外文翻译--手动变速器.doc

附 录 Manual transmission Overview Manual transmissions often feature a driver-operated clutch and a movable gear ele——ctor. Most automobile manual transmissions allow the driver to select any forward gear ratio (gear) at any time, but some, such as those commonly mounted on motorcycles and some types of racing cars, only allow the driver to select the next-higher or next-lower gear. This type of transmission is sometimes called a sequential manual transmission. Sequential transmissions are commonly used in auto racing for their ability to make quick shifts. Manual transmissions are characterized by gear ratios that are selectable by locking sel—ected gear pairs to the output shaft inside the transmission. Conversely, most automatic tr—ansmissions feature epicyclic (planetary) gearing controlled by brake bands and/or clutch packs to select gear ratio. Automatic transmissions that allow the driver to manually select t—he current gear are called Manumatics. A manual-style transmission operated by compute—r is often called an automated transmission rather than an automatic. Contemporary automobile manual transmissions typically use four to six forward gears and one reverse gear, although automobile manual transmissions have been built with as few as two and as many as eight gears. Transmission for heavy trucks and other heavy equipment usually have at least 9 gears so the transmission can offer both a wide range of g—ears and close gear ratios to keep the engine running in the power band. Some heavy vehi—cle transmissions have dozens of gears, but many are duplicates, introduced as an acciden—t of combining gear sets, or introduced to simplify shifting. Some manuals are referred to by the number of forward gears they offer (e.g., 5-speed) as a way of distinguishing between automatic or other available manual transmissions. Similarly, a 5-speed automatic transmissi—on is referred to as a 5-speed automatic The earliest form of a manual transmission is thought to