An automatic transmission is specially developed for light-vehicles driven by
V-Twin engines and which utilize a separate transmission housing from the engine,
and where the transmission is connected with the engine output shaft by a suitable
linkage. The transmission includes a main input drive shaft oriented parallel to
the engine output crankshaft, and a coaxially aligned drive output shaft. The transmission
contains within a gear box a ring gear, planetary gears mounted to a planetary
carrier which is mounted to the output shaft, two sun gears, a pair of clutch assemblies
and two braking mechanisms. A first clutch assembly includes a clutch drive coupled
to the input drive shaft, and an array of clutch plate. The second other clutch
assembly is used to couple or uncouple the ring gear to the input shaft for rotation
therewith. A one-way clutch is engaged through the actuation of the clutch drum
to engage a first ring gear. The first ring gear in turn engages at least two and
preferably four groups of idle planetary gears mounted to the planetary carrier.
The idle gears in turn mesh with and rotate a first diameter end of an associated
compound planetary gear also provided on the planet gear carrier, and which also
mesh with the ring gear. The compound planet gears also include a second diameter
portion which extend axially, so as to mesh with and engage the second other output
sun gear. The brake assemblies are selectively operable to engage the second sun
gear and ring gear to permit and/or prevent their relative rotation. The clutch
assemblies and brake assemblies are used to enable or stop rotation of ring gear
and/or planetary components to change transmission ratio or direction of rotation.
