Means of supplying control air to an inflatable member of a torque control means

Claim 1

In a device for selectively transmitting torque between first and second rotatable members of the type having a drum carried by said first rotatable member, a friction shoe carried by an inflatable member attached to a housing fixed to the second rotatable member, said friction shoe being engagable with said drum upon inflation of said inflatable member by a pressurized fluid and a controllable source of pressurized fluid, the improved pressurized fluid supply system comprising: a. a signal transmitting ring (14) attached to said second rotatable member so as to rotate therewith, said signal transmitting ring having a transmitting air bore (13) therethrough; b. a stationary signal receiving ring (19) surrounding said signal transmitting ring so as to define a space therebetween (17), and rigidly attached to a stationary support, said signal receiving ring having signal air receiving bore (18) therethrough communicating with said space; c. deviation detection means (12) to detect the relative circumferential shifting between the housing and the friction shoe when said shoe is engaged with said drum, and to control the pressure of the fluid within said inflatable member in direct proportion to the amount of deviation detected, said detection means having an inlet port (25) and an outlet port (41); d. first conduit means (8) connecting said controllable source of pressurized fluid to said deviation detection means inlet port (25) and said inflatable member (14); e. second conduit means (8") connecting said deviation detection means outlet port (41) with said signal transmitting ring transmitting air bore (13); and f. third conduit means (8') connecting said signal air receiving bore (18) with said controllable source of pressurized fluid.