US627627A - Friction-clutch. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Julie 2-7, I899.

N. SHAW.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

(Application filed May 25, 1896.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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HOTQ-LITNOH WASHINGTON, u. c.

No. 627,627. Patented June 27, I899.

N. SHAW.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

(Application filed May 25, 1896.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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m. 627,627. Patented June 27 I899.

N. SHAW.

FmcTmN- CLUTCH.

. (Application filed May 25, 1896.) I (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

iigzsgcs UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NOAH SHAW, OF EAU CLAIRE, \VISCONSIN.

FRICTION-CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 627,627, dated. a... 27,1899.

" Applicationfiled May 25,1896. stun No. 592.970. on model.)

clutches of this character that shall renderthe same very positive and powerful in firmly clutching the pulley on the shaft; and the invention also contemplates a novel construction and arrangement of parts whereby the members or jaws of the clutch shall be positively held against centrifugal force and prevented from being thrown thereby into contact with the rim or flange of the pulley when unclutched therefrom. In the attainment of this object the invention is especially directed toward positively preventing centrifugal force from throwing the inner clutch jaw or member outward against the rim or flange of the pulley and causing fire by friction, which is of quite frequent occurrence in friction-clutches that are not positively secured against being thrown in frictional contact with the rim or flange of the pulley by centrifugal action or force. 1

With these and other objects in View, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more.

fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an end view'of a pulley and an elevation of the improved friction-clutch used in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is an enlarged central longitudinal sectional View of the clutch. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail elevation of one side of a portion of the clutch-frame, one of the framearms beingillustrated as having fitted thereto the inner jaw or member of the clutch. Fig. 4 is a detail elevation of the inner clutch-jaw ormember of the clutch and its attachments. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5 5 of .Fig. 2. Fig. 6is a detail plan view of the sectional two-part angled toggle-lever. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail elevation of the toggle connections for the main adjustinglever, showing in dotted lines different positions of the connections. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the clutch, showing a modification in the toggle connections. Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, showing another modification in the toggle connections. Fig. 10 is a detail elevation of the main T-shap'ed adjusting-leverfor the clutch jaws or members. Fig. 11 is an enlargedlongitudinal sectional view of the hollow self-lubricating hub of the pulley. Fig. 12 is ase'ctional view on the line 12 12 of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a detail sectional View of the knuckle-collar.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates a shaft on which is loosely mounted a pulley 2, having at one side the usual offstanding clutch rim or flange 3 and fitted on a hollow self-lubricating hub 4. The hollow self-lubricating hub 4 is similar in construction to the hub disclosed in my former patent, No. 412,674, and is provided witha centrally-disposed annular lubrichamber 5 under centrifugal influence; but

when the pulley is un'clutched and is at rest on the shaft the lubricant settles in the lower part'of the hub, while the rotating shaft moves the oiling-ring, which insures a thorough distribution of the oil throughout the huband on the shaft, as'will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

At one side of the hub of the pulley 2 the shaft l-has splined or keyed thereon aframehub 9, carrying a clutch-frame 10', preferably of the spider type, and comprisinga plunecessary for the purposes of this invention to describe the clutch in connection with one of the frame-arms 11 of the spider clutchframe 10.

Each radial frame-arm 11 is arranged parallel with the adjacent loose pulley 2 and extends from its point of connection with the frame-hub 9 to a point in reasonably close proximity to the clutch rim or flange 3 of the pulley to provide for the proper disposition of the inversely and radially movable inner and outer clutch- jaws 12 and 13, respectively. The clutch- jaws 12 and 13 are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the frame-arm 11 and are designed to slide thereon inversely or in opposite directions to clutch or unelutch the rimor flange 3 of the pulley. Both of the clutch- jaws 12 and 13 are provided with straight shank portions let, resting flat against the sides of the frame-arm 11 and at the outer ends of said straight shank portions with the segmental clutch-heads 15, having recessed faces 16 to receive therein the wooden or other suitable clutch-shoes 17, which are also segmental in shape so as to evenly grip the inner and outer faces of the circular clutch rim or flange 3 of the pulley. It will be noted that the clutch-head 15 at the outer end of the straight shank portion 14 of the outer clutch-jaw 13 is angled in the usual way, so as to overhang the rim or flange 3 and dispose its clutch-shoe in a position so as to contact with the outer face or side of the said rim or flange, as will be readily understood by those acquainted with devices of this character. The straight shank portion 14 of each of the clutch-jaws slides flat against one side of the frame-arm 11 and is provided at its opposite side edges with the slide-flanges 18, which are overlapped by the combined guide and retaining plates 19, arranged at the 0pposite side edges of each jaw-shank 14, and bolted to the radial frame-arm 11 by means of the securing-bolts 20. The said combined guide and retaining plates 19 are readily attachable and detachable and provide simple and eflieient means for securing the clutchjaws respectively on opposite sides of the radial frame-arm 11, as clearly illustrated in the drawings,

