All concentric multi-range synchronous shifting hydromechanical transmission including a multi-range concentric gear train package

In a transmission having concentric shafts interconnecting gear elements, the improvement comprising:

• a compound planetary gear set (2, 22) including:
• two concentric sun gears,
• a planetary carrier having a first crank arm extending between said sun gears for attachment to a shaft (20, 21),
• planetary gears supported by said carrier each having a bearing portion journaled through said carrier to permit said planetary gears to rotate independently of said carrier and having gear engaging surfaces on each side of said bearing portion with said gear engaging surface on each side meshing with one of said sun gears,
• a second crank arm portion attached to said carrier and extending outwardly from the axis about which said carrier rotates for attachment to a shaft (26, 27);
• and
• at least three concentric shafts (10, 24, 20, 39, 25, 21) of which at least one is a hollow shaft including:
• a first and a second sun gear shaft, each supporting one said sun gear,
• a third shaft attached to said first crank arm portion of said carrier for supporting said carrier and permitting rotation of said carrier about the axis of rotation of said shaft;
• whereby the rotational motion of said first sun gear shaft (10, 39) can be passed through said third concentric shaft (20, 21) to said second sun gear shaft (24, 25).

In a multi-range transmission having concentric gear elements for combining the inputs available from two concentric input shafts into one or more intermediate rotational speeds and a final stage having concentric gear elements for the further combining of said intermediate speeds with the inputs from one of said two concentric shafts, the improvement of an intermediate range gear package comprising:

• first and second concentric input shafts (10, 16, 60, 39, 36, 74);
• a compound planetary gear set (2, 22) including:
• a first sun gear S.sub.2, S.sub.22, S.sub.72 to said first input shaft (10, 39),
• a second sun gear S.sub.2a, S.sub.22a, S.sub.72a attached to a first hollow shaft (24, 25, 76.sub.a),
• a planetary carrier having a first crank arm extending between said sun gears to an attachment to a core (20, 21, 75.sub.b) shaft extending through said hollow shaft (24, 25) to said final stage (3, 4, 33, 44), said core shaft being concentric with said input shafts and said sun gears,
• compound planetary gears each rotatably mounted on said carrier with gear engaging surfaces on each side of said carrier intermeshing with both said sun gears,
• a second crank arm attached to said carrier and extending away from said core shaft;
• said second crank arm (74, C.sub.2, C.sub.22) being attached to a second hollow shaft (26, 27, 28) which is concentric with the other said shafts;
• a second planetary gear set (5, 55) including sun, ring gear and carrier concentric with and surrounding said core shaft;
• brake, clutch and attachment means for selectively immobilizing and attaching to said first or said second hollow shafts, one or more of said sun, carrier and ring gear of said second planetary gear set;
• a third concentric hollow shaft (48, 49) interconnecting one element of said second planetary gear set and said final stage.