Abstract: There is disclosed a thin torque converter, fluid coupling device mounted on a vehicle. The converter which has a smaller axial dimension than the prior art converter, comprises an outer race, an inner race, a number of sprags mounted between the races, and two thrust washers. The races and the sprags are held between the washers. The sprags are wider than the inner surface of the outer race, but narrower than the outer surface of the outer race. The washers have radial outward portions bent along the side end surfaces of the outer race. Snap rings anchored to the boss of the stator of the converter prevent the washers from coming off.

Abstract: A method for forming a torque converter flow path defined by an impeller, a turbine and a stator comprising initiating a meanline design path having an outer radius R1 and an inner radius R2 connected by a tangent line, wherein the outer radius is initially set equal to maximum meanline design offset so as to extend to a meanline design path point at a radius R3 equalling .sqroot.(R8).sup.2 -A/2.pi., and the inner radius is set equal to the outer radius so as to extend to a meanline design path point at R4 equaling .sqroot.(R7).sup.2 +A/2.pi., wherein (R8) and (R7) are the maximum and minimum radial distances, respectively, from the flow path to the torque axis.

Abstract: A torque converter has a front cover having grooves or depressions integrally formed therein which operate to increase oil flow in the torque converter and hence lubrication and cooling thereof.

Abstract: In a hydraulic torque converter having a torus of flatness ratio (L/H) within the range 0.82-0.9, the outer and inner contours of the turbine in a meridional plane through the axis of the turbine each comprises a combination of a plurality of circular arcs, wherein the ratios between the radii of the circular arcs constituting said outer contour is substantially less than 2, and the ratios between the radii of the circular arcs constituting said inner contour is substantially less than 2.As a result, fluid flows through the turbine stably without being biased, increasing the velocity of relative flow along the turbine blade, and raising the normal speed ratio at which the absolute flow is in the direction of no impact, enabling a higher stall torque ratio without reduction in efficiency.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thrust force reduction device for torque converter comprising a pump rotor, a turbine rotor connected to a turbine shaft and disposed opposed to the pump rotor and at least one stator rotor and a fixed cylindrical shaft fitted to a boss of the pump rotor; characterized by that a seal element is fixed to the turbine shaft and produces a thrust reactional force so as to cancel a thrust force which occurs in the torque converter; the seal element facing a fluid chamber receiving pressurized hydraulic fluid exhausted from the turbine rotor, and the seal element being disposed liquid tight between the turbine shaft and a power input guide to the turbine from the engine, to which the turbine is connected.

Abstract: A torque converter includes a coaxially mounted pump impeller, turbine, and stator, each of which includes an outer shell, an inner shell, and vanes extending between the outer shell and the inner shell having edges which define an inlet and outlet. The pump impeller outlet is proximate to the turbine inlet, the turbine outlet is proximate to the stator inlet, and the stator outlet is proximate to the pump impeller inlet. The outer and inner shells cooperate to define outer and inner toroidal surfaces, which together define a hollow toroidal hydraulic fluid circulation path. The ratio between the axial extent and the radical extent of a section of the outer toroidal surface is less than approximately 0.9.

Abstract: A flat-type torque converter wherein a toroid is formed of a turbine having a plate-worked turbine blade, a pump having a plate-worked pump blade and a stotor having a cast-iron stator blade, and a ratio L.sub.1 /(r.sub.2 --r.sub.1) of a toroid axial dimension L.sub.1 to its radial dimension (r.sub.2 --r.sub.1) lines between 0.67 and 0.87, a ratio r.sub.1 /r.sub.2 of a toroid internal radius r.sub.1 to its external radius r.sub.2 lies between 0.39 and 0.46, and the converter has a small axial thickness; characterized by that a wall thickness of the stator blade is made small so that an effective passage cross section inside the stator blade can be secured, a flow-in side tip edge of the stator blade is formed into a flat-shape, a core-side and a shell-side of the stator blade are formed by being twisted, and a core-side length of the stator blade is fabricated as long as possible.

