Planetary transmission

Claim 2

A transmission comprising, in combination: a. input and output meaNs for such transmission with said input means being adapted for rotation in both a forward and a reverse direction for driving said output means in a forward and reverse direction, respectively, b. at least two selectable power paths for drivingly connecting said input and said output means, c. control means for selecting the desired one of said power paths and d. cam means responsive to reverse rotation of said input means for selecting a predetermined one of said power paths and for maintaining said power path during continued reverse rotation.

Claim 3

A transmission, according to claim 1, including a housing and wherein a. said input means comprises a shaft rotatably mounted in and projecting from said housing and said output means comprises a drive member rotatably mounted relative to said shaft, b. said power paths comprising at least two gear train disposed in said housing, c. said control means including arrest means removably connected to each of said gear train, wherein a respective one of said gear train is selectively engaged in a driving relationship between said input shaft and said drive member while the remaining ones of said gear train are in a non-drive relationship and d. said cam means comprising a cam mounted on said input shaft and a follower having a pawl end adjacent said gear train whereby upon reverse rotation of said input shaft said pawl end engages a predetermined one of said gear train.

Claim 4

A transmission, according to claim 2, wherein said follower includes means adjacent said arrest means for disengaging said arrest means from said gear train upon reverse rotation of said input shaft.

Claim 5

A transmission, according to claim 2, wherein each of said power paths comprise a gear set disposed in said housing, each of said gear sets including a ring gear, a sun gear and planetary gearing disposed between said sun gear and said ring gear, said planetary gearing being drivingly connected to said shaft and said sun gear being drivingly connected to said drive member.

Claim 6

A transmission, according to claim 4, wherein each of said ring gears includes detent means and said arrest means includes a separate shifter pawl associated with each of said ring gears, each of said shifter pawls being movable between a disengaged position wherein it is spaced from its associated ring gear and an engaged position wherein it is received by such detent means of its associated ring gear.

Claim 7

A transmission, according to claim 5, wherein said disengaging means of said follower comprises a cross bar which upon reverse rotation of said shaft engages any shifter pawl which is in an engaged position and moves it to a disengaged position.

Claim 8

A transmission, according to claim 5, wherein said detent means comprises a plurality of notches in the periphery of each of said ring gears.

Claim 9

A transmission, according to claim 2, wherein said cam comprises a circular plate having a pair of concentric inner and outer cam surfaces defined on one side of said cam plate and a plurality of circumferentially spaced and inclined guide members disposed between said inner and outer cam surfaces.

Claim 10

A transmission, according to claim 8, wherein said guide members are resilient adjacent said inner cam surface.

Claim 11

A transmission, according to claim 8, wherein said follower includes a follower end in cooperating relationship with said cam wherein upon forward rotation of said input shaft said end is disposed adjacent one of such cam surfaces and upon reverse rotation of said input shaft said end is disposed adjacent the other one of such cam surfaces.

Claim 12

A transmission, according to claim 10, wherein said inclined guide members guide said follower end between said concentric cam surfaces upon a rotary change of direction of said input shaft.

Claim 13

A velocipede transmission comprising, in combination, a. a housing, b. an input shaft mounted in and projecting from said housing and an output shaft rotatably mounted relative to said iNput shaft, said input shaft being adapted for driving said output shaft in a forward and reverse direction, respectively, c. a plurality of power paths for drivingly connecting said input shaft and said output shaft, each of said power paths comprising a gear set disposed in said housing, said gear set including a ring gear, a sun gear and planetary gearing disposed between said sun gear and said ring gear, said planetary gearing being drivingly connected to said input shaft and said sun gear being drivingly connected to said output shaft, said ring gear defining a plurality of detents adjacent its periphery, d. control means for selecting a desired one of said power paths, said control means including a separate shifter pawl associated with each of said ring gears, means for separately moving each of said shifter pawls between a disengaged position wherein it is spaced from its associated ring gear and an engaged position wherein it is received by one of said detents of its associated ring gear, whereby said ring gear is held stationary relative to said housing, and e. cam means including a cam plate mounted on said input shaft and a follower pivotally mounted by said housing, said cam plate defining on its side a pair of inner and outer concentric cam paths, a plurality of inclined guide members extending between said cam paths, said follower including a follower end in cooperating relationship with said cam plate, wherein upon forward rotation of said input shaft said end is disposed within such inner cam path and upon reverse rotation of said input shaft said end is disposed with such outer cam path, said inclined guide members guiding said follower end between such inner and outer cam paths, said follower also including an intermediate cross bar and a pawl end, said cross bar engaging said shifter pawls upon reverse rotation of said input shaft and holding said shifter pawls in the disengaged position during such reverse rotation, said pawl end engaging a predetermined one of said ring gears upon such reverse rotation, whereby such predetermined ring gear is held stationary relative to said housing.

