GB498564A - Improvements in or relating to automatic clutches - Google Patents

Abstract

498,564. Change-speed gearing; friction clutches. HENRIOD, C. E. Feb. 22, 1938, No. 5637. Convention date, Feb. 22, 1937. [Class 80 (ii)] In an automatic clutch of which the driving and driven elements are engaged with one another by centrifugal masses acting against opposing means, the masses are of U-shape with their legs straddling the rotating assembly formed by the elements and at least one ball is interposed between each ball of the U-shaped masses and the adjacent face of the assembly in a groove radially inclined to the axis of rotation of the assembly so that radial movement of the centrifugal masses under increasing centrifugal force causes an engaging movement of the clutch. A driving member comprising a fly-wheel 3 and disc 1 rotates a plate 7 in unison therewith through U-shaped members 10, the legs of which are provided with tapered inclined recesses 15 for balls 14, 16, the members 10 being displaceable under centrifugal force to move radially in apertures 56, 57 in the disc 1 and plate 7 respectively, to draw together the plate and disc, against the action of springs 9, on to friction surfaces 6 on a driven plate 521. The clutch is shown combined with an automatic variable three-speed gear, the plate 52<1> being connected through a sleeve 20 with a low speed-gear train 21, 22 including a freewheel clutch 21<1>. The train wheel 22 drives, through a sleeve 24, a resilient disc 52<2> carrying a plate 25 operatively connected by balls 26, housed similarly to the balls 14, 16, to an annulus 27, itself similarly connected through balls 28 with an annulus 29 turning with the driven shaft 5. As the speed of the shaft 5 increases, a clutch 31 associated with a gear train 23, 23<1>, 22 for the second speed is engaged by the centrifugal action of U-shaped masses 36, mounted on the plate 25 in the same way as the masses 10 on the plate 1, this action bringing together the plate 25 and annulus 27. Further increase in the speed of the shaft 5 closes the disc 29 on to the annulus 27 through the action of similar centrifugal masses 46 on the annulus 27, the annulus 29 being carried by a resilient plate 52<3> to permit its displacement relatively to the shaft 5. Specification 484,198 is referred to. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 describes a construction in which the disc 1, Fig. 1 (Cancelled), carries studs 8 which project through the plate 7 and on each stud is mounted a disc 12 opposite a similar disc 11 on the plate 1. Recesses having inclined bottoms are formed in the inner surfaces of the discs to house the balls 14, 16 which support a centrifugal mass 10, the centrifugal force tending to separate the discs. The disc 7 is rotated solely by the action of the balls 14, 16 and the driving torque assists the separation of the discs. This separation moves the plate 1 and disc 7 towards one another and into engagement with friction surfaces 6 on both sides of a disc 4 corresponding to the plate 52<1>, Fig. 1. This subject-matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.