Transmission

Claim 1

In a transmission comprising: a housing having one longitudinal end wall and the other longitudinal end wall and having a bottom defining a reservoir for lubricating oil; a first bearing disposed in the one longitudinal end wall of said housing adjacent to the top thereof, a second bearing disposed in the one longitudinal end wall of said housing adjacent to the bottom thereof, and a third bearing disposed in the other longitudinal end wall of said housing in an axially aligned relation to said second bearing; an input shaft rotatably supported by said first bearing and having one axial end projecting outwardly of said housing and the other axial end projecting inwardly of said housing; an input gear mounted on the other axial end of said input shaft for rotation therewith; a counter shaft extending parallel to said input shaft and rotatably supported by said second and third bearings; a counter gear mounted on said counter shaft for rotation therewith and in mesh with said input gear, said counter gear having at least a portion thereof dipped in the lubricating oil within said reservoir; a bearing retainer mounted on an outer surface of the one longitudinal end wall of said housing for retaining said first and second bearings in their positions, said bearing retainer having therein an opening through which said input shaft extends; and a seal member disposed between said bearing retainer and said input shaft for sealing a clearance between said opening in said bearing retainer and said input shaft; the improvement which comprises: a chamber defined between said bearing retainer and an end surface of said first bearing facing said bearing retainer, said seal member being exposed to said chamber; oil-receiving means disposed within said housing adjacent to said input gear for receiving the lubricating oil scooped up by said counter gear when said input shaft is rotated to cause said counter gear in mesh with said input gear to be rotated; and a passage for communicating said oil-receiving means and said chamber with each other to introduce the lubricating oil from said oil-receiving means into said chamber for lubricating said seal member and said first bearing, said transmission further comprising a second chamber defined by and between said bearing retainer and said second bearing, and a second passage for communicating said first-mentioned chamber and said second chamber with each other to introduce lubricating oil from said first-mentioned chamber into said second chamber for lubricating said second bearing.