Hydraulic friction device

Claim 1

A HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED FRICTION DEVICE, COMPRISING: ROTATABLE INPUT AND OUTPUT MEANS, GRADUALLY ENGAGEABLE FRICTION MEANS ADAPTED TO PROVIDE FOR SELECTIVE CONJOINT ROTATION OF SAID INPUT AND OUTPUT MEANS, A HYDRAULIC ACTUATING ASSEMBLY FOR SAID FRICTION MEANS BEING PARTICULARLY CHARACTERIZED BY THE INCLUSION OFA SPOOL MEMBER HAVING OPPOSED PISTON PORTIONS WITH ONE PISTON PORTION ADAPTED FOR PROVIDING ENGAGEMENT OF SAID FRICTION MEANS, SAID SPOOL MEMBER BEING DISPOSED ABOUT SAID OUTPUT MEANS AND ADAPTED FOR AXIAL MOVEMENT THEREON, HYDRAULIC REACTION MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN THEREON, HYDRAULIC REACTION DRIVINGLY CONNECTED WITH SAID INPUT MEANS, ACCELERATING PISTON MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID SPOOL MEMBER AND REACTION MEANS TO DEFINE FIRST AND SECOND MAJOR CHAMBERS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID REACTION MEANS AND AT LEAST ONE MINOR CHAMBER COMMUNICATING WITH SAID FIRST C AMBER FLUID TRANSFER MEANS ADAPTED TO PROVIDE FOR FLUID INTERCHANGE BETWEEN SAID MAJOR CHAMBERS DURING THE INITIAL ENGAGING PHASE OF OPERATION OF SAID SPOOL MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO PREVENT FURTHER FLUID FLOW BETWEEN SAID MAJOR CHAMBERS AT OTHER TIMES, MEANS PROVIDING A SOURCE OF LOW PRESSURE FLUID AND A SOURCE OF HIGH PRESSURE FLUID, MEANS ADAPTED FOR SELECTIVE APPLICATION OF SAID HIGH PRESSURE FLUID TO SAID MINOR CHAMBER AND MEANS ADAPTED FOR CONTINUOUS APPLICATION OF SAID LOW PRESSURE FLUID TO SAID SECOND MAJOR CHAMBER, AND CONDUIT MEANS CARRIED WITHIN THE RADIALLY INNERMOST PORTION OF SAID SPOOL MEMBER AND COMMUNICATING SAID FLUID SOURCES WITH SAID RESPECTIVE CHAMBERS OF SAID ACTUATING ASSEMBLY.