US3766805A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Speed changing transmissions
Assignee: Dana Inc
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Filing: 1972-01-24
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Granted: 1973-10-23
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Expires: 1992-01-24
Abstract
Abstract A three-speed transmission of the planetary type having three sets of planet gears, three sun gears and three ring gears. All planet gears are mounted on and driven by one common carrier which is connected to the input shaft. The sun gears are carried by an output shaft which is rotatably mounted on the input shaft and which extends from the transmission housing to carry a driving sprocket. A shifting mechanism, including a plurality of spring-loaded shifting pawls engageable with the ring gears and operable by a slotted shifting shaft, is selectable to maintain a desired one of the ring gears stationary relative to the housing to provide the desired speed ratio between the input and output shafts. The shifting mechanism in one embodiment also includes a mechanism which engages the first speed ring gear whenever the transmission input is driven in reverse and in another embodiment also includes a mechanism which engages one of the ring gears whenever the shifting pawls are all in their neutral position and the transmission input is driven in the forward direction. The transmission is shown adapted for use as a bicycle drive and mounted such that the transmission housing is fixed against rotation relative to the bicycle frame; the pedal crank being the input shaft to the transmission and extending completely through the same and being rotatably mounted in the bicycle housing with the sun gear driven output shaft rotatably mounted on the input shaft.
Inventors
- 👤 D Shea
- 👤 W Stoneman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 09:19
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62M; B62M11/00; B62M11/04; B62M11/14; B62M11/145; F; F16; F16H; F16H61/00; F16H61/02; F16H61/0293; F16H2716/00; F16H2716/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
A transmission comPrising in combination: a. input and output means for said transmission with said input means being adapted for rotation in both a forward and reverse direction for driving said output shaft in a forward and reverse direction, respectively, b. at least a pair of selectable power paths for drivingly connecting said input and output means, c. selectably operable control means for selecting the desired one of said power paths and having a neutral condition wherein neither of said power paths is selected, d. and reverse means automatically operable when said control means is in its neutral condition and upon reverse rotation of said input means for drivingly connecting one of said power paths between said input and output means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
121 words
A transmission comPrising in combination: a. input and output means for said transmission with said input means being adapted for rotation in both a forward and reverse direction for driving said output shaft in a forward and reverse direction, respectively, b. at least a pair of selectable power paths for drivingly connecting said input and output means, c. selectably operable control means for selecting the desired one of said power paths and having a neutral condition wherein neither of said power paths is selected, d. and reverse means automatically operable when said control means is in its neutral condition and upon reverse rotation of said input means for drivingly connecting one of said power paths between said input and output means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
164 words
A transmission according to claim 1 including a housing adapted to be mounted against rotation and wherein, a. said input and output means are shafts rotatably mounted in and projecting from said housing, b. said power paths comprising a first and a second gear train disposed in said housing, c. said control means includes an actuating means which has a first position wherein it connects said first gear train in a driving relationship between said input and output shafts while disconnecting said second gear train, a second position wherein it connects said second gear train in a driving relationship between said input and output shaft while disconnecting said first gear train and a third position wherein it disconnects both of said gear trains from a driving relationship, and said reverse means, upon reverse rotation of said input means and at such times as said actuating means is in its third position, drivingly connects one of said gear trains between said input and output shafts.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
167 words
A transmission according to claim 1 including a housing adapted to be mounted against rotation and wherein, a. said input and output means are shafts rotatably mounted in and projecting from said housing, b. said power paths comprise a first and a second planetary gear set disposed in said housing with each set including a ring gear, a sun gear, and planetary gearing, c. said sun gear of each gear set is drivingly connected to one of said shafts and the planetary gearing of each gear set is drivingly connected to the other of said shafts, d. said control means includes means carried by said housing for arresting the rotation of the ring gear of the selected planetary gear set for connecting the input and output shafts for forward drive through the selected gear set, e. said reverse means includes means carried by said housing for arresting rotation of one of said ring gears solely at such times as said input shaft rotates in the reverse direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
