Power transmission

Claim 2

In a transmission, first, second and third gear units, each unit including a planet carrier supporting a planet pinion in mesh with a sun gear and a ring gear, respectively, a final power delivery shaft, the ring gear of said first gear unit and the planet carriers of said second and third gear units being fixed to each other and to said final power delivery shaft for rotation as a unit, the ring gear of said second gear unit being connected to the sun gear of said third gear unit for rotation therewith as a unit, means connecting the sun gear of said first and second gear units to each other for rotation as a unit, an engine driven power input shaft, a shaft intermediate said power input and final power delivery shafts rotatable as a unit with said third gear unit sun gear and second gear unit ring gear, an engageable and releasable clutch between said engine driven shaft and said intermediate shaft, a second clutch effective when engaged to connect said engine driven power input shaft to said first and second unit sun gears, a first brake for braking said third gear unit ring gear against rotation, a second brake for braking said first gear unit carrier against rotation, a third brake for braking said first and second gear unit sun gears against rotation, said first clutch and third gear unit brake being engaged to establish first gear drive, said first clutch and said first gear unit planet carrier brake being engaged to establish second gear drive, said first clutch and said first and second gear unit sun gear brake being engaged to establish third gear drive, and said first and second clutches being engaged to establish direct drive.

Claim 3

The invention defined in claim 1 and said transmission including a stationary central web member disposed between said engine driven power input shaft and said final power delivery shaft and rotatably supporting said intermediate shaft, said central web forming forward and rearward locations housing said first clutch, said second clutch and said third brake and said gear units, said first brake and said second brake respectively; and said central web providing support for said second and third brakes.

Claim 4

The invention defined in claim 2 and said second and third brakes being fluid operated and including apply piston means for engaging said brakes, said second clutch being fluid operated, and said central web member including a pair of chambers for slidably supporting both said apply piston means, and first, second and third fluid passage means for supplying fluid to said second brake, third brake, and said second clutch respectively.

Claim 5

In a transmission, a housing, an input shaft rotatably mounted in the housing; an output shaft rotatably mounted in the housing; a central web secured to said housing between said input and output shafts; first brake means operatively connected with said central web on the output shaft side of said web; second brake means operatively connected with said housing on the output shaft side of said web; third brake means operatively connected with said web on said input shaft side thereof; first and second clutch means operatively connected to said input shaft on the input shaft side of said web; first, second and third planetary gear means on said output shaft side of said web, one member of each of said planetary gear sets being drivingly connected to said output shaft, a member of said third planetary gear means being operatively connected with said second brake means, a member of said first planetary gear means being operatively connected with said first brake means, a member of each of said second and third planetary gear means being operatively connected with said first clutch means and a member of each of said first and second planetary gear means being operatively connected with said second clutch means and said third brake means; said clutch means and said brake means being selectively engageable to provide a simple reduction ratio in each of said second and third planetary gear means, a compound reduction in said second and third planetary gear means, a compound reduction ratio in said first and second planetary gear means, and a one-to-one ratio in all of said planetary gear means.

Claim 6

In a transmission, a housing, an input shaft rotatably mounted in the housing; an output shaft rotatably mounted in the housing; a central web secured to said housing between said input and output shafts; first brake means operatively connected with said central web on the output shaft side of said web; second brake means operatively connected with said housing on the output shaft side of said web; third brake means operatively connected with said web on said input shaft side thereof; first and second clutch means operatively connected to said input shaft on the input shaft side of said web; first, second and third planetary gear means on said output shaft side of said web, one member of each of said planetary gear sets being drivingly connected to said output shaft, a member of said third planetary gear means being operatively connected with said second brake means, a member of said first planetary gear means being operatively connected with said first brake means, a member of each of said second and third planetary gear means being operatively connected with said first clutch means and a member of each of said first and second planetary gear means being operatively connected with said second clutch means and said third brake means; said clutch means and said brake means being selectively engageable to provide a simple reduction ratio in each of said second and third planetary gear means, a compound reduction in said second and third planetary gear means, a compound reduction ratio in said first and second planetary gear means, and a one-to-one ratio in all of said planetary gear means.

Claim 7

The invention defined in claim 4 and said clutch means and said brake means each having fluid operated piston means for applying said clutch and brake means; and said central web including passage means for communicating fluid pressure to said piston means of said second clutch means and said first and third bRake means individually.

Claim 8

In a transmission a housing; an input shaft rotatably supported in said housing; an output shaft rotatably supported in said housing; a central web secured to said housing intermediate said input and output shafts; planetary gear means disposed between said central web and said output shaft for establishing drive ratios including first, second and third planetary gear sets each having a first member, a second member, and a third member, said first member of each of said planetary gear sets being secured for rotation with said output shaft, said second member of said first and second planetary gear sets being interconnected for common rotation, said third member of said second planetary gear set and said second member of said third planetary gear set being interconnected for common rotation; first brake means operatively connected with said third member of said first planetary gear set and having a portion housed in said central web and being selectively engageable for restraining rotation of the third member; second brake means having a portion housed in said housing being selectively operatively connected with said third member of said third planetary gear set, an intermediate sleeve shaft rotatably supported in and extending through said central web and being secured for rotation with said interconnected second members; an intermediate shaft rotatably supported in and extending through said intermediate sleeve shaft and being secured for rotation with said interconnected second and third members; third brake means having a portion housed in said central web and being selectively operatively connectable with said intermediate sleeve shaft for restraining rotation thereof; first clutch means selectively operatively connectable between said input shaft and said intermediate shaft; and second clutch means selectively operatively connectable between said input shaft and said intermediate sleeve shaft, whereby selective operation of said clutch and brake means provides a plurality of drive ratios between said input and output shafts.

