Importance

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Abstract

An automatic transmission having an input annulus and a first bevel gear integrally attached to an input shaft to thereby divide torque in the input shaft into two torque components. A sun gear is rotatably mounted about the input shaft, and a set of planetary gears are in simultaneous meshing engagement (i) about the sun gear and (ii) with interior teeth of the input annulus. The sun gear includes a second bevel gear fixedly attached to a side of said sun gear and in substantial co-axial orientation with the sun gear and the first bevel gear. At least one torque-varying gear member comprises a torque-combining bevel gear and a torque-delivering gear integrally intercoupled by a stub shaft. The torque-combining bevel gear is in simultaneous meshing engagement with the first and second bevel gears, and the torque-delivering gear is in meshing engagement with an output gear, said output gear being integrally attached to an output shaft. This gear design is automatically driven by varying loads on the output shaft, such that a least a portion of the torque in the input shaft is gradually and variably divided between the first and second torque components.

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First Claim