POWER FLOWS THROUGH A SIMPSON GEAR TRAIN

In the drawing above you will see the components of the Ford C-6 Transmission.
The transmission has three hydraulic clutches and from front to back they are the
high/reverse clutch, the forward clutch and the low/reverse clutch. The high/reverse
clutch and the forward clutch are both input clutches. The high reverse clutch inputs
the sun gear through the input shell when applied and the forward clutch inputs the
front planetary ring gear when applied. The low/reverse clutch is a holding clutch only
and when applied it will hold the rear planetary gear set carrier.
The one-way clutch is a roller type one way clutch that holds the rear planetary gear
set carrier when it tries to turn in a counter clockwise direction only. The band will hold
the high/reverse clutch drum stationary when it is applied and this in turn holds the sun
gear through the input shell.
The two planetary gear sets share a common sun gear which is connected to the
high/reverse clutch hub through the input shell. There are only two ways for power to
get out of this transmission, through the front carrier or the rear ring gear these are the
only two elements of the planetary gear sets that are splined to the output shaft.




NEUTRAL OR PARK POWER FLOW

In neutral and park the input shaft is connected to
the turbine and the forward clutch so rotational
power is available however the forward clutch is
not applied therefore power is not transferred
beyond the forward clutch hub.



LOW GEAR POWER FLOW
When low gear is selected the forward clutch is applied this
brings rotational power to the front planetary ring gear. The
front planetary carrier acts as a held member because it is
splined to the output shaft and is held by the vehicles weight.
The front planetary sun gear becomes the output of the front
gear set in reverse direction because the carrier is the held
member. The Simpson gear train shares a common sun
gear so the input to the rear gear set is the sun gear and in
reverse. The rear carrier is held by the one way clutch, (drive
low), or the low and reverse clutch, (manual Low), this
reverses the direction again and the rear sets ring gear
becomes the final output in a forward direction.

SECOND GEAR POWER FLOW

Second gear power flow begins again with the forward
clutch applied and that brings rotational power to the
forward ring gear. The band is applied and this holds
the high reverse clutch drum and this in turn holds the
sun gear stationary through the input shell. The forward
gear set carrier becomes output and it is splined to the
output shaft. Note in the Ford C-6 if manual second is
selected the transmission goes directly into the above
power flow it does not start in first and shift to second.


HIGH GEAR POWER FLOW (THIRD)

When the transmission shifts to third gear the band is
released and the high/reverse clutch is applied. This
locks the high clutch to the forward clutch and provides
an input to the front planetary sun gear through the
input shell. The forward clutch is still applied so there is
also an input to the front planetary ring gear at the
same speed. These two inputs cause the front
planetary to lock together and the carrier must turn at
the same speed as well. The carrier becomes output
and is attached to the output shaft.

REVERSE POWER FLOW
Reverse is the only gear in which the forward clutch is
not applied, (hence its name). The forward clutch hub
however is splined to the input shaft so when the
high/reverse clutch is applied as it is in reverse it takes
rotational power from the hub of the forward clutch and
transfers it to the sun gear through the input shell. So
reverse begins with this sun gear input to the rear
planetary gear set. The low and reverse clutch is also
applied and this holds the rear carrier stationary. The
rear planetary ring gear becomes the output and it is
splined to the output shaft.