SPEED-RESPONSIVE CLUTCH

• US 3,598,211 A
• Filed: 09/30/1968
• Issued: 08/10/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald J. Fergle
• Original Assignee: Donald J. Fergle
• Inventors: Fergle, Donald J.
• Application Number:
  US04/763,669
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• US Class Current: 477/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 25/0638 with more than two discs, e.g. multiple lamellae

Abstract

A torque-adjusting system for an engine-to-load, ratio-shiftable power train, wherein either the engine or the load has a sufficiently high speed or high inertia as to cause a shock in the power train upon effecting a ratio shift therein, said torque-adjusting system including a variable capacity clutch connected in the power train having (a) reactive means sensitive to the torque delivered by the engine and capable of regulating the torque output capacity of said variable capacity clutch as a function of the engine torque together with (b) means effecting a further regulating of said torque output capacity as a function of the speed of rotation of said output shaft of said engine.

Claims

1. In a power train connecting a prime mover to a load, a variable capacity torque-transmitting device for serial connection between said prime mover and said load, comprising:

means developing a fluid pressure representative of prime mover torque;

first control means operative to regulate the torquetransmitting capacity of said torque-transmitting device in response to variations in said fluid pressure; and

second control means sensitive the speed of said prime mover for simultaneously regulating the torque-transmitting capacity of said torque-transmitting device as a function of such speed.

2. The device defined in claim 1, wherein said fluid pressure is developed as a direct function of prime mover torque so that said first control means regulates said torque-transmitting capacity as a direct function of said prime mover torque.

3. The device defined in claim 1, wherein said second control means regulates said torque-transmitting capacity as an inverse function of said speed.

4. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said load comprises the ground wheels of a vehicle.

5. The device defined in claim 1, wherein said prime mover is a gas turbine engine having a gas producer and a free power turbine and wherein said first control means is sensitive to the pressure developed within said gas producer.

6. A power train for a gas generator and a free turbine driven thereby, including an output shaft connected to said turbine, the combination comprising:

variable capacity clutch means connected to said output shaft;

first control means sensitive to the pressure developed in said gas generator and capable of regulating the torque output capacity of said variable capacity clutch as a function of said pressure; and

second control means regulating said torque output capacity of said variable capacity clutch as a function of the speed of rotation of said output shaft.

7. The power train defined in claim 6, wherein said first control means includes a cylinder having a piston member movable axially therein to define a first chamber on one side of said piston member;

and wherein said first chamber is connected by means defining a passageway to said gas generator and translation means are provided for varying said clutch capacity in response to movement of said piston.

8. The device defined in claim 6, wherein said second control means regulates said torque output capacity of said variable capacity clutch inversely of the speed of rotation of said output shaft and comprises a cylinder having a piston therein defining a chamber and a quantity of fluid trapped In said chamber, translation means for varying said clutch capacity in response to movement of said piston;

whereby said trapped fluid is affected by centrifugal force caused by the speed of rotation of said turbine and generates a pressure which causes said piston member to move in a direction so that the output torque of said clutch varies inversely of the speed of rotation of said output shaft.

9. The device defined in claim 6, wherein said second control means includes a cylinder having a piston therein defining a chamber and pressure-creating means and means regulating the pressure of fluid supplied to said chamber as a function of the speed of rotation of said output shaft;

translation means for varying said clutch capacity in response to movement of said piston;

whereby a change in pressure in said gas generator will vary the torque output of said variable capacity clutch means and said pressure developed by said pressure-creating means and regulated by said regulation means varies said torque as a function of the speed of rotation of said output shaft.

10. The power train as defined in claim 6, wherein said first control means includes a cylinder having a piston member movable axially therein to define first and second chambers on opposite sides of said piston member;

and wherein said first chamber is connected by means defining a passageway to said gas generator; and

wherein said second control means regulates said torque inversely of the speed of rotation of said output shaft and comprises a quantity of fluid trapped in said second chamber;

whereby said trapped fluid is affected by centrifugal force caused by the speed of rotation of said turbine and generates a pressure which opposes said pressure in said gas generator to cause said piston member to move in a direction relative to said variable capacity clutch means so that the output torque thereof varies as a function of the speed of rotation of said output shaft.

11. The device as defined in claim 6, wherein said first control means comprises a cylinder having a piston member movable axially therein defining first and second chambers on opposite sides of said piston member;

and wherein said first chamber is connected through a passageway to said gas generator; and

wherein said second control means includes pressure creating means and means regulating the application of pressure to said second chamber as a function of the speed of rotation of said output shaft;

whereby an increased pressure in said gas generator will vary the torque output of said variable capacity clutch means and said pressure developed by said pressure-creating means and regulated by said regulation means varies said torque as a function of the speed of rotation of said output shaft.

12. The power train as defined in claim 6, wherein said first control means comprises mounting means permitting an axial movement of said turbine;

and wherein said second control means effects a decreasing of the axial thrust on said turbine as said speed of rotation of said output shaft increases.

13. The power train as defined in claim 12, wherein said variable capacity clutch means comprises a clutch pack having a plurality of clutch plates therein which are urged into engagement with one another when said axial thrust is applied to said turbine by the pressure developed in said gas generator and said clutch plates in said clutch pack will become separated when said gas generator pressure is reduced to urge said turbine in a direction corresponding to a low torque output of said variable capacity clutch means;

whereby an increase in pressure in said gas generator will develop a sufficient axial thrust on said turbine to urge same axially to cause an increased engagement of said clutch plates and, when said pressure in said gas generator is reduced, said clutch pack will return said turbine to said low torque output position for the variable capacity clutch.

14. In a power traiN connecting a gas turbine engine of the so-called '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'free turbine'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' type to a load wherein at least one of said gas turbine engine and said load has at least one of a high speed and a high inertia characteristic, a variable capacity torque-transmitting device for serial connection between said gas turbine engine and said load, comprising in combination:

first control means sensitive to the torque developed by said gas turbine engine for regulating the torque output capacity of said torque-transmitting device as a function of such prime mover torque; and

second control means sensitive to the speed of said gas turbine engine for simultaneously regulating the torque-transmitting capacity of said torque-transmitting device as a function of such speed.

15. The device defined in claim 1 wherein said prime mover is a gas turbine engine.

16. The device defined in claim 15 wherein said gas turbine engine is of the type having a free turbine.