Transmission-driven retarder with fluid-operated blocker and inlet valve

Claim 2

Means for retarding the speed of an automotive vehicle having an engine cooling system, ground engaging wheels and a transmission including a housing and gears normally shiftable to high ratios at low vehicle speeds and low ratios at high vehicle speeds and having an externally accessible shaft connected to said transmission at a point having at least one pair of ratio gears between said shaft and the output of said transmission and means operatively connecting said wheels and said transmission, the combination comprising: an impeller housing and a first bladed element mounted therein and arranged nonrotatably with respect thereto; an impeller rotatably mounted within said impeller housing, said impeller having a second bladed element spaced from said first bladed element and defining therewith an energy absorbing device when a fluid is supplied to said bladed elements; means driving said second bladed element from said shaft; means mounting said impeller housing rigidly with respect to said transmission housing; sealing means isolating the interior of said impeller housing from the interior of said transmission housing; controllable blocking means interiorly of said housing and arranged for entering (at the will of an operator) into the spacing between said first and second bladed elements for controlling the degree of coupling therebetween; motor means for selectively moving said blocking means into and out of said spacing to thereby selectively vary the energy absorbing capacity of said device; operator controlled valve means; means operative in response to selective actuation of said valve means by said operator to selectively actuate said motor means to move said blocking means into and out of said spacing; and inlet and outlet ports for said impeller housing and conduit means connecting said inlet port to the low temperature side of the engine cooling system and other conduit means connecting said outlet port to the high temperature side of said engine cooling system whereby the energy absorption fluid for said impeller is circulated independently of conditions within said transmission housing.

Claim 3

The device defined in claim 1, wherein said second bladed element is concentric with and radially spaced inwardly from said first bladed element.

Claim 4

The device defined in claim 2, wherein said first bladed element is mounted on and affixed directly to the interior of said housing.

Claim 5

The device defined in claim 1, wherein said externally accessible shaft is the power takeoff.

Claim 6

The device defined in claim 1, iNcluding second valve means for controlling the flow of energy absorbing fluid to said retarding means.

Claim 7

The device defined in claim 5, including a first source of control fluid; a second source of control fluid for supplying control fluid under pressure; control means for controlling said second valve means and in turn actuated in one direction by first pressure means connected from within said energy absorption device and in the opposite direction by second pressure means directed from said second source; and whereby flow of fluid from said second source can control the level of retarder torque output through said control means while said first pressure means prevents excessive retarder torque output at high engine speeds while allowing useful torque output at low engine speeds.

Claim 8

The device defined in claim 6, wherein said control means comprises a control cylinder 102 including a reciprocable piston 117 defining therewith and separating first 123 and second 131 cylinder chambers; said first pressure means includes conduit means 104 connected between said first cylinder chamber and said energy absorbing device and said second pressure means includes a regulating valve 154 connected between said second source and said second cylinder chamber 131; said control means further includes linkage for connecting said piston 117 to said second valve means 136 so that movement of said piston in one direction opens said second valve means and return of said piston closes said second valve means; spring means 128 for urging said piston in a direction for closing said second valve means 136, an increase in pressure in said second cylinder chamber 131 tending to move said piston to open said second valve means and an increase in pressure in said first cylinder 131 chamber tending to act with said spring to move said piston for closing said second valve means; and whereby an increase in pressure in said energy absorbing device tends to close said second valve means.

Claim 9

The device defined in claim 7, wherein said second valve means comprises a butterfly valve mounted on said retarding means for controlling the flow of fluid thereto from said first source and having a motion traversing continuously between a closed and open position, said butterfly valve being mounted on a shaft terminated in a block, said block having an eccentrically mounted pivot thereon; said linkage includes an extension joining said piston to said pivot whereby reciprocation of said piston causes rotation of said shaft, a portion of said extension extending beyond said pivot; said block includes a second eccentric pin for engaging said portion to prevent pivotal movement of said butterfly valve from said open position past said closed position; said control cylinder includes a shoulder for engaging said piston and preventing movement thereof in one direction thereof and therepast to prevent motion of said butterfly valve from said closed position past said open position; and whereby said butterfly valve operates in bounded manner as a result of movement of said piston.