140 words
A transmission according to claim 3 wherein, a. each of said ring gears includes detent means therein, b. said arrest means includes a separate shifter pawl associated with each of said ring gears, c. each of said shifter pawls has a disengaged position wherein it is spaced from its associated ring gear and an engaged position wherein it engages the detent means of its associated ring gear, d. said control means includes an actuating means which has a first position wherein it moves one of said shifter pawls to its engaged position while retaining the other of said pawls in its disengaged position, a second position wherein it moves said one pawl to its disengaged position and moves said other pawl to its engaged position and a third position wherein it maintains both of said pawls in their disengaged position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A transmission according to claim 4 wherein said reverse means is a reverse pawl engageable with the detent means of one of said ring gears.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
125 words
A transmission according to claim 5 wherein, a. the ring gear engaged by its associated shifter pawls is urged in a first or forward direction upon forward rotation of said input shaft and is urged to rotate in a second or reverse direction of rotation upon reverse rotation of said input shaft, b. each of said ring gears and the shifter pawl associated therewith includes disengaging means for moving said shifter pawl from its engaged position to its disengaged position upon reverse rotation of said ring gear whereby, if said actuating means is in its first or second position, upon reverse rotation of said input shaft the one of said shifter pawls engaged with its associated ring gear will be moved to its disengaged position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
101 words
A transmission according to claim 5 wherein said reverse pawl has a disengaged position wherein it is spaced from said one ring gear and an engaged position wherein it engages the detent means of said one ring gear, means bias said reverse pawl to its engaged position, and means interconnect said shifter pawls and said reverse pawl for moving the latter to its disengaged position when any of said shifter pawls is in its engaged position and allowing said biasing means to bias said reverse pawl to its engagement position upon movement of all said shifter pawls to their disengaged position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
A transmission according to claim 7 wherein said detent means is a plurality of notches in the periphery of said ring gears, said shifter pawls are engageable in the notches of the ring gear associated therewith, and said reverse pawl is engageable in the notches of said one ring gear.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
62 words
A transmission according to claim 7 wherein said interconnecting means is a first shoulder formed on each of said shifter pawls and a corresponding second shoulder formed on said reverse pawl with said first shoulders being engageable with said second shoulder for urging said reverse pawl to its disengaged position upon movement of any of said shifter pawls to its engaged position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
126 words
A transmission comprising in combination, a. input and output means for said transmission with said input means being adapted for rotation in both a forward and a reverse direction for driving said output shaft in a forward and a reverse direction, respectively, b. at least a pair of selectable power paths for drivingly connecting said input and output means, c. selectably operable control means for selecting one or the other of said power paths, d. and reverse means automatically operable upon reverse rotation of said input shaft for drivingly connecting said one of said power paths between said input and output means for driving said output means in a reverse direction regardless of which one of said power paths have been selected by said control means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
126 words
A transmission comprising in combination, a. input and output means for said transmission with said input means being adapted for rotation in both a forward and a reverse direction for driving said output shaft in a forward and a reverse direction, respectively, b. at least a pair of selectable power paths for drivingly connecting said input and output means, c. selectably operable control means for selecting one or the other of said power paths, d. and reverse means automatically operable upon reverse rotation of said input shaft for drivingly connecting said one of said power paths between said input and output means for driving said output means in a reverse direction regardless of which one of said power paths have been selected by said control means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
A transmission according to claim 10 wherein said control means includes means rendering the same inoperative upon reverse rotation of said input means and returning said control means to an operative condition upon discontinuance of reverse rotation of said input means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
79 words
A transmission according to claim 10 wherein, a. said power paths are a first and a second gear train, b. said control means is selectably oeprable to connect one of said gear trains in a driving relationship between said input and output means, and c. said control means includes means for discontinuing its connection of the selected one of said gear trains in a driving relationship between said input and output means upon reverse rotation of said input means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
