Abstract: The present invention relates to a power transmission apparatus for transmitting power by utilizing kinetic energy of a fluid, such as a torque converter, a fluid coupling, or the like. In a power transmission apparatus for taking out kinetic energy given to a fluid for power transmission by a prime mover as rotational power, water is supplied as a working fluid to a coupling section comprising an impeller (10) and a runner (11), water is supplied as a lubricating fluid to lubricate bearings (8, 9) for supporting an input shaft (7) and an output shaft (16) which are connected respectively to the impeller (10) and the runner (11), and water is supplied as a working fluid in a hydraulic servo mechanism for controlling a scoop tube (14) for adjusting the amount of water in the coupling section.

Abstract: A fluid coupling includes an input shaft having a speed-increasing gear train, an impeller operatively connected to the input shaft, an impeller casing fixed to the impeller, and an output shaft having a runner operatively combined with the impeller. The impeller, the runner and the impeller casing jointly define a working fluid chamber. The impeller casing and the impeller are made of a material having a small specific gravity and a high allowable stress range for reducing centrifugal stresses developed therein when the impeller casing rotates at high speeds. The material may be a titanium alloy or an aluminum alloy.

Abstract: In a composite material manufactured by connecting a sintered body to a surface of a metal substrate, the connection strength under a high temperature is increased, stress relaxation in the composite material is attained, and the strength, wear resistance and corrosion resistance are improved. The sintered body has a multilayer structure having layers with different compositions, i.e. compositions that vary or differ in a direction perpendicular to the connection surface, and the volume relation between the respective layers of the sintered body and the substrate is (substrate volume.times.0.2).gtoreq.(sintered body volume/number of layers), while the thickness of each layer is at least 0.2 mm and not more than 5 mm.

Abstract: A sintered body having diamond grains dispersed and held in a matrix of cemented carbide or cermet is obtained by direct resistance heating and pressurized sintering. The sintering is performed at a liquid phase generating temperature in a short time, so that the diamond grains are not directly bonded to each other. Thus, a superhard composite member that has excellent hardness and wear resistance can be obtained without employing an ultra high-pressure vessel.

Abstract: In a power transmitting apparatus for transmitting power from the driving side to the driven side using a fluid joint means, a rolling bearing clutch including an inner ring, an outer ring and a plurality of rollers interposed between track surfaces of the outer periphery of the inner ring and the inner periphery of the outer ring is disposed between the driving side and the driven side for performing ON/OFF operations by allowing the track surfaces of the inner ring and the outer ring to move near to each other or away from each other, and the driving side and the driven side are mechanically connected to each other without any fluid joint means interposed therebetween by shifting the bearing clutch to the ON position whereby a power transmitting efficiency can be improved without any slip loss by mechanically connecting the driving side to the driven side with a clutch mechanism.

Abstract: A wall board structure is formed of one of pulverized straw, pulverized chaff and pulverized palm material having a maximum dimension of from 1 to 3 mm. The pulverized material is mixed with a substantially equal quantity of clay. A fibrous material is added to the mixture, the fibrous material including one or more of palm material fibers, hemp fibers and shredded straw, the fibrous material having a length of from 3 to 5 cm. The mixture of pulverized material and clay and the added fibrous material is poured into a form and then dried. The form preferably includes means for forming one of recesses and through holes in the poured mixture.