Patent GB-1466800-A (GB)
Title: Torque converters
IPC: F16H61/62
Filed: 1974-04-22
Abstract: 1466800 Hydrodynamic transmissions VARIABLE KINETIC DRIVES Ltd 10 April 1975 [22 April 1974] 17438/74 Headings F2D and F2W In a variable-ratio and reverse gearing comprising a torque converter, a secondary turbine TC is provided between the impeller I and the turbine T, the secondary tubine TC is connected to the input shaft 6 by way of first epicyclic gearing 13, 12, 24 and further epicyclic gearing 14, 17A, 17B is provided interconnecting the output shaft 21 and the first epicyclic gearing, there being a one-way detent 38 which can act on a shaft 22 to prevent rotation of a sun gear 15 of the further gearing in one direction, and a one way detent 41 for the reactor R is provided between the reactor and the shaft 22, the detents 38, 41 allowing rotation of the gear 15 in one direction to drive the reactor. A brake 30 can be released to prevent operation of detent 38, and a brake 31 is provided for holding a ring gear 18 of the further gearing. The epicyclic gearings are interconnected by way of a planet gear 17A which meshes with a sun gear 14 which rotates with the sun gear 13 of the first gearing, the planet gear 17A also meshing with a planet gear 17B which in turn engages sun gear 15 and ring gear 18. Planet gears 17A and 17B are mounted on an output planet carrier 25, fixed to output shaft 21. The secondary turbine TC has variable-incidence blades, mounted on crank-arms 58 which are pivoted by movement of a sliding cylinder 59 in response to pressure in a space 61, this pressure depending on the converter charge pressure, supplied by a pump 52, 53 driven by the input and having an output pressure variable by an arm 44 connected with a throttle pedal, the position of the blades also depending on the torque on them and the centrifugal pressure in the space 61. A ball valve 60 opens if the pressure in space 61 is less than that within the converter. The pressure from pump 52, 53 also operates the brakes 30, 31 in dependence on the position of a spool 43 of a valve. A parking brake, in the form of a pawl which acts on a gear 71, is provided (not shown). In forward drive the brake 30 is engaged and brake 31 is disengaged and the gearing allows the secondary turbine TC to run more slowly than the impeller at stall and low output speeds and to run faster than the impeller at higher speeds. Engine braking is achieved by engaging brake 31 which increases the speed of sleeve 22 and so drives the reactor R in a forward direction, this reverses the direction of torus flow and drives the secondary turbine TC so that it drives the impeller through the gearing and applies negative torque to the output shaft. Reverse drive is achieved by release of brake 30 and engagement of brake 31, so that the torque on the reactor R can drive the sun gear 15 and drive the output shaft 21 backwards through gears 17B, a reverse torque also being applied by turbine TC. In neutral both brakes 30 and 31 are engaged, the one-way detent 38 allowing forward rotation of the output shaft and preventing the reactor R from driving the output in reverse, as it would otherwise tend to. In a modification (Fig. 7, not shown) a lower gear is provided by the provision of a ring gear about the planets 17A, this ring gear being braked with brakes 30 and 31 disengaged to provide the lower gear. The gear train 12, 13, 24 may be on the opposite side of the torque converter from the other gearing (Figs. 5 and 7, not shown). The output may be taken from between the two gearings (Fig. 6, not shown) to drive a differential through transfer gears in a transverse engine installation in a vehicle.