GB2041480A

GB2041480A - Clutch-brake unit

Info

Publication number: GB2041480A
Application number: GB7936236A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Sommer Co
Current assignee: Sommer Co
Priority date: 1979-02-05
Filing date: 1979-10-18
Publication date: 1980-09-10
Also published as: DE2944008A1; IT1193833B; DE2944008C2; FR2448072A1; FR2448072B1; CA1140060A; JPS55107137A; GB2041480B; IT7926773A0

Abstract

A clutch-brake unit (10) having a clutch disc pack (34, 66) and a separate brake disc pack (68, 70) designed for selective actuation e.g. by a single piston arrangement (83), to transmit rotational driving force from an input shaft (26) to an output shaft (38) via the clutch disc pack and to brake rotation of the output shaft via the brake disc pack as desired, comprises an integral oil pump having vanes (36) on the input shaft to co-operate with portions (80) of the housing to provide a high volume centrifugal pumping action continuously to circulate oil through passages (94, 104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 130) provided in the housing, input shaft and output shaft and across the clutch and brake disc packs so as to cool them. The oil flow may be directed to external auxiliary apparatus such as an oil cooler (138). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Clutch-brake unit The present invention relates generally to a combination clutch-brake unit and more particularly to a new and improved oil submerged clutch-brake unit having integral oil pumping means operative continuously to circulate oil whenever the unit is operating.

Clutch-brake units of various types have long been employed to transmit rotational energy between a power source and equipment to be driven thereby. Such units are generally employed so as to provide means for alternately stopping and starting such driven equipment without requiring the shutting down of the power source thereby conserving power as well as enabling other equipment which may be driven by a common power source to be operated. The inclusion of the braking features enables more rapid deceleration of the output shaft than that provided by friction alone.

During operation and particularly during initial periods of clutch actuation and braking such clutch-brake units generate high amounts of heat and wear between the respective torque transmitting surfaces. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide means to both lubricate and cool these surfaces. However, for reasons of economy both in maintenance and operation as well as in required investment, it is desirable to avoid the addition of auxiliary pumping equipment to supply this lubricant.

According to the present invention there is provided a clutch-brake unit comprising: a housing defining a central cavity between opposed longitudinally spaced end walls; an input shaft extending into said cavity through one of said end walls; an output shaft extending into said cavity through the other of said end walls; a series of radially disposed clutch plates mounted in said cavity for rotation with said input shaft; first and second series of radially disposed axially spaced friction plates mounted within said cavity for rotation with said output shaft; a series of radially disposed brake plates non-rotatably mounted within said cavity and adapted to be actuated to cooperate with said second series of friction plates to brake rotation of said output shaft; said clutch plates and said first series of friction plates being adapted to be actuated so as to co-operate to transmit rotational energy between said input and said output shafts; and oil pumping means mounted on said input shaft, said oil pumping means being operative to circulate oil over said clutch plates, said first and second series of friction plates and said brake plates to cool same in response to rotation of said input shaft. Provisions may also be made whereby the oil pumping means may be effective to circulate all or a portion of the oil through external auxiliary apparatus such as an oil cooler or filtration equipment.

The present invention will become further apparent from the subsequent description given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings: Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal side elevational view of a clutch-brake unit in accordance with the present invention partially broken away; Figure 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the clutch-brake unit of Fig. 1, the section being taken along line 2-2 thereof; Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of an impeller vane provided on the input shaft; Figure 4 is a fragmentary radial cross-sectional view of the input shaft, the section being taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and Figure 5 is a developed view of a portion of the output shaft illustrating the arrangement of the radial oil outlet passages provided therein.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring now to the drawings, a clutch brake unit in accordance with the present invention is indicated generally at 10 and comprises a generally cylindrically shaped housing 1 2 having opposed longitudinally spaced end walls 14 and 1 6 which partialiy define an interior cavity 1 8 therebetween. End wall 1 6 has a large opening 1 5 provided therein which is closed by a removable end wall 1 7. Housing 1 2 also has a longitudinally extending opening 20 at the top thereof which is closed by means of a cover plate 22 secured to housing 1 2 in any suitable manner such as by a plurality of bolts or the like.

Housing 1 2 may also be provided with outwardly projecting external heat radiating fins 24 if desired to assist in dissipating heat generated during operation of the clutch-brake unit.

