초록 ▼

A friction clutch for use in a gear changing transmission for facilitating a power transmission from a rotating shaft of a working exhaust-gas turbine onto a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, which friction clutch, depending on the engine and/or turbine speed, automatically closes in the

A friction clutch for use in a gear changing transmission for facilitating a power transmission from a rotating shaft of a working exhaust-gas turbine onto a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, which friction clutch, depending on the engine and/or turbine speed, automatically closes in the direction of engagement and opens in the direction of disengagement, with the friction members of the clutch being able to be compressed in the direction of engagement against a spring force (cup springs) by a piston of a rotating cylinder-piston-unit provided on the drive side of the clutch, such that a fluid conveyed from an external pump into the cylinder applies a fluid pressure onto the piston in response to rotation (centrifugal force). The engine lubricant is preferably used as the fluid.

대표청구항 ▼

An apparatus, comprising: a friction clutch which can be closed to effect clutch engagement and opened to effect clutch disengagement, including a ring piston movably supported in an annular chamber of a rotatably supported cylinder member rotatably driven by driving means, said ring piston moving a

An apparatus, comprising: a friction clutch which can be closed to effect clutch engagement and opened to effect clutch disengagement, including a ring piston movably supported in an annular chamber of a rotatably supported cylinder member rotatably driven by driving means, said ring piston moving against a force of a spring to compress friction members of said clutch to effect engagement thereof in response to pressure of a fluid supplied form a pump into said annular chamber of said cylinder member, said annular chamber communicating with a location external to said friction clutch through a relief bore extending through said cylinder member from a point in said chamber having a relatively low peripheral speed, rotation of said ring piston relative to said cylinder member being limited by a pin fastened in said cylinder member and projecting approximately axially into a recess provided in said ring piston, said driving means including an exhaust-gas turbine operatively coupled to said cylinder member; an internal combustion engine having a crankshaft driven by an output part of said friction clutch; and means for interrupting the fluid supply to said annular chamber in response to the occurrence of either of first and second conditions, said first condition existing when a speed of said output part becomes greater than the speed of said cylinder member, and said second condition existing when said engine is idling.