Automatic control valve system for a multiple speed ratio power transmission mechanism

Claim 1

IN AN AUTOMATIC CONTROL VALVE SYSTEM FOR A POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM HAVING GEAR ELEMENTS THAT DEFINE PLURAL TORQUE DELIVERY PATHS BETWEEN A DRIVING MEMBER AND A DRIVEN MEMBER, FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED SERVOS ADAPTED TO CONTROL RELATIVE MOTION OF SAID GEAR ELEMENTS, A FLUID PRESSURE SOURCE, CONDUIT STRUCTURE INTERCONNECTING SAID PRESSURE SOURCE AND SAID SERVOS, SHIFT VALVE MEANS SITUATED IN AND PARTLY DEFINING SAID CONDUIT STRUCTURE FOR SELECTIVELY CONTROLLING DISTRIBUTION OF PRESSURE TO SAID SERVOS TO INITIATE SPEED RATIO CHANGES, GOVERNOR VALVE MEANS CONNECTED DRIVABLY TO SAID DRIVEN MEMBER FOR ESTABLISHING A FIRST PRESSURE SIGNAL THAT IS RELATED IN MAGNITUDE TO THE DRIVEN SPEED OF SAID DRIVEN MEMBER, GOVERNOR PRESSURE PASSAGE MEANS FOR ESTABLISHING CONNUNICATION BETWEEN SAID GOVERNOR VALVE MEANS AND SAID SHIFT VALVE MEANS WHEREBY THE LATTER RESPONDS TO CHANGES IN THE MAGNITUDE OF SAID FIRST PRESSURE SIGNAL, MEANS FOR ESTABLISHING A SECOND PRESSURE SIGNAL THAT IS AN INDICATOR OR THE MAGNITUDE OF THE TORQUE DELIVERED THROUGH SAID MECHANISM, OTHER PASSAGE MEANS CONNECTING SAID SECOND-NAMED SIGNAL ESTABLISHING MEANS TO SAID SHIFT VALVE MEANS, AND A TRANSITION VALVE MEANS SITUATED IN AND PARTLY DEFINING SAID GOVERNOR PRESSURE PASSAGE MEANS INCLUDING A PRESSURE AREA SUBJECTED TO SAID FIRST SIGNAL FOR ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID GOVERNOR VALVE MEANS AND SAID SHIFT VALVE MEANS DURING OPERATION AT HIGH DRIVEN SPEEDS AND INTERRUPTING SUCH COMMUNICATION AT LOWER DRIVEN SPEEDS.