Remote control system for an automotive transmission in an earth-moving vehicle

In a control system for an automotive transmission in an earth-moving vehicle or the like having a plurality of forward gears as well as neutral and reverse and a progressively movable gear shift member for selecting the same, the combination comprising a fluidic variable frequency oscillator means having a variable feedback loop and a fixed feedback loop as well as a pair of on and off output ports, the variable feedback loop having a variable impedance, means including a manual quadrant lever for progressively varying the impedance and settable at a plurality of successive transmission control positions so that when the quadrant lever is moved between spaced control positions the frequency of the signal at the output ports is swept through the frequencies corresponding to intermediate control positions, the waveform of the output signal being non-symmetrical having an "off" time which is substantially constant and an "on" time which varies in length inversely in accordance with frequency, a manifold, the on output port being coupled to the manifold for developing a pressure therein which varies depending upon the frequency of the signal, a plurality of Schmitt triggers corresponding to respective transmission settings, each of the Schmitt triggers having a control input port, a reference input port, a vent, and an output port, the control input ports of all of the Schmitt triggers being connected to the manifold, means for applying biasing pressure fluid to each of the reference ports with the biasing pressure being progressively stepped so that pressure fluid is produced at the output ports of the Schmitt triggers in cumulative succession in step with progressive movement of the manual quadrant lever into successive control positions, and a power actuator of the progressive indexing type having a series of ports and a plunger, the actuator ports being respectively connected to the output ports of the respective Schmitt trigger devices, and the plunger of the actuator having a connection to the gear shift member of the transmission so that when the manual quadrant lever is moved between spaced control positions the transmission selectively goes through the gears corresponding to all of the intermediate positions thereby to provide smooth transition regardless of the magnitude of the change in gear ratio.

In a control system for an automotive transmission in an earth-moving vehicle or the like having a plurality of forward gears as well as neutral and reverse and a progressively movable gear shift member for selecting the same, the combination comprising a fluidic oscillator having first and second feedback loops as well as a pair of on and off output ports alternately pressurized at the operating frequency, means including a manual quadrant lever for progressively varying the impedance of at least one of the loops and settable at a plurality of successive transmission control positions so that when the quadrant lever is moved between spaced control positions the dissymmetry of the waveform of the output signal is progressively varied thereby to vary the ratio of on time with respect to off time, a transmitter in the form of a bistable fluidic amplifier having a pair of control ports and a pair of on and off output ports, the transmitter having at least one of its control ports coupled to the respective oscillator output port, a receiver in the form of a second bistable amplifier having a pair of control ports and a pair of on and off output ports, a pair of conduits for connecting the output ports of the transmitter to the inlet ports of the receiver for control of the latter with substantial preservation of the oscillator waveform, a manifold, the on output port of the receiver being connected to the manifold for developing a pressure therein which varies with the dissymmetry of the signal at the receiver on output port, a plurality of Schmitt triggers corresponding to respective transmission setting, each of the Schmitt triggers having a control input port, a reference input port, a vent, and an output port, the control input ports of all of the Schmitt triggers being connected to the manifold, means for applying biasing pressure fluid to each of the reference ports with the biasing pressures being progressively stepped so that pressure fluid is produced at the output ports of the Schmitt triggers in cumulative succession in step with progressive movement of the manual quadrant lever into successive control positions, and a power actuator of the progressive indexing type having a series of ports and a plunger, the actuator ports being respectively connected to the output ports of the respective Schmitt triggers, and the plunger of the actuator having a connection to the gear shift member of the transmission so that when the manual quadrant lever is moved betweeh spaced control positions the transmission selectively goes through the gears corresponding to all of the intermediate positions thereby to provide smooth transition regardless of the magnitude of the change in gear ratio.

In a control system for an automotive transmission in an earth-moving vehicle or the like having a plurality of forward gears as well as neutral and reverse and a progressively movable gear shift member for selecting the same, the combination comprising a fluidic oscillator having an on output port which is periodically pressurized at the frequency of the oscillator, the oscillator having adjusting means for varying the proportion of the time that the port is turned on during each period, means including a manual quadrant lever coupled to the adjusting means and settable at a plurality of successive transmission control positions, a manifold, the output port being coupled to the manifold for developing a pressure therein which varies in accordance with the proportion of on time, a plurality of Schmitt triggers corresponding to respective transmission settings, each of the Schmitt triggers having a control input port, a reference input port, an output port, and a vent, the control input ports of all of the triggers being connected to the manifold, means for applying biasing pressure fluid to each of the reference ports with the biasing pressure being progressively stepped so that pressure fluid is produced at the output ports of the Schmitt triggers in cumulative succession in step with progressive movement of the manual quadrant lever into successive control positions, and a power actuator of the progressive indexing type having a series of ports and a plunger, the actuator ports being respectively connected to the output ports of the respective Schmitt triggers, and the plunger of the actuator having a connection to the gear shift member of the transmission so that when the manual quadrant lever is moved between spaced control positions the transmission selectively goes through the gears corresponding to all of the intermediate positions thereby to provide smooth transition regardless of the magnitude of the change in gear ratio.

In a control system for an automotive transmission in an earth-moving vehicle or the like having a plurality of forward gears as well as neutral and reverse and a progressively movable gear shift member for selecting the same, the combination comprising a fluidic oscillator having an output port and first and second feedback loops, each loop having impedance means for determining the length of one-half of a complete oscillatory wave, means for adjusting the impedance means in at least one of the loops to produce a non-symmetric waveform, the adjusting means including a manual quadrant lever settable at a plurality of successive transmission control positions so that when the quadrant lever is moved between spaced control positions the dissymmetry of the signal at the output port is swept through conditions corresponding to intermediate control positions, a manifold, the output port being coupled to the manifold for developing of pressure therein which depends upon the degree of dissymmetry of the waveform, a plurality of Schmitt triggers corresponding to respective transmission settings, each of the Schmitt triggers having a control input port, a reference port, a vent, and an output port, the control input ports of all of the Schmitt triggers being connected to the manifold, means for applying biasing pressure fluid to each of the reference ports with the biasing pressure being progressively stepped so that a pressure fluid condition is produced at the output ports of the Schmitt triggers in cumulative succession in accordance with progressive movement of the manual quadrant lever into successive control positions, and a power actuator of the progressive indexing type having a series of ports and a plunger, the actuator ports being connected to the output ports of the respective Schmitt triggers and the plunger of the actuator having a connection to the gear shift member of the transmission so that when the manual quadrant lever is moved between spaced control positions the transmission is shifted through the gears corresponding to all of the intermediate control positions thereby to provide smooth transition regardless of the magnitude of change of gear ratio.