An input shaft 26 extends into cavity 1 8 through an opening 28 provided in end wall 14 and is rotatably journaled therein by means of bearings 27 and 29. Input shaft 26 is provided with an enlarged diameter annular supporting section 30 at its inner end from which a plurality of drive lugs 32 project axially outward. As illustrated, clutch-brake unit 10 is provided with four drive lugs 32 substantially equally spaced around supporting section 30 although it should be noted that a greater or lesser number of such drive lugs may be provided for larger or smaller capacity clutch-brake units. A plurality of friction clutch plate members 34 are mounted on drive lugs 32 and extend radially inward therefrom.Also, a plurality of oil pump impeller vanes 36 are provided on drive lugs 32 extending generally radially outwardly three from and substantially coextensive therewith.

An output shaft 38 extends into cavity 1 8 through an opening 40 provided in removable end wall 1 7 and is rotatably supported therein by a suitable bearing assembly 42. Output shaft 38 is coaxial with input shaft 26 and has an inner end portion 44 rotatably supported by a bearing 46 engaging an annular radially inwardly facing shoulder 48 provided on input shaft 26, end portion 44 projecting partially into an axially extending bore 50 provided in input shaft 26. Output shaft 38 has an enlarged diameter portion 52 having a plurality of axially extending circumferentially spaced slots 54 provided therein and a plurality of relatively shallow, axially extending notches 56 intermediate slots 54.An annular notch 58 is also provided approximately midway along portion 52 in which is fitted a split snap ring 60 which divides portion 52 into a clutch disc portion 62 and brake disc portion 64. A plurality of clutch discs 66 and brake discs 68 are each provided with complementary notches which interfit within notches 58 and are mounted upon respective portions 62 and 64 so as to be rotatable with output shaft 38.

A plurality of friction brake plates 70 are supported upon a plurality of axially projecting brake lugs 72 extending outward from a support member 74 non-rotatably secured to and supported from removable end wall 1 7. As illustrated in Fig. 1, clutch plates 34 are interposed between friction clutch discs 66 and brake plates 70 are interposed between friction brake discs 68.

An annular clutch actuating member 76 is disposed adjacent the outer end of clutch disc portion 62 and operatively connected to a brake actuating member 78 disposed adjacent the outer end of brake disc portion 64 of output shaft 38. Brake actuating member 78 and clutch actuating member 76 are interconnected by a plurality of screws 79 and rods 81 arranged in alternating relationship and extending through slots 54 in such a manner as to fixedly retain actuating members 76 and 78 in a predetermined spaced relationship. A piston actuating means, indicated generally at 83, is operatively connected to and adapted to impart axial movement to actuating members 76 and 78 so as to thereby actuate either the clutch or brake portion of clutch brake unit 10. The operation of clutch-brake unit 10 and additional structural details thereof are substantially identical to that described in U.S.Patent 3,969,898 entitled Clutch-Brake Unit and assigned to the same assignee as the present application which disciosure is hereby incorporated by reference thereto.

As best seen with reference to Fig. 2, cavity 1 8 has a generally cylindrical portion 80 centrally disposed between end walls 14 and 1 6 and surrounding clutch discs and plates 66 and 34 and brake discs and plates 68 and 70. As shown the diameter of portion 80 is such as to place interior wall portion 82 in close proximity to impeller vanes 36 and to cooperate therewith to provide a high-volume centrifugal oil pumping action.

As best seen with reference to Fig. 3, an impeller vane 36 is preferably integrally formed with each drive lug 32 and comprises a radially outwardly extending protrusion defined in part by circumferentially spaced radially outwardly diverging side walls 84 and 86 extending axially outward from annular flange portion 88 provided on support section 30. The outer end of impeller vance 36 includes a beveled or radially inwardly inclined surface 90 which serves to facilitate oil flow into the vanes such as from brake plates and discs as well as from reservoir 92 provided in the lower portion of housing 1 2 thereby assisting the pumping action thereof.

The radially outer surface 93 of impeller vane 36 is convex in shape having a radius of curvature equal to the radius of the arc scribed by each vane during rotation of the input shaft.

Vanes 36, in cooperation with cylindrical shaped portion 80, act to pump oil from reservoir 92 to a pumping chamber 94 provided at the top of housing 1 2 and being defined in part by a depending projection 96 integrally formed on cover plate 22. Projection 96 has a first concave surface 98 overlying and radiai;y spaced f;oni t;,e pa. of impeller vanes 36, a second concave surface 100 overlying brake plate members 70 and an inclined surface 102 also concave in transverse cross-sectional shape interconnecting surfaces 98 and 100 which operate to assist in directing oil flowing radially outward from brake plate members 70 into pumping chamber 94.