Claim 10

Means for retarding the speed of an automotive vehicle having an engine cooling system and ground engaging wheels, the combination comprising: an impeller housing and a first bladed element mounted therein and arranged nonrotatably with respect thereto; an impeller rotatably mounted within said impeller housing, said impeller having a second bladed element arranged concentrically within and radially spaced from said first bladed element and defining therewith an energy absorbing device when a fluid is supplied to said bladed elements; a shaft journaled in said housing for rotation about an axis generally normal to the plane of said impeller, said shaft being fixed adjacent one end to said impeller and having an axial bore therewithin; piston means slideably disposed within said bore and including a rod member extending outwardly through said one shaft end to a Location beyond s id impeller plane; means driving said shaft and thereby said impeller in response to rotation of said wheels; means mounting said impeller housing rigidly with respect to the frame of said vehicle; a cylindrical sleeve carried by the free end of and concentric with said rod member and arranged to move selectively into and out of the spacing between said first and second bladed elements in response to reciprocation of said piston means in said bore whereby to selectively vary the energy absorbing capacity of said device; means controllable by a vehicle operator to selectively reciprocate said piston means; and inlet and outlet ports for said impeller housing and conduit means connecting said inlet port to the low temperature side of said engine cooling system and other conduit means connecting said outlet port to the high temperature side of said engine cooling system whereby energy transferred to said fluid from said impeller is caused to dissipate through the engine cooling system.

Claim 11

Means for retarding the speed of an automotive vehicle having an engine cooling system and ground engaging wheels, the combination comprising: an impeller housing and a first bladed element mounted therein and arranged nonrotatably with respect thereto; an impeller rotatably mounted within said impeller housing, said impeller having a second bladed element arranged concentrically within and radially spaced from said first bladed element and defining therewith an energy absorbing device when a fluid is supplied to said bladed elements; a shaft journaled in said housing for rotation about an axis generally normal to the plane of said impeller, said shaft being fixed adjacent one end to said impeller and having an axial bore therewithin; piston means slideably disposed within said bore and including a rod member extending outwardly through said one shaft end to a Location beyond s id impeller plane; means driving said shaft and thereby said impeller in response to rotation of said wheels; means mounting said impeller housing rigidly with respect to the frame of said vehicle; a cylindrical sleeve carried by the free end of and concentric with said rod member and arranged to move selectively into and out of the spacing between said first and second bladed elements in response to reciprocation of said piston means in said bore whereby to selectively vary the energy absorbing capacity of said device; means controllable by a vehicle operator to selectively reciprocate said piston means; and inlet and outlet ports for said impeller housing and conduit means connecting said inlet port to the low temperature side of said engine cooling system and other conduit means connecting said outlet port to the high temperature side of said engine cooling system whereby energy transferred to said fluid from said impeller is caused to dissipate through the engine cooling system.

Claim 12

Means for retarding the speed of an automotive vehicle having an engine cooling system, ground engaging wheels and a transmission including a housing and gears normally shiftable to high ratios at low vehicle speeds and low ratios at high vehicle speeds and having an externally accessible shaft connected to said transmission at a point having at least one pair of ratio gears between said shaft and the output of said transmission and means operatively connecting said wheels and said transmission, the combination comprising: an impeller housing and a first bladed element mounted therein and arranged nonrotatably with respect thereto; an impeller rotatably mounted within said impeller housing, said impeller having a second bladed element concentric with and radially spaced from said first bladed element and defining therewith an energy absorbing device when fluid is supplied to said bladed elements; means driving said second bladed element from said shaft; means mounting said impeller housing rigidly with respect to said transmission housing; sealing means isolating the interior of said impeller housing from the interior of said transmission housing; controllable blocking means interiorly of said housing and arranged for entering into the spacing between said first and second bladed elements for controlling the degree of coupling therebetween; resilient means normally urging said controllable means into said spacing for preventing fluid flow therebetween; means controllable by an operator for overcoming said resilient means for moving said controllable means out of said spacing to thereby permit said first and second bladed elements to cooperate with each other through said fluid for absorbing energy from said wheels; and inlet and outlet ports for said impeller housing and conduit means connecting said inlet port to the low temperature side of the engine cooling system and other conduit means connecting said outlet port to the high temperature side of said engine cooling system whereby the energy absorption fluid for said impeller is circulated independently of conditions within said transmission housing.

