Patent GB-1243362-A (GB)
Title: Drive apparatus for vehicles
IPC: B60K5/08
Filed: 1968-10-09
Abstract: 1,243,362. Vehicle propulsion plant. MOTORENUND TURBINEN UNION MUNCHEN G.m.b.H. 9 Oct., 1968 [11 Oct., 1967], No. 47947/68. Heading B7H. In propulsion plant for a truck, bus or railway vehicle including a diesel engine M and a gas generator G for alternative or joint driving connection to a wheel drive output shaft S, free turbines TI, TII, TIII arranged downstream of the gas generator are connected to drive respective stages of a multi-stage planetary gear system which can also be connected through a clutch K to the output shaft 24 of the diesel engine, and gear changing during joint operation by the gas generator and diesel engine or operation by the gas generator alone is effected by directing the gas stream from the generator to the appropriate turbine TI, TII, TIII. Each planetary gear stage comprises a sun-wheel 14I, 14II, 14III secured to a common shaft 25 connectible to the engine output shaft 24 by the clutch K, planet pinions 21I, 21II, 21IJI on a common carrier 22 coupled to the output shaft S, and an annular gear 20I, 20II, 20III having internal teeth meshing with the planet pinions and external teeth meshing with a gear-wheel 19I, 19II, 19III on a gear input shaft 18I, 18II, 18III. The gear input shaft 18I is connected to the turbine TI through a one-way sprag clutch FI and gear-wheels 15I, 16I, 17I, the gear input shaft 18II to the turbine TII through a one-way sprag clutch FII and gear-wheels 15IJ, 17II, and the gear input shaft 18III to the turbine TIII through gear-wheels 15III, 17III. A brake B acts on the sun-wheel shaft 25, and brakes BI, BII, BIII act one on each gear input shaft 18I, 18II, 18III. Control flaps 11, 12, 13 direct the gas stream from the generator G to the selected turbine TI, TII, TIII. The exhaust pipe 28 of the diesel engine M discharges into a restricted portion 27 of a common exhaust duct 26 from the turbines to create a pressure drop which provides increased turbine efficiency. A control flap 30 is provided in the exhaust pipe 28 so that the diesel engine exhaust may be directed through a pipe 29 to the compressor turbine 3 of the gas generator G for starting the generator. When the vehicle is driven by the diesel engine M alone, the clutch K is engaged to drive the sun-wheels 14I, 14II, 14III and gear changes are effected by applying the appropriate one of brakes BI, BII, BIII to hold the annular gear 20I, 20II, 20III of the selected gear stage. When driving by the gas generator G alone, the clutch K is disengaged, the brake B is applied to hold the sun-wheels 14I, 14II, 14III, and gear changing is effected by directing the gas stream from the generator G to the appropriate turbine TI, TII, TIII to drive the annular gear 20I, 20II, 20III of the selected gear stage. For joint drive by the diesel engine M and gas generator G, the clutch K is engaged and the gas stream directed to an appropriate one of turbines TI, TII, TTII so that both the sun-wheel and annular gear of the selected gear-stage is driven and the joint output transmitted by the planet carrier 22 to the output shaft S. The fixed gear ratios between the turbines TI, TII, TIII and annular gears 20I, 20II, 20III and the ratios of the planetary gear stages are so arranged that the torque transmitted to each annular gear when its turbine is operating at full load and speed is equal to the reaction torque developed at the annular gear by the diesel engine M operating at full load and speed. Excessive power losses due to high-speed idle rotation of the turbines TI, TII when the turbine TIII is operating or the brake Bill engaged is prevented by the one-way sprag clutches FI, FII.