An oil outlet passage 104 is provided in housing 1 2 extending from the left end (as seen in Fig. 1) of pumping chamber 94 radially inwardly and axially to the left to an annular space 106 adjacent bearing 29 and surrounding input shaft 26. Input shaft 26 is provided with a plurality of radially inwardly extending oil passages 108 in fluid communication with sapce 106 and cylindrical bore 50 provided in input shaft 26 into which end portion 44 of output shaft 38 is interfitted.

Preferably input shaft 26 will have three equally spaced radial passages 108. Output shaft 38 is provided with an axially extending passage 110 opening outward from end portion 44 into bore 50 which passage is preferably coaxial with the axis of rotation of output shaft 38.

A plurality of radially outwardly extending oil outlet passages 11 2 are also provided along output shaft 38, a first series 114 thereof being positioned in radial alignment with clutch plates 34 and clutch friction discs 66 and a second axial spaced series 11 6 being positioned in radial alignment with brake plates 70 and brake friction discs 68.

Each of these passages 11 2 open into selected axially extending slots 54 provided on enlarged diameter portion 52 of output shaft 38.

As best seen with reference to Fig. 5, the first series 11 4 of radial oil outlet passages 11 2 comprises three substantially equally circumferentially spaced groups 118, 1 20 and 122 each group comprising three such axially spaced passages 11 2. Each group 118, 1 20 and 1 22 is staggered or shifted slightly in an axial direction such that no two passages 11 2 have openings which are circumferentially aligned.Similarly, the second series 11 6 of radial oil outlet passages 11 2 also comprises three substantially equally circumferentially spaced groups 1 24, 126, and 1 28 each comprising three passages 11 2. Again, each group is shifted in an axial direction slightly so that not two passages 11 2 have openings which are circumferentially aligned. This staggering of oil outlet passages 11 2 insures that an adequate supply of oil is directed between and over each of the clutch and brake plates 34 and 70 and clutch and brake firction discs 66 and 68.

An additional radial outwardly extending oil outlet passage 1 30 is also provided at the terminal end 1 32 of axial passage 110 which operates to provide lubricating oil to bearing assembly 42 as well as to the area of interface between that piston assembly 83 and output shaft 38.

Referring once again to Fig. 1, for large capacity clutch-brake units additional external cooling may be required or it may be desirable in some units to circulate the oil through other auxiliary external apparatus such as filtration equipment or the like. Accordingly, cover plate 22 is provided with a pair of spaced openings 1 34 and 1 36 to which suitable conduits may be connected via appropriate fittings to conduct oil such auxiliary apparatus as an oil cooler 1 38. As shown, opening 1 34 opens directly into pumping chamber 94 and operates to allow oil flow to oil cooler 1 38. Opening 1 36 communicates with a downwardly or radially inwardly extending passage 1 39 provided in housing 1 2 which operates to direct the oil to space 106. While passages 104, 1 39 and openings 1 34 and 1 36 may be sized so as to direct only a portion of the oil through oil cooler 138, passage 104 may also be provided with an enlarged diameter portion 140 adjacent pumping chamber 94 which is adapted to receive a plug thereby totally closing off passage 104 and insuring substantially all oil flow will be directed through oil cooler 1 38.

Referring now to the overall operation of the clutch-brake unit 10 embodying the principles of the present invention, it will be seen that the torque transmitting portion of the clutch is characterized by an alternate arrangement of a plurality of clutch plate members 34 and a plurality of clutch friction discs 66, with one of the discs 66 being disposed adjacent the face of the clutch actuating member 76 and another of the discs 66 being disposed adjacent the side of the center ring 60.These torque transmitting elements within housing 1 2 are intended to be rotatable in a bath of oil contained within the housing 12, with the result that a substantially high percent of the kinetic energy produced in starting and stopping heavy loads is transmitted by "shearing" the oil between the various friction plates, thus substantially increasing not only the life of these friction plates over those in clutch and brake units which operate dry, but also increasing the maximum operating speed of the unit 10 of the present invention.

The high volume centrifugal oil pump described above operates to insure an adequate supply of oil across the clutch plates 34, brake plates 70, clutch friction discs 66, and brake friction discs 68.

