This invention is concerned with a vehicle transmission system for providing a drive system for transmitting acceleration and braking forces between the vehicle drive wheels and the vehicle frame and comprises a transmission bush coupling one part of which is clamped to the vehicle main frame and the other part of which is clamped to the sub frame and which coupling includes a flexible part spherical diaphragm clamped between supporting face parts which closely engage the diaphragm on the respective opposite sides. The sub frame comprises a pair of arms which diverge away from each other and are secured to opposite sides of the vehicle driving axle. The transmission bush coupling is located at the apex of the diverging arms.
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1. A vehicle transmission system for a vehicle having a vehicle main frame, a subframe joined to said main frame, drive wheels joined to said subframe, means, joined to said wheels, for driving said wheels, and a transmission bush coupling having a flexible diaphragm and inner and outer supporting face members, said diaphragm being clamped between the inner and outer supporting face members and wherein one of the supporting face members is coupled to the vehicle main frame and the other of the supporting face members is coupled to the subframe such that acceleration and braking forces generated by said drive wheels are transmitted to said vehicle main frame.
8. A transmission coupling system for a vehicle having a main frame, a subframe joined to said main frame, drive wheels joined to said subframe for generating motive acceleration and braking forces, means, joined to said drive wheels, for driving said drive wheels, and a transmission bush coupling, said transmission bush coupling comprising:
a first member coupled to said subframe having an inner surface defining an inner cavity and a first aperture communicating with said cavity; a second member coupled to said main frame, disposed within the cavity of said first member and passing through the aperture of said first member; and at least one resilient member disposed within the cavity of said first member between said first and second members, and wherein motive acceleration and braking forces generated by said drive wheels are readily transmitted from said subframe to said main frame through said transmission coupling system.
2. A vehicle transmission system according to
3. A vehicle transmission system according to
4. A vehicle transmission system according to
5. A vehicle transmission system according to
6. A vehicle transmission system according to
7. A vehicle transmission system according to
9. The transmission coupling system of
10. The transmission coupling system of
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This invention has reference to vehicle transmission systems.
Vehicles, for example lorries and coaches, are driven by transmission systems which include a gear box which is connected to the driving wheels by a transmission shaft and a differential mechanism. In such a system the vehicle main frame is supported on the driving wheels by leaf springs. These leaf springs serve not only to support the vehicle frame but also act to transmit acceleration and braking forces from the driving wheels to the main frame of the vehicle both while the vehicle is being driven by the vehicle engine and while the brakes are being applied to cause the vehicle to decelerate.
It has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,512 to provide a support bearing for a vehicle drive shaft formed of two annuli having a curved outer bearing surface with a surrounding housing but this bearing is not capable of assisting in propelling the vehicle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved vehicle transmission system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved vehicle transmission system in which the transmission is able not only to accommodate changes in the transmission system as the vehicle traverses uneven surfaces but also provides an effective driving connection between the engine vehicle main frame for transmitting acceleration and braking forces from the driving wheels to the engine and vehicle main frame.
According to the present invention a vehicle transmission system for a vehicle having a main frame, subframe, drive wheels, and drive means for driving said drive wheels, which transmission system transmits acceleration and braking forces from the drive wheels to the frame. The transmission system of the present invention includes a transmission bush coupling, one part of which is clamped to the vehicle main frame and the other part of which is clamped to the vehicle subframe. The subframe is in turn coupled to the vehicle driving axle. The transmission bush coupling includes a flexible, partially spherical diaphragm clamped between two supporting face parts which closely engage the diaphragm on respective opposite sides.
Preferably the vehicle subframe is of an "A" shape and secured at its apex to the outer casing portion of the transmission coupling. A vehicle transmission system in accordance with the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view representation of a transmission system for a vehicle.
FIG. 2 is a side view of part of the transmission system to a larger scale than FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a
FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view corresponding to part of FIG. 2.
