Friction device

Claim 2

A friction device, comprising: a housing; a rotatable shaft supported in said housing; at least one friction disk connected to said shaft so as to be rotatable therewith, said friction disk being provided with at least one through-opening; cooperating means accommodated in said housing and engageable with said friction disk; control means associated with said housing and operatively connected with said cooperating means for providing a cooling effect of said friction disk, said control means including at least one valve formed in said housing at a fixed location with respect to said shaft regulating the flow of a fluid through a channel whose outlet is approximately axially juxtaposed with said through-opening, said valve being constructed and arranged to open only upon actuation of said friction disk to supply said fluid thereto; and discharge means for continuously removing fluid from said friction disk.

Claim 3

A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said cooperating means includes a cylinder defined by said housing, a piston movable towards one side of said friction disk when fluid is introduced into said cylinder and a counter plate arranged at the other side of said friction disk to provide a counter pressure once said piston presses against said friction disk, said counter plate being provided with an annular colla surrounding said friction disk so as to define an internal annular space therebetween in which fluid injected to cool said friction disk is collected.

Claim 4

A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said annular collar has an external lamellar structure when surrounding a plurality of friction disks, said lamellar structure being fixed against rotation and guided in an axially displaceable manner.

Claim 5

A device as defined in claim 3 wherein a plurality of such valves is arranged along a circle, said external lamellar structure having an inner diameter larger than that of said circle.

Claim 6

A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said annular collar accommodates at least one pocket along its periphery, said cooperating means further including at least one return spring arranged in a respective one of said pockets so as to prestress said piston out of engagement with said friction disk.

Claim 7

A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said cooperating means and said housing define an external annular space, said annular collar being provided with at least one passage for providing a connection between said external space and said internal space.

Claim 8

A device as defined in claim 6 wherein said discharge means includes a toothed profile arranged at the circumference of said friction disk so that the fluid collected in said internal annular space is continuously forced to flow from said internal space through said passage into said external space upon rotational movement of said friction disk.

Claim 9

A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said shaft defines an axis, said channel extending coaxially to said shaft so as to be at an angle of 90° with respect to said friction disk.

Claim 10

A device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a casing for accommodating said control means, said casing being a separate structural unit arranged between said shaft and said housing.

Claim 11

A device as defined in claim 6 wherein said housing is part of an adjacent gearbox casing whose return pipe for a respective fluid is in communication with said external annular space.

Claim 12

A device as defined in claim 2, further comprising actuating means for regulating said valve in such a manner that said valve opens said outlet of said channel before said piston engages with said friction disk.

Claim 13

A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said control means further includes a spring acting on said valve to urge the latter into a position closing said outlet, said valve being movable in a chamber perpendicularly arranged with respect to said channel and having a flange portion on which the fluid intorduced into said cylinder acts to move said valve against the force of said spring into a position opening said outlet.

Claim 14

A device as defined in claim 12, further comprising throttle means associated with said valve for delaying the movement of the latter from the opening position into the closing position.

Claim 15

A friction device, comprising: a housing; a rotatable shaft supported in said housing: at least one friction disk connected to said shaft so as to be rotatable therewith, said friction disk being provided with at least one through-opening; cooperating means accommodated in said housing and engageable with said friction disk; control means associated with said housing and operatively connected with said cooperating means for providing a cooling effect of said friction disk, said control means including at least one valve regulating the flow of a fluid through a channel whose outlet is approximately at the level of said through-opening; and discharge means for continuously removing fluid from said friction disk, said cooperating means including a cylinder defined by said housing, a piston movable towards one side of said friction disk when fluid is introduced into said cylinder and a counter plate arranged at the other side of said friction disk to provide a counter pressure once said piston presses against said friction disk, said counter plate being provided with an annular collar surrounding said friction disk so as to define an internal annular space therebetween in which fluid injected to cool said friction disk is collected, said control means including mechanical means for moving said valve coaxially with said piston between a position in which the outlet is opened and a position in which the outlet is closed.

