Abstract: An improved grease-expelling wheel bearing assembly (1) comprises a grease expelling seal (3), and a grease distributor (5). The grease distributor (5) comprises a collar (7) for mounting about the shaft (9) of a rotor nut (11) and, projecting from the collar (7), at least one grease spreading blade (13) extending radially outwards from the collar towards the assembly housing (15), part (17) of the area between the collar (7) and the housing (15) not being covered by a blade (13), the arrangement being such that rotation of the blade (13) causes grease expelled from the bearing seal (3) to be spread evenly around the circumference of the seal, without preventing its contact with the rotor nut (11).

Abstract: A kinematic arrangement of a multiple-speed automatic transmission for an automotive vehicle includes three simple planetary gear units, hydraulically actuated clutches and brakes applied and released selectively, and an overrunning clutch that produces a one-way drive connection between the sun gear of the first gear unit and a nonrotating member, such as the transmission casing. Each planetary gear unit includes a sun gear, a ring gear surrounding the sun gear, a carrier, and a set of planet pinions in continuous meshing engagement with the sun gear and ring gear and rotatably supported on the carrier.

Abstract: A lockup clutch for a torque converter (10) has a piston (63) with a tapered face (67) that engages a grooved friction material (61). The edge (71) of the piston face (67) extends outward away from the center portion (69) of the piston face (67) toward the friction material (61). The friction material (61) is arranged in a pattern of concentric lands (80, 82, 84) defining annular grooves (86) between adjacent lands with an innermost land (82) being free of radial grooves (92) and all other lands being connected by radial grooves (92) in communication with the interior of the torque converter housing (12, 14) through the torus circuit cavity. The innermost land (82) blocks fluid flow from the torus flow circuit cavity when the piston (63) engages the disk (61) in a hard lockup condition but permits fluid flow during a soft lockup condition.

Abstract: In a hydrokinetic torque converter the clutch disc (11) of a lock-up clutch is connected non-rotatably by carriers (16) to a transfer disc (15) which for its part is connected non-rotatably through the carrier plate (18) of a damping system to a shaft hub (6') of a gearbox input shaft (6) of a vehicle gearbox, so that the damping system is included in the torque delivery path when the lock-up clutch is disengaged as well as when it is engaged.

Abstract: In a gearshift device for a semiautomatically shiftable change-speed gearbox of a motor vehicle, comprising a driver-operated clutch and a gearshift lever, movable only in a single shift lane, by means of which various shifter forks which are operable through an electromagnetically actuatable preselector device and act on synchronizers in the change-speed gearbox can be actuated.

Abstract: An hydraulic servo device for a friction brake in a planetary transmission for motor vehicles contains a cylinder with stepped interior wall, a stationary dividing wall that has a hole and divides the interior of the cylinder into two regions, one piston in each of the two regions formed by the dividing wall, and a hollow piston rod that passes through the hole of the dividing wall and connects the two pistons. The wall of the cylinder has passages, through which a pressure medium enters or exits the cylinder, in each one of the regions formed by the dividing wall. The pistons in each of the regions of the cylinder divides each of the regions into an application-pressure chamber and a release-pressure chamber, forming four chambers in the order of an application-pressure chamber, a release-pressure chamber, an application-pressure chamber, and a release-pressure chamber. The hollow piston rod has openings which allow the pressure medium to enter or exit the piston rod and the application-pressure chambers.

Abstract: A multiple ratio transmission having a main gear unit with at least three forward driving ratios and a single reverse drive ratio and a simple planetary gear unit in series with the main gear unit, the simple planetary gear unit being downshifted and the main gear unit being upshifted on an upshift from a first intermediate ratio to a higher intermediate ratio, the simple planetary gear unit being upshifted and the main gear unit being downshifted on a downshift from the higher intermediate ratio to the first intermediate ratio, the initiation of the inertia phase of the upshifting mean gear unit on an overall automatic transmission ratio upshift triggering the beginning of the release of a reaction element of said simple planetary gear unit upon downshifting of said simple planetary gear unit.

Abstract: A kinematic arrangement of an automatic transmission includes three planetary gear units having certain of their elements fixed to other elements mutually, a one-way coupler for holding the sun gear of the first gear unit, a clutch arranged in parallel with the coupler, a friction clutch driveably connecting a transmission input shaft to the sun gear of the first gear unit, a second friction clutch for driveably connecting the pinion carriers of the second and third gear units to the input shaft, a friction brake for holding the sun gear of the second gear unit against rotation, and a brake band for selectively holding the pinion carriers of the second and third gear units against rotation.

Abstract: A system for controlling operation of a bypass clutch for a torque converter in an automatic transmission includes a clutch capacity control valve, which connects a source of fluid pressure to a space between a converter clutch friction surface and an impeller casing in response to a force balance produced by variable pressure control signal and an unlock control pressure signal, produced by a converter lockout valve. The a clutch capacity control valve also supplies pressurized fluid to a torus of the torque converter. The valve includes four control lands connecting 10 ports, all of which are active and independent.

Abstract: A system for controlling a pump in a hydraulic circuit for an automatic transmission, having a viscosity insensitive fixed orifice and a relatively high resistance laminar orifice connected in series relationship between a vent port and a control pressure supplied to a secondary regulated pressure SRP valve. At relatively low temperature, flow through the laminar orifice is negligible; therefore, the steady-state differential pressure across the fixed orifice is negligible. At relatively higher temperatures, flow through the laminar orifice increases. A pressure divider is established and the feedback differential pressure is reduced in proportion to the hydraulic resistance of the two orifices. Flow to friction elements from a primary pump and auxiliary pump and return of fluid to the inlets of the pumps is controlled through a clutch capacity pressure regulator valve acting in cooperation with the SRP valve.

