US2738043A

US2738043A - Clutch control

Info

Publication number: US2738043A
Application number: US442343A
Authority: US
Inventors: William S Ferguson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-07-09
Filing date: 1954-07-09
Publication date: 1956-03-13
Anticipated expiration: 1973-03-13

Description

March 13, 1956 w. s. FERGUSON CLUTCH CONTROL Filed July 9, 1954 INTERNAL FOR. co'r'rou comausrlon GIN BLOWERS ENGINE CLUTCH INVENTOR W/l. LIAM SI FERGUSON ATTORNEY United States Patent() ,1 cc

CLUTCH CONTROL William S. Ferguson, Monroe, La. Application July 9, 1954, Serial No. 442,343 3 Claims- (Cl.- 192-5096) The present invention relates to a power shut-off device found particularly useful in combination with cotton gins.

In co-pending application Serial No. 435,148, filed June 8, 1954, by William S. Ferguson and Joseph V. Ferguson II as jointinventors, a cotton gin fire extinguishing system is disclosed and claimed. In thatsystem, it is vital that the blowers of the cotton gin be stopped when the fire extinguishing fluid is. released, and best'timing of such a-system requires that the releasingand thestopping be simultaneous.

One object of this invention is to provide remote control means for shutting off the power supply of cotton gins at the instant fire extinguishing fluidis released into the gm.

Another object of this invention is to provide means fq sq rol i g a c utch an th i e-t m a r m te point. It is also an object of this invention to provide means for positively positioning a pivoted lever or the like in one position by further means operable from a remote point without interfering with the normal operation of the lever.

A more specific object is the dual provision of (1) simple remotely controled means for disengaging the somewhat awkward manually operated clutch that is commonly used between internal combustion engines and fans of cotton gin blower systems to avoid transmitting the momentum of the engine to the fans, and (2) means responsive to the first means and movable therewith for throttling down the internal combustion engine to prevent it from racing unduly. Other objects of the invention will be obvious from this detailed specification and the attached drawings.

The objects of the invention are obtained by a combination which includes a power shut-off device comprising a cockable leaf spring having one free end and one end fixed on a base, a catch for holding the spring cocked, a remotely controlled release for the catch and means movable in response to the position of the free end of the spring for shutting off power.

Preferably, the spring is a heavy, straight leaf spring capable of moving about 25 pounds when it is cocked and released. With such a heavy spring it is desirable to have a lever operated cam or the like for pressing the spring to the cocked position.

It is also desirable to mount the spring in a frame with one end rigidly fixed at about right angles to about the middle of the frame base, with the other end free to move to and from a cooked position within the frame. The frame can be provided with suitable mounting means for attaching it adjacent the clutch handle of a cotton gin or the like.

To obtain more positive spring power it has been found desirable to use a compound leaf spring having two or more leaves at the point where the spring will be subjected to the greatest distortion.

The means for shutting off power preferably includes an arm slidably mounted in the frame with one end inside 2,738,043 atentedgMar. 13,

the frame operatively associated with the free end of the spring. The other end should be outside the frame in all positions of the spring and it is preferably provided with an open yoke. This construction permits the arm to move a clutch handle when the clutch is to be disengaged and at the same time, leaves the clutch handle free to be engaged and disengaged by an operator during the normal period when there is no emergency.

The remotely controlled catch may be manually operated, solenoid actuated or otherwise manipulated in accordance with known structures for this purpose. However, it has been found particularly desirable to use a manually operated catch which can be tripped by a remotely positioned pull cord, as this gives the positive operation required for an emergency device. The throttle retarding means preferably include an enclosed cable operatively attached at one end to the free end of the spring.

This invention will be better understood by reference to the attached drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an internal combustion engine driven cotton gin constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2'is an elevational view. partly in section of the clutch control showing the operative relationship of its elements;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view partly in section of one release catch used with the elutchcontrol.

Referring now to that preferred form of the invention shown in Fig. 1, an internal combustion engine is shown driving .fans'fora cotton gin through a standard clutch. The t h is n a e 3 .9 di enga ed by a st op.- erating handle indicated at 10 in the drawings. In the full line position of the clutch, it is engaged and the engine is driving the gin fans. The dotted line position indicates the disengaged clutch. A throttle 12 is provided for regulating the speed of the engine in the customary manner. A power shut-off device, indicated generally at 14, is fixed adjacent the clutch, with an arm 16 suitably positioned for disengaging the clutch. An enclosed cable 18 for regulating the throttle and a release cord 20 for actuating the clutch and throttle controls.

