Abstract: A drive apparatus having an axle and drive gear for the axle mounted within a housing, the drive gear capable of being drivingly coupled to a worm gear formed on an input shaft. An actuator extending into the housing and cooperating with the input shaft, where the actuator may rotate the input shaft about a point along the longitudinal axis of the input shaft between the first and second ends thereof to move the worm gear from a first position where it is engaged to and drives the drive gear and a second position where the worm gear does not contact the drive gear.

Abstract: An axial piston pump and an axial piston motor, mounted in a housing each have a rotating element and a non-rotating element. Each non-rotating element is mounted for tilting movement about axes transverse to the axes of rotation of the rotating element, on trunnions in its own respective pair of mounting journals in the housing for controlling the transmission ratio. The pump and the motor are disposed side-by-side in the housing with the axes of rotation approximately parallel to each other. A stationary manifold, fixed to the housing, has surfaces in contact with the rotating pump element and the rotating motor element. Fluid passages open in the surfaces in fluid communication with the pump and motor cylinders through a pump/manifold interface. Internal fluid passages in the stationary manifold convey fluid pressurized in the pump directly to the motor, and convey spent fluid displaced from the motor back to the pump.

Abstract: A hydraulic unit has a drive shaft (52) mounted in a manifold block (54) and coupled to a torque plate (80) on a central axis. A bent axis motive unit (60) has a yoke connected to the manifold block supported for rotation on the yoke. Hollow pistons (100) in cylinders in the cylinder block allow fluid to flow through a torque plate into and form the manifold without the necessity for passing fluid through an articulating member that pivots the cylinder block.

Abstract: A hydraulic unit has a drive shaft (52) mounted in a manifold block (54) and coupled to a torque plate (80) on a central axis. A bent axis motive unit (60) has a yoke connected to the manifold block supported for rotation on the yoke. Hollow pistons (100) in cylinders in the cylinder block allow fluid to flow through a torque plate into and form the manifold without the necessity for passing fluid through an articulating member that pivots the cylinder block.

Abstract: A parallel hydromechanical continuously variable transmission has a housing that holds a make-up pump, and has internal cavities for holding operating assemblies of the transmission, including an axial piston pump and an axial piston motor. The pump and motor each have a rotating element and a non-rotating element. Each rotating element has a center of mass and an axis of rotation that passes through the center of mass. Each non-rotating pump element is mounted for tilting movement on trunnions in its own respective pair of mounting journals in the housing. The tilting axes of the non-rotating elements lie transverse to the axes of rotation of the rotating element. The pump and the motor are disposed side-by-side in the housing with the axes of rotation approximately parallel to each other. A stationary manifold, fixed to the housing, has one surface in contact with the rotating pump element and a second surface in contact with the rotating motor element.

Abstract: A gun system has a two piece cannon assembly that is separated between a removable chamber instead of a traditional breech, and a projectile forcing cone. The chamber has a plug at one end that can accommodate any type of ignition system, and the other end is open and is attached to the barrel with a connection fitting. High pressure gases created by combustion of the propellant are sealed with a high-pressure gas compression seal at the interface between the chamber and the barrel. The connection fitting provides an attachment for a rear cannon bearing slide, which rides on rails attached to the main support structure, and also reacts any torque induced into the barrel from the actuation of the chamber/barrel locking collar. A turntable upon which are mounted two chamber elevating/support mechanisms and two projectile loader/rammer mechanisms is positioned around one of the main support structure legs.

Abstract: A continuously variable power transmission has a fixed mounting plinth, by which the transmission is mounted to a fixed structure, and an output shaft, to which an output device can be connected. A pintle having a flat radial slab and an axial arbor supports a radial piston pump rotor an one end of the arbor and a radial piston motor rotor on the other end of the arbor. A driven pulley surrounds the transmission and constitutes its exterior shell within which working fluid is contained. The pulley is coupled to a ring gear of a planetary gear set having a planet carrier with planet gears engaged between the ring gear and a sun gear. The sun gear is coupled to and drives the pump rotor, and the carrier is coupled to the output shaft. Working fluid pressurized by the pump is conveyed to the motor rotor to generate torque in the motor which is carried back to the planet carrier.

