Abstract: A pump and purge valve configuration may include an inlet, an outlet arranged downstream of the inlet and defining a portion of an operational fluid pathway, and a pump mechanism arranged along the operational fluid pathway between the inlet and the outlet. The pump and purge valve configuration may also include a purging fluid pathway having a purge inlet in fluid communication with the operational fluid pathway at a point downstream of the pump. The purging fluid pathway may extend from the purge inlet to a relief point. The pump and purge valve configuration may also include a purge valve arranged along the purging fluid pathway. The purge valve may be configured to remain open unless a triggering fluid pressure develops in the pump mechanism.

Abstract: A braking system, including a damper and a brake controller. The damper includes: a sealed gearbox including an inner chamber, at least one pair of engaged gears mated with the inner chamber of the gearbox, and a brake fluid storage box. The at least one pair of engaged gears include a driving gear. A first flowing channel and a second flowing channel are provided on both sides of the gearbox of the at least one pair of engaged gears, respectively. The first flowing channel and the second flowing channel include a first extracting outlet and a second extracting outlet, respectively, which are both disposed on the gearbox. The brake fluid storage box includes a first joint adapting to communicate with the first extracting outlet and a second joint adapting to communicate with the second extracting outlet. The brake controller includes at least one braking switch valve.

Abstract: Disclosed are vehicle steering column assemblies with viscous dampers, methods for making and for using such assemblies, and motor vehicles with steering column assemblies having viscous dampers. A steering column assembly is disclosed that includes a first shaft member that connects to a steering wheel/handle, and a second shaft member that connects to a vehicle body. These shaft members are telescopingly connected such that one shaft member selectively translates longitudinally with respect to the other shaft member. A viscous damper assembly is interposed between the two shaft members. The viscous damper assembly includes a damper housing with first and second reservoir volumes disposed inside the housing. Multiple constricted flow channels fluidly connect the reservoir volumes.

Abstract: A sprinkler head nozzle assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing including an inlet for pressurize water and an outlet downstream of the inlet, a valve member, operable to extend and reduce an arcuate opening at the outlet of the housing, wherein the size of the arcuate opening indicates the arc of coverage of the sprinkler head nozzle assembly and a rotating distributor, mounted on a central shaft extending through the housing and the valve member, and operable to deflect a flow of water from the arcuate opening out of the nozzle assembly.

Abstract: A rotary damper for a motor vehicle includes at least one damper element for damping the relative movement of a first mass located on the wheel-suspension side and of a second mass located on the vehicle-body side, with at least one vibration absorber (8) being arranged on the rotary damper (1).

Abstract: A rotary damper with a toothed wheel gear projecting away from a housing having snap-in connection structures disposed on opposing sides of the wheel gear. The wheel gear may be inserted through a panel opening having a pair of opposing transverse slots. In the assembled condition, the housing with the connected wheel gear may slide linearly in the longitudinal direction of the slots to permit self-adjustment relative to an operatively connected mating gear. Proper meshing relation between the wheel gear and the mating gear is thereby maintained.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hydrodynamic machine, especially a hydrodynamic retarder, comprising two blade wheels which are opposite of one another in such a way that they jointly form a toroidal working chamber which can be filled with a working medium in order to hydrodynamically transfer torque by means of a cycle flow of the working medium in the working chamber from the first blade wheel to the second blade wheel, with the first blade wheel rotating about a rotation axis and the second blade wheel rotating about the same rotation axis in the same direction of rotation or opposite of the direction of rotation of the first blade wheel, or being held in a stationary manner. The invention is characterized in that at least one of the two blade wheels is subdivided in the region of its blades into at least two concentric rings.

Abstract: An inner rotor 22 is rotated at a high speed, and if a pressure due to silicon oil S reaches a predetermined value or above, the pressure due to the silicon oil S traveling from a communicating passage 42 to a communicating passage 44, increases. Accordingly, a piston 52 is pressed toward a direction against an urging force of a coil spring 62, and abuts against a cap 64. Thereby, a circular groove 50 is divided, and the silicon oil S never flows to the circular groove 50 from a communicating opening 46, so that the communicating passage 42 and the communicating passage 44 become a non-communicated state. Then, a torque acting on the inner rotor 22 increases, and a damping force increases.

