Patent GB-864724-A (GB)
Title: Reversible fluid couplings
Inventor: BECKER JOHN EDWARD
IPC: F16H61/64
Filed: 1960-01-22
Abstract: 864,724. Hydraulic transmission of power. ROBSON, C. Jan. 22, 1960, No. 2458/60. Class 69 (2). A reversible fluid drive comprises a forward drive coupling 10, 13, a reverse drive coupling 24, 50, a fluid chamber 15 and reservoir 16 rotatable with the housing 14 of the forward drive coupling, fluid scooping elements 28, 29 in the chamber and reservoir movable in unison to transfer fluid between the chamber and reservoir, and a further fluid scooping element 30 in the reservoir for transferring fluid to the reverse drive coupling, the means 43 actuating the further fluid scooping element also controlling a valve in a passage 54 for returning fluid from the reverse drive coupling to the reservoir. The drive is connected to an engine, such as a marine engine, by splines 7 in a hub 12 connected to the housing 14 of the forward drive coupling. The housing carries impeller blades 13 and is connected by a sleeve 25 to the impeller blades 24 of the reverse drive coupling. The turbine blades 10 of the forward drive coupling are carried by a hub 9 connected to the driven shaft 20 which is also splined to a hub 21 carrying the turbine blades 50 of the reverse drive coupling. The drive is supported by a casing 2 which is connected to a stationary sleeve 6 carrying stationary guide blades 51 which cause the turbine blades 50 to rotate in the opposite direction to the impeller blades 24 when the reverse drive coupling is filled with fluid. The housing 14 of the forward drive coupling is secured to the chamber 15 and the reservoir 16. Fluid is transferred between the chamber and reservoir by the movement of the fluid scooping elements 28, 29 consisting of ribbons 34, 35 guided in tracks 33 in plates 32 secured to the sleeve 6, the ends of the ribbons being connected by levers 37 to a sleeve 36 rotatable on the sleeve 6 by an operating lever 41. Movement of the lever moves the ribbons in opposite directions in unison to pass the fluid through a passage 39 in one direction or the other to fill or empty the forward drive coupling, apertures 52 permitting fluid flow into, or out of, the coupling. The reservoir 16 also contains the further scooping element 30 consisting of a ribbon 42 similarly movable to the ribbons 34, 35 by rotation of a sleeve 43 connected to an operating lever 44, the fluid scooped by the element passing into the reverse drive coupling through a passage 48 in the sleeve 6. Fluid from the reverse drive coupling is returned to the reservoir through a space 53 and a passage 54 in the sleeve 6 and the adjusting sleeve 43 acts as a valve to control the connection between the passage 54 and the reservoir in unison with the movement of scoop ribbon 42. In forward drive, the scoop ribbon 35 is extended and the ribbons 34, 42 retracted so that the forward drive coupling is filled with fluid and the reverse drive coupling emptied. For reverse drive, the drive is first adjusted to neutral position by reversing the positions of the ribbons 34, 35 so that the forward drive coupling is emptied and then the ribbon 42 is extended and the passage 54 closed to fill the reverse drive coupling.