Hydrodynamic reversing gear

Claim 2

In a hydrodynamic reversing gear particularly for rail-type vehicles, said reversing gear being of the type that includes (A) at least one pair of hydrodynamic work circuits, one circuit of each pair being operatiOnal for one direction of travel, the other circuit of each pair being operational for the other, opposite direction of travel; each circuit includes a work chamber formed of a circular array of blades of an impeller wheel and a circular array of blades of at least a runner wheel, and (B) means for introducing hydraulic liquid into said work circuits to render them selectively operational and withdrawing hydraulic liquid from said work circuits to render them selectively inoperational, the improvement comprising A. flow obstructing means formed of at east one portion of at last some of the blades associated with a wheel, said flow obstructing means being associated with at least one of said circuits and movable into an operative or flow blocking position in the work chamber of said last-named circuit and into an inoperative or flow transmitting position, each blade of the wheel containing said flow obstructing means being divided along at least one dividing circle into at least two portions movable with respect to one another in a circumferential direction to an extent equalling approximately one-half the distance between two adjacent blades and B. actuating means for moving said flow obstructing means into the flow blocking position when said work chamber is voided of hydraulic liquid and into the flow transmitting position upon introducing hydraulic liquid into said work circuit.

Claim 3

In a hydrodynamic reversing gear particularly for rail-type vehicles, said reversing gear being of the type that includes (A) at least one pair of hydrodynamic work circuits, one circuit of each pair being operational for one direction of travel, the other circuit of each pair being operational for the other, opposite direction of travel; each circuit includes a work chamber formed of a circular array of blades of an impeller wheel and a circular array of blades of at least a runner wheel, and (B) means for introducing hydraulic liquid into said work circuits to render them selectively operational and withdrawing hydraulic liquid from said work circuits to render them selectively inoperational, the improvement comprising A. flow obstructing means formed of at least some of the blades associated with a wheel, said flow obstructing means being associated with at least one of said circuits and movable into an operative or flow blocking position in the work chamber of sad last-named circuit and into an inoperative or flow transmitting position, each blade forming said flow obstructing means being pivotable in the circumferential direction and abutting, in its flow blocking position, two immediately adjacent blades in said wheel and B. actuating means for moving said flow obstructing means into the flow blocking position when said work chamber is voided of hydraulic liquid and into the flow transmitting position upon introducing hydraulic liquid into said work circuit.

Claim 4

means for energizing and de-energizing said power means simultaneously with the introduction of hydraulic liquid into and the withdrawal of hydraulic liquid from the work circuit.

Claim 5

In a hydrodynamic reversing gear particularly for rail-type vehicles, said reversing gear being of the type that includes (A) at least one pair of hydrodynamic work circuits, one circuit of each pair being operational for one direction of travel, the other circuit of each pair being operational for the other, opposite direction of travel; each circuit includes a work chamber formed of a circular array of blades of an impeller wheel and a circular array of blades of at least a runner wheel, and (B) means for introducing hydraulic liquid into said work circuits to render them selectively operational and withdrawing hydraulic liquid from said work circuits to render them selectively inoperational, the improvement comprising A. flow obstructing means formed of a cylindrical sleeve axially slidably held coaxially with said wheels, said flow obstructing means being associated with at least one of said circuits and movable into an operative or flow blocking position in the work chamber of said last-named circuit and into an inoperative or flow transmitting position and B. actuating means for moving saiD flow obstructing means into the flow blocking position when said work chamber is voided of hydraulic liquid and into the flow transmitting position upon introducing hydraulic liquid into said work circuit, said actuating means including

Claim 6

An improvement as defined in claim 1, wherein each flap is made of a resilient material, the resiliency of which constitutes said resilient means.

Claim 7

An improvement as defined in claim 1, including a spring connected to each flap and constituting said resilient means, said improvement further includes abutment means associated with each flap to arrest it in said flow transmitting position.

Claim 8

An improvement as defined in claim 1, wherein said flaps are secured to the guide wheel at the inlet side thereof and extend in their flow blocking position across flow channels defined by the blades of the guide wheel.

Claim 9

An improvement as defined in claim 2, wherein said dividing circle passes through the thickest portions of said blades measured in the circumferential direction.

Claim 10

An improvement as defined in claim 2, wherein said actuating means includes A. spring means urging said portions constituting said flow obstructing means into said flow blocking position and B. means operatively connected with said means for introducing hydraulic liquid into and withdrawing the same from the work circuit, for moving said flow obstructing means into said flow transmitting position against the force of said spring means automatically when hydraulic liquid is introduced into the work circuit, and allowing said flow obstructing means to move into said flow blocking position under the force of said spring means automatically when hydraulic liquid is withdrawn from said work circuit.