Patents Represented by Attorney A. M. Heiter
  • Patent number: 4075912
    Abstract: A multiratio powershift transmission having automatic speed and torque demand responsive shift controls providing a normal shift program when the sump oil level is in the normal operating range. When the sump oil level is in an abnormal operating range, either lower or higher than the normal operating range, a sump oil level responsive control acts on the shift controls to provide an abnormal shift program preventing drive in the highest gear ratio and providing normal operation in the other gear ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1978
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Robert H. Schaefer
  • Patent number: 4047454
    Abstract: A transmission having a plurality of gear ratios which are selectively engaged on the supply of fluid to a servo motor fluid chamber and controls. The controls have a source of fluid under regulated pressure selectively connected by a relay valve respectively in a first and a second position to a first and a second servo motor to provide a first and a second ratio drive, an automatic shift valve controlled by speed and torque demand for shift movement between a first and a second position having spaced lands slidably sealed in a bore and a smaller intermediate restricting portion providing a restricted passage between the bore and restriction portion operative in the first position to restrictively connect the actuator chamber of the relay valve so the relay valve is in first position and in the second position to restrictively connect said source to the actuator chamber of the relay valve to shift the relay valve to second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1975
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1977
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Ted M. McQuinn
  • Patent number: 4041810
    Abstract: An automatic multiratio drive transmission having an automatic shift control system with a speed and throttle position pressure controlled shift valve controlling shifts between the highest drive ratio and the next lower drive ratio. When the shift valve is in the lower drive ratio position, a normal speed pressure signal increasing with increasing speed acting on the shift valve overcomes an opposing bias force controlled by throttle pressure to upshift the shift valve to the higher drive ratio position at increasing upshift speeds for increased throttle positions and provides an upshift hysteresis force decreasing with increasing throttle positions to prevent shift cycling as the highest ratio is established in a short time period and after a longer time delay period reduces the normal speed related governor pressure in an amount equal to the upshift hysteresis force at full throttle so that the downshift speed is the same as the upshift speed at the full throttle position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1977
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth B. Harmon, Ted M. McQuinn
  • Patent number: 4036083
    Abstract: A transmission having selectively engaged fluid actuated friction drive establishing devices and an engagement timing control system having a trimmer regulator valve for each drive establishing device, a trimmer bias regulator valve and accumulator. The oncoming trimmer valve has a spring biasing device responsive to engagement pressure to increase oncoming ratio drive engagement pressure at a controlled rate, initially at a high rate up to a minimum slack take up pressure, then to gradually increase the drive pressure from the minimum pressure at a low rate in a predetermined trimming time period for establishing the drive and then to increase the pressure at a very high rate to high line pressure. A trimmer bias system pressure is supplied to a bias chamber of the trimmer valves and acts in the oncoming trimmer valve bias chamber to increase the pressure level of the gradually increasing drive engagement pressure proportional to torque demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1974
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1977
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Ted M. McQuinn
  • Patent number: 4018099
    Abstract: A transmission shift lever assembly having a manually operated shift lever, pivotally mounted by a sliding saddle block connection on a shift shaft for transverse selecting movement between first, second and third neutral positions and rotating the shift shaft to these neutral positions and pivotally mounted for limited selecting movement in a pivot bracket pivotally mounted for shifting movement on the housing for fore and aft shifting movement conjointly with the pivot bracket from any neutral position in either direction to a drive position without turning movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1975
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1977
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick H. O'Brien, William J. Zabritski
  • Patent number: 4018316
    Abstract: The power train has a manual throttle controlled gas turbine engine having a high no load idle speed and a transmission having a low capacity fluid coupling and a variable capacity slipping friction clutch connected in parallel to the input of a multiratio gear unit for driving a vehicle. During engine idle with the vehicle stationary, when the gear unit is in neutral, the fluid coupling is unloaded to permit the engine to operate and drive the accessories at a high no load idle speed. When the gear unit is placed in a drive ratio, the fluid coupling is stalled loading the engine and reducing the no load idle speed to a regulated lower drive starting idle speed range, to reduce the inertia energy level for smooth drive starting clutch engagement and to maintain the engine output speed in a proper vehicle accessory operating idle speed range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1974
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1977
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Ted M. McQuinn, Richard B. Anderson
  • Patent number: 4010831
    Abstract: In a transmission having friction plate devices such as drive clutches and reaction brakes to establish drives, the friction plate devices have a plurality of alternate friction material faced complete annular steel plates and unfaced open annular steel plates both having spline tangs. A single width straight and transversely tapered strip having uniformly spaced recessed prime spline tangs is edge rolled into the annular plate with spline tangs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1975
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1977
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: David F. Reuter
  • Patent number: 3999449
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine and automatic transmission power train having a modulator valve controlled by an engine compressor pressure and altitude responsive force actuator and a speed governor to provide a modulator pressure increasing with increasing engine power during normal engine operation and decreasing with increasing output speed operative to increase friction drive capacity and increase upshift speed with increasing modulator pressure. The force actuator provides a force which increases with increasing compressor discharge pressure and an altitude aneroid provides an opposing force decreasing with increasing altitude so the net actuator apply force increases with increasing compressor discharge pressure and altitude and is the same at the same engine power at all altitudes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1975
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1976
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Howard E. Chana, Roderick G. Tipping
  • Patent number: 3998109
    Abstract: A transmission shift lever pivotally mounted at one end and having at the other end a handle with a detent release button connected to push a detent release rod axially extending through a tubular lever portion to release a U-shaped detent member which is mounted on the lever and biased to engage detent notches on the internal diameter of a detent plate located about the pivot. The handle has a rigid core with a bore to reciprocally receive the release button and an elastic cover. The button has a cam and stop engaging a cam and stop on the cover to expand the cover to insert and retain the button biased to release position. In one form the button directly axially pushes on the release rod and in another form the button moves transversely and has a cam rotating a pivoted lever which supports the release spring and pushes the release rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1975
