US 4,523,491 AGranted

Motorcycle transmission featuring reverse gear

AssigneeMunicipal Industries, Inc.

InventorFred M. Dittmann, Jr.

Life of this patent

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Abstract

The invention provides a constant mesh reverse gear operable by a standard rotary shift drum and fork system which is located within the engine casing along with from 3-5 forward gears of the motorcycle transmission. The reverse gear is mounted on the countershaft and engages an idler mounted on its own separate shaft in engagement with a main shaft reverse gear. The idler pin is secured between a pair of plates mounted on the transmission endplate. These plates also have apertures therein to receive the main shaft and countershaft. A standard toe-operated shift lever engages a shift arm which in turn engages a pawl and cam plate assembly for rotating the rotary shift drum. The shift forks are operated by pins riding in cam grooves on the rotary shift drum. An indicator plate on the cam plate assembly contains a contact boss. The contact boss engages electrical contacts in the rear of the engine casing so that the engagement of the transmission in reverse gear may be positively indicated. In turn, these contacts activate both a back-up beeper and back-up lights so that both the rider and pedestrians will be aware that the machine is in reverse gear, ready to be backed up. In the preferred embodiment shown, four forward gears, neutral and reverse, are provided.

Claims26

Dependent claims

In a constant mesh gear train assembly for a motorcycle type engine having a main shaft and a countershaft with a plurality of alternate internally splined and freely rotating forward gears, the improvement which comprises in operative combination:

(a) a main shaft reverse gear having means for engagement with said main shaft to permit transfer of power between said main shaft and said main shaft reverse gear;
(b) a countershaft reverse gear mounted to freely rotate on said countershaft, disposed with its gear teeth spaced from the gear teeth of said main shaft reverse gear;
(c) said countershaft reverse gear having means for engagement with at least one adjacent gear mounted on said countershaft;
(d) said countershaft adjacent gear having means for engagement with said countershaft to permit transfer of power between said countershaft and said adjacent gear;
(e) means for selectively shifting said countershaft adjacent gear into engagement with said countershaft reverse gear;
(f) a reverse idler gear having means for maintaining the teeth thereof in continuous rotatable mesh with the teeth of both said main and countershaft reverse gears to transfer power therebetween so that both said main and countershaft reverse gears rotate in the same direction;
thereby providing reverse gearing throughout the full range of engine power.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/396,642Filed 9 Jul 1982
Granted: 18 Jun 1985
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

F16H 3/089
Characterised by the disposition of the gears: all of the meshing gears being supported by a pair of parallel shafts, one being the input shaft…
F16H 63/18
The final output mechanisms being successively actuated by progressive movement of the final actuating mechanism: the final actuating mechanism…
F16H 63/14
Multiple final output mechanisms being moved by a single common final actuating mechanism: the final output mechanisms being successively actuated…
F16H 2200/0043
Characterised by the number of forward speeds: the gear ratios comprising four forward speeds