Claim 16

A friction device, comprising: a housing; a rotatable shaft supported in said housing: at least one friction disk connected to said shaft so as to be rotatable therewith, said friction disk being provided with at least one through-opening; cooperating means accommodated in said housing and engageable with said friction disk; control means associated with said housing and operatively connected with said cooperating means for providing a cooling effect of said friction disk, said control means including at least one valve regulating the flow of a fluid through a channel whose outlet is approximately at the level of said through-opening; and discharge means for continuously removing fluid from said friction disk, said cooperating means including a cylinder defined by said housing, a piston movable towards one side of said friction disk when fluid is introduced into said cylinder and a counter plate arranged at the other side of said friction disk to provide a counter pressure once said piston presses against said friction disk, said counter plate being provided with an annular collar surrounding said friction disk so as to define an internal annular space therebetween in which fluid injected to cool said friction disk is collected, said control means including mechanical means for moving said valve coaxially with said piston between a position in which the outlet is opened and a position in which the outlet is closed.

Claim 17

A device as defined in claim 14 wherein said valve is a spherical closing member, said mechanical means including a spring acting acting on said closing member to urge the latter into the position in which the outlet is opened and an extension rod connected to said piston to counter the force applied by said spring onto said closing member and to keep said closing member in the closing position as long as no fluid is introduced into said cylinder.

Claim 18

A device as defined in claim 14 wherein said valve is a spherical closing member, said mechanical means including a spring acting on said closing member to urge the latter into the position in which the outlet is opened and a lever assembly cooperating with said piston to counter the force applied by said spring onto said closing member and to keep said closing member in the closing position as long as no fluid is introduced into said cylinder.

Claim 19

A device as defined in claim 14 wherein said mechanical means further includes a transmission between the movement of said piston and the stroke of said valve so as to open the outlet to a considerable degree upon beginning movement of said piston.

Claim 20

The device defined in claim 1 wherein said cooperating means includes an annular friction disk peripherally engaging said housing and axially movable therein, said housing being provided with an annular shoulder member confronting said disks on one axial side thereof and an annular plate member engageable with said disks on the opposite axial side thereof, said valve being provided in a valve passage turned toward said disks, said annular friction disk having an inner diameter greater than the maximum radial distance of said passage from the axis of said shaft and being axially shiftably mounted on one of said members.

Claim 21

The device defined in claim 18, further comprising means for delaying closing of said valve.

Claim 22

A friction device comprising: a housing; a rotatable shaft supported in said housing; at least one friction disk connected to said shaft so as to be rotatable therewith, said friction disk being provided with at least one through-opening; cooperating means accommodated in said housing and engageable with said friction disk; control means associated with said housing and operatively connected with said cooperating means for providing a cooling effect of said friction disk, said control means including at least one valve regulating the flow of a fluid through a channel whose outlet is approximately at the level of said through-opening; and discharge means for continuously removing fluid from said friction disk, said cooperating means including an annular friction disk peripherally engaging said housing and axially movable therein, said housing being provided with an annular shoulder member confronting said disks on one axial side thereof and an annular plate member engageable with said disks on the opposite axial side thereof, said valve being provided in a valve passage turned toward said disks, said annular friction disk having an inner diameter greater than the maximum radial distance of said passage from the axis of said shaft and being axially shiftably mounted on one of said members, a piston being provided to actuate the disks, said device further comprising a mechanical displacement-multiplying linkage between said piston and said valve for fully opening said valve upon initiation of movement of said piston.

Claim 23

A friction device comprising: a housing; a rotatable shaft supported in said housing; at least one friction disk connected to said shaft so as to be rotatable therewith, said friction disk being provided with at least one through-opening; cooperating means accommodated in said housing and engageable with said friction disk; control means associated with said housing and operatively connected with said cooperating means for providing a cooling effect of said friction disk, said control means including at least one valve regulating the flow of a fluid through a channel whose outlet is approximately at the level of said through-opening; and discharge means for continuously removing fluid from said friction disk, said cooperating means including an annular friction disk peripherally engaging said housing and axially movable therein, said housing being provided with an annular shoulder member confronting said disks on one axial side thereof and an annular plate member engageable with said disks on the opposite axial side thereof, said valve being provided in a valve passage turned toward said disks, said annular friction disk having an inner diameter greater than the maximum radial distance of said passage from the axis of said shaft and being axially shiftably mounted on one of said members, a piston being provided to actuate the disks, said device further comprising a mechanical displacement-multiplying linkage between said piston and said valve for fully opening said valve upon initiation of movement of said piston.