Electromagnetic eddy-current coupling or braking devices

Claim 1

AN EDDY-CURRENT COUPLING OR BRAKING DEVICE, COMPRISING: AN AXIALLY EXTENDING INNER ROTOR HAVING A PLURALITY OF AXIALLY SPACED SETS OF SALIENT POLES FORMING RESPECTIVE ANNULAR ARRAYS; A CYLINDRICAL OUTER ROTOR AXIALLY EXTENDING ALONG AND ENCLOSING SAID ARRAYS WHILE COAXIALLY SURROUNDING SAME AND HAVING A GENERALLY SMOOTH OUTER SURFACE; A STATOR COAXIALLY SURROUNDING SAID OUTER ROTOR AND DEFINING THEREWITH A NARROW CLEARANCE AROUND SAID SURFACE, SAID STATOR HAVING A PLURALITY OF ANNULAR RECESSES DISPOSED ABOUT SAID OUTER ROTOR IN RADIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE RESPECTIVE ARRAYS OF POLES; A SET OF EXCITER COILS EACH RECEIVED IN A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID RECESSES FOR ELECTROMAGNETICALLY CO-OPERATING WITH THE RESPECTIVE ARRAYS OF POLES; INLET MEANS FOR ADMITTING A LIQUID COOLANT TO SAID CLEARANCE BETWEEN SAID COILS AND INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE ANNULAR CHANNEL FORMED IN SAID STATOR BETWEEN SAID COILS AND OPENING INTO SAID CLEARANCE IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID SURFACE, SAID STATOR HAVING RESPECTIVE ANNULAR GROOVES COMMUNICATING WITH SAID RECESSES AND OPENING INTO SAID CLEARANCE, SAID SURFACE BEING FORMED WITH A PLURALITY OF AXIALLY SPACED ANNULAR DEPRESSIONS RESPECTIVELY ALIGNED WITH SAID GROOVES AND OPENING IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID STATOR, SAID STATOR BEING FORMED WITH A PAIR OF LATERAL ANNULAR PASSAGES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID COILS AND WITH RADII GREATER THAN THOSE OF SAID COILS, SAID STATOR FURTHER HAVING END WALLS AXIALLY SPACED FROM CONFRONTING WALL SURFACES OF SAID OUTER ROTOR AND DEFINING THEREWITH A PAIR OF ANNULAR COMPARTMENTS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID ANNULAR PASSAGES, RESPECTIVELY, AND WITH SAID CLEARANCE; AND OUTLET MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF OUTLET PORTS AT OPPOSITE AXIAL ENDS OF SAID STATOR RESPECTIVELY COMMUNICATING WITH SAID ANNULAR PASSAGES SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE LOWEST POINT THEREOF FOR DISCHARGING THE LIQUID COOLANT THEREFROM.