Patent GB-1102431-A (GB)
Title: Motor vehicle automatic change speed transmissions and brake assemblies suitable for use in them
IPC: F16H47/08
Filed: 1966-05-06
Abstract: 1,102,431. Fluid-pressure brakes; band brakes. FORD MOTOR CO. Ltd. 6 May, 1966 [9 June, 1965], No. 20116/66. Headings F2D, F2E and F2F. In an automatic transmission for a motor vehicle, of the kind in which ratio changes are effected by selectively braking parts of an epicyclic gear train in conjunction with selective operation of clutches for communicating the drive to other parts of the gear train, the braking is effected by brake bands 66, 104 which are operated by respective hydraulic actuators 68, 106, each actuator being fed by a control pressure which, in addition to being switched on or off by a control valve system 128 under the influence of engine manifold depression, throttle position and the speed of output shaft 96 is modulated by a device responsive to the reaction produced at an anchorage of the respective band, such that the pressure is reduced when the reaction force exceeds a predetermined value, thus ensuring smooth engagement of the bands. Each actuator, e.g. the actuator 68, comprises a piston 72 (see Fig. 3) defining chambers 140, 142 which are alternately supplied with hydraulic fluid by the control valve system 128 for application and release, respectively, of the associated brake. In the feed line 172 to the apply chamber 140 there is disposed a modulator valve comprising a spool provided with lands 166, 168. On supply of hydraulic fluid being initiated the spool is moved to the left in Fig. 3 by the pressure of fluid in a passage 174, so that fluid is then communicated by way of passages 176, 178 to the chamber 140, causing movement of piston 72 to the right. This rocks a lever 200 which, through a link 208, acts on one end 210 of the band 66 to apply the band to drum surface 64. Under the drag force imparted to the band by the braked drum, the other end 218 of the band exerts a reaction force via a lever 214 on a piston 186 to generate a hydraulic pressure in a chamber 184, this pressure acting on a plunger 194 to produce a force opposing that produced by the fluid in passage 174, so that the valve spool is moved to the right to cut off the supply of fluid from chamber 140 when the reaction force reaches a predetermined value. This ensures a smooth braking of drum surface 64. The reaction force applied to the piston 186 is limited by providing an adjustable stop 220 which is eventually contacted by the lever 214. Change-speed gearing.-The change-speed gear shown in Fig. 1 comprises a torque converter 18, including an impeller 20, driven by input shaft 14, a turbine 22 on turbine shaft 36 which drives clutch drum 38 of forward clutch 40, and a reactor 24 which is connected by a oneway coupling 30 to a stationary sleeve shaft 26. Clutch drum 38 is solid with an annular cylinder 42, for engaging the clutch discs 46, 48 on supply of fluid via line 54 to act via piston 44 on a diaphragm 56, and also with input sleeve 58 of a second clutch 120 whose output member is the drum 64, braked by band 66 when fluid is supplied to actuator 68. Drum 64 includes an annular cylinder 76 for engaging the clutch discs 60, 62 on supply of fluid via line 80. A planetary gearing 86 consists of an annulus 94, secured to output shaft 96, two sets of planet pinions 88 and 90 arranged alternately around the interior of the annulus on a common carrier 100 whereby they engage each other and thus rotate in opposite directions, only the planet gears 88 engaging the annulus, and two sun gears 84, 92 meshing, respectively with the two sets of planet gears, sun gear 84 being secured to the drum 64 and sun gear 92 to a shaft 52 driven by the output sleeve 50 of the forward clutch 40. The planet carrier 100 is connected by a one-way coupling 116 to a stationary member 118 and also carries a brake drum 102 which can be braked by a second band 104 applied by an actuator 106 similar to the actuator 68. The control valve system 128 which supplies fluid to both clutch and brake actuating cylinders is under the control of manifold depression, which via a diaphragm 148 controls a throttle valve 144, an overriding control by the throttle linkage 154 associated with accelerator pedal 156, which operates a control valve 153, and also a governor 122 responsive to the speed of output shaft 96.