Abstract: A mechanical device for use in the control of mechanical forces. The device comprising first and second terminals which, in use, are connected to components in a system for controlling mechanical forces. These terminals are moveable with respect to one another. The device further comprises means connected between the terminals to control the mechanical forces at the terminals. These mechanical forces are proportional to the relative acceleration between the terminals, wherein the proportionality term is either a fixed constant or a variable function.

Abstract: A vibration damping system for absorbing shock loads includes a hydraulic damper containing a piston slidably reciprocating within an oil filled chamber and dividing the chamber into a pair of subchambers. A hydraulic motor is in fluid communication with and located between the subchambers and is controlled by a field responsive fluid, such as an electrorheological (ER) actuated device. The hydraulic motor transforms fluid motion into rotating motion by a pair of meshing gears. The ER device is a flow cell and is connected to a shaft of one or both of the meshing gears. The magnitude of an electric field applied to the ER fluid controls the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid passing through the hydraulic motor by controlling the resistive force to the rotary motion of the gears. A plurality of check valves controls the direction of flow of the hydraulic fluid between the hydraulic motor and the subchambers.

Abstract: A hydraulic braking system for a rail car is provided. The system includes a hydraulic pump or motor adapted to engage a rail car axle or wheel. When rotating, the axle or wheel drives the hydraulic pump causing a hydraulic fluid to circulate. By restricting the flow of fluid to the pump, a braking force can be applied to the axle for slowing and stopping the rail car. Various programmable electronic controls can be added to the braking system for allowing control at a central location.

Abstract: A brake apparatus for a rotating shaft. The apparatus comprises a fluid-tight housing in which is disposed a shaft rotational engagement gear having an exteriorly-accessible portion thereof rotatably engageable with a shaft. A plurality of compartments are formed by a plurality of walls within the housing, and the compartments are in fluid communication with each other through openable and closable valves. The housing is substantially filled with a fluid which is flowable through the valves in direct relation to the openness of the valves. A plurality of compartment-divider rotational gears are disposed inside the housing. These compartment-divider gears are rotatably engaged with the shaft rotational gear and are situated in cooperation with the walls forming the compartments to create at their respective sites restriction seals between the compartments.

Abstract: According to the invention there is provided a hydraulic brake coupled to a rotary shaft. It includes a hydraulic pump connected to the shaft, the pump having a pump inlet, and a pump outlet, a hydraulic loop having an inlet part connected to the pump outlet and an outlet part connected to the pump inlet, a flow control device positioned in the hydraulic loop between the inlet part and the outlet part for controlling flow of hydraulic fluid in the hydraulic loop, and a brake actuator connected to the flow control device for reducing the flow of hydraulic fluid in response to operation of the brake actuator. The pump is advantageously a gearwheel pump, and may include a gearwheel housing having one side formed as a flow-control plate.

Abstract: A system for effecting the braking of a vehicle. The system is intended to be used with a vehicle which has an axle coaxial with a wheel engaging the surface over which the vehicle travels and which is rotatable with that wheel. The braking system includes a closed hydraulic circuit and a pump in the circuit which has an impeller rotatable by the axle as the vehicle moves over the surface. The invention includes structure for selectively, and sequentially, increasing the restriction of flow through the hydraulic circuit so that, as flow is restricted, a back-pressure is induced in the pump to apply a drag to the axle in a measure commensurate to the amount the flow is restricted.

Abstract: A three-wheel exercise vehicle that may be operator pedaled by means of a crank assembly that is coupled by a transmission to a wheel. In addition, an internal combustion engine may power this wheel. The pedal-operated crank assembly is also coupled to a hydraulic pump that pumps fluid through a closed circuit including a restrictive orifice for acting as a brake on the speed of the vehicle when coasting and also providing a load for the operator to exercise when the vehicle is being powered by the internal combustion engine. An improved seating arrangement is provided that will afford great comfort for the operator.

Abstract: A double-winged door spring is biased for closing with a mechanism for damping of the closure movement and includes a closure sequence control, particularly of a fire-resistant door, in which the damping of the movable door portion is accomplished through a hydraulic damping element with throttled overflow. The hydraulic damping element includes two oppositely controlled pressure chambers defined by a double-acting piston and a valve disposed in the overflow conduit connecting the two pressure chambers, the valve being actuated directly or indirectly through the stationary door portion. By the valve being disposed in the overflow conduit, actuation of the movable door portion can be inhibited until the stationary door portion is closed.

