Patent GB-890278-A (GB)
Title: Change-speed transmission control
IPC: F16H61/30
Filed: 1958-11-28
Abstract: 890,278. Change-speed control. EATON MANUFACTURING CO. Nov. 28, 1958 [Dec. 2, 1957], No. 38512/58. Class 80 (2). Control mechanism for a change-speed gear, which may be a gear of the type described in Specification 845,289, has a number of parallel selector rods slidden axially to establish the different ratios, a fluid-pressure cross-shift servomotor moving a selecting finger from engagement with one rod to engagement with another and a ratio establishing fluid pressure servomotor sliding the selecting finger and its connected selector rod, the two motors being under the control of a manually operated shift lever moving through a gate in a valve unit disposed remotely of the two servos and comprising two valves only. The fluid pressure is preferably compressed air. As shown, one or other of selector rods 16 ... 19, Figs. 1-3, is engaged by a depending selecting finger 214 pivoted about a connecting rod 192 when the connecting rod 157 of a cross-shift servomotor 152 slides a frame 186 having a slot 188 through which the finger passes, a fixed stud 187 guiding the frame. The cross-shift servomotor 152 comprises a piston 161 fast upon the connecting rod 157 and two floating pistons 166, 172 of larger diameter freely disposed on the connecting rod at opposite sides of the fixed piston. Two interconnected inlet ports 76, 76 supply fluid under pressure to the outer sides of the free pistons 161, 172, and two inlet ports 75, 77 supply fluid under pressure to opposite sides of the fixed piston 161. When fluid pressure is supplied to the port 75 alone, the fixed piston 161 is biased to the extreme left-hand position of Fig. 3, and the selecting finger 214 engages the selector rod 16. By continuing to supply pressure fluid to the inlet port 75 but also supplying pressure fluid to the two interconnected ports 76, the floating piston 161 of larger area is moved rightwards against a shoulder 178 and slides the fixed piston 161, against the bias of the fluid pressure supplied thereto through the inlet port 75, to a first intermediate position. The finger 214 is accordingly pivoted to engage the selector rod 17. By supplying pressure fluid to the inlet port 77 instead of to the port 75, while still continuing to supply pressure fluid through the two ports 76, the fixed piston 161 is moved rightwards to engage the floating piston 172 and the connecting rod 157 takes up a second intermediate position with the finger 214 engaging the rod 18. By supplying pressure fluid through the inlet port 77 only, the fixed piston 161 is biased to the extreme right-hand position, together with the connecting rod 157, so that the finger 214 is pivoted into engagement with the selector rod 19. The ratio establishing servomotor 153 comprises a piston 193 fast upon the connecting rod 192 and a floating piston 201 slidable therealong. On supplying fluid under pressure through two inlet ports 133, 134, the floating piston 201 is biased downwardly of Fig. 3 into engagement with a shoulder 195 of the containing cylinder and the fixed piston 193 together with connecting rod 192 is slidden downwardly from the position shown, so that the selector rod 16 . . . 19 with which the depending finger 214 engages is slidden to establish one of the ratios. By supplying fluid under pressure through the port 133 and also through a port 132, the floating piston 201 is maintained in engagement with the shoulder 195 but the fixed piston 193 is slidden to engage the floating piston, as shown, so that the connecting rod 192 and the depending finger 214 are moved to the neutral position. By supplying fluid under pressure through the inlet port 132 only, the fixed piston 193, the floating piston 201 and the connecting rod 192 are moved to the extreme upward position, to slide the finger 214 and the engaged selector rod 16 ... 19 upwards for establishment of the desire ratio. Pressure fluid is supplied to the two servomotors from a source 13, Fig. 1, on operation of a ratio shift lever 87 moving through a gate 92. The ratio shift lever 87 turns with a shaft 32, Figs. 4, 5, to rotate a valve head 36 controlling the movements of the cross-shift servomotor 152. An inlet port 78, supplied from the source 13 of fluid pressure, communicates with an annular groove 46 in the shaft 32 connected by a bore 49 with a passage 58, Fig. 8, in the valve head 36 leading to two ports 51, 52 which, on rotation of the valve head, connect selectively with one or two of three ports 60 ... 62 leading through pipes 75 ... 77, Fig. 1, to the cross-shift servomotor 152. Movement of the ratio shift lever 87 through the neutral slot of the gate 92 rotates the shaft 32 and turns the valve head 36 so that pressure fluid is supplied to the servomotor 152 which pivots the depending finger 214 into each of its four selector-rod-engaging positions, as described above. The shift lever 87 is also pivoted on a pin 86 in a plane at right-angles to the axis of rotation of the shaft 32, and is connected by a pivoted link 108 with a shaft 106 which turns to rotate a valve head 99 controlling the ratio establishing servomotor 153. The valve head 99 communicates with the source of fluid pressure 13 through the inlet port 78, and has an annular groove 103 in the shaft 106 connected through a bore 127 with two ports, similar to the ports 51, 52, which, on rotation of the valve head 99, slide over three ports connected by pipes 132 ... 134, Fig. 1, to the ratio establishing servomotor 153. Pivoting the ratio shift lever 87 into one or other of the slots of the gate 92 accordingly turns the valve head 99, so that the ratio establishing servomotor 153 acts through the depending finger 214 to slide the connected selector rod 16 ... 19 and establish the desired ratio, as described above.