Slip control systems for air clutches

Claim 2

A slip clutch control system for controlling the speed of rotation of a marine engine propeller, said system comprising: a. a rotatable shaft having the propeller mounted thereon for rotation therewith; b. first means for rotatably driving said shaft; c. second means for establishing a first control impulse of a preselected degree; d. normally disengaged clutch means interposed between said first means and said shaft, said clutch means being operable to various degrees of engagement for transmitting driving force from said first means to said shaft in accordance with the degree of engagement of the clutch means; e. third means for effecting engagement of said clutch means; f. fourth means operable responsively to the rate of rotation of said shaft to produce a second control impulse according to the existing rate of rotation, said third means being operable responsively to the combined effects of said first and said second control impulSes for effecting engagement of said clutch means and therefore transmission of driving force to said shaft commensurate with said combined effects of the control impulses; and g. fifth means interposed between said third and fourth means and operable responsively to said first control impulse at a degree exceeding a certain value for interrupting said second control impulse, said third means being operable responsively to said first control impulse only, upon interruption of said second impulse, for effecting full engagement of said clutch means.

Claim 3

A slip clutch control system for controlling the speed of rotation of a marine engine propeller, said system comprising: a. a rotatable shaft having the propeller mounted thereon for rotation therewith; b. first disengaged for rotatably driving said shaft; c. normally disengage clutch means interposed between said first means and said shaft, said clutch means being operable to various degrees of engagement for transmitting driving force from said first means to said shaft in accordance with the degree of engagement of the clutch means; d. second means for effecting engagement of said clutch means; e. a source of fluid under pressure; f. an operator''s controller connected to said source of fluid under pressure and being manually operable to a plurality of positions for producing a first fluid pressure control impulse at a degree corresponding to the position to which said controller is operated; g. first pipe means via which said first control impulse is transmitted to said second means; and h. third means operable responsively to the rate of rotation of said shaft to produce a second control impulse according to the existing rate of rotation, said second means being operable responsively to the combined effects of said first and second control impulses for effecting engagement of said clutch means and therefore transmission of driving force to said shaft commensurate with said combined effects of the control impulses.

Claim 4

A slip clutch control system for controlling the speed of rotation of a marine engine propeller, said system comprising: a. a rotatable shaft having the propeller mounted thereon for rotation therewith; b. first disengaged for rotatably driving said shaft; c. normally disengage clutch means interposed between said first means and said shaft, said clutch means being operable to various degrees of engagement for transmitting driving force from said first means to said shaft in accordance with the degree of engagement of the clutch means; d. second means for effecting engagement of said clutch means; e. a source of fluid under pressure; f. an operator''s controller connected to said source of fluid under pressure and being manually operable to a plurality of positions for producing a first fluid pressure control impulse at a degree corresponding to the position to which said controller is operated; g. first pipe means via which said first control impulse is transmitted to said second means; and h. third means operable responsively to the rate of rotation of said shaft to produce a second control impulse according to the existing rate of rotation, said second means being operable responsively to the combined effects of said first and second control impulses for effecting engagement of said clutch means and therefore transmission of driving force to said shaft commensurate with said combined effects of the control impulses.

Claim 5

A slip clutch control system, as defined in claim 2, wherein: a. said operator''s controller is operable from a neutral position to various forward positions and various reverse positions; b. said clutch means comprises ahead and astern clutches for effecting directional rotation of said shaft corresponding to the forward or reverse position of the operator''s controller; and c. said third means includes: i. second pipe means; ii. interface valve means responsive to said combined effects of said first and said second control impulses for effecting supply of actuating fluid pressure via said second pipe means from said source to one of said ahead and astern clutches; iii. a fluid pressure responsive control valve device interposed in said second pipe means and normally having a neutral position in which both said clutches are vented to atmosphere for effecting disengagement thereof, said control valve device being subjectable alternatively to fluid pressure on opposite sides thereof and operable responsive thereto a forward position and a reverse position for directing said actuating fluid pressure to said ahead clutch and to said astern clutch, respectively, and iv. third pipe means connecting said control valve device to said operator''s controller and via which fluid pressure is supplied from said source to one or the other side of said control valve device for effecting operation thereof to one of said forward and reverse positions in accordance with the position of said controller.

