Do you think this device can be useful?

[unclehan]

Hi, awhile back I asked some questions on tractor transmissions. I'm an engineer with no hands on experience with tractors. With the fuel prices booming, I want to devise a type of transmission that can help farmers save fuel.

Here's a device I came up with and I wonder if it can be beneficial to the efficiency and performance of ANY tractor of machine.

It's a transmission with an efficiency of around 98%, similar to a regular chain drive.

Purely mechanical with no hydraulics or electric

Very reliable and can handle any torque. Light, and compact.

It's essentially like a manual geared transmission EXCEPT it can offer an INFINITE number of gear ratio to choose from (within a given range). Now, this is not like your regular hydrostatic transmission where the thing can shift smoothly. It CANNOT shift smooth, it requires a clutch, just like a geared transmission. But it can offer an infinite number of gear ratio to choose from, unlike a regular geared transmission.

I think it might be useful on certain machines where there are many long, constant operations with no many gear change, but a PERFECT gear ratio can be benficial.

It's not quite as convenient as a hydro, but it's far more efficient. And it offer more flexibility than a regular gearbox. A computer can determine the load, speed, ect for a task and choose the PERFECT gear ratio. And let's say this task will last for an hour, I think it can be benefical on a fuel saving stand point.

But I'm not a farmer so I would appreciate you guys' opinions. Thanks.

 

[KiotiJohn]

Well, if you can do it, it sounds just fine.
I have no idea how you will accomplish it, but saving fuel, and having a great range of gears sounds like a winner.
It also sounds as though it would not lose much HP to the wheels as in the HST transmission that gives up some HP.
John

 

[tillerkiller]

OK, I'll bite.....

CVT chain drive with a stepped pulley system to handle the torque? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Lotsa Gears? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Check out the IVT transmisson from John Deere. I don't know how it is on fuel economy though.

 

[gray]

Sounds good. Maybe linking it with a power clutch like the Kubota GST and you may have a real winner. Most of the automatic clutching and direct drive infinit gear efficiency.

Maybe lighter as well and low maintainace? Nothing like better ways of doing things.

More info would be great.

 

[unclehan]

it's not dependent on friction or hydraulics, it's a POSITIVE DRIVE, all mechanical, hard meshed drives. So it's very durable and efficient. The user (or a computer) shift it by a clutch, but it's capable of ANY gear ratio between a preselected range, so it's not limited to just rational ratios. This can be beneficial say, if there were a task that requires a gear ratio of 4.443828, taken into the tractor speed and power requirement into account. But a regular gear drive only have 4.2 or 4.8, the engine will have to work at a less efficient rpm to do the job.


The John Deere IVT isn't as efficient because it still relies on hydraulics to transfer power. Essentially a hydrostatic transmission.

 

[Egon]

Patent it and shop it. See what happens.

Egon

 

[Wannafish]

Another application is the machining industry. The first thing that comes to mind is a Thread Mill, though anything that requires change gears (Gear Hobbers, Large lathes, etc) could benefit by it. Whether for new equipment or retrofit on older existing machines.

Just my $.02

Good luck!

 

[PineRidge]

It sounds too good to be true. If it works, you have a winner.

 

[unclehan]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Another application is the machining industry. The first thing that comes to mind is a Thread Mill, though anything that requires change gears (Gear Hobbers, Large lathes, etc) could benefit by it. Whether for new equipment or retrofit on older existing machines.

)</font>

Are those machines usually powered by internal combustion engine or electric motors? Because if it's electric, I don't think it requires any gear change.

 

[dixiedrifter]

How's about this, making replacement gears for tractors.

Currently my tractor will only run 21 MPH wide open going down the road.

Being able to run 30 would be awesome for going between jobs...

All it would take is changing out the top gear.