Abstract: A hydraulic torque converter having an impeller, a turbine and a stator form a torus which has a median section of radial size larger than its axial size. The impeller and the turbine are configured to satisfy the relationship of R.multidot.b=K. The stator has vanes each of varying cross-section thickness and shaped in the form of a wing, and the stator is configured so as to satisfy the relationship R.multidot.b>K, whereR indicates the distance of the converter axis from the center of a circle located in each of the impeller, turbine and stator touching the inner and outer wall of the torus,b indicates the diameter of each circle,K equals a constant,whereby a meridian velocity on the median line is maintained substantially constant.

Abstract: A torque converter apparatus having a sprag-type stator is improved by grinding the fluid directing vanes to have a substantially flat surface and by replacing the one-way rotating sprag with a non-rotating solid sprag billet.

Abstract: A hydraulic torque converter with a toroidal space bounded by a pump member, a turbine member and a free-wheeling stator has an inlet channel for fresh transmission fluid (oil) which opens into the pump torus at a location spaced from the pump member, preferably via the stator, whereby the relatively cool volume of newly admitted fluid mingles with the fluid already present instead of being immediately centrifugated toward the peripheries of the pump and turbine members from which it would quickly return to the sump. The inlet channel may include one or more radial passages in a spacer ring separating the stationary races of the journal bearings by which the pump member and the stator are supported on a trunnion rigid with the converter housing.

Abstract: Simple passage structure of a lock-up torque converter is disclosed. With this passage structure an output shaft without any circumferential groove can be used. The output shaft has an axial passage and a radial passage communicating with the axial passage. A first spacer is mounted within an annular space between the output shaft and a stationary sleeve to divide the annular space into a first annular chamber and into a second annular chamber. The first annular chamber communicates with the inside of a turbine runner, while the second annular chamber communicates with the radial passage of the output shaft and with a control valve. A second spacer is mounted axially spaced from the first spacer and forms with the first annular spacer the second annular chamber. The second annular chamber and the radial and axial passages of the output shaft provide communication between the control valve and a clutch chamber of a direct drive clutch.

Abstract: The improved design of a closed toroidal circuit enabling various arrangements of bladed converter members or elements, with many of them standardized for the economical manufacture of various types of converters. The shapes of the outer and inner walls of the toroidal circuit in a radial converter plane are determined by a construction trapezoid and construction rectangle, respectively, that are specified by a system of rectangular coordinates and which have their corners rounded by arcs of specified radii. The outer and inner walls are tangent to an infinite number of circles the diameter of each of which is formulated in relation to the distance of the circle center from the converter axis and the maximum radius of the circuit.

Abstract: A torque converter is proposed where the height of the vanes on at least the turbine wheel is reduced somewhat compared with conventional designs at their middle portions, so that the generation of eddies and turbulence in the flow of transmission fluid past those portions which are the most sharply curved portions of the vanes is avoided.

Abstract: A torque converter having an impeller incorporating blades having a negative outlet tip angle in the range of 20.degree. to 30.degree. to reduce the torque absorption capacity of the impeller at engine idle. The stator blades are set at a check angle in the range of 51.degree. to 53.degree. and have a sharp nose displaced circumferentially from the entrance flow of the stator thereby inducing fluid turbulence at the stator inlet during converter stall.

Abstract: Gearing is normally used to obtain reverse operation from an output turbine. An improvement is provided herein in a torque converter (10) which comprises a stator (12), an impeller (14) and an output turbine (16). The improvement comprises a plurality of self-cambering blades (42) carried by the output turbine (16) with the angle at which fluid impelled by the impeller (14) attacks the self-cambering blades (42) being adjusted to select the direction of rotation of the output turbine (16). In this manner, the output shaft (36), which is driven by the output turbine (16), can be rotated in either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction thereby driving a vehicle or other machinery in either a forward or reverse direction without the necessity for gearing.