Abstract: A parallel hydromechanical continuously variable transmission has a housing (107) that holds a make-up pump (52), and has internal cavities for holding operating assemblies of the transmission, including an axial piston pump (50) and an axial piston motor (60). The pump (50) and motor (60) each has a rotating element (206) and a non-rotating element (258). Each non-rotating pump element is mounted for tilting movement on trunnions (258P) in its own respective pair of mounting journals in the housing (107). The tilting axes of the non-rotating elements (258) lie transverse to the axes of rotation of the rotating elements (206). The pump (50) and the motor (60) are disposed side-by-side in the housing (107) with the axes of rotation approximately parallel to each other. A stationary manifold (70), fixed to the housing (107), has one surface in contact with the rotating pump element (206P) and a second surface in contact with the rotating motor element (206M).

Abstract: A hydromechanical transmission has an operating assembly including an input hydrostatic unit (50) and an output hydrostatic unit (60), each having a rotating cylinder (180, 182) and piston element (210, 212) and a non-rotating yoke element (150, 151). The non-rotating elements are yoke elements (150, 151) linked together to react the separating forces internally, bypassing the housing (120).

Abstract: A hydrostatic axial piston transmission having a continuously variable transmission ratio includes an axial piston pump driven by an input shaft, the pump having an annular pump cylinder block with a ring of cylinders in which pump pistons reciprocate to pressurize and displace fluid from the pump cylinders. The pump is also coupled to an output shaft for conveying reaction torque from the input shaft directly to the output shaft as a first output torque component. An axial piston hydraulic motor has an annular motor cylinder block with a ring of motor cylinders in which motor pistons reciprocate in a power stroke to apply output torque to the output shaft, and a displacement stroke in which spent fluid is displaced from the motor cylinders for return to the pump cylinders. The pump cylinder block is concentrically disposed within the annulus of the motor cylinder block, and the input shaft and the output shaft lie on a longitudinal axis through the annulus.

Abstract: A continuously variable transmission includes a housing enclosing an axial piston pump and an axial piston motor arranged concentrically with respect to the pump. The pump and motor have cylinder blocks with axial cylinders, each receiving a piston. Pump and motor swash plates are engaged with the pump and motor pistons for rotating and nutating relative to the cylinder blocks to convert between fluid pressure power and rotating mechanical power. Input and output shafts are journaled in the housing for rotation about a central axis and have inner ends coupled to the pump and to the motor swash plate, respectively. Fluid passages between the pump cylinder block and the motor cylinder block convey fluid pressurized in the pump to the motor cylinders and convey spent fluid displaced from the motor cylinder block back to the pump cylinders.

Abstract: In a continuously variable hydrostatic transmission including a hydraulic pump unit driven by an input shaft, a grounded hydraulic motor unit, and an intermediate, wedge-shaped swashplate for developing torque on an output shaft in response to pumped exchanges of hydraulic fluid between the pump and motor units through swashplate ports, a ratio controller is provided to vary transmission ratio by changing the swashplate angular orientation and to engage a lock-up clutch directly mechanically coupling the input shaft to the output shaft when a 1:1 transmission ratio is set.

Abstract: An infinitely variable hydrostatic transmission includes a radial piston pump having outwardly opening pump cylinders containing radial pump pistons, and a radial piston motor, arranged concentrically around the pump, having inwardly opening motor cylinders containing radial motor pistons. Fluid passages in the transmission intermittently connect the pump cylinders and the motor cylinders in a closed fluid flow circuit. A flexible cam ring is radially interposed between the pump and the motor in load bearing relation to the pump pistons on an inside surface of the cam ring, and in load bearing relation to the motor pistons on an outside surface of the cam ring. An input shaft is coupled in torque driving relation to the pump, and an output shaft is coupled in torque driven relation through a commutator plate to the cam ring. An adjustment mechanism is provided for adjusting the cam ring to a desired radial profile to set the transmission to a desired transmission ratio.