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1976
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Patrick H. O'Brien
  • Patent number: 3998110
    Abstract: A transmission shift linkage having a manual shift lever pivoted in a housing for selecting movement between neutral positions and shifting movement to four forward speed positions and a reverse drive position with a manually releasable reverse inhibitor to prevent selecting movement from the neutral position for first and second speed drive position to the neutral position for reverse drive position to inhibit shifts to reverse drive position. The inhibitor has a stop member mounted on the manual shift lever for movement in the selecting movement direction between inhibiting and detent positions and is spring biased to inhibiting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1975
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1976
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick H. O'Brien, Rizal J. Baysa
  • Patent number: 3988951
    Abstract: A four wheel drive automatic transmission assembly having an input driving a fluid torque converter which is connected to drive through a three forward speed and reverse drive planetary front transmission to drive the front wheels and through a low forward speed and reverse drive rear transmission to drive the rear wheels. The rear transmission has the same components for the low forward and reverse drives as the front transmission has for the same drives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1976
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Alex C. Mair, Calvin F. Lundbom
  • Patent number: 3987874
    Abstract: A dual chamber hydrodynamic retarder in a torque converter and power shift gear transmission. The retarder inlet at a point in the stator housing extends radially inward into a radial outer port of one stator in alignment with toric flow. The toroidal flow is divided by transfer ports extending radially outward and axially in the rotor to the other chamber to simultaneously fill both chambers. Each chamber has an outlet at a point in the stator and within its outer diameter dividing axial toric flow into outlet flow and continuing toric flow. Both the inlet and outlet provide toric flow pumping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1975
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1976
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Reece R. Fuehrer, Richard B. Anderson
  • Patent number: 3953970
    Abstract: An angle drive transmission having an angle drive input shaft and driving bevel gear driving a driven bevel gear on an input sleeve shaft supported on each side of the driven bevel gear by bearings in an end wall and a central wall of the main housing. The sleeve shaft drives a pump mounted on the end wall and extends through the end wall to drive and support the clutch wall of an outboard mounted rotary torque converter housing. An outboard cover housing has its open end secured to the main housing at the end wall, encloses the rotary housing and has a central ground member rotatably supporting the impeller wall of the rotary housing. The torque converter has a bladed impeller on the impeller wall, a bladed turbine adjacent the clutch wall connected to an output shaft rotatably mounted in the sleeve shaft and a bladed stator between the impeller and turbine mounted on the ground member. A lockup clutch between the clutch wall and turbine in lockup connects the rotary housing to drive the output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1975
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1976
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Reece R. Fuehrer, James F. Hartz
  • Patent number: 3941015
    Abstract: A power train having a gas turbine engine with controlled power transfer between the load turbine drive train and the compressor turbine drive train and a power shift transmission is shown. The engine control system includes a fuel control responsive to input and output speeds and compressor discharge pressure and an output power characteristic, horse power and torque, program control responsive to compressor and auxiliary torque and speed controlling the power transfer clutch between the compressor and engine to maintain proper turbine inlet temperature at a proper constant high value in a wide range of operation for optimum efficiency. Overcontrols responsive to acceleration and the temperature of the power transfer clutch and ambient air are provided. The power shift transmission control pressure is controlled by compressor discharge pressure and engine output or transmission input speed to provide a shift actuating pressure proportional to the torque produced by the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1974
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1976
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Donovan L. Robinson
  • Patent number: 3937107
    Abstract: A transmission having a fluid operated forward and reverse drive gear unit and a three speed gear unit to provide three forward and three reverse speed drives. A one-two relay valve in downshift position provides first speed drive and on upshift functions with a downshifted two-three relay valve to provide second speed drive. The two-three relay valve on upshifts provides third speed drive. The one-two relay valve is upshifted in response to either forward or reverse second pressure and the two-three relay valve will upshift in reponse to either forward or reverse third pressure. Each relay valve will downshift in the absence of such pressure except when output speed is above a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1974
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1976
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Carl A. Lentz
  • Patent number: 3931870
    Abstract: A power train having an engine, a retarder and a transmission and controls to manually control the retarder and an engine overspeed responsive control operative to shorten a link in the manual control to move the retarder control valve to automatically apply the retarder in response to engine overspeed. An air cylinder in a link of the retarder apply linkage is actuated by vehicle air brake pressure controlled by a transmission input or engine speed governor to apply the retarder and prevent engine speed above a predetermined value and thus limit vehicle speed. When the retarder apply air cylinder shortens the link, the retarder apply pedal engages the brake off stop to provide the reaction to move the retarder valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1974
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1976
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: James A. Memmer
  • Patent number: 3930423
    Abstract: A power shift transmission having a fluid pressure control system having an intake screen and level control located centrally in the bottom of the sump and a pump and regulator valve supplying pressure to the shift control system and to a sump oil level control. The sump oil level control has a small float controlling a relay valve to control an oil level control valve connecting an elevated oil reservoir for gravity feed to fill the sump and pressure return to the reservoir to dump the sump. When the transmission input and pump is not driven, there is no pressure in the chambers at opposite ends of the differential land area level valve and balanced springs hold the level valve in a central closed position blocking flow to and from the reservoir, to the sump and from the pressure line so the oil level control is inoperative. When the transmission input is driven, a small flow of line pressure is supplied through an inlet restriction to each chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1974
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1976
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: James T. Craig