Abstract: This invention relates to hydrodynamic torque converters and in particular to improvements therein relating to the blade system and to the shape of the toroidal working chamber. For situations wherein a more or less distinct top speed is required, even when direct drive is not used, and where it is important to avoid the simultaneous existence of high torque absorption and low efficiency at high speed ratios, the blade system according to the present invention is advantageous, said system being characterized by a range of ratios for the radii of the outlet and inlet edges of the pump, turbine and guide blades as well as a range of angles .alpha., .beta., .gamma. and .delta. as herein defined.

Abstract: A control system of the hydraulic torque converter of a transport vehicle wherein the space formed by the converter wheels and the space of the coupling which locks said wheels are in communication, through a changeover valve actuated by a signal of the RPM transmitter of the engine shaft of the transport vehicle, with the discharge line of the pump, said line communicating with the source of fluid via a reducing valve. The system incorporates an auxiliary pump whose discharge line communicates with the discharge line of said pump through a check valve and, through a valve actuated by the pressure of fluid contained in the space of the locking coupling, with the source of fluid.

Abstract: A hydraulic torque converter having a torus provided with a bladed impeller, a bladed turbine and a bladed stator, the portions of the torus between the impeller, the turbine and the stator each being unbladed wherein the turbine is bulged towards a flywheel of a power supply and the impeller generally stands upright relative to an output axis of the converter thereby decreasing the distance between the drive ring gear and the power take off gear.

Abstract: A high torque ratio hydraulic torque converter having impeller, turbine and stator elements in which the stator is assembled to the housing of the converter and secured in place by drilling and driving of locking pins and in which a flow path is defined within the converter by means of an annular sheet metal guide ring. The guide ring is secured in place by means of drilling and driving a locking pin at the outer annular edge of the guide ring, the guide ring being in contact with the sealing member in the housing to define fluid entry and fluid exit chambers for the hydraulic converter between the guide ring and the fixed housing. Further, the turbine member includes a steel hub which is cast within the center of the turbine having means to provide for translation of force in both rotary and axial directions between the cast material and the steel hub.

Abstract: A controlled lock-up clutch interposed between the impeller and turbine in a torque converter of an automatic transmission for an automotive vehicle where the clutch lock-up and unlock is controlled at a torque converter speed ratio design point by the stator movement and loading. A lock-up clutch is actuated from a hydraulic source and controlled by a rotary valve that is actuated by a one-way overrunning clutch positioned between the stator of the torque converter and the rotary valve movable between two control positions.

Abstract: A hydraulic torque converter comprises vaned members, viz. an impeller, a turbine, and a stator designed to take up reactive torque. Each vaned member consists of a casing and an inner ring to which are fixed vanes which form a closed fluid circuit enclosed on the outside by the vaned-member casings which jointly form an outer toroidal surface, the inside enclosure being made up of the inner rings which jointly form an inner toroidal surface. The vanes of at least one of the vaned members are secured to the casing and inner ring by means of tongues fitted into slots provided in said casing and inner ring. Said vanes have a hydrodynamic profile of varying thickness and the body of each vane contains a plate whose projecting elements form said tongues.The torque converter constituting the present invention, when used in a passenger car, increases the efficiency of the transmission by 1-3 percent.

Abstract: This invention relates to hydrodynamic torque converters and to torque converter blade systems. A torque converter in accordance with the invention is particularly suitable for transmissions for vehicles where a more or less distinct top speed is required even when direct drive is not used and where it is important to avoid the simultaneous existence of high torque absorption and low efficiency at high speed ratios. The blade system is characterized by a range of ratios for the radii of the outlet and inlet edges of pump, turbine and guide blades as well as a range of angles .alpha., .beta., .gamma. and .delta. as herein defined and set out in a tabular form in the Specification.