When input shaft 26 rotates, pump vanes 36 will operate to begin circulating oil from reservoir 92 to pumping chamber 94 then through either openings 1 34 and 1 36 or passage 104 to space 106 and through radial passages 108 in input shaft 26. Oil will then flow through axial passage 110 in output shaft 38 to radial outlet passages 11 2 and outwardly over the clutch and brake plates 34 and 70 and clutch and brake friction discs 66 and 68 respectively. It should be noted that while vanes 36 will generate sufficient pressure to insure adequate oil flow, the oil flow across the plates and discs will be assisted by the centrifugal force generated by rotation of the output shaft 38.As input shaft 26 will be continuously rotating whenever the clutchbrake unit is in operation, the provision of impeller vanes thereon insure that an adequate supply of oil is provided to the clutch plates and discs at all times including when output shaft just begins to rotate, the high heat generating period.

Once input shaft 26 had begun to rotate and the impeller vanes provided thereon have begun circulating oil as described above, piston assembly 83 may be actuated thereby causing simultaneous axial movement of brake actuating member 78 and clutch actuating member 76 to the right as seen in Fig. 1.

This movement will release brake plates 70 and brake friction discs 68 which have heretofore prevented rotation of output shaft 38.

Further movement will then cause clutch plates 34 and clutch friction discs 66 to move together between the sides of clutch actuating member 76 and ring 60 into torque transmitting relationship. Output shaft 38 will then begin to rotate as the slippage between clutch plates 3$ and discs 66 decreases. As input shaft 26 is continuously rotating at full or nearly full speed, a continuous supply of oil is distributed via passages 11 2 between each of the clutch plates and discs thereby serving to both lubricate and cool them. In order to shut down clutch-brake unit, the above procedure is merely reversed with deactivation of piston assembly 83 allowing axial movement of actuating members 76 and 78 to the left as seen in Fig. 1 thereby releasing clutch plates and discs 34 and 66 and drawing brake plates 70 and discs 68 together to provide a braking torque to output shaft. Again, as input shaft 26 continues to rotate at full speed, an adequate supply of oil will be directed across brake plates 70 and discs 68 to cool and lubricate them during the entire braking operation.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed is well calculated to provide the advantages and features above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjo

Claims

ined claims. CLAIMS

1. A clutch-brake unit comprising: a housing defining a central cavity between opposed longitudinally spaced end walls; an input shaft extending into said cavity through one of said end walls; an output shaft extending into said cavity through the other of said end walls; a series of radially disposed clutch plates mounted in said cavity for rotation with said input shaft; first and second series of radially disposed axially spaced friction plates mounted within said cavity for rotation with said output shaft; a series of radially disposed brake plates non-rotatably mounted within said cavity and adapted to be actuated to cooperate with said second series of friction plates to brake rotation of said output shaft;; said clutch plates and said first series of friction plates being adapted to be actuated so as to cooperate to transmit rotational energy between said input and said output shafts; and oil pumping means mounted on said input shaft, said oil pumping means being operative to circulate oil over said clutch plates, said first and second series of friction plates and said brake plates to cool same in response to rotation of said input shaft.

2. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said housing is provided with oil passage means for conducting oil from said pumping means and said input shaft is provided with oil passages in fluid communication with said housing oil passage for directing oil to said clutch plates, said first and second series of friction plates and said brake plates.

3. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 2 wherein said output shaft has an axially extending passage in fluid communication with said input shaft oil passages and a plurality of radially extending passages communicating between said axial passage and said friction plates.

4. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 3 wherein said output shaft radial oil passages are arranged in circumferentially spaced groups each group being axially staggered so as to avoid circumferential alignment of any two such passages.

5. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 4 wherein said plurality of radially extending passages are spaced axially and circumferentially.

6. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said oil pump means comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes provided on said input shaft adapted to rotate in close proximity to the sidewalls of said housing and to cooperate therewith to centrifugally pump said oil.

7. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 6 wherein each of said vanes is defined in part by radially outwardly diverging sidewalls.

8. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 7 wherein said input shaft has a plurality of axially projecting drive lugs provided thereon and said vanes are axially elo.ngated and project radially outwardly from said drive lugs.

9. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 8 wherein said drive lugs and said vanes project axially outward from an annular flange portion of said input shaft.

10. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 9 wherein said drive lugs and said vanes are integrally formed with said input shaft.

11. A ciutch-brake unit comprising: a housing defining a central cavity between opposite longitudinally spaced end walls and an oil reservoir in a lower portion thereof; an input shaft extending into said cavity and rotatably journaled in one of said end walls; a series of clutch plates mounted on said input shaft within said cavity and rotatable therewith; a series of brake plates non-rotatably mounted within said cavity and spaced from said clutch plates; an output shaft coaxial with said input shaft extending into said cavity and rotatably journaled in the other of said end walls;; first and second series of friction plates mounted in axial spaced relationship on said output shaft, said first series of plates adapted to cooperate with said clutch plates when actuated to transmit rotational energy from said input shaft to said ourput shaft and said second series of plates adapted to cooperate with said brake plates when actuated to brake rotational movement of said output shaft; actuating means for selectively actuating one of said first and second series of friction plates; a pumping chamber in said housing; oil pump means provided on said input shaft and operable to pump oil from said reservoir to said pumping chamber; and oil passage means for conducting oil from said pumping chamber across said first and second series of friction plates, said clutch plates and said brake plates.

