Lego Technic 2 Speed Auto Gearbox - a new hope - with build instructions
This Lego technic 2 speed automatic gearbox design uses a worm gear for torque detection and gear switching combined. Previous Lego 2 speed automatic gearboxes have used a Lego differential for torque detection to drive an orange rotary catch to switch gears using a switch component.
The worm gear switches gears by disengaging one path to the input differential, thereby reducing the overall gearing ratio. In this 2 speed gearbox design the output gearing ratio is halved when switching from gear 1 to gear 2.
By disengaging the 2nd path, the efficiency of the lower gear is improved due to the simplification of the gear train reducing the friction and power losses in that path.
The overall power of the Lego technic automatic gearbox is demonstrated by testing it against a ten level torque generation device, as well as using a rubber band pulling instrument to measure the output pulling force for both gears.
More to explore
Lego 2 Speed Automatic gearbox - worm gear prototype. Includes build instructions.
This video present a lego technic 2 speed automatic gearbox based on using a worm gear for torque detection. The 2 speed transmission gearbox works by using the linear counteraction force on the worm gear to connect a gear to create a second speed.
This 2nd speed is added to the mai...read more
Lego Technic Gearbox Theory Applied - how to apply theory to help design 2 speed automatic gearboxes
This video applies lego technic gearbox, torque, and gearing ratio theory to design a prototype lego 2 speed automatic gearbox. First I describe the main components of an automatic gearbox, namely a gearing ratio selector and a torque detector. The ideal gear switch over torque point is described...read more
Lego Technic torque in practice - how to work with torque in automatic gearbox design
n this video I present a ten level Lego Technic torque creation gadget for testing lego power function motors and automatic gear switching mechanisms. The effect of torque on a large lego PF motor is tested against the theoretical power curve to compare the optimal gear switching point in practic...read more
Lego Technic smoothly switching 2 speed automatic gearbox evolution with instructions
This video presents my latest compact and smoothly switching 2 speed automatic gearbox made out of Lego Technic. It is both smoothly switching and compact.
The MOC gearbox automatically switches down in gearing ratio when the load on the output is sufficiently high by using a new te...read more
Lego Technic 2 Speed Automatic Gearbox with Booster Motor
A lego technic 2 speed automatic gearbox is presented. The point of difference of this automatic 2 speed gearbox is a secondary booster motor is activated once the torque detector senses a large enough torque on the output of the automatic gearbox.
The second motor is turned on by a pole ...read more
Lego 2 speed automatic car. Part 1
This video explores the use of the lego technic "smoothly switching 2 speed automatic gearbox" inside of a test car to see how well it works to climb up a ramp.
The gearing ratio of the 2nd gear of the 2 speed automatic gearbox can be set using a manual 4 speed gearbox to choose...read more
Lego Technic 3 Speed Automatic Gearbox - FAIL!
This video presents a lego technic 3 speed automatic gearbox design that failed to work as expected. This design is based on an earlier design of a 2 speed automatic gearbox with smooth transmission that worked very well. That technic gearbox was extended by adding another speed to the oran...read more
Lego Technic 2 Speed Automatic Gearbox - Compact! With build Instructions.
Here I present a design for a compact lego technic 2 speed automatic gearbox. Instead of using a differential to react to torque on the output it uses the force on the gear teeth to push a liftarm to automatically change the gearing ratio to the 2nd speed once the torque threshold has been ...read more
Lego Technic 3 Speed Automatic Gearbox
Here a Lego Technic 3 speed automatic gearbox is presented. The gearbox automatically switches between one of 3 gear ratios, namely a ratio of 1, 1/3rd and 1/9th depending on the load on the output. It uses two 2 speed automatic transmissions in series to create the three speed automatic ge...read more
Lego Technic Powerful 2 Speed Auto Gearbox
Here I present my design for a compact and powerful Lego Technic 2 speed automatic gearbox.
The gearbox uses the Lego Technic Powered Up functions to detect speed and deduce torque from that to make gear switching decisions. The gearbox switches between a high gear of 1 to 4, to a low gea...read more