Vehicle power transmission with service brakes

Claim 2

A power transmission comprising transmission input means, power transmitting means drivingly connected to said input means, forward drive gear means and reverse drive gear means rotatably mounted adjacent to one another on a portion of said power transmitting means, clutch means operatively connected to said power transmitting means for selectively connecting either said forward drive gear means or said reverse drive gear means to said power transmitting means, a differential having an input gear operatively connected to said forward and reverse drive gear means and having first and second output members extending in opposite directions, said input gear having an annular friction surface directly on at least one side face thereof, brake means for comprising friction means frictionally engaging said frictional surface of said differential input gear, and motor means for effecting the selective braking engagement of said friction means with said frictional surface to retard rotation of said first and second output members.

Claim 3

The transmission of claim 1, said power transmitting means comprising a hydrodynamic unit and a drive shaft extending axially from said unit, spline means drivingly connecting said hydrodynamic unit and said drive shaft and permitting the limited axial movement of said drive shaft relative to said hydrodynamic unit, said clutch means being within said forward and reverse drive gear means and actuator means for axially shifting said drive shaft axially to selectively clutch said shaft to said forward or said reverse gear means.

Claim 4

In a unitary power package, rotatable input drive means operatively connected to an engine, rotatable input gear means operatively connected to said input drive means for transmitting engine power therefrom, said input gear means having an annular arrangement of gear teeth, rotatable output drive means, rotatable output gear means drivingly connected to said output drive means, said output gear means having an annular arrangement of gear teeth which mesh with said gear teeth of said input gear means, said output gear means having an integral hub portion disposed radially inwardly of said gear teeth thereon, an annular friction surface provided directly on each side of said hub portion, a brake shoe on each side of said output gear means positioned for the selective engagement with each annular friction surface, and actuating means for exerting an apply force on each of said brake shoes urging said brake shoes toward one another for effecting the full frictional engagement of each brake shoe with the cooperating friction surface on said hub portion of said output gear means to retard rotation of said output gear means and said output drive means.

Claim 5

In a unitary power package, rotatable input drive means operatively connected to an engine, rotatable input gear means operatively connected to said input drive means for transmitting engine power therefrom, said input gear means having an annular arrangement of gear teeth, rotatable output drive means, rotatable output gear means drivingly connected to said output drive means, said output gear means having an annular arrangement of gear teeth which mesh with said gear teeth of said input gear means, said output gear means having an integral hub portion disposed radially inwardly of said gear teeth thereon, an annular friction surface provided directly on each side of said hub portion, a brake shoe on each side of said output gear means positioned for the selective engagement with each annular friction surface, and actuating means for exerting an apply force on each of said brake shoes urging said brake shoes toward one another for effecting the full frictional engagement of each brake shoe with the cooperating friction surface on said hub portion of said output gear means to retard rotation of said output gear means and said output drive means.

Claim 6

The invention defined in claim 3 and a housing for said input and output gear means, said housing having fluid lubricant therein with a level covering the portion of said annular friction surfaces engaged by said brake shoes for lubricating and cooling said friction surfaces and brake shoes.

Claim 7

The invention defined in claim 4, said brake actuating means comprising a master cylinder for effecting the engagement of each brake shoe, each of said brake shoes being provided with a spring which applies a force just sufficient to cause said shoes to contact the friction surfaces of said output gear means without braking effort so there is a minimum movement of said brake shoes on brake engagement in response to actuation of said master cylinder.

Claim 8

The invention defined in claim 3, a selectively engageable input clutch driven by an engine, a torque converter driven by the input clutch, said input gear means comprising forward and reverse gearing driven by said torque converter for driving said output gear means, said output gear means having a large diameter to provide a large reduction drive ratio, and said annular friction surfaces on said output gear means being disposed adjacent to the outer perimeter of said output gear means for providing a large bRake capacity.

Claim 9

The invention defined in claim 6 and said output gear means has a large sleeve hub with a differential therein said output drive means being a pair of axle shafts rotatably mounted in said hub.

Claim 10

The invention defined in claim 3 and an engine having a crank shaft axially aligned and drivingly connected to said input drive means, said engine also having a tubular cam shaft and a portion of said output drive means extending through said tubular cam shaft.