Claim 9

In a transmission a housing; an input shaft rotatably supported in said housing; an output shaft rotatably supported in said housing; a central web secured to said housing intermediate said input and output shafts; planetary gear means disposed between said central web and said output shaft for establishing drive ratios including first, second and third planetary gear sets each having a first member, a second member, and a third member, said first member of each of said planetary gear sets being secured for rotation with said output shaft, said second member of said first and second planetary gear sets being interconnected for common rotation, said third member of said second planetary gear set and said second member of said third planetary gear set being interconnected for common rotation; first brake means operatively connected with said third member of said first planetary gear set and having a portion housed in said central web and being selectively engageable for restraining rotation of the third member; second brake means having a portion housed in said housing being selectively operatively connected with said third member of said third planetary gear set, an intermediate sleeve shaft rotatably supported in and extending through said central web and being secured for rotation with said interconnected second members; an intermediate shaft rotatably supported in and extending through said intermediate sleeve shaft and being secured for rotation with said interconnected second and third members; third brake means having a portion housed in said central web and being selectively operatively connectable with said intermediate sleeve shaft for restraining rotation thereof; first clutch means selectively operatively connectable between said input shaft and said intermediate shaft; and second clutch means selectively operatively connectable between said input shaft and said intermediate sleeve shaft, whereby selective operation of said clutch and brake means provides a plurality of drive ratios between said input and output shafts.

Claim 10

In a power transmission the combination of a drive shaft, a first planetary gear group having plural input members, plural output members and plural reaction members, a second planetary gear group having an input member, an output member and another member, a driven shaft drive connected to said output member of said second planetary gear group, a first means for interconnecting one input member of said first planetary gear group and the input member of the second planetary gear group, a second means for connecting at least two output members of said first planetary gear group with said output member of said second planetary gear group, a first driving means for selectively operably connecting said drive shaft to said first means, a second driving means for selectively operatively connecting said drive shaft to two input members of said first planetary gear group, a first holding means for selectively holding one reaction member of said first planetary gear group from rotation, a second holding means for selectively holding said another member of said second planetary gear group from rotation and a third holding means for selectively holding another reaction member of said first planetary gear group from rotation.

Claim 11

In a power transmission the combination of a drive shaft, a first planetary gear group having plural input members, plural output members and plural reaction members, a second planetary gear group having an input member, an output member and another member, a driven shaft drive connected to said output member of said second planetary gear group, a first means for interconnecting one input member of said first planetary gear group and the input member of the second planetary gear group, a second means for connecting at least two output members of said first planetary gear group with said output member of said second planetary gear group, a first driving means for selectively operably connecting said drive shaft to said first means, a second driving means for selectively operatively connecting said drive shaft to two input members of said first planetary gear group, a first holding means for selectively holding one reaction member of said first planetary gear group from rotation, a second holding means for selectively holding said another member of said second planetary gear group from rotation and a third holding means for selectively holding another reaction member of said first planetary gear group from rotation.

Claim 12

In a power transmission the combination of a drive shaft, a first planetary gear group having a first and second sun gear, a first and second ring gear, a first carrier having a plurality of pinions meshing with said first sun and first ring gears and a second carrier having a plurality of pinions meshing with said second sun and second ring gears, said first and second sun gears being rigidly connected, said first carrier and said second ring gear being drive connected, a second planetary gear group having a sun gear, a ring gear and a carrier having a plurality of pinions rotatably mounted thereon meshing with said sun and ring gears, said sun gear being drive connected to said firSt ring gear of said first planetary gear group, said carrier of said second planetary gear group being connected to said first carrier and said second ring gear of said first planetary gear group, a driven shaft connected to said carrier of said second planetary gear group, a first clutch means for selectively connecting said drive shaft to said sun gear of said second planetary gear group and said first ring gear of said first planetary gear group, a second clutch means for selectively connecting said drive shaft to said first and second sun gears of said first planetary gear group, a first brake means selectively operatively connected to said ring gear of said second planetary gear group, a second brake means selectively operatively connected to said second carrier of said first planetary gear group and a third brake means selectively operatively connected to said first and second sun gears of said first planetary gear group.

Claim 13

In a power transmission the combination of a drive shaft, a first planetary gear group having a first and second sun gear, a first and second ring gear, a first carrier having a plurality of pinions meshing with said first sun and first ring gears and a second carrier having a plurality of pinions meshing with said second sun and second ring gears, said first and second sun gears being rigidly connected, said first carrier and said second ring gear being drive connected, a second planetary gear group having a sun gear, a ring gear and a carrier having a plurality of pinions rotatably mounted thereon meshing with said sun and ring gears, said sun gear being drive connected to said firSt ring gear of said first planetary gear group, said carrier of said second planetary gear group being connected to said first carrier and said second ring gear of said first planetary gear group, a driven shaft connected to said carrier of said second planetary gear group, a first clutch means for selectively connecting said drive shaft to said sun gear of said second planetary gear group and said first ring gear of said first planetary gear group, a second clutch means for selectively connecting said drive shaft to said first and second sun gears of said first planetary gear group, a first brake means selectively operatively connected to said ring gear of said second planetary gear group, a second brake means selectively operatively connected to said second carrier of said first planetary gear group and a third brake means selectively operatively connected to said first and second sun gears of said first planetary gear group.