings and shafts and is configured to adjust bearing end play or thrust using the preload cap, bearing cone, and bearing cup.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.