Plural range transmission

Claim 2

A transmission comprising first and second planetary assemblies, each having input means, output means, and reaction means, the output means for the first said assembly being in driving relation with the input means of the second said assembly, the two said reaction means being geared together for rotation in opposite directions.

Claim 3

The transmission of claim 1 having first and second hydraulic units connected together so that when one is a pump the other is a motor and vice versa, said first hydraulic unit having a fixed stroke and drivingly connected to said two reaction means, said second hydraulic unit having a variable stroke and drivingly connected to said input means of said first assembly.

Claim 4

A transmission comprising first and second planetary assemblies, each having input means, output means, and reaction means, the output means for the first said assembly being in driving relation with the input means of the second said assembly, and speed varying means for causing one said output means to increase its speed and for simultaneously causing the other said output means to decrease its speed and vice versa, said speed varying means comprising a pair of hydraulic units hydraulically interconnected so that one serves as a pump while the other serves as a motor and vice versa, a first said unit being connected in driving relation to said input means, a second said unit being connected in driving relation to said reaction means.

Claim 5

A transmission comprising first and second planetary assemblies, each having input means, output means, and reaction means, the output means for the first said assembly being in driving relation with the input means of the second said assembly, and speed varying means for causing one said output means to increase its speed and for simultaneously causing the other said output means to decrease its speed and vice versa, said speed varying means comprising a pair of hydraulic units hydraulically interconnected so that one serves as a pump while the other serves as a motor and vice versa, a first said unit being connected in driving relation to said input means, a second said unit being connected in driving relation to said reaction means.

Claim 6

The transmission of claim 3 wherein said first unit is variable in stroke and runs during operation at constant speed while said second unit is fixed in stroke and variable in speed.

Claim 7

The transmission of claim 3 wherein the two said reaction means are geared together for rotation in opposite directions.

Claim 8

A transmission comprising an input shaft, an output shaft, first and second planetary assemblies, each having input means, output means, and reaction means, the output means for the first said assembly being in driving relation with the input means of the second said assembly, first clutch means for connecting said input shaft directly to said input means of said first assembly, second clutch means for connecting the output means of the first assembly to said output shaft, third clutch means for connecting the output means of the second assembly to said output shaft, first and second hydraulic units connected together so that when one is a pump the other is a motor and vice versa, said first hydraulic unit having a fixed stroke and said second hydraulic unit having a variable stroke and driven by said input shaft, a gear train having a gear driven by said fixed hydraulic unit and connected through different gears of said train to the reaction means of both said first and second assemblies.

Claim 9

A transmission comprising an input shaft, an output shaft, first and second planetary assemblies, each having input means, output means, and reaction means, the output means for the first said assembly being in driving relation with the input means of the second said assembly, first clutch means for connecting said input shaft directly to said input means of said first assembly, second clutch means for connecting the output means of the first assembly to said output shaft, third clutch means for connecting the output means of the second assembly to said output shaft, first and second hydraulic units connected together so that when one is a pump the other is a motor and vice versa, said first hydraulic unit having a fixed stroke and said second hydraulic unit having a variable stroke and driven by said input shaft, a gear train having a gear driven by said fixed hydraulic unit and connected through different gears of said train to the reaction means of both said first and second assemblies.

Claim 10

The transmission of claim 6 wherein said two reaction means are geared together for rotation in opposite directions.

Claim 11

The transmission of claim 6 wherein both said output means are planetary carriers.

Claim 12

The transmission of claim 6 having fourth clutch means connecting the input means of the first assembly to the output means thereof.

Claim 13

The transmission of claim 6 having fourth clutch means for connecting the output means of said second assembly to the reaction means thereof.

Claim 14

The transmission of claim 6 having a Third planetary assembly having input means drivingly connected to the output means of said first assembly, output means directly connected to said output shaft, and reaction means, said transmission having a stationary case and fourth clutch means for clutching said reaction means to said case.

Claim 15

The transmission of claim 11 having fifth clutch means for connecting the output means of said second assembly to the reaction means thereof.

Claim 16

A transmission including in combination a first planetary assembly having a first sun gear, a first planet carrier, a first set of planet gears, and a first ring gear, a second planetary assembly having a second sun gear in driving relation to said first planet carrier, a second planet carrier, a second set of planet gears, and a second ring gear, an input shaft, first clutch means for clutching said input shaft for direct drive of said first ring gear, an output shaft, second clutch means for clutching said output shaft directly to said first planet carrier, third clutch means for clutching said second planet carrier to said output shaft, a gear train having a first gear in driving relation with said first sun gear, a second gear in driving relation with said second ring gear, and gear means linking said first and second gears together for rotation in opposite directions, and a pair of hydraulic units joined so that when one acts as a pump the other acts as a motor, and vice versa, a first said hydraulic unit having a variable stroke and driven by said input shaft, and a second said hydraulic unit having a fixed stroke and driven by said gear train.

