Patent GB-748552-A (GB)
Title: Internal combustion engine power unit
Inventor: FELL LOUIS FREDERICK RUDSTON
IPC: B61C9/10
Filed: 1952-12-19
Abstract: 748,552. Power plant. FELL DEVELOPMENTS, Ltd. Dec. 1, 1953 [Dec. 19, 1952],. No. 32257/52. Class 7(2) [Also in Group XXXI] Internal combustion engines 1a, 1b each having a torque/speed characteristic such that the torque falls steadily over the operating speed range are coupled by an epicyclic gear 6b having, an output planet carrier 44 with planets 90, 91 engaging input sun gears 11, 15 the first of which is drivable by the prime mover 1a through a transmission means including a variable filling fluid coupling 12a or its equivalent (e.g., a magnetic clutch, or a clutch and a constantly filled fluid coupling) and either of which is drivable in the same direction as the other by the prime mover 1b through a transmission means including a variable filling fluid coupling 12b or its equivalent, backward rotation of the gear 15 being prevented by a one-way detent 16. In a railway locomotive power unit, compression-ignition I.C. engines 1a, 1b, suitably governed as described in Specification 661,280, are charged by a blower 2 driven by an auxiliary I.C. engine 7 and power the impellers 17a, 17b of couplings 12a, 12b having runner pairs 23a, 24a and 23b, 24b, the runners 23b, 24b being fast with the gears 11, 15 respectively and the runners 23a, 24a being respectively fast with input sun gears 42, 43 of an auxiliary epicyclic gear 6a the planet carrier 45 of which drives the gear 11 via bevel gearing 46, 47, 48. The bevel gear 47 is freely journalled on a cross shaft 37, driven from the planet carrier 44 via forward-reverse gearing comprising bevel gears 34, 35, 36 and clutches 40, 41, and having gears 38, 39 powering track wheels 10 via gears 8, 9. A valve 28 allows oil from an engine-driven pump 27b to feed one or other of the runners 23b, 24b for alternative drive of the gears 11, 15 from the engine 1b. A valve 50 allows oil from another engine-driven pump 27a to feed either the runner 23a or both runners 23a., 24a to allow the engine 1a to drive the gear 11 via the gear 42 only or via both gears 42, 43. In operation, at starting, the fluid couplings are controlled so that both engines 1a, 1b drive the gear 11, the engine 1b first through the gear 42 only, with a one-way detent 51 preventing backward rotation of the gear 43, and later through both gears 42, 43, and the engine 1a finally being changed over to drive the gear 15. Alternatively, starting may-be ,effected by the engine 1b alone driving the gear 11 through the gear 42 only. To prevent backward rotation of the gear 11 on failure of the engine 1a, the valve 28 may be replaced by a valve like valve 50 allowing simultaneous drive of the gears 11. 15 by the engine lb. Additionally or alternatively the gear 11, the planet carrier 45 or the gear 42 may have a one-way detent releasable as described in Specification 636,808. Modifications. In Fig. 3, (not shown), both engines 1a, 1b are on the same side of the cross shaft 37 the epicyclic gears 6a, 6b being on either side of a shaft mounting both the gear 34 and a spur gear meshing a mating gear on the planet carrier 44, whilst a spur gear on the shaft 13b and one on the planet carrier 45 both mesh an idler freely journalled on the shaft mounting the gear 34. In a four-engined arrangement (Fig. 4, not shown), a secondary epicyclic gear combines the outputs of two units each generally similar to that of Fig. 2 but having the auxiliary epicyclic gear omitted and the engine 1a connected to the gear 11 via a single fillable fluid coupling. Backward rotation of the gears 11 is prevented by respective one-way detents, one of which is releasable as described in Specification 636,808; or there may be one-way detents associated with the input gears of the secondary apicyclic. The forward-reverse gearing shown in Fig. 1 as associated with each unit may be replaced by a single forward-reverse gearing on the output side of the secondary epicyclic. At starting both engines of one unit drive together the respective input gear 11, the other unit being at first stationary (to give torque multiplication in the secondary epicyclic gear also) and later similarly driven, the engines 1a being finally changed over to drive the gears 15 and give a four-engine drive arrangement like that of Specification 628,448 Specifications 559,677, 661,280 and 661,293 also are referred to..