Patent GB-970927-A (GB)
Title: Control systems for variable-ratio power transmissions
IPC: F16H59/04
Filed: 1963-09-12
Abstract: 970,927. Change-speed control. GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION. Sept. 12, 1963 [Sept. 25, 1962], No.35982/63. Heading F2D. An hydromechanical vehicle transmission includes a manual selector valve 151 of which the valve element 152 has longitudinal inlet and exhaust passages 156, 157 with ports a . . . g and h . . . I for controlling the supply of pressure liquid to the servomotors 28, 31, 53, 48, 41, 62 of the several ratio-engaging brakes and clutches. The arrangement shown provides for six forward and two reverse ratios. Transmission.-The input shaft 3 is connected to an hydraulic torque converter 4 . . . 9 with a lock-up clutch 11, the torque converter output shaft 14 being connected to an intermediate shaft 24 through an hydrodynamic brake 17, 18 and a three-element epicyclic splitter gear unit 19, 20, 21, low gear being provided by locking the sun-wheel 20 through a brake 27 and high gear by engaging sun-wheel 20 and the planet carrier 22 through a clutch 29. The main gear unit consisting of three three-element trains 43, 44, 46; 33, 35, 38; and 56, 57, 59 provides low, intermediate, high and reverse drive. Low ratio is provided between the intermediate and output shafts 24, 37 by holding annulus 38 through brake 39. Intermediate ratio is obtained by holding annulus 46 through brake 47 and driving the annulus 38. High ratio is obtained by locking-up the main gear unit and reverse by holding annulus 59 through brake 61. Hydraulic control system.-Front and rear FP, RP deliver to the main line 81 provided with a regulator valve 82 which at desired working pressure comes to port 86 to the torque converter and brake supply line 91. The regulated main line pressure may be modified by a throttle valve 116 in accordance with torque demand or pedal position, or by lines 101, 102 connected to the hydrodynamic brake 17, 18 and by lock-up clutch shift line 106. The main line 81 is also connected through an orifice 131 of lock-up clutch cut-off valve 132 to the ratio supply line 133 which supplies liquid to all the ratio-engaging servos. The supply ports a. . . g and exhaust ports h . . . l of selector valve 151 are connected to a series of annular ports, 161, of double width, 162 . . . 171 of single width and 172 . . . 175 of double width, the ratio feed line 133 being connected to port 161, splitter low line 181 for servo 28 to ports 162, 164, 166, 168, 171, splitter high line 182 for servo 31 to ports 163, 165, 167, 169, and low-ratio feed line 183 for servo 41, intermediate line 184 for servo 48, and high ratio line 186 for servo 43 to ports 172 173, 174, respectively. The reverse line 187 for servo 62 is connected to port 175. The valve element 152 is held in its adjusted position by a ball detent 191 engageable with a series of circumferential grooves 192 on a stem extension. A trimmer valve 201 operates in association with a signal pressure regulating valve 223 to give controlled engagement of the ratio establishing clutches. Also provided are a lock-up clutch shift valve 231 and cut-off valve 132, and a brake valve 261 normally held in the closed position by a loading spring 264 controls the operation of the hydrodynamic brake 17, 18. Operation.-With selector valve 152 in neutral setting and the engine running pressure liquid is supplied from ratio supply line 133 to splitter low line 181 to actuate splitter low servo 28 to engage low-ratio brake 27. All the ratio servos are connected to exhaust and lockup clutch shift valve 231 is in the downshift position providing full brake and converter supply to lines 251, 252 and connecting lock-up shift line 106 to exhaust. On a shift to first ratio connection is maintained between lines 133 and 181, and also provided to low line 183 to engage brake 39 for low ratio in the main gear unit. Connection between lock-up shift line 106 and lock-up clutch line 111 is cut off, line 111 being connected to exhaust to release the lock-up clutch 11. Signal pressure regulator valve 223 is exhausted for regulation of the pressure in line 221 to condition trimmer valve 201 for a cycle of operation to ensure'that the ratio clutch has a soft initial engagement and a non-slip final engagement. During shifts with the torque converter in operation lock-up shift valve 231 is not upshifted and trimmer valve 201 is not set to reduce the servo engagement pressure. When the gear is in first, third, fifth and reverse low ratios, splitter low is engaged and splitter high line 182 is exhausted by selector valve 151 so that an abutment plug 242 of lock-up shift valve 231 is in the upper position shown to provide a shift at a low speed of intermediate shaft 24. In the other ratios plug 242 is forced downwards for a higher speed shift to compensate for the change in speed of shaft 24 upon shift from splitter low to splitter high.