pic: 222 3 speed closeup/cutaway

[henryBsick]

Originally Posted by MikeDubreuil

Preface...Control systems guy with fetish for understanding mechanicals.

How do the balls capture the gear? And how do you control which gear gets captured?

In the picture, the balls in the shaft sit down in thier holes, not above the exterior surface of the shaft. We have a rod that moves in and out of the shaft which pushes the balls up locking them into the little notches in the gears. The rod is on springs so when it touches the 4 balls (on one gear) on the inside of the shaft the balls do not jump up into the gear by force they go when ready so not to grind. the balls fall back into place once the rod is removed. So by moving the rod to different places it locks in different sets of gears choosing our speed.
I hope i didn't confuse anyone to badly.