Abstract: A hydrodynamic retarder is revealed having a rotor blade wheel and a stator blade wheel each with two different types of blading, i.e. an inner blading enclosed by an outer blading. The two blade rings are provided with blades inclined in opposite directions. This allows said retarder to be operated in both directions of rotation. A particularly advantageous development of the invention is that the retarder is operated as a counter-rotating retarder, whereby the stator is rotated in the opposite direction by means of a reversing gear. Thus, a vehicle can be hydrodynamically braked almost to standstill. When integrating the retarder into a rail vehicle, the rotor can be driven by the wheel sets separately from the stator. An identical braking effect is obtained in both directions of travel.

Abstract: A rotating user-propelled playground equipment assembly or whirl including an equipment support base, a spindle secured to the support base, a rotatable platform assembly supported at least in part by the support base. The rotatable platform assembly includes a hub assembly rotatable about the spindle. A hydraulic brake is used to automatically retard the rotation of the rotatable platform assembly about the spindle. The hydraulic brake includes a drive gear secured to and rotatable with the hub assembly, a pump mechanism driven by the drive gear for slowing the rotation of the rotatable platform assembly, and a connecting mechanism for operatively connecting the drive gear and the hydraulic pump mechanism.

Abstract: An anti-lock brake system employing an anti-lock control unit between a brake master cylinder and a front wheel brake. The brake system is applied to a damped telescopic front fork and includes an anti-dive device which operates to increase damping force upon application of braking force to the front brake. In a first embodiment, the anti-dive device operates from hydraulic pressure upstream of the anti-lock brake unit. In a second embodiment, reaction force to braking of the wheel is sensed and employed to actuate the anti-dive device.

Abstract: A hydraulic brake having an electrohydraulic antiskid system with a high switching frequency which is speed-proportional. The switching frequency is determined from the number of cross holes in a gear and the gear speed. The cut-in time is electronically determined in a computer and control circuit by a speed comparison of all wheels, whereby the switching frequencies of the passing teeth of a transport gear to a sensor are used as control impulses. If the computer and control circuit determines a deviation, e.g., if a wheel is being braked too sharply and, therefore, runs slower than the other wheels, a camshaft is rotated only in a forward direction, thus activating an antiskid system. If the difference is zero, the camshaft falls back into its initial position, the antiskid system is cut-out and only the braking system of the piston is operating.

Abstract: A mechanical-hydraulic damper for a load which is subject to shocks and vibrations, comprising a co-operating pair of elements, the first of the pair of elements being mounted in a body for relative axial movement in relation to the body and the second of the pair of elements being rotatably mounted in the body and so coupled to the first element that relative axial movement of the first element causes rotation of the second element which is coupled to a hydraulic system which resists sudden or rapid rotation of the second element. The pair of co-operating elements may comprise a screw-nut assembly. The hydraulic system may comprise a reversible pump driven by the rotatable element and pumping hydraulic fluid round a closed circuit including a throttling orifice. Alternatively the hydraulic system may comprise a rotary laminar hydraulic damper filled with high viscosity oil.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided which is adapted to deliver or absorb variable amounts of torque or to deliver variable quantities of an incompressible fluid at a predetermined pressure. The device comprises a positive displacement pump capable of pumping a compressible fluid, an incompressible fluid or a mixture of a compressible fluid and an incompressible fluid together with appropriate pressure control and flow control mechanisms, check valve mechanisms and interconnecting duct means.

Abstract: A brake for a fluid-powered sprinkler system is provided for preventing the drive towers from rolling down inclines and for preventing the wind from rolling the drive towers. The fluid power may either be compressed air or water under pressure. An overhead water supply pipe extends outwardly from the center pivot point and is supported by a plurality of spaced-apart wheeled drive towers. In the preferred embodiment, an air-powered drive is provided on each of the towers to propel the towers and water supply pipe around the center pivot point. A control is provided on each of the towers for selectively operating the drive associated therewith to maintain the pipe and towers in an aligned condition as the water supply pipe is pivoted around the central pivot point. The control comprises a rotary cam plate having an alignment rod secured thereto which extends to the gimbal ring on a flexible joint positioned on the water supply pipe adjacent the tower.

Abstract: A slow descender includes a rope pulley and a braking apparatus which restricts the rotation speed of the rope pulley. The braking apparatus includes a mechanical braking device containing a centrifugal brake which has centrifugal weights, a V-shaped lining part cooperating with the weights, and a speed multiplying gearing device connecting the rope pulley and the centrifugal friction brake. The slow descender further includes an oil hydraulic braking device of the vane pump type or of the inscribed gear pump type.