Control system for modular transmission

Claim 2

A power transmission including a plurality of sequentially arranged speed ratio modules, each of the modules comprising an input shaft, an output shaft, a planetary gear set having a sun gear, a ring gear and a plurality of planetary gears mounted upon a rotatable carrier and engaged with the ring gear and the sun gear, the input shaft being coupled for rotation with the ring gear and the output shaft being coupled with rotation with the carrier, a direct drive clutch selectively operable to cause rotation of the ring gear together with the carrier, a reduction brake selectively locking the sun gear against rotation, and control means for operating both the direct drive clutch and reduction brake in response to a single hydraulic signal, the power transmission also including a control system comprising a source of signal fluid under pressure, conduit means for communicating the signal fluid to each of the speed ratio modules, a separate valve means for selectively communicating the conduit means with the control means of the respective module, and governor means operatively coupled with a final output drive shaft of the power transmission and each of the valves to condition the valves for sequentially communicating signal fluid to the respective modules relative to operating speed of the output shaft, the plurality of separate valve means for the plurality of speed ratio modules each comprising a spool means of substantially the same length as the axial dimension of the respective module, the plurality of spool means being arranged in abutting relation within a bore extending continuously through the sequentially arranged speed ratio modules.

Claim 3

The power transmission of claim 1 wherein the control means comprises means for operating the direct drive clutch and reduction brake in response to a single hydraulic signal received through a common fluid passage, the separate valve means for the speed ratio modules each being in communication with the respective common fluid passage.

Claim 4

The power transmission of claim 2 wherein the reduction brake includes means selectively operable to initiate self-engagement in response to rotation of the sun gear.

Claim 5

The power transmission of claim 1 wherein the reduction brake is self-energizable.

Claim 6

The power transmission of claim 4 wherein the control means comprises actuating piston means operatively coupled with the direct drive clutch and the reduction brake, the actuating piston means being responsive to fluid pressure in a common passage in communication with the respective valve means.

Claim 7

The power transmission of claim 1 wherein the control means comprises actuating piston means operatively coupled with the direct drive clutch and the reduction brake, the actuating piston means being responsive to fluid pressure in a common passage in communication with the respective valve means.

Claim 8

The power transmission of claim 1 wherein the governor means comprises operating means arranged for interaction with one end of the continuously extending spool means.

Claim 9

The power transmission of claim 7 wherein the governor means comprises mechanical means incrementally responsive to rotating speed of the final output drive shaft for adjusting the operating means and its interaction with the continuously extending spool means.

Claim 10

The power transmission of claim 1 wherein the governor means comprises means incrementally movable between discreet positions and coupled with the separate valve means to selectively communicate the conduit means with the control means of a selected module in each discreet position.

Claim 11

The power transmission of claim 9 wherein the incrementally movable means is mechanically responsive to rotating speed of the final output drive shaft.

Claim 12

A power transmission including a plurality of sequentially arranged speed ratio modules, each of the modules comprising a fixed housing, an input shaft, an output shaft, the output shaft of the first sequential module being coupled with the input shaft of the next sequential module, the output shaft of the last sequential module being coupled with a final output drive shaft of the power transmission, a planetary gear set having a sun gear, a ring gear and a plurality of planetary gears mounted upon a rotatable carrier and engaged with the ring gear and sun gear, the input shaft being coupled for rotation with the ring gear and the output shaft being coupled for rotation with the carrier, a direct drive clutch selectively operable to cause rotation of the ring gear together with the carrier, a self-energizing reduction brake to selectively lock the sun gear against rotation in response to torque forces acting upon the sun gear, and common actuating means responsive to a single signal for causing engagement of the direct drive clutch and rotation of the ring gear in common with the carrier and also conditioning the reduction clutch to prevent it from being engaged, the common actuating means also being responsive to termination of the single signal for causing disengagement of the direct drive clutch and also conditioning the reduction brake for selectively locking the sun gear against rotation in response to torque forces acting thereon, the power transmission also including a control system comprising a source of signal fluid under pressure, separate valve means for selectively communicating the signal fluid pressure to the respective common actuating means of each module, the plurality of separate valve means for the respective speed ratio modules each comprising a spool means having an effective length equal to the axial dimension of the respective module for abutting engagement with the spool means in an adjacently arranged speed ratio module, and governor means operatively coupled to the output drive shaft and to each of the separate valve means, the governor means conditioning the valve means for sequentially communicating the signal fluid pressure to the common actuating means of the respective modules relative to the operating speed of the output drive shaft, the governor means comprising means incrementally movable between discreet positions and operatively coupled with the separate valve means to selectively communicate the signal fluid pressure to a selected module in each discreet position, the governor means also comprising operating means arranged for interaction with one end of the continuously extending spool means.

