Power transmitting mechanism for starting a high inertia load and having retarder means for auxiliary starting motor

• US 3,951,008 A
• Filed: 01/08/1975
• Issued: 04/20/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Twin Disc Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Twin Disc Incorporated
• Inventors: Schneider, Raymond C., Meyer, Robert W., Borgelt, Gerald C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, Samuel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chandler, Lance W.
• Application Number:
  US05/539,320
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 74/661, 74/720, 74/718, 74/645, 74/665 A, 74/665 B, 74/665 C, 74/665 D, 74/665 E, 192/3.25, 192/3.26, 192/3.27
• US Class Current: 74/661
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 35/18 Turning devices for rotatable members, e.g. shafts
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 47/06 the fluid gearing being of the hydrokinetic type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19014 Plural prime movers selectively coupled to common output
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19023 Plural power paths to and/or from gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19037 One path includes fluid drive

Abstract

A power transmitting mechanism for starting a load which is either of high inertia or of high starting torque and which is to be driven at a high speed through a high reduction ratio. The load has a main power source and also an axuiliary power source which initially turns over the load from a zero speed condition. After the load has been turned over by the auxiliary starting means and through a high reduction ratio, the main power source acts to slip the overrunning clutch and bring the load up to speed. The auxiliary power source has a hydraulic coupling retarder which acts to retard the auxiliary power source during its initial operation and thereby reduces its kinetic energy during its initial operation and decreases the large torque pulses which would otherwise occur in the mechanism during the start-up. The mechanism includes hydraulic control means for controlling the sequencing of the fluid fill of the hydraulic coupling retarder.

Claims

1. A power transmitting mechanism for starting a load and comprising, a main power input shaft adapted for connection to a main power source;

main drive transmitting means connected at its input side in driven relation with said main power input shaft, and a disconnect clutch connected at the output side of said drive transmitting means;

an auxiliary power input shaft adapted for connection with an auxiliary starting motor, and one-way drive establishing connecting means operatively interposed between said auxiliary power input shaft and said main drive transmitting means, a hydraulic fluid coupling having a first portion stationarily anchored and a second portion connected with and driven by said auxiliary power input shaft, and fluid control means for controlling the amount of fluid fill of said hydraulic coupling whereby said coupling can act as a retarder for said auxiliary starting motor, said one-way drive establishing connecting means having an input side connected with said auxiliary power input shaft and said hydraulic fluid coupling and an output side drivingly connected with said main drive transmitting means.

2. The mechanism set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that the fluid control means includes a first valve having a shiftable valve element for maintaining said fluid coupling full of fluid during initial operation of said auxiliary starting motor and for regulating the amount of pressure fluid which enters said coupling.

3. The mechanism set forth in claim 2 further characterized in that said fluid control means includes a fluid dump valve in communication with said coupling and also with said first valve, said dump valve being of the normally open type to permit continual dumping of said coupling, said dump valve being modulatable by pressure fluid from said first valve to thereby regulate bleeding of fluid from said coupling.

4. The mechanism set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said one-way drive establishing means comprises a one-way overrunning clutch located between said auxiliary starting motor and said disconnect clutch.

5. The mechanism set forth in claim 2 further characterized in that said one-way drive establishing means comprises a one-way overrunning clutch located between said auxiliary starting motor and said disconnect clutch.

6. The mechanism set forth in claim 3 further characterized in that said one-way drive establishing means comprises a one-way overrunning clutch located between said auxiliary starting motor and said disconnect clutch.

7. A power transmitting mechanism for starting a gas turbine and comprising, a main power input shaft adapted for connection to a main power source;

main drive transmitting means including a hydraulic torque converter connected at its input side in driven relation with said main power input shaft, and a disconnect clutch connected with the output side of said torque converter;

an auxiliary power input shaft adapted for connection with an auxiliary starting motor, and one-way drive establishing connecting means operatively interposed between said auxiliary power input shaft and said disconnect clutch;

a hydraulic fluid coupling having a first portion stationarily anchored and a second portion connected with and driven by said auxiliary power input shaft, and fluid control means for controlling the amount of fluid fill of said hydraulic coupling whereby said coupling can act as a retarder for said auxiliary starting motor, said one-way drive establishing connecting means having an input side connected with said auxiliary power input shaft and said hydraulic fluid coupling and an output side drivingly connected with said disconnect clutch.

8. The mechanism set forth in claim 7 further characterized in that the fluid control means includes a first valve having a shiftable valve element for maintaining said fluid coupling full of fluid during intitial operation of said auxiliary starting motor and for regulating the amount of pressure fluid which enters said coupling.

9. The mechanism set forth in claim 8 further characterized in that said fluid control means includes a fluid dump valve in communication with said coupling and also with said first valve, said dump valve being of the normally open type to permit continual bleeding of said coupling, said dump valve being modulatable by pressure fluid from said first valve to thereby regulate dumping of fluid from said coupling.

10. A power transmitting mechanism for starting a gas turbine and comprising, a main power input shaft adapted for connection to a main power source;

main drive transmitting means including a hydraulic torque converter connected at its input side in driven relation with said main poweer input shaft, and a disconnect clutch connected with the output side of said torque converter, an auxiliary power input shaft adapted for connection with an auxiliary starting motor, a one-way overrunning clutch operatively located between said auxiliary power input shaft and said disconnect clutch;

a hydraulic fluid coupling having a first portion stationarily anchored and a second portion connected with and driven by said auxiliary power input shaft, and fluid control means including a first valve having a shiftable valve element for maintaining said fluid coupling full of fluid during initial operation of said auxiliary starting motor and for regulating the amount of pressure fluid which enters said coupling, whereby said coupling can act as a retarder for said auxiliary starting motor, said fluid control means also including a fluid dump valve in communication with said coupling and also with said first valve, said dump valve being of the normally open type to permit continual bleeding of said coupling, said dump valve being modulatable by pressure fluid from said first valve to thereby regulate dumping of fluid from said coupling.

11. A power transmitting mechanism for starting a gas turbine and comprising, a main power source, a main power input shaft connected to said main power source, main drive transmitting means including a hydraulic torque converter connected at its input side to and in driven relation with said main power input shaft, and a disconnect clutch connected with the putput side of said torque converter;

a power output shaft connected to the power output side of said disconnect clutch, a gas turbine connected to and driven by said power output shaft, an electrical generator connected to and driven by said gas turbine, an auxiliary starting motor, an auxiliary power input shaft connected to and driven by said auxiliary starting motor, one-way drive establishing connecting means operatively interposed between said auxiliary power input shaft and said disconnect clutch;

a hydraulic fluid coupling having a first portion stationarily anchored and a second portion connected with and driven by said auxiliary power input shaft, and fluid control means for controlling the amount of fluid fill of said hydraulic coupling whereby said coupling can act as a retarder for said auxiliary starting motor.

12. A power transmitting mechanism for starting a load and comprising, a main power input shaft adapted for connection to a main power source;

main drive transmitting means connected at its input side in driven relation with said main power input shaft, and a disconnect clutch connected at the output side of said drive transmitting means;

an auxiliary power input shaft adapted for connection with an auxiliary starting motor, and one-way drive establishing connecting means operatively interposed between said auxiliary power input shaft and said main drive transmitting means, a variably actuatable retarding means connected to said auxiliary power input shaft and control means for selectively actuating said retarding means whereby said retarding means can initially retard the speed of said auxiliary starting motor and subsequently permit said auxiliary starting motor to achieve a speed greater than the initial speed, said one-way drive establishing means having an input side connected with said auxiliary power input shaft and said retarding means and an output side drivingly connected with said main drive transmitting means.

13. A power transmitting mechanism for starting a load and comprising, a main power input shaft adapted for connection to a main power source;

main drive transmitting means connected at its input side in driven relation with said main power input shaft, and a disconnect clutch connected at the output side of said drive transmitting means;

an auxiliary power input shaft adapted for connection with an auxiliary starting motor, and one-way drive establishing connecting means operatively interposed between said auxiliary power input shaft and said main drive transmitting means, a hydraulic fluid coupling having a first portion stationarily anchored and a second portion connected with and driven by said auxiliary power input shaft, and fluid control means for controlling the amount of fluid fill of said hydraulic coupling whereby said coupling can act as a retarder for said auxiliary starting motor, fluid control means including (1) a first valve having a shiftable valve element for maintaining said fluid coupling full of fluid during initial operation of said auxiliary starting motor and for regulating the amount of pressure fluid which enters said coupling, and (2) including a fluid dump valve in communication with said coupling and also with said first valve, said dump valve being of the normally open type to permit continual dumping of said coupling, said dump valve being modulatable by pressure fluid from said first valve to thereby regulate bleeding of fluid from said coupling.

14. A power transmitting mechanism for starting a gas turbine and comprising, a main power input shaft adapted for connection to a main power source;

main drive transmitting means including a hydraulic torque converter connected at its input side in driven relation with said main power input shaft, and a disconnect clutch connected with the output side of said torque converter;

an auxiliary power input shaft adapted for connection with an auxiliary starting motor, and one-way drive establishing connecting means operatively interposed between said auxiliary power input shaft and said disconnect clutch;

a hydraulic fluid coupling having a first portion stationarily anchored and a second portion connected with and driven by said auxiliary power input shaft, and fluid control means for controlling the amount of fluid fill of said hydraulic coupling whereby said coupling can act as a retarder for said auxiliary starting motor;

said fluid control means including a first valve having a shiftable valve element for maintaining said fluid coupling full of fluid during initial operation of said auxiliary starting motor and for regulating the amount of pressure fluid which enters said coupling;

said fluid control means also including a fluid dump valve in communication with said coupling and also with said first valve, said dump valve being of the normally open type to permit continual bleeding of said coupling, said dump valve being modulatable by pressure fluid from said first valve to thereby regulate dumping of fluid from said coupling.