1 2. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 11 wherein said oil pump means comprises at least one vane provided on said input shaft and rotatable therewith to transfer oil from said reservoir to said pumping chamber.

1 3. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 1 2 wherein said output shaft has a drive lug provided thereon and said vane projects radially from said drive lug.

1 4. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 1 3 wherein said vane projects radially outward from said lug and is defined in part by circumferentially spaced diverging sidewalls.

1 5. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 11 wherein said oil pump means comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes provided on said input shaft adapted to rotate in close proximity to the sidewalls of said housing and to cooperate therewith to centrifugally pump said oil.

1 6. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 1 5 wherein said pumping chamber has an inlet opening through said sidwall.

1 7. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 11 wherein said oil passage means comprises an axially extending passage in said output shaft and a plurality of radially extending passages communicating between said axial passage and said friction plates.

1 8. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 1 7 wherein said plurality of radially extending passages are spaced axially and circumferentially.

1 9. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 1 7 wherein said input shaft is provided with oil passages for directing said oil from said housing to said axially extending passage.

20. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 1 9 wherein said housing contains a first oil passage for directing said oil from said pumping chamber to said input shaft through said housing and a second passage for directing oil from an external source to said input shaft.

21. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 20 wherein a selected one of said passages is blocked off.

22. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 20 wherein said pumping chamber has an opening for supplying oil to said external source.

23. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 22 wherein said external source is an oil cooler.

24. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 1 9 wherein said input shaft oil passages comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending passages.

25. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 1 8 wherein said output shaft radial oil passages are arranged in circumferentially spaced groups each group being axially staggered so as to avoid circumferential alignment of any two such passages.

26. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 25 wherein said groups are axially aligned with said first and second series of friction plates so as to direct a continuous supply of oil thereacross in response to rotation of said input shaft.

27. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 11 wherein said oil pump means is a high volume centrifugal pump.

28. A clutch-brak'e unit as set forth in Claim 27 wherein said central cavity has a generally cylindrically shaped portion of a predetermined diameter, said input shaft having a plurality of circumferentially spaced drive lugs provided thereon, and at least one impeller vane projecting radially outward from each of said drive lugs, said impeller vanes scribing a circle within said cylinder portion during rotation of said input shaft having a diameter only slightly less than said predetermined diameter.

29. A clutch-brake unit as set forth in Claim 28 wherein said input shaft comprises four of said lugs and said clutch plates are mounted on said lugs and project radially inward therefrom.

30. A clutch-brake unit comprising: a housing defining a central cylindrical cavity between opposite longitudinally spaced end walls and an oil reservoir; an input shaft extending into said cavity and rotatably journaled in one of said end walls and having an enlarged diameter annular flange portion provided thereon; a plurality of circumferentially spaced drive lugs projecting axially from said annular flange portion; a plurality of oil pump impeller vanes projecting axially from said flange portion and radially outward from said drive lugs each of said vanes being defined in part by radially outwardly diverging sidewalls; a series of clutch plates mounted on said drive lugs and rotatable with said input shaft; ; an output shaft coaxial with said input shaft extending into said cavity and rotatably journaled in the other of said end walls, said output shaft having an end portion interfitted within a portion of said input shaft and an axially extending oil passage opening out of said end portion; a series of brake plates non-rotatably mounted within said cavity; first and second series of friction plates mounted in axial spaced relationship on said output shaft, said first series of plates adapted to cooperate with said clutch plates when actuated to transmit rotational energy from said input shaft to said output shaft and said second series of plates adapted to cooperate with said brake plates when actuated to brake rotational movement of said output shaft; actuating means for selectively actuating one of said first and second series of friction plates; ; a pumping chamber in said housing opening into said cylindrical cavity; oil passage means in said housing; said impeller vanes rotating in close proximity to said cylindrical cavity portion of said housing and being operative to pump oil from said reservoir through said pumping chamber, said oil passage means, said axial passage, said radial passages and across said clutch plates, said brake plates and said first and second series of friction plates in response to rotation of said input shaft.

31. A clutch-brake unit constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.