Claim 13

A power transmission including a plurality of sequentially arranged speed ratio modules, each of the modules comprising a fixed housing, an input shaft, an output shaft, the output shaft of the first sequential module being coupled with the input shaft of the next sequential module, the output shaft of the last sequential module being coupled with a final output drive shaft of the power transmission, a planetary gear set having a sun gear, a ring gear and a plurality of planetary gears mounted upon a rotatable carrier and engaged with the ring gear and sun gear, the input shaft being coupled for rotation with the ring gear and the output shaft being coupled for rotation with the carrier, a direct drive clutch selectively operable to cause rotation of the ring gear together with the carrier, a self-energizing reduction brake to selectively lock the sun gear against rotation in response to torque forces acting upon the sun gear, and common actuating means responsive to a single signal for causing engagement of the direct drive clutch and rotation of the ring gear in common with the carrier and also conditioning the reduction clutch to prevent it from being engaged, the common actuating means also being responsive to termination of the single signal for causing disengagement of the direct drive clutch and also conditioning the reduction brake for selectively locking the sun gear against rotation in response to torque forces acting thereon, the power transmission also including a control system comprising a source of signal fluid under pressure, separate valve means for selectively communicating the signal fluid pressure to the respective common actuating means of each module, the plurality of separate valve means for the respective speed ratio modules each comprising a spool means having an effective length equal to the axial dimension of the respective module for abutting engagement with the spool means in an adjacently arranged speed ratio module, and governor means operatively coupled to the output drive shaft and to each of the separate valve means, the governor means conditioning the valve means for sequentially communicating the signal fluid pressure to the common actuating means of the respective modules relative to the operating speed of the output drive shaft, the governor means comprising means incrementally movable between discreet positions and operatively coupled with the separate valve means to selectively communicate the signal fluid pressure to a selected module in each discreet position, the governor means also comprising operating means arranged for interaction with one end of the continuously extending spool means.

Claim 14

A power transmission including a plurality of similar, sequentially arranged speed ratio modules, each of the modules comprising an input shaft, an output shaft, the output shaft of each module within the sequence being coupled with the input shaft of the next adjacent modules, the output shaft of the last sequential module being operatively coupled wiTh a final output drive shaft, a gear set operatively coupled with the input shaft and the output shaft while being operable to provide both direct and reduction drive across the respective module, friction means responsive to a single signal and operatively coupled with the respective gear set to selectively establish both direct and reduction drive, the power transmission also including means for securing fixed housing portions of the respective modules together to form an enclosure for the complete power transmission and a control system comprising a source of signal fluid under pressure, separate valve means for selectively communicating the signal fluid pressure with the friction means of each module, each valve means comprising a spool of substantially the same length as the axial dimension of the respective module, the spools being arranged in abutting relation within a bore formed by means extending through the sequentially arranged speed modules, a governor operatively coupled with the final output shaft of the power transmission and including means acting upon one axial end of the abutting sequence of spools, the governor means positioning the spools to sequentially communicate the signal fluid pressure with the respective friction means in the modules relative to the operating speed of the output shaft, and resilient means axially acting upon one end of the abutting sequence of spools to maintain them in engagement with each other and with the governor means.

Claim 15

A power transmission including a plurality of similar, sequentially arranged speed ratio modules, each of the modules comprising an input shaft, an output shaft, the output shaft of each module within the sequence being coupled with the input shaft of the next adjacent modules, the output shaft of the last sequential module being operatively coupled wiTh a final output drive shaft, a gear set operatively coupled with the input shaft and the output shaft while being operable to provide both direct and reduction drive across the respective module, friction means responsive to a single signal and operatively coupled with the respective gear set to selectively establish both direct and reduction drive, the power transmission also including means for securing fixed housing portions of the respective modules together to form an enclosure for the complete power transmission and a control system comprising a source of signal fluid under pressure, separate valve means for selectively communicating the signal fluid pressure with the friction means of each module, each valve means comprising a spool of substantially the same length as the axial dimension of the respective module, the spools being arranged in abutting relation within a bore formed by means extending through the sequentially arranged speed modules, a governor operatively coupled with the final output shaft of the power transmission and including means acting upon one axial end of the abutting sequence of spools, the governor means positioning the spools to sequentially communicate the signal fluid pressure with the respective friction means in the modules relative to the operating speed of the output shaft, and resilient means axially acting upon one end of the abutting sequence of spools to maintain them in engagement with each other and with the governor means.

Claim 16

The power transmission of claim 12 wherein the governor means acting upon the spools is incrementally movable between discreet positions in response to operating speed of the final output drive shaft and operable to communicate the signal fluid pressure with the friction means of a selected module in each discreet position.

Claim 17

The power transmission of claim 12 wherein each of the separate valve means is operable to communicate the signal fluid pressure into a common passage for the friction means of the respective modules in response to the governor means.

Claim 18

The power transmission of claim 14 wherein the friction means of each module comprises a plurality of friction devices responsive to pressure variations in the common passage.