Dual engine drive

Claim 2

In a vehicle including a pair of synchronously operated engines each producing individual peak torque at substantially identical individual peak torque engine speeds, combining gear means between said pair of engines operative to combine the torque output of said pair of engines, said pair of engines producing combined engine peak torque at combined engine peak torque speed substantially equal to said individual peak torque engine speeds, and a torque converter the input torque absorption capacity of which at zero speed ratio and input speed substantially equal to said combined engine peak torque speed equals said combined engine peak torque, the combination comprising, selectively engageable direct drive means between said combining gear means and said torque converter operative to deliver to said torque converter combined engine torque at combined engine speed, selectively engageable reduction gear means between one engine of said pair of engines and said torque converter having a preselected gear ratio operative at a speed input equal to said individual peak torque engine speed and a torque input equal to said individual peak torque to reduce speed to a lower speed output whereat the corresponding higher torque output substantially equals the torque capacity of said torque converter at zero speed ratio when the torque converter input speed equals said lower output speed, and means operative to effect selective engagement of one said reduction gear means and said direct drive means.

Claim 3

The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said selectively engageable reduction gear means is planetary gear set.

Claim 4

In a vehicle including a pair of synchronously operated engines each producing individual peak torque at substantially identical individual peak torque engine speeds, combining gear means between said pair of engines operative to combine the torque output of said pair of engines, said pair of engines producing combined engine peak torque at combined engine peak torque speed substantially equal to said individual peak torque engine speeds, and a torque converter the input torque absorption capacity of which at zero speed ratio and input speed substantially equal to said combined engine peak torque speed equals said combined engine peak torque, the combination comprising, a planetary gear set including a sun gear and a ring gear and a plurality of planet gears meshingly engaging said sun and said ring gears, a planet carrier rotatably supporting each of said planet gears, means connecting said combining gear means to a first one of said sun gear and said ring gear and said planet carrier, means connecting a second one of said sun gear and said ring gear and said planet carrier to said torque converter, selectively operable clutch means disposed between any two of said sun gear and said ring gear and said planet carrier operative to unitize said planetary gear set thereby to provide a path of direct drive between said combining gear means and said torque converter, selectively applicable brake means between a fixed portion of said vehicle and a third one of said sun gear and said ring gear and said planet carrier operative to brake said third one of said ring gear and said sun gear and said planet carrier thereby to provide a gear reduction path between said combining gear means and said torque converter, means for selectively operating said clutch means when each of said pair of engines is providing torque input to said combining gear means so that said combined engine torque is delivered to said torque converter at combined engine speed, and means for selectively applying said brake means when only one engine of said pair of engines is providing torque input to said combining gear means, said planetary gear set with said brake applied having a preselected gear ratio operative at a speed input equal to said individual peak torque speed of said one engine and a torque input equal to said individual peak torque of said one engine to reduce speed to a lower speed output whereat the corresponding higher torque output substantially equals the torque capacity of said torque converter at zero speed ratio when the torque converter input speed equals said lower output speed.

Claim 5

In a vehicle including a pair of synchronously operated engines each producing individual peak torque at substantially identical individual peak torque engine speeds, combining gear means between said pair of engines operative to combine the torque output of said pair of engines, said pair of engines producing combined engine peak torque at combined engine peak torque speed substantially equal to said individual peak torque engine speeds, and a torque converter the input torque absorption capacity of which at zero speed ratio and input speed substantially equal to said combined engine peak torque speed equals said combined engine peak torque, the combination comprising, a planetary gear set including a sun gear and a ring gear and a plurality of planet gears meshingly engaging said sun and said ring gears, a planet carrier rotatably supporting each of said planet gears, means connecting said combining gear means to a first one of said sun gear and said ring gear and said planet carrier, means connecting a second one of said sun gear and said ring gear and said planet carrier to said torque converter, selectively operable clutch means disposed between any two of said sun gear and said ring gear and said planet carrier operative to unitize said planetary gear set thereby to provide a path of direct drive between said combining gear means and said torque converter, selectively applicable brake means between a fixed portion of said vehicle and a third one of said sun gear and said ring gear and said planet carrier operative to brake said third one of said ring gear and said sun gear and said planet carrier thereby to provide a gear reduction path between said combining gear means and said torque converter, means for selectively operating said clutch means when each of said pair of engines is providing torque input to said combining gear means so that said combined engine torque is delivered to said torque converter at combined engine speed, and means for selectively applying said brake means when only one engine of said pair of engines is providing torque input to said combining gear means, said planetary gear set with said brake applied having a preselected gear ratio operative at a speed input equal to said individual peak torque speed of said one engine and a torque input equal to said individual peak torque of said one engine to reduce speed to a lower speed output whereat the corresponding higher torque output substantially equals the torque capacity of said torque converter at zero speed ratio when the torque converter input speed equals said lower output speed.

Claim 6

The combination recited in claim 3 wherein said first one and said second one and said third one of said sun gear and said ring gear and said planet carrier is said ring gear and said planet carrier and said sun gear respectively.