Claim 14

A velocipede transmission comprising, in combination, a. a housing, b. an input shaft mounted in and projecting from said housing and an output shaft rotatably mounted relative to said iNput shaft, said input shaft being adapted for driving said output shaft in a forward and reverse direction, respectively, c. a plurality of power paths for drivingly connecting said input shaft and said output shaft, each of said power paths comprising a gear set disposed in said housing, said gear set including a ring gear, a sun gear and planetary gearing disposed between said sun gear and said ring gear, said planetary gearing being drivingly connected to said input shaft and said sun gear being drivingly connected to said output shaft, said ring gear defining a plurality of detents adjacent its periphery, d. control means for selecting a desired one of said power paths, said control means including a separate shifter pawl associated with each of said ring gears, means for separately moving each of said shifter pawls between a disengaged position wherein it is spaced from its associated ring gear and an engaged position wherein it is received by one of said detents of its associated ring gear, whereby said ring gear is held stationary relative to said housing, and e. cam means including a cam plate mounted on said input shaft and a follower pivotally mounted by said housing, said cam plate defining on its side a pair of inner and outer concentric cam paths, a plurality of inclined guide members extending between said cam paths, said follower including a follower end in cooperating relationship with said cam plate, wherein upon forward rotation of said input shaft said end is disposed within such inner cam path and upon reverse rotation of said input shaft said end is disposed with such outer cam path, said inclined guide members guiding said follower end between such inner and outer cam paths, said follower also including an intermediate cross bar and a pawl end, said cross bar engaging said shifter pawls upon reverse rotation of said input shaft and holding said shifter pawls in the disengaged position during such reverse rotation, said pawl end engaging a predetermined one of said ring gears upon such reverse rotation, whereby such predetermined ring gear is held stationary relative to said housing.

Claim 15

A transmission, comprising, in combination: a. input and output means for such transmission with said input means being adapted by rotation in both a forward and a reverse direction for driving said output means in a forward and reverse direction, respectively, b. at least two selectable power paths for drivingly connecting said input and said output means, c. control means for selecting the desired one of said power paths to condition the same for drivingly connecting said input and said output shafts in a forward driving condition, d. automatically actuated means for selecting a predetermined one of said power paths and conditioning the transmission for reverse driving between said input and output means, and e. actuating means unitarily rotatable with said input means for actuating said automatic means upon reverse rotation of said input means.

Claim 16

A transmission, comprising, in combination: a. input and output means for such transmission with said input means being adapted by rotation in both a forward and a reverse direction for driving said output means in a forward and reverse direction, respectively, b. at least two selectable power paths for drivingly connecting said input and said output means, c. control means for selecting the desired one of said power paths to condition the same for drivingly connecting said input and said output shafts in a forward driving condition, d. automatically actuated means for selecting a predetermined one of said power paths and conditioning the transmission for reverse driving between said input and output means, and e. actuating means unitarily rotatable with said input means for actuating said automatic means upon reverse rotation of said input means.

Claim 17

A transmission, according to claim 13, wherein said automatically actuated means includes neutralizing means for disengaging such connection between said input and said output shafts upon actuation of said automatic means by said actuating means.

Claim 18

A transmission, according to claim 14, including a housing and wherein a. said input means comprises a shaft rotatably mounted in and projecting from said housing and said output means comprises a drive member rotatably mounted relative to said shaft, b. said power paths comprising at least two gear train disposed in said housing, c. said control means including arrest means removably connected to each of said gear train, wherein a respective one of said gear train is selectively engaged in a driving relationship between said input shaft and said drive member while the remaining ones of said gear train are in a non-drive relationship and d. said actuating means and said automatically actuated means comprise a cam moUnted on said input shaft and a follower having a pawl end adjacent said gear train whereby upon reverse rotation of said input shaft said pawl end engages a predetermined one of said gear train.

Claim 19

A transmission, according to claim 15, wherein said neutralizing means comprises a cross bar on said follower.

