Abstract: In the specific embodiment described herein, a rotary valve for the gas exchange of an internal combustion engine has a rotary member and a housing and a series of circumferential dry-bearing gas-sealing rings and dry surface seals arranged to block leakage between adjacent passageways in the valve member and the housing.

Abstract: The invention relates to an energy-dissipating flexible knee-restraining element for vehicles, in particular passenger automobiles, comprising a hollow profiled beam extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle and located below the instrument panel. In accordance with the invention, the arrangement is provided, at least on the front passenger side, with a cut-out surrounded by a rigid molded frame, which cut-out is covered by a pivoting flap designed as an energy-dissipating flexible hollow profile element having a storage compartment with an open top end affixed to its rear side opposite the passenger compartment. When the flap is pivoted into the open position, the compartment is readily accessible to the passenger.

Abstract: A camshaft for the drive of an internal combustion engine has a hollow shaft carrying one or more cams or partial cams and an inner shaft disposed within the hollow shafts and rotatable relative to the hollow shaft. The inner shaft has one or more cams or partial cams disposed outside the hollow shaft and attached for rotation with the inner shaft through clearances in the hollow shaft. A camshaft driving arrangement includes a camshaft timing gear coupled with both shafts and a device responsive to a parameter characteristic of the operating conditions of the drive for adjusting the rotational position of either one or both of the inner and hollow shafts relative to the camshaft timing gear. The adjusting device includes an electric motor fixed on the timing gear and controlled by electrical signals.

Abstract: A control device for effecting variable hydraulic fluid delivery to a gearshift element of an automatic transmission and controlling actuation of the gearshift element. Such a control device includes a delivery line for supplying a pressurized fluid to the gearshift element, a throttle in the delivery line, a bypass line for bypassing the throttle and supplying the pressurized fluid to the gearshift element, and a valve arranged in the bypass line that has a piston that is moveable between an open position, which permits flow through the bypass line, and a closed position, which prevents flow. Pressure downstream of the throttle acts on the valve and urges the piston into the open position; a vehicle speed-dependent pressure acts on the valve and urges the piston into the closed position. The piston can be biased, for example, with a spring, such that the piston remains in the open position up to a predetermined vehicle speed.

Abstract: The invention concerns a hybrid drive arrangement for vehicles, with an engine drive and with a flywheel storage drive, which includes a storage flywheel supported concentrically relative to the crankshaft for storing kinetic energy during such operations as braking operations of the vehicle. Both drives can be connected with the driving wheels of the vehicle by means of a common, preferably continuously variable, transmission. In order to obtain a faster response of the engine drive on suddenly occurring power demands and in order to achieve a more favorable design of the storage flywheel, there is to be provided in accordance with the invention, in addition to a storage flywheel, an engine flywheel associated with the reciprocating-piston internal combustion engine, which compensates for torque irregularities of the engine. The engine flywheel can be connected with a crankshaft by means of a first clutch and with the storage flywheel by means of at least one further clutch.

Abstract: A valve operating mechanism for an internal combustion engine for an automobile in which friction is decreased without an increase in the mass to be moved by the valve closing spring. The valve operating mechanism has a roller arranged on an actuation spindle. The roller cooperates with a bearing surface on a component of the mechanism that is connected to the valve, at least during valve opening, so that deviations of the valve lift curve from the desired valve lift curve are eliminated. Connection between the actuation spindle, through the roller, and the valve is maintained only during the valve-open cycle.

Abstract: A hydraulic control device for automatic transmissions of the type where pressurized fluid activates a gear shift element, e.g., a forward clutch, includes a shift valve to selectively interrupt the delivery of pressurized fluid to disengage a gearshift element. The position of the shift valve is determined by an accelerator-pedal-position-dependent pressure, which is delivered through a throttle point and a control valve, preferably the so-called kick-down valve, the latter regulating the delivery of the load-dependent pressure. When the accelerator pedal is released, the control valve vents the fluid line leading to the shift valve, which causes shifting of the shift valve and disengagement of the gearshift element. When the accelerator is again depressed, pressurized fluid is delivered to the shift valve through the throttle point, to re-engage the gearshift element smoothly.

Abstract: In a reciprocating-piston engine including operating cylinders, a piston associated with each cylinder, a crankshaft with crankpins, and piston rods for connecting the pistons to the crankpins, a mass balancing arrangement has a balancing mass connecting rod connected to the crankshaft, a balancing mass connected to the balancing mass connecting rod, and a rocker arm for guiding the balancing mass with one end connected to the balancing mass connecting rod and with the other end connected to an extension of a piston rod beyond its connection to a crankpin. A rocker arm or a pair of rocker arms could be used with each balancing mass, depending upon the arrangement of the cylinders.

Abstract: A mixture compressing internal-combustion engine having a combustion chamber, an intake conduit for introducing a combustible mixture into the combustion chamber, a throttle valve for controlling the flow of the mixture in the intake conduit and apparatus for reducing knocking in the engine. The knock reducing apparatus includes a knocking sensor coupled to the combustion chamber, control means coupled to the sensor and an adjustable full-load stop positioned within the intake conduit adjacent the throttle valve. The stop is controlled by the control means to vary the full-load opening angle of the throttle by an amount corresponding to the output signal from the control means, a reduction in the full-load opening angle reducing knocking of the engine.