167 words
A transmission according to claim 10 including a housing adapted to be mounted against rotation and wherein, a. said input and output means are shafts rotatably mounted in and projecting from said housing, b. said power paths comprised a first and a second planetary gear set disposed in said housing with each set including a ring gear, a sun gear, and planetary gearing, c. said sun gear of each gear set being drivingly connected to one of said shafts and the planetary gearing of each gear set being drivingly connected to the other of said shafts, d. said control means includes means carried by said housing for arresting the rotation of the ring gear of the selected planetary gear set for connecting the input and outpUt shafts for forward drive through the selected gear set, c. said reverse means includes means carried by said housing for arresting rotation of one of said ring gears solely at such times as said input shaft rotates in the reverse direction.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
123 words
A transmission according to claim 13 wherein, a. each of said ring gears includes detent means therein, b. said arresting means includes a separate shifter pawl associated with each of said ring gears, c. each of said shifter pawls has a disengaged position wherein it is spaced from its associated ring gear and an engaged position wherein it engages the detent means of its associated ring gear, d. said control means includes actuating means which, upon operation of said control means, moves a selected one of said shifter pawls into engagement with the detent means of the ring gear associated with the selected pawl, e. said reverse means is a reverse pawl engageable with the detent means of one of said ring gears.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
117 words
A transmission according to claim 14 wherein, a. the ring gear engaged by the selected one of said shifter pawls is urged in a first or forward direction upon forward rotation of said input shaft and is urged to rotate in a second or reverse direction of rotation upon reverse rotation of said input shaft, b. each of said ring gears and the shifter pawl associated therewith include disengaging means for moving said shifter pawl from its engaged position to its disengaged position upon reverse rotation of said ring gear, c. whereby upon reverse rotation of said input shaft the one of said shifter pawls engaged with its associated ring gear is moved to its disengaged position.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
101 words
A transmission according to claim 15 wherein said reverse pawl has a disengaged position wherein it is spaced from said one ring gear and an engaged position wherein it engages the detent means of said one ring gear, means bias said reverse pawl to its engaged position, and means interconnect said shifter pawls and said reverse pawl for moving the latter to its disengaged position when any of said shifter pawls is in its engaged position and allowing said biasing means to bias said reverse pawl to its engagement position upon movement of all said shifter pawls to their disengaged position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
50 words
A transmission according to claim 16 wherein said detent means is a plurality of notches in the periphery of said ring gears, said shifter pawls are engageable in the notches of the ring gear associated therewith, and said reverse pawl is engageable in the notches of said one ring gear.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
50 words
A transmission according to claim 17 wherein said disengaging means is a cam surface disposed on each of said shifter pawls, said cam surface being disposed to cooperate with the detents of the ring gear associated with said shifter pawl when said ring gear is rotated in its reverse direction.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
62 words
A transmission according to claim 16 wherein said interconnecting means is a first shoulder formed on each of said shifter pawls and a corresponding second shoulder formed on said reverse pawl with said first shoulders being engageable with said second shoulder for urging said reverse pawl to its disengaged position upon movement of any of said shifter pawls to its engaged position.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
62 words
A transmission according to claim 18 wherein said interconnecting means is a first shoulder formed on each of said shifter pawls and a corresponding second shoulder formed on said reverse pawl with said first shoulders being engageable with said second shoulder for urging said reverse pawl to its disengaged position upon movement of any of said shifter pawls to its engaged position.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
119 words
A transmission according to claim 17 wherein said notches engageable by said shifter pawls are first notches, said one ring gear has a plurality of reverse notches in the periphery thereof disposed intermediate the first notches in said one ring gear, said reverse notches are smaller than said first notches and smaller than the portion of said Shifter pawl engageable with said first notches of said one ring gear whereby said shifter pawl is not engageable with said reverse notches, and the portion of said reverse pawl engageable with the notches of said one ring gear is dimensioned so as to be engageable with said reverse notches and thereby engageable with all the notches of said one ring gear.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
144 words
