Patent ID: 7588510

Claim:
A hydro-mechanical transmission comprising: an input shaft configured to be rotated by a power source; a hydrostatic unit coupled with the input shaft and having a driving component; a mechanical transmission having a driven component coupled with the driving component of the hydrostatic unit, an output shaft configured to drive a load, a first gear set selectively coupling the driven component with the output shaft when a first clutch is engaged, and a second gear set selectively coupling the driven component with the output shaft when a second clutch is engaged; a valve assembly having a pressure control valve assembly coupled with the hydrostatic unit to control an output speed of the driving component and a shift control valve assembly coupled with the mechanical transmission to selectively engage at least one of the first and second clutches the shift control valve assembly including a shift control valve movable between a first position where the first clutch is engaged, and a second position where the second clutch is engaged; and a movable control lever coupled with the valve assembly so that the control lever, the shift control valve assembly, and the at least one of the first and second clutches are connected with each other by physical working connections wherein the physical working connections include a mechanical connection between the control lever and the shift control valve assembly, and a hydraulic connection between the shift control valve and the at least one of the first and second clutches, the hydraulic connection including: a first actuating valve positioned adjacent to the first clutch and configured to be moveable between a retracted position and an extended position to engage the first clutch; a first hydraulic path formed in a housing of the valve assembly and fluidly connecting the shift control valve and the first actuating valve so the first actuating valve is in the extended position and the first clutch is engaged when the shift control valve is in the first position; a second actuating valve positioned adjacent to the second clutch and configured to be moveable between a retracted position and an extended position to engage the second clutch; and a second hydraulic path formed in the housing of the valve assembly and fluidly connecting the shift control valve and the second actuating valve so the second actuating valve is in the extended position and the second clutch is engaged when the shift control valve is in the second position; and, wherein the mechanical connection between the control lever and the shift control valve assembly connects the control lever and the shift control valve such that movement of the control lever along a shift path causes movement of the shift control valve between the first and second positions.