Claim 13

Means for retarding the speed of an automotive vehicle having an engine cooling system, ground engaging wheels and a transmission including a housing and gears normally shiftable to high ratios at low vehicle speeds and low ratios at high vehicle speeds and having an externally accessible shaft connected to said transmission at a point having at least one pair of ratio gears between said shaft and the output of said transmission and means operatively connecting said wheels and said transmission, the combination comprising: an impeller housing and a first bladed element mounted therein and arranged nonrotatably with respect thereto; an impeller rotatably mounted within said impeller housing, said impeller having a second bladed element concentric with and radially spaced from said first bladed element and defining therewith an energy absorbing device when fluid is supplied to said bladed elements; means driving said second bladed element from said shaft; means mounting said impeller housing rigidly with respect to said transmission housing; sealing means isolating the interior of said impeller housing from the interior of said transmission housing; controllable blocking means interiorly of said housing and arranged for entering into the spacing between said first and second bladed elements for controlling the degree of coupling therebetween; resilient means normally urging said controllable means into said spacing for preventing fluid flow therebetween; means controllable by an operator for overcoming said resilient means for moving said controllable means out of said spacing to thereby permit said first and second bladed elements to cooperate with each other through said fluid for absorbing energy from said wheels; and inlet and outlet ports for said impeller housing and conduit means connecting said inlet port to the low temperature side of the engine cooling system and other conduit means connecting said outlet port to the high temperature side of said engine cooling system whereby the energy absorption fluid for said impeller is circulated independently of conditions within said transmission housing.

Claim 14

A torque transfer apparatus comprising: an impeller housing and a first bladed element mounted therein and arranged nonrotatably with respect thereto; an impeller rotatably mounted within said impeller housing, said impeller having a second bladed element arranged concentrically within and radially spaced from said first bladed element and defining therewith an energy absorbing device when a fluid is supplied to said bladed elements; a shaft journaled in said housing for rotation about an axis generally normal to the plane of said impeller, said shaft being fixed adjacent one end to said impeller and having an axial bore therewithin; piston means slideably disposed within said bore and including a rod member extending outwardly through said one shaft end to a location beyond saId impeller plane; and a cylindrical sleeve carried by the free end of and concentric with said rod member and arranged to move selectively into and out of the spacing between said first and second bladed elements in response to reciprocation of said piston means in said bore whereby to selectively vary the energy absorbing capacity of said device.

Claim 15

A torque transfer apparatus comprising: an impeller housing and a first bladed element mounted therein and arranged nonrotatably with respect thereto; an impeller rotatably mounted within said impeller housing, said impeller having a second bladed element arranged concentrically within and radially spaced from said first bladed element and defining therewith an energy absorbing device when a fluid is supplied to said bladed elements; a shaft journaled in said housing for rotation about an axis generally normal to the plane of said impeller, said shaft being fixed adjacent one end to said impeller and having an axial bore therewithin; piston means slideably disposed within said bore and including a rod member extending outwardly through said one shaft end to a location beyond saId impeller plane; and a cylindrical sleeve carried by the free end of and concentric with said rod member and arranged to move selectively into and out of the spacing between said first and second bladed elements in response to reciprocation of said piston means in said bore whereby to selectively vary the energy absorbing capacity of said device.