Claim 6

A slip clutch control system, as defined in claim 3, wherein said interface valve means comprises a fluidic analog valve device, said first and second control impulses being low pressure control impulses acting in opposing relation for establishing a resultant low pressure differential to which said analog valve device responds for effecting said supply of actuating fluid at a relatively high degree of pressure proportional to sAid resultant pressure differential.

Claim 7

A slip clutch control system, as defined in claim 4, wherein: a. said fluidic analog interface valve device is operable responsively to said resultant low pressure differential for producing a relatively high pressure control impulse; and b. said third means further comprises an analog relay valve device interposed in said second pipe means and operable responsively to said high pressure control impulse for amplifying the flow of actuating fluid to said clutch means via said second pipe means.

Claim 8

A slip clutch control system, as defined in claim 3, wherein: a. said third pipe means comprises: i. first branch pipe means connecting said operator''s controller to said one side of said control valve device for transmitting fluid pressure to said one side and effecting operation of the control valve device to its said forward position upon operation of said controller to one of its said forward positions, and ii. second branch pipe means connecting said operator''s controller to said other side of said control valve device for transmitting fluid pressure to said other side and effecting operation of the control valve device to its said reverse position upon operation of said controller to one of its said reverse positions; and b. said slip clutch control system is further characterized by: i. relay valve means interposed in each of said first and said second branch pipe means, each of said relay valve means being normally biased to an open position in which communication through the respective branch pipe means is open, and each having a control chamber subjectable to actuating fluid pressure supplied to said clutches, the control chamber of the relay valve means in said second branch pipe means being subject to actuating fluid, at a pressure exceeding a certain minimum degree, supplied to the ahead clutch and operable responsively thereto to a closed position in which communication through said second branch pipe is closed as long as supply of actuating fluid pressure to said ahead clutch is in effect, and vice versa.

Claim 9

A slip clutch control system, as defined in claim 6, wherein: a. fluid pressure in said control chambers is vented via said control valve device upon operation of said control valve device to its said neutral position; and b. said slip clutch control system is further characterized by respective means for delaying venting of said control chambers for a predetermined time interval.

Claim 10

A slip clutch control system, as defined in claim 6, wherein: a. fluid pressure supplied via said first and second branch pipe means from said source to said control valve device normally exceeds a certain value; and b. said slip clutch control system is further characterized by: i. fourth pipe means via which said second control impulse is transmitted from said fourth means to said interface valve means, ii. a relay valve device normally biased to an open position in which communication through said fourth pipe means is open and having a pressure chamber, said relay valve device being operable responsively to fluid in said pressure chamber, at a pressure exceeding said certain value, to a closed position in which communication through said fourth pipe means is closed, iii. a double check valve device having a first inlet connected to said first pipe means, a second inlet connected to one of said first and second branch pipe means, and an outlet connected to said pressure chamber of said relay valve device in said fourth pipe means, said double check valve device being operable responsively to fluid pressure in said one of said first and second branch pipe means or to fluid in said first pipe means at a pressure exceeding said certain value for supplying such fluid pressure, via said outlet, to said pressure chamber for effecting consequent operation of said relay valve device to its said closed position.

Claim 11

A slip clutch control system, as defined in claim 8, wherEin said second inlet of said double check valve device is connected to said second branch pipe means.