Abstract: A method for controlling engagement of an automatic transmission in response to manual operation of a gear shift lever by the vehicle operator includes determining the instantaneous position of the PRNDL shift lever and checking whether that position has changed since the last execution of the control algorithm. Next the method determines whether the gear shift lever has moved from the neutral position to the drive position or whether it is moved from the drive position to the neutral position since the last execution of the program. In response to these checks, various flags are set and an engagement timer is loaded to a predetermined period. Finally the method passes the shift lever position to a microprocessor depending on the state of the flags, expiration of the timer and the vehicle speed or turbine speed.

Abstract: A cooler bypass valve, located in a hydraulic circuit between the discharge side of a torque converter and lubrication circuit, includes a valve spool urged by feedback pressure acting in opposition to the force of a compression spring to a bypass cooling mode position where the converter discharge fluid flow is connected to the lubrication circuit bypassing the oil cooler. The bypass valve includes a viscosity-sensitive pressure divider, which includes a series arrangement of a laminar orifice and a sharp-edged orifice located between the converter discharge and an oil sump. As oil temperature increases, flow through the laminar orifice produces a control pressure in opposition to the feedback pressure and additive to a spring force, which combine to move the valve spool to a cooling mode position where substantially all of the converter discharge is directed through the oil cooler.

Abstract: A rotary switch, used to select the operating range of an automatic transmission, controls solenoid-operated valves corresponding to the selected range to open and close a connection between a range valve assembly and a control pressure source. A forward range selection electric circuit includes a forward range high side driver, a solenoid-operated control valve, the rotary switch, a power source, and a current monitor. There is a similar circuit for the reverse range. A forward range valve and reverse range valve respond to control pressure produced by the circuit to open a fluid pressure source to a line that is pressurized to produce forward drive, a second position opens a connection between the fluid pressure source and a line that is pressurized to produce reverse drive and vents those lines to sump.

Abstract: A kinematic arrangement of an automatic transmission includes three simple planetary gear units having certain elements fixed to other elements mutually, a one-way coupling for holding the ring gear of the first gear unit against rotation, brakes for holding the carrier of the third gear unit and the sun gears of the second and third gear units against rotation on the transmission housing, two friction clutches arranged in parallel between the input shaft and the sun gears of the second and third planetary gear units, a brake band for holding the ring gear of the third gear unit and carrier of the second gear unit against rotation, and a friction clutch for holding the sun gear of the first gear unit against rotation.

Abstract: A control system for a multiple ratio transmission including two overrunning couplings acting in cooperation with friction clutches and brakes to effect controlled shifts between ratios to reduce inertia torque upon engagement of friction brakes associated with speed ratio downshifts that occur in time-controlled stages following a command for a downshift and for establishing an electronic pressure accumulator effect upon speed ratio upshifts following a command for an upshift.

Abstract: A hydraulic servo for friction brakes of an automatic transmission comprises a cylinder (2) with a main piston (3) arranged therein, a smaller cylinder (8) to receive a smaller compensation piston (9), the smaller cylinder communicating with the pressure chamber (5) of the main piston (3) through an orifice (18) controlled by a ball valve (20). A stepped bore (22) connects the pressure chamber (5) to the compensation chamber (17). A stepped piston (23), located in the bore, forms a discharge control valve (24), which controls the discharge of pressure medium from the compensation chamber (17).

Abstract: In a torque converter with a cone-type lock-up clutch having a clutch disc (14) with a conical friction disc area (24) cooperating directly with the conical inner wall of the torque converter housing (1), the inner wall of the torque converter housing (1) has in its jacket part (2) at least two conical areas (K1 and K2) disposed concentrically of one another, the radially inner conical area (K1) having a relatively small angle and the radially outer conical area (K2) having a relatively large angle, and cooperates, with clutch discs (14 and 14') having different radial extents and having friction disc areas (23 and 23') with different cone angles.

Abstract: A transmission shift rail with a control rail 12 and shift fork 30. A pin 26 extends into a translation slot 36 in the shift fork 30 to produce axial movement of the shift fork 30 when the control rail 12 rotates, without translating the shift fork 30 when the control rail 12 translates.

Abstract: A method of predicting crack initiation based fatigue life includes the steps of plotting the elastic finite element stress states of a stress history for a given component at a predetermined critical location in the stress space and determining the least square fit ellipsoid of the stress states by a straight line through the center of gravity. An aspect ratio .lambda..sub.2 /.lambda..sub.1 is defined where .lambda..sub.1 and .lambda..sub.2 are the two largest eigen values of the eigen system of matrix M which defines the least square fit ellipsoid and where .lambda..sub.1 .gtoreq..lambda..sub.2. A multiaxial fatigue analysis is performed where the aspect ratio exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: In a bush insert with an orifice for a liquid-containing housing, which is insertable as a bush (22) in a passage opening (21) in the housing (3), includes an orifice (25) in its base, the base of the bush insert (22') is formed as a cone (29) pointing counter to the direction of flow (P') of the liquid and having the orifice (31) located in its tip (30).