Details of the power shut-off device sometimes calied the clutch control, can be better identified in Fig. 2. it includes a frame 22 having a base 24 and a cooking lever 26 extends through a slot 28 in the front of the frame.

It will be seen that a compound leaf spring 36 is mounted in the frame with one end 32 rigidly mounted at right angles to the base 24. The other end of the spring 34 is free to be moved back and forth Within the frame. A catch indicated generally at 36 (Fig. 3) is positie-ned. in the upper part of the frame with a spring urged catch proper 38 extending into the arc of the free end 34 of the spring 30. The catch also includes a pivoted release 45 one end of which carries the pull cord 25) while the other end operates the catch proper. In Fig. 2 it will be seen that cocking lever 26 is fulcrumed on pivot 42 of the frame and is provided with a cam 24 for pushing the spring to the dotted line cocked position. The arm 16 is slidably mounted in the frame 22 by means of slideway 46 and a hole (not shown) is provided in one end of the arm for receiving the free end of the spring 34. This construction permits the slidable arm 16 to be moved by the position of the spring without any binding in a substantially frictionless manner. The other end of arm 16 is provided with a yoke 48 which assures engagement of the arm with the clutch handle when the cocked spring is released. Preferably the yoke is rotatable to permit installing the clutch control horizontally or vertically as appears desirable.

The enclosure of enclosed cable 18 is fixed on the frame 22 and the cable is fixed on the end of arm 16 at 50 so that the throttling control is directly associated with the clutch control and both are operatively associated with the free end of the spring.

In operation, the power shut-off device 14 is suitably attached on the clutch housing or adjacent the clutch of a cotton gin or the like with the slidable arm 16 positioned so that it will disengage the clutch when the spring 30 is in the normal or uncooked position. The enclosed cable 18 is then attached to the throttle 12 so that disengagement of the clutch by the slidable arm 16 will force the throttle to the idling position.

The cocking lever 26 is then moved to cam the spring to the dotted line cocked position. Catch 38 is cammed out of the Way as the spring goes past and then it holds the spring cocked and the cotton gin can be operated in its normal manner. Pull wire 20 is attached to the control box of a fire extinguisher system or the like so that actuation of the fire extinguisher system releases catch 38 and permits spring 30 to return to the full line position of Fig. 2 with a force of from about 25 to 75 pounds. That force is adequate to move clutch handle to the dotted line disengaged position of Fig. 1. Simultaneously, the wire of enclosed cable 18 is pulled by arm 16 to move the throttle to the idling position and thereby prevent the motor from racing unduly.

I claim:

1. A power shut-off device comprising a frame including a base, a leaf spring having one free end and one end mounted on said base with the mounting portion thereof rigidly fixed at about right angles to said base, a lever fulcrumed on said frame with a handle end extending outside said frame for manual actuation and the other end extending inside said frame for engagement with said spring to distort it into a cooked position on manual actuation, a catch mounted on said frame at a point near the free end of said spring for engaging the free end thereof and holding said spring in cocked position, a

clutch handle actuating arm extending substantially parallel to said base and slidably mounted in said frame, one end of said arm being in operative engagement with the distortable portion of said spring and the other end of said arm being outside the frame for moving a clutch handle to the disengaged position and means for releasing said catch.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1, for use in retracting a throttle and disengaging a clutch associated with a motor, which includes in addition, throttle retracting means operatively associated with the distortable portion of said spring, said clutch being operable by said spring through said clutch handle, whereby in the cocked position of said spring, the clutch may be engaged and the throttle maybe fully opened and in the normal released position of said spring, the clutch is positively disengaged and the throttle is retracted to prevent the motor from racing unduly.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said release means includes a pull cord operable from a distant point.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 773,336 Nystrom Oct. 25, 1904 858,915 Sheppard July 2, 1907 1,311,299 Therien July 29, 1919 1,390,854 Abbott et a1. Sept. 13, 1921 1,666,717 Northrop Apr. 17, 1928 1,734,037 Kelly Nov. 5, 1929 1,877,427 Pennington Sept. 13, 1932 2,421,050 Bibicofi May 27, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 265,469 Germany Oct. 8, 1913