Pressure fluid control device for a propulsion plant, particularly for marine propulsion

Claim 1

A PRESSURE FLUID CONTROL DEVICE FOR A PROPULSION PLANT, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED CONTROL MEMBER FOR AN ENERGY SUPPLY; (B) A HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED CONTROL MEMBER FOR REVERSIBLE MOVEMENT TRANSMITTING MEANS; (C) AN ACTUATING MEMBER COMMON TO BOTH CONTROL MEMBERS AND MECHANICALLY COUPLED TO SAID TRANSMITTING MEANS CONTROL MEMBER; (D) A SOURCE OF PRESSURE FLUID; (E) VALVE MEANS INCLUDING DRAIN MEANS AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID PRESSURE FLUID SOURCE AND HAVING A NUMBER OF CONTROL POSITIONS, ONE POSITION DIRECTING PRESSURE FLUID TO SAID ENERGY SUPPLY CONTROL MEMBER AND ANOTHER POSITION SHUTTING OFF THIS FLOW, SAID VALVE MEANS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID ACTUATING MEMBER AND BEING POSITIVELY CLOSED THEREBY WITH RESPECT TO SAID PRESSURE FLUID SOURCE DURING THE TIME SAID TRANSMITTING MEANS ARE REVERSING AND BEING OPEN DURING THE TIME THE ENERGY SUPPLY IS BEING CONTROLLED; (F) VARIABLE VOLUME HYDRAULIC RETARDING MEANS HAVING A DISPLACEMENT MEMBER MOVABLE THEREIN BETWEEN EXTREME POSITIONS, A VARIABLE VOLUME CHAMBER DEFINED ON EACH SIDE OF SAID DISPLACEMENT MEMBER, ONE CHAMBER BEING CONNECTED TO THE VALVE MEANS PORTION FOR ACTUATING SAID ENERGY SUPPLY CONTROL MEMBER, THE OTHER CHAMBER BEING CONNECTED TO SAID VALVE MEANS; AND (G) SAID DRAIN MEANS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID OTHER CHAMBER AND DISCONNECTED FROM SAID ONE CHAMBER WHEN THE VALVE MEANS SUPPLY PRESSURE FLUID TO SAID ENERGY SUPPLY CONTROL MEMBER, AND CONNECTED TO SAID ONE CHAMBER AND DISCONNECTED FROM SAID OTHER CHAMBER WHEN THE VALVE MEANS PREVENT SUPPLY OF PRESSURE FLUID TO SAID ENERGY SUPPLY CONTROL MEMBER.