Inner hub for clutch/brake

• US 6,397,992 B1
• Filed: 05/10/2000
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arthur G. Patridge
• Original Assignee: Arthur G. Patridge
• Inventors: Patridge, Arthur G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Saul
• Application Number:
  US09/568,109
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 192/18.R, 192/15, 192/93.A, 192/16, 192/110.B, 192/70.16, 56/113
• US Class Current: 192/15
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/6812 Braking or clutching mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 59/02 spring-loaded and adapted to be released by mechanical, fluid, or electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 67/02 Clutch-brake combinations

Abstract

A single component inner hub adapted to engage the drive shaft of an engine, support a transaxle pulley and serve as the inner hub of a clutch/brake assembly, the inner hub having a first end, a second end, an exterior surface extending between the first and second ends, the exterior surface including an upper portion adjacent the first end of the inner hub, an intermediate portion which is adjacent the first portion and which has a circumference that is smaller than that of the upper portion, an axially facing shoulder extending between the upper and lower portions of the exterior surface and a lower portion that is externally threaded and that extends between the intermediate portion and the lower end of the inner hub, the inner hub also having extending between the first and second ends a bore having an upper portion adapted to receive the lower end of the drive shaft to rotationally fix the inner hub to the shaft, the bore also including a lower portion of the bore having an internal diameter smaller than that of the upper portion of the bore.

Claims

1. A lawn mower comprising:

a chassis having an aperture;

an engine coupled to said chassis and having an output shaft extending through said aperture;

a clutch/brake assembly coupled to said chassis;

a single-piece inner hub extending at least partially into said clutch/brake assembly;

a bearing positioned around a portion of said inner hub and having an inner race substantially fixed with respect to said inner hub, said bearing also having an outer race rotatable with respect to said inner race and coupled to a portion of said clutch/brake assembly such that said inner hub and said inner race are rotatable with respect to said outer race and said portion of said clutch/brake assembly;

a transaxle pulley affixed to said inner hub; and

a fastener, wherein said inner hub includes first and second adjacent portions, said second portion having a smaller outer diameter than said first portion, said inner hub also including an exterior bearing shoulder defined substantially at the transition between said first and second portions, and wherein said fastener forces said inner race toward said bearing shoulder to substantially prevent rotation of said inner race with respect to said inner hub.

2. The lawn mower of claim 1, wherein said inner hub further includes a threaded portion, and wherein said fastener is a nut threaded onto said threaded portion.

3. The lawn mower of claim 1, further comprising a bearing sleeve positioned around said second portion of said inner hub and sandwiched between said fastener and said inner race.

4. A lawn mower comprising:

a chassis having an aperture;

an engine coupled to said chassis and having an output shaft extending through said aperture;

a clutch/brake assembly coupled to said chassis;

a single-piece inner hub extending at least partially into said clutch/brake assembly;

a bearing positioned around a portion of said inner hub and having an inner race substantially fixed with respect to said inner hub, said bearing also having an outer race rotatable with respect to said inner race and coupled to a portion of said clutch/brake assembly such that said inner hub and said inner race are rotatable with respect to said outer race and said portion of said clutch/brake assembly; and

a transaxle pulley affixed to said inner hub;

wherein said inner hub includes a longitudinal bore having a large diameter portion, a small diameter portion, and an internal shaft shoulder defined substantially at the transition between said large and small diameter portions, said output shaft extending into said large diameter portion of said bore and abutting said shaft shoulder.

5. The lawn mower of claim 4, further comprising a bolt extending into said bore and threaded into said output shaft to draw said output shaft against said shaft shoulder and couple said output shaft to said inner hub.

6. An assembly for transmitting torque from a rotating output shaft to a clutch/brake mechanism, the assembly comprising:

a one-piece hub having a longitudinal bore adapted to receive the output shaft;

a bearing positioned around said hub and having an inner race rotationally fixed with respect to said hub and an outer race adapted to be rotationally fixed with respect to the clutch/brake assembly to permit rotation of said hub and inner race with respect to said outer race and the clutch/brake assembly; and

a transaxle pulley affixed to said hub for rotation therewith;

wherein said bore includes a large diameter portion, a small diameter portion, and a shaft shoulder defined substantially at the transition between said large and small diameter portions, said large diameter portion being adapted to receive the output shaft and said shaft shoulder adapted to abut the output shaft.

7. An assembly for transmitting torque from a rotating output shaft to a clutch/brake mechanism, the assembly comprising:

a one piece hub having a longitudinal bore adapted to receive the output shaft;

a bearing positioned around said hub and having an inner race rotationally fixed with respect to said hub and an outer race adapted to be rotationally fixed with respect to the clutch/brake assembly to permit rotation of said hub and inner race with respect to said outer race and the clutch/brake assembly; and

a transaxle pulley affixed to said hub for rotation therewith;

wherein said hub includes first and second adjacent portions, said second portion having a smaller outer diameter than said first portion and being adapted to extend into the clutch/brake assembly, said hub also including an exterior bearing shoulder defined substantially at the transition between said first and second portions, and wherein said inner race of said bearing is forced toward said bearing shoulder to resist relative rotation between said inner race and said hub.

8. The assembly of claim 7, further comprising a fastener and a bearing sleeve, said bearing sleeve being positioned around said second portion of said hub and being sandwiched between said fastener and said inner race of said bearing.

9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein said hub includes a threaded portion and wherein said fastener is a nut threaded onto said threaded portion.

10. A lawn mower comprising:

a chassis having an aperture;

an engine coupled to said chassis and having an output shaft extending through said aperture;

a clutch/brake assembly coupled to said chassis;

a single-piece inner hub extending through said clutch/brake assembly, said inner hub including first, second, and third portions, said second portion having a smaller outer diameter than said first portion, said inner hub also including an exterior bearing shoulder defined substantially at the transition between said first and second portions, said third portion being threaded, said inner hub also including a longitudinal bore extending therethrough, said bore having a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion, said inner hub further including an internal shaft shoulder defined substantially at the transition between said large and small diameter portions, said output shaft extending into said large diameter portion and abutting said shaft shoulder;

a transaxle pulley affixed to said inner hub;

a first bearing positioned around said second portion of said inner hub and having an inner race and an outer race rotatable with respect to said inner race and rotatably fixed with respect to a portion of said clutch/brake assembly;

a second bearing positioned around said second portion in spaced-apart relation to said first bearing, said second bearing including an inner race;

a bearing sleeve positioned around said second portion of said inner hub between the inner races of said first and second bearings;

a nut threaded onto said third portion of said inner hub to drive said inner race of said second bearing, said bearing sleeve, and said inner race of said first bearing toward said bearing shoulder to substantially rotatably fix said inner race of said second bearing, said bearing sleeve, and said inner race of said first bearing with respect to said inner hub; and

a bolt extending into said longitudinal bore and threaded into said output shaft to draw said output shaft against said shaft shoulder to rotatably fix said output shaft and said inner hub with respect to each other.