The invention relates to a drive mechanism for a pool cleaner (101). Rotation from a turbine assembly (201) is transmitted to a pair of rear wheels. A first wheel (104.1) is forwardly driven. The second wheel (104.2) is switch between corresponding forward rotation and rearward rotation. An axle (109) of the first wheel (104.1) includes a coaxial shaft which rotatably supports a sleeve that carries the second wheel (104.2). The reverse transmission is effected by a double-sided dog clutch member (117) slidably between a pair of clutch gears (118, 119) freely rotatable on a rotating lay shaft (111). A first clutch gear (118) is connected for reverse rotation and a second clutch gear (119) for forward rotation of the sleeve carrying the second wheel (104.2). A switching mechanism includes a movably mounted lever arm (122) engaging the double-sided clutch member (117) with a cam follower engaging a cam formation (116) carried on an independently supported control gear (115) in mesh with a worm gear (114) on the lay shaft (111). The lever arm includes a yoke (120) at one end located in a central groove (121) around the double-sided dog clutch member (117). The other end of the lever is pivotably connected to the chassis (102). The turbine assembly (201) has a flow path from an inlet to an outlet (204) through one side of the housing and an eccentrically mounted rotor (203). The rotor (203) has a circular array of turbine blades supported between end plates (208) with each blade having an inner edge (210) that is spaced radially outwardly from an axis of the rotor (203) defining a central cavity between the blades.

A drive train is used at least including an input shaft and an output shaft. A clutch member is rotatable by a clutch shaft about an axis of rotation. The clutch shaft is supported for lateral movement along the axis of rotation to move the clutch member to cooperate with the drive train at a first lateral position to cause the output shaft to turn and to move the clutch member to a second lateral position to disengage the output shaft from rotation of the input shaft. A permanent magnet is supported by one end of the clutch shaft and arranged for receiving an external magnetic biasing force along the axis of rotation to selectively move the clutch member between the first and second lateral positions. A traveling shaft can be used to support a selected gear for movement by the permanent magnet to implement transmission and reversing configurations.

The invention relates to a pool cleaner. Rotation from a turbine is transmitted to a first wheel that is forwardly driven. A second wheel is switched between corresponding forward rotation and rearward rotation. An axle of the first wheel rotatably supports a sleeve that carries the second wheel. The reverse transmission is effected by a double-sided dog clutch member slidably supported between a pair of clutch gears freely rotatable on a rotating lay shaft. A first clutch gear is connected for reverse rotation and a second clutch gear for forward rotation of the sleeve. A switching mechanism includes a movably mounted lever arm engaging the double-sided clutch member with a cam follower engaging a cam formation carried on an independently supported control gear connected to the turbine and in mesh with a worm gear on the lay shaft.