Claim 20

A transmission, according to claim 15, wherein each of said power paths comprise a gear set disposed in said housing, each of said gear sets including a ring gear, a sun gear and planetary gearing disposed between said sun gear and said ring gear, said planetary gearing being drivingly connected to said shaft and said sun gear being drivingly connected to said drive member.

Claim 21

A transmission, according to claim 17, wherein each of said ring gears includes detent means and said control means includes a separate shifter pawl associated with each of said ring gears, each of said shifter pawls being movable between a disengaged position wherein it is spaced from its associated ring gear and an engaged position wherein it is received by such detent means of its associated ring gear.

Claim 22

A transmission, according to claim 18, wherein said detent means comprises a plurality of notches in the periphery of each of said ring gears.

Claim 23

A transmission, according to claim 15, wherein said cam comprises a circular plate having a pair of concentric inner and outer cam surfaces defined on one side of said cam plate and a plurality of circumferentially spaced and inclined guide members disposed between said inner and outer cam surfaces.

Claim 24

A transmission, according to claim 20, wherein said guide members are resilient adjacent said inner cam surface.

Claim 25

A transmission, according to claim 21, wherein said follower includes a follower end in cooperating relationship with said cam wherein upon forward rotation of said input shaft said end is disposed adjacent one of such cam surfaces and upon reverse rotation of said input shaft said end is disposed adjacent the other one of such cam surfaces.

Claim 26

A transmission, according to claim 22, wherein said inclined guide members guide said follower end between said concentric cam surfaces upon a rotary change of direction of said input shaft.

Claim 27

A transmission, comprising, in combination: a. input and output means for such transmission with said input means being adapted by rotation in both a forward and a reverse direction for driving said output means in a forward and reverse direction, respectively, b. at least two selectable power paths for drivingly connecting said input and said output means, c. a shiftable element for each of said power paths, with each of said elements having a neutral position and a connected position, d. said shiftable elements in their neutral position disengaging the power path associated therewith from a driving condition, and when in its connecting position, connecting the power path associated therewith between said input and output means, e. manually operable control means for moving said shiftable elements between their positions, f. automatically actuated means for selecting a predetermined one of said power paths to condition the transmission for reverse driving between said input and said output means and simultaneously overriding said control means and moving said shiftable elements to their neutral position, and g. means responsive to reverse rotation of said input means for actuating said automatic means upon reverse rotation of said input means.

Claim 28

A transmission, comprising, in combination: a. input and output means for such transmission with said input means being adapted by rotation in both a forward and a reverse direction for driving said output means in a forward and reverse direction, respectively, b. at least two selectable power paths for drivingly connecting said input and said output means, c. a shiftable element for each of said power paths, with each of said elements having a neutral position and a connected position, d. said shiftable elements in their neutral position disengaging the power path associated therewith from a driving condition, and when in its connecting position, connecting the power path associated therewith between said input and output means, e. manually operable control means for moving said shiftable elements between their positions, f. automatically actuated means for selecting a predetermined one of said power paths to condition the transmission for reverse driving between said input and said output means and simultaneously overriding said control means and moving said shiftable elements to their neutral position, and g. means responsive to reverse rotation of said input means for actuating said automatic means upon reverse rotation of said input means.

Claim 29

A transmission, comprising, in combination: a. input and output means for such transmission with said input means being adapted by rotation in both a forward and a reverse direction for driving said output means in a forward and reverse direction, respectively, b. at least two selectable power paths for drivingly connecting said input and said output means, c. control means for selecting the desired one of said power paths to condition the same for drivingly connecting said Input and said output shafts in a forward driving condition, d. said power paths each including at least a pair of rotatable gears, and e. means independent of the rotation of said gears and actuable upon reverse rotation of said input shaft for overriding the selection of said control means and for selecting a predetermined one of said power paths for conditioning the transmission for reverse driving between said input and output means.

Claim 30

A transmission, comprising, in combination: a. input and output means for such transmission with said input means being adapted by rotation in both a forward and a reverse direction for driving said output means in a forward and reverse direction, respectively, b. at least two selectable power paths for drivingly connecting said input and said output means, c. control means for selecting the desired one of said power paths to condition the same for drivingly connecting said Input and said output shafts in a forward driving condition, d. said power paths each including at least a pair of rotatable gears, and e. means independent of the rotation of said gears and actuable upon reverse rotation of said input shaft for overriding the selection of said control means and for selecting a predetermined one of said power paths for conditioning the transmission for reverse driving between said input and output means.