Abstract: Shift control assembly for a power transmission device includes an electric drive motor and gear train having an output which is coupled to and bi-directionally rotates a shift rail. The shift rail includes a pair of spaced-apart cam followers. Freely rotatably receiving the shift rail and disposed thereon between the cam followers is a shift fork assembly. The shift fork assembly includes a body having a pair of spaced-apart helical cam surfaces engaged by the cam followers and a fork engaging a shift clutch collar. As the shift rail rotates bi-directionally, the shift fork assembly and clutch collar bi-directionally translate. A circular plate is disposed for rotation with the shift rail and includes an array of apertures. A plurality of sensors are disposed in adjacent, sensing relationship to the circular plate.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electronic actuator for use in a vehicle transmission such as a four wheel drive transfer case. In one preferred embodiment, the transfer case includes two separate electronic actuators, a range shift actuator which is utilized to effect shifting of the transfer case between high range, neutral, and low range drive positions, and a clutch actuator which is utilized to control engagement of a clutch between two wheel drive, automatic ("on demand" four wheel drive), and "part time" four wheel drive operating modes. The range shift actuator includes a rotary electric motor coaxially mounted relative to a rear output shaft of the transfer case, and a linear screw for translating the rotational movement of the motor shaft to selective axial movement of a range shift sleeve.

Abstract: A multiple-shaft transmission having multiple gear ratios, at least one ro having a gearset with gear elements (58, 144, 204) that are journalled on their respective shafts (44, 112, 206) and that are continuously in mesh, each shaft carrying a clutch assembly (178, 188) that may be selectively engaged and disengaged to complete and to interrupt a torque flow path through the gearset whereby the gear elements are isolated from the input and output driven and do not contribute to the total inertia mass of the driven rotating components of the transmission when they do not form a part of the torque flow path, thus reducing gear rattle and reducing shift efforts required to effect gear ratio changes.

Abstract: A manually-actuated six speed transmission (10) for use in an automotive vehicle wherein a vehicle operator actuates said transmission through a shift lever (82) actuating a primary shift rail (81) in the transmission housing (11), the transmission including an input shaft (12), an output shaft (13) axially aligned with the input shaft, a countershaft (15) having a gear cluster (17) thereon, the input shaft terminating in an input gear (14) which also acts as a fourth gear for direct drive, a plurality of gears (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24) on the countershaft providing first through sixth gears and reverse, and a plurality of synchronizers (36, 38, 41, 42) on either the output shaft (13) or the countershaft (15) for actuating said gears. The synchronizers include a 1-2 synchronizer (36), a 3-4 synchronizer (38) and a reverse synchronizer (42) encompassing the output shaft (13), and a 5-6 synchronizer (41) encompassing the countershaft (15).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for working on a section of gas main while it is in service comprising a work chamber formable around a section of the gas main and having means for admitting a tool thereto in a manner that it can be manipulated from outside the work chamber; means for removing the tool from the work chamber while maintaining the work chamber under gas pressure and means for safely evacuating the work chamber of gas.