Arrangements for Driving and Steering Of Motor Vehicles

摘要

A transmission arrangement for an engine driven vehicle having two continuously variable transmissions serving to drive left and right hand vehicle wheels at separately variable drive ratios. Each transmission incorporates a variator of the type in which a net torque applied to the variator through its input and output is referred to a ratio control part, which may be formed as a control lever, whose position governs the transmission's drive ratio. The control parts of the variators are each operatively coupled to a driver's speed control, such that the speed control determines a mean position of the two control parts. However they are both also able to move relative to the mean position, under the influence of the torque they react. Additionally the control parts are coupled to each other such that any displacement of one control part from the mean position is accompanied by an opposite displacement of the other control part. In this way the transmissions are enabled to the relative speeds of the driven vehicle wheels automatically to reduce or even eliminate wheel slip, whilst still providing the driver with control over overall vehicle speed.

主权项

1. A transmission arrangement for a motor vehicle, the arrangement comprising
a speed control actuable by a driver of the vehicle; a first continuously variable ratio device (“variator”) coupled between the engine and a right hand vehicle wheel and serving to determine a first drive ratio, at which the right hand vehicle wheel is driven by the engine; and a second variator coupled between the engine and a left hand vehicle wheel and serving to determine a second drive ratio, at which the left hand vehicle wheel is driven from the engine, wherein both variators are of the type in which a net torque applied to the variator is reacted through at least one movable ratio control part whose position governs the drive ratio, the control parts of the first and second variators are each operatively coupled to the speed control, such that the speed control determines a mean position of the two control parts, each of the control parts is able to move relative to the mean position under the influence of the torque which it reacts, and the control parts are coupled to each other such that any displacement of one control part from the mean position is accompanied by an opposite displacement of the other control part, so that through the speed control the driver has control over overall vehicle speed, but a difference between the first and second drive ratios is able to vary to accommodate differences in speed of the left and right driven vehicle wheels.