SLIDING KEY TRANSMISSIONS Some garden tractors contain sliding key transmissions.

Like sliding gear, sliding key contains input and output shafts parallel to each other, mounted inside housing. Gears on input shaft and mating gears on output shaft in constant mesh. Gears on input shaft keyed or splined to shaft. Gears on output shaft spin independently on it. Output shaft has two opposing keyways cut into it. Key slides in each keyways, each key engages one gear at time. Grooved sliding collar moves two keys simultaneously along two keyways and engages chosen gear. Gears mounted on output shaft have keyways cut into them so one gear at time may be engaged by sliding key. This allows power to flow from input shaft gear through mating gear on output shaft. Sliding key transmission moves into reverse when output shafts sliding key engages a sprocket. Sprocket connected by roller chain loop to sprocket splined to input shaft. With sliding key transmission, operator can shift through forward gears without stopping and disengaging clutch. Tractor must be stopped and clutch disengaged before transmission shifted into reverse. Some outdoor power equipment uses sliding key transmissions. Like sliding gear transmission, sliding key transmission contains input and output shafts parallel to each other, mounted inside housing. However, gears on input shaft and mating gears on output shaft held in constant mesh. Mesh all the time. Gears on input shaft keyed or splined to shaft; gears on output shaft spin independently on it. Output shaft has keyways that hold shifter keys cut into it. A key slides in each keyway, and each key engages only one gear at time. Keys moved simultaneously in keyways by shift fork. A grooved sliding collar moves keys along in keyways and engages chosen gear. Each key shaped to engage just one gear at time. Gears on output shaft have keyways cut into them so one gear at time may be engaged by sliding key. This allows power to flow from input shaft gear through mating gear on output shaft, then out transmission to drive components. In neutral, shift fork places keys outside gears. Therefore, no power transmitted to shifter shaft. Sliding key transmission moves into reverse when output shafts sliding key engages sprocket. Sprocket connected by roller chain loop to a sprocket splined to input shaft. With sliding key transmission, operator can shift through forward gears without stopping and disengaging clutch. Tractor must be stopped and clutch disengaged before transmission can be shifted into reverse.