Caterpillar Tractor Co.

Frank W Howard, Iii

Lowell E Johnson

Raymond P Cobb

Dwayne D Dietz

The invention relates to an improvement in a torque converter which includes a main stator, a pump and a turbine. The improvement comprises a novel auxiliary stator intermediate the main stator and the pump, said auxiliary stator including a plurality of holes therethrough adjacent the periphery thereof. Also part of the improvement are a plurality of vanes fixedly attached to a plurality of shafts which are rotatably mounted through said holes for adjustably directing flow of hydraulic fluid from the main stator through the vanes and to the pump. A plurality of handles, one attached at a fixed angle to an end of each of the shafts removed from the vane thereon, also forms a part of the improvement. A sleeve is provided which includes a plurality of slots at one end thereof the slots being in one to one relation with the number of handles, one handle being slidably held in each of said slots. Means are provided for operator adjustment of the position of the sleeve which leads directly to changing the angles of said vanes.

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Dunlap, IL, United States of America

Frank W Howard, Iii