Importance

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Abstract

A fluid coupling directly-drive a wheel from a small engine. The fluid coupling is mounted in cantilevered support or two ended bearing support from a small engine and has a small diameter inner driven shaft and a larger diameter out wheel driving shaft for contacting and directly driving a wheel. The inner driven shaft connects to a pump having a relatively larger outer diameter than either the driven or driving shaft. This pump is mounted on the opposite side of the driven wheel from the engine and preferably includes rotating vanes within one half a toroidal path having an attached eccentrically mounted toroidal plug for causing helical rotation of fluid about the plug. A turbine mates to the pump and includes rotating vanes within the other half of the toroidal path, these vanes being shaped around the toroidal plug of the pump. The toroidal plug and toroidal volumes are eccentrically mounted one with respect to another to cause high velocity flow on the outside diameter of the pump and turbine with low velocity flow in the inside diameter of the pump and turbine. Fluid, typically oil, is confined to the pump and turbine by appropriate seals and causes torque conversion between the pump and turbine. In the preferred embodiment, a fuel tank for the engine is mounted overlying the driven wheel so as to shield the interface of the wheel and driving spindle. At the same time, the exterior of the driven pump is supplied with vanes to generate appropriate air cooling at the fluid coupling.

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First Claim