Robert A Nichols

US Patent:

41946049, Mar 25, 1980

Filed:

Nov 14, 1977

Appl. No.:

5/850997

Inventors:

Robert W. Nichols - Canton MI
Stanley L. Pierce - Walled Lake MI

Assignee:

Ford Motor Company - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

F16H 4502

US Classification:

192 33

Abstract:

A hydrodynamic torque converter mechanism having a bladed impeller, a bladed turbine and a bladed stator arranged in a toroidal fluid flow circuit enclosed within a common impeller housing, a friction clutch in the housing including a clutch disc with a friction surface thereon situated adjacent a cooperating friction surface formed on the housing, a stator sleeve shaft supporting the stator, an impeller sleeve hub journalled on the housing, a turbine shaft connected to the turbine and extending through the stator sleeve shaft, and a double circuit flow path for fluid circulating through the torus circuit, one circuit being defined in part by the annular space between the impeller hub and the stator sleeve shaft and the other circuit being defined by the annular space between said turbine shaft and said stator sleeve shaft and by the annular flow space between said friction surfaces.

US Patent:

47562102, Jul 12, 1988

Filed:

Aug 5, 1986

Appl. No.:

6/894077

Inventors:

James M. Franklin - Dearborn Heights MI
Robert W. Nichols - South Lyon MI

Assignee:

Ford Motor Company - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

F16H 4708

US Classification:

74731

Abstract:

A hydrokinetic, multiple ratio torque converter transmission having planetary gear ratio elements that establish a hydrokinetic torque path in low ratio and reverse gear and a bypass torque path in intermediate gear and third gear including a torque converter and an overrunning coupling wherein the intermediate gear and third gear is characterized by a mechanical torque flow or a viscous shear torque flow path, the third gear being a partial hydrokinetic regenerative torque flow path.

US Patent:

42032881, May 20, 1980

Filed:

Dec 6, 1978

Appl. No.:

5/966974

Inventors:

Robert W. Nichols - Canton MI

Assignee:

Ford Motor Company - Dearborn MI

International Classification:

F16D 3300

US Classification:

60345

Abstract:

A hydrokinetic torque converter transmission for multiplying torque delivered from a driving member to a driven member comprising a bladed impeller connected to the driving member, a bladed turbine connected to the driven member and a stator located between the flow exit section of the turbine and the flow entrance section of the impeller, said impeller comprising a main impeller blade section and an auxiliary impeller blade section, the latter being located radially outward with respect to the former, and a centrifugally operated clutch structure for connecting together for rotation in unison the auxiliary impeller blade section and the main impeller blade section at high impeller speeds and for disengaging them when the impeller speed is less than a predetermined value.