Abstract: A hydraulic machine having a continuously variable displacement includes a vane rotor having a plurality of radial vanes thereon and a connection for a torque transmitting shaft driven by a prime mover such as an engine or an electric motor. A cam ring is supported in a position surrounding the vane rotor and has an interior surface facing the vane rotor. The interior surface and the vane rotor define between them a working volume swept by the vanes. The cam ring has flexible portions therearound capable of flexing radially when inwardly directed radial forces are exerted thereon to change the shape of the swept volume within the cam ring. A control mechanism in the housing has an adjustable force generating device bearing against a force exerting member engaged with the cam ring for exerting a squeezing force on the ring to distort the cross-sectional shape of the cam ring and the swept volume within the cam ring.

Abstract: A continuously variable transmission comprises a housing, an input shaft, an output shaft. The input shaft is coupled to a vane rotor of a vane-type pump having radially extending pump vanes driven by the pump rotor around a pump working volume between two axially spaced pump side plates surfaces and within an inside surface of a flexible pump cam ring spaced radially from the pump rotor. The pump vanes each have a radial end edge remote from the pump rotor and in contact with the pump cam surface. A stator hub is fixed to the housing and has radially extending stator vanes projecting radially into a stator working volume between two axially spaced stator side plate surfaces and between a cam surface of a flexible stator cam ring and the radially spaced surface of the stator hub. The stator vanes each have a radial end edge remote from the hub and in contact with the stator cam surface. Torque is transmitted from the stator cam ring and the pump cam ring to the output shaft by a torque coupling.

Abstract: A continuously variable transmission, which allows recovering braking energy from a vehicle for later use in accelerating the vehicle and/or engine starting, includes a vane type pump and stator in a case, each with flexible cam rings. The pump cam ring and the stator cam ring can both be flexed to change the displacement of the pump and the stator. A first connection establishes fluid communication between a tapering volume sector of the pump swept volume and a tapering volume sector of the stator unit working volume, and a second connection establishes fluid communication between a flaring volume sector of the pump swept volume and a flaring volume sector of the stator unit working volume. A valve is connected to the first and second connections and a hydraulic accumulator.

Abstract: A continuously variable transmission includes a housing in which input and output shafts are journaled for rotation. Both input and output shafts have torque couplings for connection to drive shafts of a prime mover and a driven load such as the drive axle of a vehicle. The input shaft is coupled to a vane rotor of a vane-type pump having radially extending pump vanes driven by the pump rotor around a pump working volume between two axially spaced pump side plates surfaces and within an inside surface of a flexible pump cam ring spaced radially from the pump rotor. The pump vanes each have a radial end edge remote from the pump rotor and in contact with the pump cam surface. A stator hub is fixed to the housing and has radially extending stator vanes projecting radially into a stator working volume between two axially spaced stator side plate surfaces and between a cam surface of a flexible stator cam ring and the radially spaced surface of the stator hub.

Abstract: A method of pumping at a variable delivery flow rate and pressure includes rotating a pump rotor having a plurality of radially extending vanes inside a flexible cam ring with an input shaft and sweeping a swept volume within the flexible cam ring with the vanes while contacting an inside surface of the flexible cam ring with outside edges of the vanes. The swept volume is sealed on opposite axial sides thereof with a port plate on one side and a side seal plate on the side opposite the port plate, and opposite sides of the flexible cam ring and the vanes are engaged with the plates. Fluid is drawn into the swept volume within the cam ring through a first set of ports in the port plate by rotating the vanes into a suction region within the cam ring having an increasing radius in the direction of the vane rotation.