Abstract: The invention relates to a motor-driven vane pump, and in particular to vane pumps for generating a vacuum used to operate a secondary unit of an automobile. The vane pump comprises a cast approximately bell-shaped pump housing in which a rotor is eccentrically supported. The rotor is rigidly connected with and driven by a rotor shaft, and carries a plurality of sealing vanes slidably mounted in guide slots provided along its periphery. A rotationally symmetrical driving bell surrounds the pump housing with play, and is rigidly connected with the rotor shaft, which sealingly passes through the bottom of the pump housing. The rotor shaft is thus supported on only one side in the housing cover which closes off the end of the pump housing opposite the chamber bottom.

Abstract: In a vehicle having an engine, wheels and brake, an overrunning device, preferably in the form of a clutch and associated mechanism, separates the engine and wheels in response to a torque reversal condition where the speed on the engine side of the overrunning device is less than the speed on the wheel side of the overrunning device. An overrunning suspension device causes reengagement of the clutch in response to a high brake temperature and a brake actuation, which indicates a need for an additional braking effect to be performed by the engine, such as during extended downhill driving.

Abstract: The operation of a motor vehicle is controlled by reading of a programmed memory to accelerate the vehicle along a predetermined optimum efficiency curve. The acceleration is independent of the position of the accelerator pedal, provided the pedal is neither in the idling position nor in the full throttle position. For these positions, the acceleration of the vehicle is not under the control of the programmed device.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for restarting and re-engaging an internal combustion engine in a vehicle in which the engine is disengaged from the transmission and turned off when the vehicle is coasting. The engine is coupled to an automatic transmission which includes a hydraulic pump driven by the transmission input shaft that supplies fluid to the control elements of the transmission. Means are provided for actuating a starter motor to start the engine and drive the hydraulic pump, thereby powering the control elements to re-engage the engine.

Abstract: Carburetors are tested using a flow-testing bench which includes a first and second critical flowthrough nozzle arrangement, arranged upstream and downstream, respectively, of the carburetor, and a third critical flowthrough nozzle arrangement which by-passes the carburetor intake pipe. The first and third nozzles are adjustable in cross-section, and are used to regulate the carburetor air throughput and the pressure downstream of the carburetor. These parameters, along with the carburetor throttle valve position, are varied to simulate various operating flow conditions of the carburetor. The fuel delivery rate is measured, and the fuel-to-air ratio determined, for such operating conditions to assure proper functioning of the carburetor. The method permits dynamic measurements to be made on a carburetor being tested.

Abstract: A vehicle is equipped with an engine, a transmission and a control device for cutting off the engine. This control device is actuated as a function of the position of the gearshift lever.

Abstract: A utility vehicle body is fabricated with a closed cab portion and an open cargo portion. The cab portion is arranged to be resistant to bending moments in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and resistant to torsion forces. For this purpose, there is provided a torsion resistant frame extending around the entire circumference of the rear wall of the cab portion. The cargo portion has an approximately U-shaped transverse cross-section and is therefore resistant to bending in the longitudinal direction, but by itself is not resistant to torsion forces. The cargo portion is rendered resistant to torsion forces by reason of its attachment on the rear wall of the cab portion.

Abstract: A clutch arrangement for a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine for driving the vehicle and a flywheel coupled between the vehicle transmission and the engine for equalizing the non-uniformity of the engine output torque. The clutch arrangement includes a main clutch arranged between the flywheel and the main transmission for interrupting the coupling for shifting gears and an auxiliary controllable clutch arranged between the engine and flywheel for automatically interrupting the coupling of the engine and flywheel. The controllable clutch comprises a spring disc clutch free from rotational play and is arranged so that the direction of force for actuating the main clutch, for interrupting the coupling between the flywheel and transmission, is opposed to the direction of the force for actuating the auxiliary controllable clutch.

Abstract: A safety device for vehicles includes a safety belt for restraining a passenger in a normal position in a seat. A winder is attached to one end of the safety belt and winds the end of the belt onto a winding roller. A blocking device is actuated to prevent the winder from rewinding the belt when the passenger remains in the normal position in the seat and the belt is buckled. A release is provided for disconnecting the blocking device from the locking position when an excessive amount of slack develops in the belt, so that the winder can take up the excessive slack.

Abstract: A bearing arrangement for mounting a drive unit on a supporting framework of a vehicle is designed so that vibrations from the drive unit are isolated from the vehicle. The arrangement includes at least one torque bracing device for counteracting the reaction moment created by the output shaft of the drive unit by transmitting these torques to the framework. Supporting bearings intercept inertial forces of the drive unit, but in order to accomplish the vibration insulation the torque bracing device is made flexible with respect to inertial forces so as to prevent their transmission to the framework by said torque bracing device. Thus, these static or quasi-static inertial forces do not overload a spring element with a progressive characteristic that is provided in the arrangement. Inertial forces can be converted into torques by proper location of the support bearings away from the centroidal axis of the drive unit.

Abstract: A system is provided for fuel-efficiently operating an engine in a vehicle wherein the vehicle engine is coupled through a clutch to an infinitely variable ratio gear driving a planetary gear train. A clutch pedal actuates the clutch, and an accelerator pedal is coupled to the fuel delivery mechanism of the engine. A first storage unit is responsive to the position of the accelerator pedal and selects a stored value for the ratio of the infinitely variable ratio gear. A drive unit is provided for adjusting the ratio of the infinitely variable gear in response to the selected value from the first storage. A second storage unit is responsive to the position of the accelerator pedal and selects a stored value for a fuel delivery mechanism. A third storage unit is responsive to the position of the clutch pedal and selects a stored value for the fuel delivery mechanism. A comparison unit is coupled to the second and third storage units for selecting the smaller of the values for the fuel delivery mechanism.