| 摘要 |
A transmission system for transmitting drive from at least two internal combustion engines to a single shaft comprises a clutch associated with each engine, an intermediate shaft connected to the hub part of each clutch and, in use, connected to its associated engine through a flexible coupling, a hollow shaft connected co-axially to the housing of each clutch, the intermediate shaft extending along and through its associated hollow shaft so that each clutch is remote from its associated engine. Each hollow shaft passes through a common gear housing and carries a gear wheel, the gear wheels on the hollow shafts meshing with a gear train in the gear housing to drive the driven shaft. The movable friction surfaces of each clutch are connected yieldingly to the hub parts of each clutch so that they are movable in all directions with respect to the hub parts of each clutch, and the hub parts of each clutch are centered substantially non-yieldingly in a radial direction on the clutch axis by a rolling bearing having its inner ring fixed to one of the clutch parts and its outer ring having an axially curved outer surface engaging the other clutch part through a thin resilient cushion, so that, in use, movements of the intermediate shaft through a small solid angle with respect to the hollow shaft are permitted. This system overcomes the misalignments, particularly those caused by thermal expansion and contraction, where two engines are mounted side by side.
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