As shown in FIG. 1 a vehicle main frame 1 supports a vehicle drive means (not shown) usually a petrol driven engine connected to a gear box illustrated diagrammatically at 2 (FIG. 1) which is connected through a drive shaft 3 to a transmission coupling means 4 and through a further drive shaft 5 and a differential mechanism 6 to the drive wheels 6A of the vehicle. An A-shaped subsidiary support frame 7 has a pair of diverging arms which are attached to opposite sides of the driving axle. The driving axle in turn supports the differential mechanism 6 and the drive wheels 6A. The transmission coupling means 4 is positioned at the apex of the respective arms of the A-shaped frame. Further wheels 8 (as shown non driving wheels) also support the vehicle. A coil spring means 9 (FIG. 1) provides a suspension mechanism between the A-shaped frame and the main frame. As shown in FIG. 2 the outer casing part of the transmission coupling means 4 is clamped to the main frame 1 by clamping means 10 including bolts 11. The drive shaft 3 from the gear box 2 is connected by a spline 12 to the coupling means 4 and the coupling means 4 is connected by another spline 13 to a drive shaft 5. The other part of the coupling means 4 is secured to the A-shaped frame 7 by bolts 14. As best shown in FIG. 3 each of the diverging arms of the A-shaped frame 7 extend from the apex of the A-shaped frame where the transmission coupling means 4 is positioned to the driving axle where the respective diverging arms are secured to the driving axle on opposite sides of the central differential mechanism 6 and at the same distances from the differential mechanism.
As shown in FIG. 4 the spline 12 located in the gear box is connected to a hollow shaft 15 and this hollow shaft 15 is solidly secured to the main frame of the vehicle by the clamping means 10. Solidly mounted on the hollow shaft is a singular inner member 16 of the transmission coupling means 4 which inner member has an outer contour of partially spherical shape and solidly mounted on a surrounding casing 77 (which is clamped to the A-shaped frame) is the other outer member 18 of the transmission coupling means 4 which other outer member has an inner contour of part spherical shape. A flexible elastic intermediate bush diaphragm connection 19 has an outer partiallly spherical contour to correspond with the inner contour of the outer member 18 and further has an inner partially spherical contour to correspond to the outer contour of the one member 16 of the transmission coupling means. The one inner member 16 and the other outer member 18 are of hard-wearing metal material and the intermediate bush diaphragm connection 19 is of hard wearing rubber or elastomeric synthetic material. The intermediate bush diaphragm connection 19 typically has a wall thickness of the order of 1/2 inch and is sufficiently elastic to compensate for movement between the A-shaped frame and the main frame as the vehicle moves over rough territory.
The elastomeric intermediate bush diaphragm connection 19 is split into three segment sections divided around the periphery of the inner member 16 to facilitate assembly. The outer member 18, intermediate bush diaphragm connection 19 and the one inner member 16 are clamped within the surrounding casing by a clamp plate 20.
When a vehicle as described is being driven the drive is transmitted from the engine or other drive means to the gear box 2 by a drive shaft 3 and through the transmission coupling means 4 and a further drive shaft 5 to the differential means 6 and to the drive wheels 6A. Thrust is also transmitted from the drive wheels to the axle and to the A-shaped frame 7 to the transmission coupling means 4 and thence to the main frame 1. The transmission coupling means 4 absorbs loads transmitted from the axle to the main frame 1 and absorbs loads transmitted from the axle and dampens axle roll and absorbs traction forces. Thus the axle propels the vehicle through thrust applied through the transmission couplings outer casing through the elastomeric intermediate bush diaphragm connection 19 to the inner member 16 to the vehicle main frame 1. By this means the load is absorbed at the center of the vehicle allowing a light frame to be used. As the vehicle travels over uneven ground changes in the relative position of the vehicle main frame 1 and the A-shaped frame 7 are partly accommodated for by the spring 9 and changes in the transmission are accommodated for by movement between the outer and inner transmission coupling means 16 and 18 with the intermediate bush diaphragm connection 19. By virtue of the partially spherical shape of the transmission coupling mean parts, changes are readily accommodated. Also the transmission coupling means 4 serves as a flexible driving connection between the driving road wheels of the vehicle and the vehicle frame.
Although the invention has been described by way of example to a system for transmitting acceleration and braking forces applied between the drive wheels and the vehicle frame in which the vehicle is driven by the rear wheels, it may also be applied to a vehicle which is driven by the front wheels.
| Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
| Patent | Priority | Assignee | Title |
| 2004712, | |||
| 3318410, | |||
| 3805911, | |||
| 4213512, | May 08 1978 | Dana Corporation | Power shaft support bearing |
| SU779106, |
| Executed on | Assignor | Assignee | Conveyance | Frame | Reel | Doc |
| Sep 27 1982 | Quest 80 Limited | (assignment on the face of the patent) | / |
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