Claim 17

A transmission including in combination a first planetary assembly having a first sun gear, a first planet carrier, a first set of planet gears, and a first ring gear, a second planetary assembly having a second sun gear in driving relation to said first planet carrier, a second planet carrier, a second set of planet gears, and a second ring gear, an input shaft, first clutch means for clutching said input shaft for direct drive of said first ring gear, an output shaft, second clutch means for clutching said output shaft directly to said first planet carrier, third clutch means for clutching said second planet carrier to said output shaft, a gear train having a first gear in driving relation with said first sun gear, a second gear in driving relation with said second ring gear, and gear means linking said first and second gears together for rotation in opposite directions, and a pair of hydraulic units joined so that when one acts as a pump the other acts as a motor, and vice versa, a first said hydraulic unit having a variable stroke and driven by said input shaft, and a second said hydraulic unit having a fixed stroke and driven by said gear train.

Claim 18

The transmission of claim 13 wherein said gear train comprises an idler gear mounted on a stationary shaft, an inner external gear serving as said first gear in driving relation with said first sun gear and in mesh with said idler gear, a ring gear serving as said second gear and in driving relation with said second ring gear and in mesh with said idler gear, and a reaction drive gear in mesh with said idler gear, said second hydraulic unit being in direct driving relationship with said reaction drive.

Claim 19

The transmission of claim 13 having fourth clutch means for clutching said first ring gear to said first planet carrier.

Claim 20

A transmission, including in combination an input shaft, a first planetary assembly having a first sun gear, a first planet carrier, a first set of planet gears, and a first ring gear, first clutch means for clutching said input shaft to said first ring gear, a second planetary assembly having a second sun gear in driving relation with said first planet carrier, a second planet carrier, second and third sets of planet gears both carried by said second planet carrier, with each gear of said second set in mesh with a gear of said third set, said second sun gear being in mesh with said second set of planet gears, and a third sun gear in mesh with said third set of planet gears, an output shaft, second clutch means for clutching said output shaft to said first planet carrier, third clutch means for clutching said output shaft to said second planet carrier, a gear train having a first gear in driving relation with said first sun gear, a second gear in driving relation with said third sun gear, and gear means linking said first and second gears together for rotation in opposite directions, a pair of hydraulic units joined so that when one is a pump the other is the motor therefor and vice versa, one said unit having a fixed stroke and in driving relationship with said gear train, the other unit having a variable stroke and driven by said input shaft.

Claim 21

A transmission, including in combination an input shaft, a first planetary assembly having a first sun gear, a first planet carrier, a first set of planet gears, and a first ring gear, first clutch means for clutching said input shaft to said first ring gear, a second planetary assembly having a second sun gear in driving relation with said first planet carrier, a second planet carrier, second and third sets of planet gears both carried by said second planet carrier, with each gear of said second set in mesh with a gear of said third set, said second sun gear being in mesh with said second set of planet gears, and a third sun gear in mesh with said third set of planet gears, an output shaft, second clutch means for clutching said output shaft to said first planet carrier, third clutch means for clutching said output shaft to said second planet carrier, a gear train having a first gear in driving relation with said first sun gear, a second gear in driving relation with said third sun gear, and gear means linking said first and second gears together for rotation in opposite directions, a pair of hydraulic units joined so that when one is a pump the other is the motor therefor and vice versa, one said unit having a fixed stroke and in driving relationship with said gear train, the other unit having a variable stroke and driven by said input shaft.

Claim 22

The transmission of claim 16 wherein said gear train has an idler gear mounted on a stationary shaft, an inner gear serving as said first gear and in driving relation with said first sun gear and in mesh with said idler gear, a reaction drive gear in mesh with said idler gear, and a transmitting gear servinG as said second gear and in mesh with said reaction drive gear and in driving relation with said third sun gear, and a pair of hydraulic units joined so that when one is a pump the other is the motor therefor and vice versa, one said unit having a fixed stroke and driving said reaction drive gear, the other said unit having a variable stroke and driven by said input shaft.

Claim 23

The transmission of claim 16 having fourth clutch means for clutching said first ring gear to said first planet carrier.

Claim 24

The transmission of claim 17 wherein said gear train comprises an idler gear between said first and second gears, said first gear being an external gear and said second gear being a ring gear, a third gear in driving relation with said first gear, and a fourth gear in mesh with said third gear and in driving relation with said fixed hydraulic unit.

Claim 25

The transmission of claim 19 having a third planetary assembly with a fourth sun gear drivingly connected to said first carrier, a third planet carrier in driving relationship with said output shaft, a fourth set of planet gears, and a second ring gear.

Claim 26

The transmission of claim 20 wherein said transmission has a stationary case and fourth clutch means for clutching said second ring gear to said case.

Claim 27

The transmission of claim 21 having fifth clutch means for clutching said second carrier to said third sun gear.