Hydraulic torque converter with mechanical coupling - has sliding guide wheel withdrawn on U engagement of clutch

摘要

The hydraulic torque converter gives optional fluid and rigid mechanical coupling between input and output shafts, having an impeller wheel on the input shaft, a turbine wheel on the output shaft, and a guide wheel in between. The guide wheel slides between a working and a withdrawn position along the converter axis and a clutch is provided to couple input and output shafts together mechanically. An actuating mechanism slides the guide wheel into the withdrawn position on engagement of the clutch. The guide wheel can have a core portion cutting off the fluid inlet to the impeller wheel when in the withdrawn position.