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Ball clutch mechanism with two sets of balls in separate radial planes

  • US 4,523,356 A
  • Filed: 02/27/1984
  • Issued: 06/18/1985
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1984
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A ball clutch mechanism for restraining a pin from longitudinal movement, comprisingan anvil having an axial bore for axially receiving a pin;

  • a radially symmetrical cup having a confining end, a tapered interior wall and a predominantly open end covering the anvil and axially aligned with the anvil for axially receiving a said pin that is axially received by the bore of the anvil, wherein the anvil is longitudinally movable along its bore axis with respect to the cup;

    biasing mean for forcing the anvil toward the confining end of the cup;

    a first set of a given number of uniformly dimensioned balls in the cup, engaging the anvil and forced by the anvil toward the confining end of the cup when the anvil is forced toward the confining end of the cup by the biasing means; and

    a second set of the given number of uniformly dimensioned balls in the extreme confining end of the cup for clutching a said pin axially received by the cup and the bore of the anvil, wherein the interior wall of the cup is dimensioned and tapered with respect to the balls to cause the balls of the first and second sets to be in different radial planes and to cause the balls of the second set to contact the pin and wherein when the balls of the first set are forced toward the confining end of the cup, the balls of the first set wedge the balls of the second set between the tapered interior wall of the cup and the pin and uniformly space the balls of the second set to apply symmetrical radial pressure against said pin to firmly clutch the pin and thereby restrain said pin from longitudinal movement.

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