Centrifugal clutch and cover mount assembly therefor
DCFirst Claim
1. In a centrifugal clutch having a transmission shaft, a hub coupled to said shaft, a rotatable driven member in outer spaced concentric relation to said shaft, clutch members mounted for relative axial displacement into and out of engagement with one another between said hub and said shaft, and a pressure plate axially displaceable between a cover and an endmost of said clutch members including means biasing said pressure plate in an axial direction away from said clutch members, the improvement comprising:
- at least one row of cam members interposed between said cover and said pressure plate wherein said cam members are movable radially outwardly under centrifugal force to cause said pressure plate to move in a direction causing said clutch members to move into clutching engagement with one another;
an elongated control rod extending centrally of said housing and being axially slidable with respect to said housing;
first means between one end of said control rod and said pressure plate being movable in response to axial movement of said control rod to displace said pressure plate in an axial direction independently of said biasing means; and
second means for selectively advancing and retracting said control rod whereby to disengage said clutch members independently of said cam members.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A clutch having a plurality of cam members between a cover and pressure plate to move outwardly under centrifugal force and cause the pressure plate to move axially to force a plurality of clutch plates into clutching engagement, a manual override mechanism to lock out the pressure plate to maintain the clutch plates in a disengaged position, and pressure limiting springs prevent shock loads from being imparted to the clutch plates when the plates are advanced into clutching engagement with one another. The clutch housing includes a cover which can be mounted either flush or inset in circumferentially spaced walls of the housing and held in place by a retaining ring inserted into slots in the side walls and is adaptable for use with any type of clutch with or without the manual override mechanism and pressure limiting springs.
147 Citations
12 Claims
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1. In a centrifugal clutch having a transmission shaft, a hub coupled to said shaft, a rotatable driven member in outer spaced concentric relation to said shaft, clutch members mounted for relative axial displacement into and out of engagement with one another between said hub and said shaft, and a pressure plate axially displaceable between a cover and an endmost of said clutch members including means biasing said pressure plate in an axial direction away from said clutch members, the improvement comprising:
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at least one row of cam members interposed between said cover and said pressure plate wherein said cam members are movable radially outwardly under centrifugal force to cause said pressure plate to move in a direction causing said clutch members to move into clutching engagement with one another; an elongated control rod extending centrally of said housing and being axially slidable with respect to said housing; first means between one end of said control rod and said pressure plate being movable in response to axial movement of said control rod to displace said pressure plate in an axial direction independently of said biasing means; and second means for selectively advancing and retracting said control rod whereby to disengage said clutch members independently of said cam members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A centrifugal clutch comprising:
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a housing; a transmission shaft, a hub coupled to said shaft, a cover, a rotatable driven member in outer spaced concentric relation to said shaft, clutch members mounted for relative axial displacement into and out of engagement with one another between said hub and said housing, and a pressure plate axially displaceable between said cover; a plurality of cam members interposed between said cover and said pressure plate wherein said cam members are movable radially outwardly under centrifugal force to cause said pressure plate to move in a direction causing said clutch members to move into clutching engagement with one another; first means between said pressure plate and said cover for retaining said cam members in circumferentially spaced relation to one another whereby to undergo limited radial outward movement at low speeds of rotation to overcome said biasing means and move said clutch members into clutching engagement with one another; and second means including a control rod extending centrally of said housing and being axially slidable with respect to said housing, and third means between one end of said control rod and said pressure plate being movable in response to advancement of said control rod to move said pressure plate in a direction causing said clutch members to move out of clutching engagement independently of the speed of rotation of said clutch. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification