GB353885A - Improvements in friction clutches - Google Patents

Abstract

353,885. Friction clutches. RUSSELL MANUFACTURING CO., Middletown, Connecticut, U.S.A.-(Assignees of Tower, E. V. J. ; Ferguson Avenue, North Syracuse, New York, U.S.A.) Feb. 28, 1930, No. 2534/31. Convention date, March 26, 1929. Divided on 349,555. [Class 80 (ii).] In motor vehicle &c. friction clutches, there is provided between a transmission element or plate and its hub a vibrationdamping connection comprising radially-disposed bundles of leafsprings inserted in registering and preferably flared notches in the hub and element. The springs 13 are seated at one end in radial recesses in an integral flange 11 of the hub 10, and the friction facing 31<1> is carried on axially-flexible spikes 15 having abutting inner ends riveted between flexible washers 14, the parts 14, 15, and a heat-insulating ring 16 being provided with aligned recesses to receive the outer ends of the springs 13. The metal of the washers 14 is folded back to form beads 20 around the openings. The inner ends of the springs are further lodged between sectors 22 integral with or welded, riveted, &c. to a ring 21 slidably keyed to the hub 10. The recesses in the flange 11 are closed by a ring 25, the hub parts being secured together by shouldered rivets 26 passing through elongated holes in the parts 14, 16, which are free to rotate slightly. Both sets of recesses have parallel-sided ends and flaring mouths, so that, under driving or coasting loads, the spring bundles have gradually increasing contact with the walls of the recesses. The spokes 15 have bifurcated ends 32 internally serrated at 33 to engage the moulded or woven friction material 311. As shown in Fig. 1, fibre in the form of disconnected arcuate sections 34 is moulded on the spokes, the ends of the sections having overlapping portions 35 providing two diagonallyintersecting scarfed joints 36, 37, lubricant or antifriction material being preferably inserted between the overlapping faces, so that the ring 31<1> is slightly flexible. Fig. 3 shows a modified ring formed of a length of impregnated fabric 38, which is woven on a curve and with spaced pockets 39 receiving the spoke ends 32, the ends 40 of the fabric lying between the bifurcations of one spoke. The fabric is mounted in tension on the spokes, so that it does not wrinkle, loosen, or bulge and requires no fastening means. The open-spoke structure facilitates cooling, the insulating ring 16 preventing passage of heat to the hub.