Abstract
The fundamental difference between a hydraulic coupling and a torque converter is that in the former the impeller and runner work directly together without the interposition of a guide wheel or reaction member. A torque converter, on the other hand, requires stationary guide vanes to deflect the flow, usually as a means of obtaining a higher torque at a correspondingly lower speed at the output shaft.
The relationship between the power, torque, and number of revolutions at input and output in such a torque converter is examined theoretically, and the conditions of design to give the best efficiency for various applications are considered. It is desirable that the torque curve actually attainable in practice shall approach as nearly as possible the ideal curve. This cannot be realized by means of the usual torque converter, but an essential improvement can be obtained by adding a hydraulic coupling to the torque converter, and changing over at the appropriate time to direct drive through the coupling.
Various applications of such a Voith turbo transmission are described, and comparison is made with other forms of transmission.
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