Abstract: A torque converter and lock-up clutch wherein the fluid flow to and from the torque converter is directed into the converter, at an inner location, between the stator and turbine and to the disengagement of the clutch, when the clutch is disengaged. A control valve disposed in the turbine shaft divides the inlet flow. The fluid is exhausted from the converter between the stator and impeller. When the clutch is engaged, fluid flow is directed to the converter between the stator and impeller and the disengagement chamber of the clutch is exhausted. The control valve, during this phase, prevents fluid from exhausting between the stator and turbine.

Abstract: The invention relates to an improvement in a torque converter which includes a main stator, a pump and a turbine. The improvement comprises a novel auxiliary stator intermediate the main stator and the pump, said auxiliary stator including a plurality of holes therethrough adjacent the periphery thereof. Also part of the improvement are a plurality of vanes fixedly attached to a plurality of shafts which are rotatably mounted through said holes for adjustably directing flow of hydraulic fluid from the main stator through the vanes and to the pump. A plurality of handles, one attached at a fixed angle to an end of each of the shafts removed from the vane thereon, also forms a part of the improvement. A sleeve is provided which includes a plurality of slots at one end thereof the slots being in one to one relation with the number of handles, one handle being slidably held in each of said slots.

Abstract: A hydraulic torque converter with a lock-up clutch wherein the cross section of a torus formed by an impeller, turbine and a stator is determined to satisfy that the ratio of its axial length L to its radial height H (L/H) is 0.64-0.80, the ratio of its inner diameter D.sub.i to its outer diameter D.sub.o (D.sub.i /D.sub.o) is 0.40-0.33 and the ratio of an annular flow passage area a at the exit of the impeller to a circular area A defined by the torus outer diameter (a/A) is 0.18-0.23.

Abstract: A torque converter comprises a stationary housing within which a rotatable impeller is mounted for driving a rotatable turbine. The bladed impeller is mounted on an engine driven input shaft, and the bladed turbine is mounted on an output shaft on the same axis as the input shaft. The impeller blades and turbine blades move through an annular oil-filled passage. A plurality of stator blades are disposed in the passage in spaced-apart radial arrangement around the axis of the shafts. Eah stator blade is divided into two sections, namely, a fixed forward section and an adjustably movable or pivotable rear section.

Abstract: A twin-flow modulating torque converter having a torus which is defined by walls and rings of the pump, turbine and reactor members, and formed with a fluid bypass in the rings for developing an alternate flow circuit which bypasses the blades of one or more members of the fluid circuit; the fluid bypass being normally closed by the reactor member which is adapted for linear movement to open the fluid bypass for accomplishing varying degrees of modulation. The pump and turbine members are adapted to move relative to each other during operation for varying the cross-sectional area of the fluid bypass.

Abstract: An angle drive transmission having an angle drive input shaft and driving bevel gear driving a driven bevel gear on an input sleeve shaft supported on each side of the driven bevel gear by bearings in an end wall and a central wall of the main housing. The sleeve shaft drives a pump mounted on the end wall and extends through the end wall to drive and support the clutch wall of an outboard mounted rotary torque converter housing. An outboard cover housing has its open end secured to the main housing at the end wall, encloses the rotary housing and has a central ground member rotatably supporting the impeller wall of the rotary housing. The torque converter has a bladed impeller on the impeller wall, a bladed turbine adjacent the clutch wall connected to an output shaft rotatably mounted in the sleeve shaft and a bladed stator between the impeller and turbine mounted on the ground member. A lockup clutch between the clutch wall and turbine in lockup connects the rotary housing to drive the output shaft.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hydrodynamic transmission system comprising at least one pump and a bladed turbine arranged to form a toroidal fluid circuit.The leading edges of the blades of the pump and turbine are inclined relative to the corresponding radial plane, and the blades are designed in such a way as to extend the path followed by the streams of fluid nearest the centre relative to the path followed by the streams of fluid furthest away from the centre. There is thus obtained a reduction in the shock and friction losses to improve performance and increase the starting torque.Disclosed application is to automobile vehicles.