GB1466723A - Hydrodynamic retarder - Google Patents

Abstract

1466723 Hydrodynamic brakes; cooling LABAVIA SGE 14 May 1974 [14 May 1973] 21223/74 Heading F2E In a hydrodynamic retarder having rotor and stator shells 2, 7 respectively, a supply chamber 9 for working fluid and a peripheral collection chamber 10, the supply and collection chambers intercommunicate via a constricted passage 12 having a mean diameter such that the thrusts extend axially by the working liquid on the inner and outer rotor surfaces are in equilibrium. Contact between relatively rotatable parts of the retarder is limited solely to sliding contact between a rigid annular bearing on one part, e.g. a graphite ring 39 resiliently mounted by washer 40 on a stub 3, and an annular gasket on the other, e.g. a heat conducting ring 41 sealingly fitted to the stator shell. As shown, the rotor shell 2 has pump blades 5 and is splined to stub 3 integral with a plate 21 by a bolt or nut 35 acting through Belleville washers 36; a hard ring 38 is preferably interposed between rotor shell 2 and a shoulder 37 on stub 3. Plate 21 is secured to a pulley on the end of the crank-shaft of the I.C. engine of a road vehicle. Liquid is introduced at 24 to central inlet chamber 9 and pumped from there by blades 5 to the interiors of the shells 2, 7, thence passing by a clearance 11 into the peripheral annular chamber 10. An annular portion of a fixed cover 8 is located near the outer surface of rotor shell 2 to form the constricted annular liquid passage 12. Preferably, as shown, the passage 12 is cylindrical and its axis coincides with that of the rotor; the passage is bounded by radial gaps 15, 16, which permit axial displacement of rotor shell 2 without varying the width of passage 12. Some liquid escapes via a clearance 20 to a chamber 18 surrounding the gasket assembly 19 and passes thence via holes 17 in the rotor to inlet chamber 9, dissipating heat developed at the gasket.