A transmission according to claim 17 wherein said reverse pawl has inner and outer portions pivotally connected to each other, said inner and outer portions each have an engaging portion thereon adapted to engaged notches of said one ring gear, spring means act between said inner and outer portion for biasing said outer portion to a position whereby the engaging portion of said outer portion will first engage said ring gear upon movement of said reverse pawl toward its engaged position, said spring means allowing pivotal movement of said outer portion relative to said inner portion in a direction away from said one ring gear upon the outer portion engaging a location on the periphery of said one ring gear intermediate the notches therein, whereupon the engaging portion of said inner portion may enter a notch in the periphery of said one ring gear.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
63 words
A transmission according to claim 10 wherein said selectably operable control means has a neutral condition wherein neither of said power paths is selected and said transmission includes forward means automatically operable when said control means is in its neutral condition and upon forward rotation of said input means for drivingly connecting one of said power paths between said input and output means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
42 words
A transmission according to claim 1 including forward means automatically operable when said control means is in its neutral condition and upon forward rotation of said input means for drivingly connecting one of said power paths between said input and output means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
239 words
A transmission having a housing and being adapted for use with a bicycle having a wheel with a coaster brake hub therein driven by a wheel sprocket, which hub provides a braking action on the wheel upon reverse rotation of the sprocket and with the wheel sprocket adapted for chain drive from a driving sprocket, said transmission being adapted to be carried by the bicycle frame with the transmission housing mounted to the frame against rotation relative thereto, said transmission comprising an input shaft rotatably mounted in said housing and projecting from opposed sides thereof with the axis of said shaft disposed so as to be transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bicycle, said shaft being adapted to be rotated in both a forward and reverse direction by an operator of the bicycle, an output shaft co-axial with said input shaft and rotatably mounted thereon, with one end of said output shaft projecting from said housing an amount less than the projection of said input shaft and adapted for driving connection to a driving sprocket, at least a first and a second gear train disposed in said housing for drivingly connecting said input shaft to said output shaft, manually operable control means for alternately connecting said gear trains in a driving relationship between said shafts, and means automatically actuated upon reverse rotation of said input shaft for drivingly connecting said input shaft to said output shaft.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
239 words
A transmission having a housing and being adapted for use with a bicycle having a wheel with a coaster brake hub therein driven by a wheel sprocket, which hub provides a braking action on the wheel upon reverse rotation of the sprocket and with the wheel sprocket adapted for chain drive from a driving sprocket, said transmission being adapted to be carried by the bicycle frame with the transmission housing mounted to the frame against rotation relative thereto, said transmission comprising an input shaft rotatably mounted in said housing and projecting from opposed sides thereof with the axis of said shaft disposed so as to be transverse with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bicycle, said shaft being adapted to be rotated in both a forward and reverse direction by an operator of the bicycle, an output shaft co-axial with said input shaft and rotatably mounted thereon, with one end of said output shaft projecting from said housing an amount less than the projection of said input shaft and adapted for driving connection to a driving sprocket, at least a first and a second gear train disposed in said housing for drivingly connecting said input shaft to said output shaft, manually operable control means for alternately connecting said gear trains in a driving relationship between said shafts, and means automatically actuated upon reverse rotation of said input shaft for drivingly connecting said input shaft to said output shaft.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
45 words
A transmission according to claim 25 wherein said control means has a neutral condition wherein it does not connect either of said gear trains in a driving relationship with said shafts, and said automatic means is actuated by said control means entering such neutral condition.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
A transmission according to claim 26 wherein said control means includes means for neutralizing said control means upon reverse rotation of said input shaft.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
48 words
A transmission according to claim 26 including forward actuating means automatically actuated upon forward rotation of said input shafts and only at such times as said control means is in its neutral condition for drivinGly connecting one of said gear trains in a driving relationship between said shafts.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-22 | 1977-04-23 | 1977-10-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-22 | 1981-04-23 | 1981-10-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-22 | 1985-04-23 | 1985-10-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |