Abstract: This invention relates to a power transmission apparatus for flexibly coupling a power source to its intended torque load. This apparatus is addressed to producing an infinitely flexible ratio of gear reduction while continuously maintaining economical, solid contact gear meshings. The simultaneous selection of division ratios, and of optional torque transfer channels, while splitting the input torque provides the two torque components needed for composing the optimum output torque ratio. A plurality of dual journallings permit an annularly torqued rotation to progressively supplement and then replace, the torque from the epicyclic gear reduction rotations. Multiple progressions of infinitely variable reduction ratios selectively activate the amount of input torque energy deflected from the gear reduction apparatus, into a direct torquing of the output shaft.

Abstract: A hydraulic control for a power transmission has a regulator valve for controlling the hydraulic system pressure and a plurality of shift valves for controlling the automatic ratio change in the transmission. The shift valves are urged toward the higher ratio position by a governor pressure. The shift valves, except the 1-2 valve, are selectively subjected to separate modulated throttle valve pressures acting in opposition to the governor pressure and depending upon whether the respective shift valve is in the lower or higher ratio position. The modulated pressures are maintained at substantially zero for a portion of the throttle valve pressure range so that upshifting and downshifting will be sensitive to governor pressure and therefore vehicle speed only.The regulator valve is subject to a variable bias pressure which is proportional to throttle valve pressure.

Abstract: A planetary gear arrangement has mutually meshing first and second planetary pinion sets journalled on a carrier that is fixed to the input shaft. The first planet pinion set meshes also with a sun gear fixed to the output shaft; the second planet pinion set meshes with a ring gear. A slidable clutch can driveably connect the ring gear to the carrier for reverse drive operation and a cone clutch can fix the ring gear against rotation for forward drive operation.

Abstract: Power transmission apparatus having a torque convertor with an input shaft, an impeller connected to the input shaft, an output turbine, a first uni-directional detent, a reactor connected to a fixed part on which to react by means of the first uni-directional detent which is arranged to prevent rotation of the reactor in a reverse direction, a circulatory turbine, a first gearing connecting the circulatory turbine to the input shaft, a second gearing connecting the first gearing to an output shaft, a second uni-directional detent, and a brake arranged to act between part of the second gearing and a stationary part. The apparatus also includes a ring gear and a holding device acting on the ring gear, both being included in the second gearing, so that when the ring gear is held stationary by the holding device, the output shaft is driven in reverse.

Abstract: In order to control shifting of the transmission of a vehicle, from the viewpoint of obtaining the optimum fuel economy and/or power output performance, a transmission shift control device is proposed which comprises a throttle sensor which generates a throttle signal, an engine speed sensor which generates an engine speed signal, a shift position sensor which generates a shift position signal indicating the present operating gear of the transmission, a memory which stores a relationship between the throttle opening and the engine speed for each shift position or operating gear of the transmission to give a target value for one of these two signals in accordance with the other of them, and a comparator which receives one of the above two signals and compares it with the target value therefor given from the memory and generates either an upshift signal or a downshift signal which is indicated to the driver or sent to the transmission so as automatically to shift it.

Abstract: A speed change device comprises first and second outer gears, crankpins connected to the second outer gear, and pinions having pin holes for receiving the crankpins and outer gear teeth formed at the periphery thereof. The speed change device is characterized in that the pinion has through holes formed in a star shape, and a support block has a star shape corresponding to the shape of the through holes in the pinion, so that the support block is inserted into the through holes in order to support the crankpins by means of pairs of bearings.

Abstract: A transmission for an automotive vehicle, including an auxiliary speed change device of a planetary gear mechanism type, which provides two speed stages and is automatically shifted between the two speed stages by a hydraulic fluid control system according to the operational conditions of the vehicle, and a main speed change device which is connected in series to the auxiliary speed change device, and which includes a gear transmission mechanism, which is manually shiftable between several speed stages.

Abstract: A differential assembly of the automotive vehicle type, for rotating axially aligned drive axles, having a rotatable driving casing which distributes the power to the inner end portions of the axles. A center ring member, having opposite wedge-like, face tooth formations, is secured within the casing for meshing with and driving corresponding tooth formations on a pair of pressure rings between which the center ring member is positioned. Each pressure ring is connected to one of the axles through a clutch. The pressure rings are movable towards and away from the center ring for respectively disengaging and engaging their clutches. A splined stop ring meshes with corresponding internal splines formed on each of the pressure rings for limiting each pressure ring's rotational movement relative to the center ring for holding the meshed center ring teeth and the teeth of either pressure ring apart when that pressure ring's rotational speed exceeds the rotational speed of the center ring and casing.

Abstract: A drive hub for a bicycle includes an axially extending hub shaft with a driver rotatably mounted on the hub shaft. A plurality of sprockets are secured to the driver in side-by-side relation. A hub sleeve laterally encloses and extends in the axial direction of the hub shaft. At one end the hub sleeve is supported on the driver and at the other end it is supported on the hub shaft. A planetary gear system encircles the hub shaft and is enclosed by the hub sleeve driver. The planetary gear system is arranged to transmit the driving force from the driver to the hub sleeve and includes a sun gear fixed on the hub shaft, a planetary gear carrier rotatably mounted on the hub shaft and an annular gear with internal gear teeth formed as an integral part of the driver. A shifting device moves a coupling member for selectively coupling the hub sleeve with one of the annular gear or a planet gear mounted on the planet gear carrier.

Abstract: A hydrokinetic transmission mechanism for an automotive vehicle driveline including a hydrokinetic torque converter and multiple ratio planetary gearing in combination with a torque splitter gear unit located within the converter housing, the multiple ratio gearing having two separate torque input shafts and the splitter unit being adapted to distribute torque to each of the input shafts, one torque delivery path being fully mechanical and the other being hydrokinetic, the torque splitter unit including a simple planetary gear unit with a pocketed carrier, the planetary gear elements of the torque splitter gear unit being journalled on their peripheries in the carrier thus eliminating the need for a separate torque splitter pinion shafts and bearings.

Abstract: A reversing double cone clutch drive assembly for a boat comprising a horizontal input shaft, a vertical intermediate output shaft, a first housing provided with an opening in a side wall opposite to the input shaft and an opening in a bottom wall through which the lower end of said intermediate output shaft is exposed, and selectable gear transmission subassemblies attachable to such clutch drive assembly, each subassembly including a second housing with a generally horizontal wall for engaging such bottom wall, said second housing carrying a bearing which mounts an output shaft driven through gear means by said intermediate output shaft said housings being filled interiorly with lubricating oil, in heat exchange relationship with cooling water exterior of said housing.

Abstract: A final drive assembly for a vehicle comprising a housing, an input pinion gear rotatably supported by the housing, a sun gear shaft rotatably supported by the housing, a final drive bull gear fixedly secured to the sun gear shaft and in mesh with the input pinion gear, a planetary reduction gear group with a carrier thereof being rotatably mounted on the sun gear shaft, a sprocket rotatably mounted on the housing, and a torque tube fixedly secured to the sprocket and mounted for rotation on the sun gear shaft, the torque tube being coupled with the carrier.

Abstract: A planetary gear assembly comprises, a housing with an input shaft rotatably mounted in the housing and being advantageously hollow so as to provide a means for rotatably supporting a central gear. The central gear includes two axially spaced helical gear portions which mesh with oppositely helically geared rotatable planetary gears having respective shafts supported on planet carriers which are selectively connected either to the input shaft or to an output shaft which is rotatably mounted adjacent the input shaft. A planetary gear is also meshed with outer central gears or internal gears which are affixed to the housing. The inner central gears are mounted so that they may be displaced axially to absorb stressing during operation. In addition, the internal gear advantageously includes a hub portion which provides a mounting for a planetary gearing of another faster running planetary stage.

Abstract: In an automatic transmission for vehicles which has a fluid torque converter, a lock-up clutch for directly connecting the input and output members of the torque converter when pressure is supplied to its pressure chamber, and a gear transmission mechanism which has several hydraulic fluid actuated friction engaging devices for providing several speed stages: a control system which provides selective supply of pressures for actuating the friction engaging devices, which includes a system for manually selecting any of several desired shift ranges, several shift valves for selectively providing actuating pressures for the friction engaging devices according to the shift range selected by the manual selecting system and according to the balance between the opening of the intake throttle valve of the engine of the vehicle and its road speed, and a system for supplying pressure to the pressure chamber of the torque converter, when any one of several shift ranges is selected by the manual selecting device, only whe

Abstract: Partial locking for a fluid-locked planetary gear used in a differential or the like is obtained by causing oil to be squeezed between the gears of a planetary gear train, thereby providing increased resistance to movement, or partial locking, of the gears within the gear train. Improved partial locking for a fluid-locked planetary gear train is provided by loosely mounting planet gears for movement within the chambers which closely surround the partially locked planet gears. The driving and reaction forces on the loosely mounted planet gears permit the planet gears to move so that their peripheral ends come into close engagement with the walls of the chambers in which the gears are mounted to further increase the fluid resistance to movement of the gears. To obtain similar partial locking characteristics in either a forward or a reverse direction, the planet gear pairs and their corresponding chambers are reversed in their relative positions.

Abstract: A locking device for a differential mechanism wherein the locking device comprises a locking gear movable along an axis normal to the axes of rotation of a pair of side planetary gears and a pair of pinion sun gears, the locking gear being engageable with both pairs of planetary and sun gears to minimize and reduce radial stressing of said pairs of gears in locked condition, the locking device being readily manually actuated and retained in locked or unlocked condition.

Abstract: A fixing and heating device for an electrostatic copying apparatus includes a fixing roller which (a) remains stationary at least until a toner is softened, (b) is driven at a low speed to even the surface temperature of the fixing roller when the surface temperature is lower than a temperature suitable for fixing, and is equal to the temperature suitable for fixing except during a fixing operation, and (c) is driven at a speed suitable for fixing when the surface temperature is suitable for fixing during the fixing operation.

Abstract: A hydraulic circuit system in the automatic transmission has a hydraulic line or passage through which a hydraulic fluid delivered from a hydraulic power source or a hydraulic fluid output provided by a regulator valve is directly supplied to a torque converter, so that the overheat that may otherwise occur in the hydraulic fluid within the torque converter during the low engine output can effectively be prevented.

Abstract: An energy efficient drive system having apparatus for determining the load power, load speed, and necessary adjustment of the drive system to obtain a minimum brake specific energy consumption. The drive system includes structure for adjusting the drive in accordance with the determined adjustment. In one form, the drive system includes a variable speed transmission and the adjustment of the drive system is effected by adjusting the transmission in accordance with a determination of the necessary adjusted speed ratio for causing the motive device speed to be a minimum. In one form, the motive device is an internal combustion engine. The adjustment of the drive system to obtain maximum efficiency may alternatively be effected by adjusting the number of active cylinders of the engine. The determination may be made by reference to input information concerning the characteristics of the motive drive.

Abstract: A friction drive for a positioning table employs a friction drive bar centered along the axis of the positioning table and coupled to the positioning table through a flexure member which allows lateral translation of the friction drive bar with respect to the table. The shaft of a rigidly mounted servomotor is tightly pinched against the side of the friction drive bar by a pair of back-up rollers on a pivoted support bar anchored to the frame bearing against the off side of the servomotor shaft and a pressure roller, also mounted on an anchored pivoted support bar, bearing against the opposed side of the friction drive bar. The pair of back-up rollers and the pressure roller are resiliently urged together to firmly pinch the servomotor shaft and friction drive bar together. The anchored pivoted support bar carries through longitudinal forces to prevent deflection of the servomotor shaft.