Claim 12

A slip clutch control system for controlling the speed of rotation of a marine engine propeller, said system comprising: a. a rotatable shaft having the propeller mounted thereon for rotation therewith; b. driving means providing a driving force commensurate with the operating speed thereof for driving said shaft and including governor means for restricting the speed of said driving means at a substantially constant rate during operation thereof in a preselected low-speed range; c. a source of fluid under pressure; d. operator''s means connected to said source of fluid under pressure and being selectively manually operable to a plurality of positions in a low-speed range and in a high-speed range for effecting a first fluid pressure control impulse at a degree corresponding to the position to which said operator''s means is operated; e. clutch means normally disengaged and interposed between said driving means and said shaft, said clutch means being operable to various degrees of engagement for transmitting driving force from said driving means to said shaft in accordance with the degree of engagement of the clutch means; f. actuating means for effecting engagement of said clutch means; g. first pipe means via which said first control impulse is transmitted simultaneously from said source to said actuating means and to said driving means, said driving means being operable at said constant rate of speed in response to such first control impulse resulting from operation of said operator''s means to a position in said low-speed range for providing a driving force of a predetermined fixed degree irrespective of any variance in the degree of said first control impulse, and being operable at a variable rate of speed in response to such first control impulse resulting from operation of said operator''s means to a position in said high-speed range to provide a driving force commensurate with the degree of said first control impulse; h. speed responsive means operable responsively to the rate of rotation of said shaft to produce a second control impulse according to the existing rate of rotation, said actuating means being operable responsively to the combined effects of said first and said second control impulses for effecting engagement of said clutch means to a degree commensurate with said combined effects of the control impulses; and i. interrupting means interposed between said actuating means and said speed responsive means and operable responsively to said first control impulse at a degree exceeding a certain value resulting from operation of the operator''s means to a position in said high-speed range, for cutting out the effect of said second control impulse and rendering said actuating means responsive to said first control impulse only, and consequently effecting full engagement of said clutch means, j. said governor means and said interrupting means both being operable responsively to said first control impulse at an identical degree, that is, at said degree exceeding a certain value, for effecting operation of said driving means at said variable rate of speed and full engagement of said clutch means simultaneously.

Claim 13

A slip clutch control system for controlling the speed of rotation of a marine engine propeller, said system comprising: a. a rotatable shaft having the propeller mounted thereon for rotation therewith; b. driving means providing a driving force commensurate with the operating speed thereof for driving said shaft and including governor means for restricting the speed of said driving means at a substantially constant rate during operation thereof in a preselected low-speed range; c. a source of fluid under pressure; d. operator''s means connected to said source of fluid under pressure and being selectively manually operable to a plurality of positions in a low-speed range and in a high-speed range for effecting a first fluid pressure control impulse at a degree corresponding to the position to which said operator''s means is operated; e. clutch means normally disengaged and interposed between said driving means and said shaft, said clutch means being operable to various degrees of engagement for transmitting driving force from said driving means to said shaft in accordance with the degree of engagement of the clutch means; f. actuating means for effecting engagement of said clutch means; g. first pipe means via which said first control impulse is transmitted simultaneously from said source to said actuating means and to said driving means, said driving means being operable at said constant rate of speed in response to such first control impulse resulting from operation of said operator''s means to a position in said low-speed range for providing a driving force of a predetermined fixed degree irrespective of any variance in the degree of said first control impulse, and being operable at a variable rate of speed in response to such first control impulse resulting from operation of said operator''s means to a position in said high-speed range to provide a driving force commensurate with the degree of said first control impulse; h. speed responsive means operable responsively to the rate of rotation of said shaft to produce a second control impulse according to the existing rate of rotation, said actuating means being operable responsively to the combined effects of said first and said second control impulses for effecting engagement of said clutch means to a degree commensurate with said combined effects of the control impulses; and i. interrupting means interposed between said actuating means and said speed responsive means and operable responsively to said first control impulse at a degree exceeding a certain value resulting from operation of the operator''s means to a position in said high-speed range, for cutting out the effect of said second control impulse and rendering said actuating means responsive to said first control impulse only, and consequently effecting full engagement of said clutch means, j. said governor means and said interrupting means both being operable responsively to said first control impulse at an identical degree, that is, at said degree exceeding a certain value, for effecting operation of said driving means at said variable rate of speed and full engagement of said clutch means simultaneously.