GB1166337A - Improvements in or relating to Automatic Centrifugal Clutches. - Google Patents

Abstract

1,166,337. Friction clutches; ratchet clutches; clutch control. HONDA GIKEN KOGYO K.K. 25 Oct., 1967 [26 Oct., 1966], No. 48597/67. Headings F2C and F2L. In a centrifugally engaged friction clutch of a motor vehicle, wherein inner and outer friction clutch discs 11, 12 between an engine shaft 1 and an output gear 4 are automatically engaged by the centrifugal action of rollers 21 rotating with the engine shaft, the inner discs 11 are connected to the gear 4 through cam means 7, 8 so that overrunning of the shaft 1 by the gear 4, e.g. for engine starting, effects engagement of the friction discs, and circumferential abutment means on the cam means prevents locking or overshooting of the latter. Overriding manual disengaging means are provided. The outer discs 12 are carried by a casing 10 slidably supported on posts 16 of a plate 14 fast with the engine shaft 1. The left hand end outer disc 12 abuts a ring 13 fast with the casing 10. Separation of the casing 10 and plate 14 is effected by springs 19 and limited by washers 38 on the posts 16. The rollers 21 act between ramps 20 of the plate 14 and the right hand end outer disc 12A. The cam means comprises rings 7, 8 respectively carried by a support 3 fast with the output gear 4 and a member 6 carrying the inner discs 11 and having an inner disc abutment 9. The ring 8 has cam surfaces 34 bounded by shoulders 35, 36 and the ring 7 has claws 37 co-acting with said surfaces and shoulders. A manual disengaging means comprises a cam plate 28 which is manually rotatable by a rod 33, reacts on a non-rotatable projection 25 axially adjustable by a screw 23, and acts axially on the casing 10 via a ball bearing 32. In operation, for starting the engine, the rotated support 3 cams, by way of its claws 37 acting on the cam surfaces 34, the member 6 leftwards for the latter to engage the clutch discs 11, 12 by its abutment 9. This leftward movement of the member 6 is limited by engagement of the claws 37 with the shoulders 36, thereby preventing locking of the claws and the surfaces 34 and overshooting of the claws. If the engine starts and speeds up sufficiently for the rollers 21 to effect engagement of the clutch discs via the end outer disc 12A, the member 6 is driven from the casing 10 and the shoulders 35 are then brought into driving engagement with the claws 37. Manual operation of the rod 33 effects clutch disc release by leftward movement of the casing 10.