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Hydraulic system for vehicular traction drive

  • US 6,073,716 A
  • Filed: 03/30/1998
  • Issued: 06/13/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
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First Claim
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1. In a hydraulic system for use in traction drive of vehicle wheels and controlling the flow of fluid when there is loss of traction at a vehicle wheel, the improvement comprising:

  • a hydraulic pump,a first fluid-flow line and a second fluid-flow line with said lines separately fluid-flow connected to said pump for the flow of fluid to and from said pump,two hydraulic motors,a first set of two fluid-flow connections respectively fluid-flow connected with said first and said second lines and with said motors, and a second set of two fluid-flow connections respectively fluid-flow connected with said first and said second lines and with said motors, so as to have said first and said second set of said connections connected in parallel fluid-flow relation to said motors,a fluid-flow operative fuse being fluid-flow connected to each respective one of said connections in said first one of said sets and respectively being in series connection with a respective one of said motors,said fuses each having two fluid-flow passageways of two different large and small sizes and with said fuses being arranged to shift said small size of said passageways into operative position of fluid-flow control through said fuse and to do so automatically in response to an increase of fluid flow through said fuse caused by a condition inducing frictionless spinning of one of the vehicle wheels,said large size of said fluid flow passageways extending in only one direction and directly through said fuse,said small size of said passageway being of a fluid-flow capacity to allow a sufficient quantity of pressurized fluid to pass therethrough to said motor to have said motor create a fluid pressure that is imposed upon said fuse to cause said small passageway to shift away from the position of control when the vehicle wheel is no longer spinning,the system being arranged to have the flow of fluid be in a direction downstream from said pump to said motor,said fuse includes a shiftable element arranged for shifting of said element in a direction only along the stream of the flow of fluid and to have said element connected in the system in the position of having said small size passageway operatively ineffective when shifted away from the downstream direction of flow of fluid,a spring operative on said element and being arranged to yielding urge said element against shifting toward said downstream direction of flow of fluid and thereby releasably hold said element in a position for fluid flow which is free of control by said small passageway, andsaid spring being of a capacity to exert a force on said element, and the force created by the flow of fluid through said fuse under said condition of frictionless spinning of the vehicle wheel, being of respective magnitudes such that said spring force overcomes the force of the downstream flow of fluid and thereby causes said element to be shifted away from the downstream direction of the flow of the fluid, and said fuse is arranged to thereby position said small size passageway in its effective fluid-flow position of controlling the flow of fluid through said fuse.

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