Each radial frame-arm 1.1 is longitudinally slotted nearly its entire length to accommodate for movement therein the main T-shaped adjusting-lever 21. The main T-shaped adj usting-lever swings within the longitudinal slot 22 of the radial frame-arm 11, and is preferably of an open light construction, so as not to materially increase the weight of the clutch. The said T-shaped lever 21 essentially comprises a long lever-arm 23 and a cross-head 2i at the outer end of said long lever-arm 23, said cross-head being centrally pivoted within the outer end of the slot22 of the framearm 11 on the pivot-pin 25, and provided at directly opposite sides of its pivot with the lateral bearing-rings 26, which form rounded bearing ends at the extremities of the cross-head 24: of the T-lever 21. The rounded .bearing ends 26 of the cross-head of the T- lever Work freely in the bearing pockets or recesses 27, east in the shanks 14 of the 0ppositely-located clutch- jaws 12 and 13, and by reason of the location of the inner and outer jaw-shanks at opposite sides of the frame-arm 11 one end of the head of the T- lever engages with one jaw and the other end of the head of the T-lever engages with the other jaw, so that when the long lever-arm 23 of the T- lever is swung the two jaws will be moved inversely or in opposite directions to provide for clutching or nnclutching the pulley. At this point it will be noted that the construction of the rings or rounded ends 26 working in the recesses 27 dispenses with the necessity of pivot pins or rods at these points, and it will further be observed that the manner of mounting. the two jaws on the frame-arm allows the T-lever 21 to be pivoted or mounted on the frame-arm 11 at the farthest point possible from the frame-hub 9,

thereby admitting of forming the lever-arm 23 of a considerable length, so that the most powerful leverage possible will be secured from the main T-shaped adjusting-lever, as heretofore adj usting-levers of this character in some makes of friction-clutches have necessarily had short lever-arms by reason of the fact that the cross-heads ot' the levers have been mounted considerably nearer to the frame-hub 9 than illustrated and described in connection with the present invention, and this feature of the invention is very important, for it is well known that the power of a friction-clutch is proportionate to the length of the lever that actuates the clamping-jaws or members thereof.

Theinner end of the long lever-arm 23 of the T-lever 21 has pivotally fitted thereto, as at 28, one end of a togglelink 29, which is illustrated as being exterior-1y threaded and extending through a knuckle-collar 30, provided with oppositely-disposed trunnions or pivot-pins 31 and having the threaded togglelink 29 adjuslably secured therein by means of the threaded locking-nuts 32, engaging the threaded link 29 at opposite sides of the collar 30 and providing means for readily adjusting the distance between the lower end of the lever-arm 23 and the knuckle-collar 30 and for securing the toggle-link 29 in its adjusted position. The opposite trunnions or pivot-pins 31 of the knuckle-collar 30 loosely nection between the inner end of the T-lever 21 and one end of the toggle-lever 34 may be observed, as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings.

In Fig. 8 of the drawings the knuckle-collar 30 is illustrated as being interiorly threaded, and the toggle-link 29 is represented as being provided at one end with a wrenchhead'44 and at its other end with a tapered bearing-pin 45, loosely fitting in the pinsocket 46, formed in one side and at the lower end of the louglever-arm 23 of the T-lever 21, and in this construction to provide for the adjustment of the T-lever and the toggle-link connection between the same and the angled toggle-lever it is simply necessary toturn the link 29 in the threaded collar 30 and secure said link in its adjusted position by the locknut 32*,mounted thereon and working against one side of the threaded collar 30.

The modification illustrated in Fig. 9 is somewhat similar to that illustrated in Fig. 8, the essential difference between the two modifications being that the bearing-pin 45,

at one end of the link 29, works in the socket, 47 of a separate socket-plate 48, pivotally fitted to the inner end of the lever-arm 23 in the same manner as one end of the link 29, hereinbefore referred to.

In the several modifications of the toggle connections with the main adjusting T-lever '21 the toggle action is precisely the same and provides for imparting to the T-lever 21 a variable motion, by which greater power anda greater clearance are secured. It will further be observed that by reason of the particular arrangement of the toggle connections, and especially the knuckle connection between the toggle-link 29 and the outwardly-disposed arm of the toggle-lever 34, the first movement of the slide-block 43 in a direction toward the frame-hub 9 to close the clutchjaws onto the rim or flange 3 gives a very rapid movement to the T-lever 21 at the start; but as the slide-block continues to move the second toggle-link 41 and the link 29 assume 3 of the pulley. On the other hand, the adjustment of the slide-block 43 away'from the frame-hub 9, in connection with the long length of the lever arm 23, provides for giving the two clutch jaws or members a wide clearance from the 'clutch' rim or flange 3 of the pulley.

A very important feature of the present invention is the spring arrangement in connection with the inner clutch jaw or member 12, and to provide for the proper support ant positioning of the springs a spring-holding yoke 49 is'employed. The spring-holding yoke 49 essentially comprises a plate 50, having a pair of oppositely-extending arms 51, provided at their extremities with outwardlydisposed studs or pins 52, on which studs or pins 52 are fitted the inner end of retainingsprings 53, the outer ends of which springs bear against the shoulder-flanges 54, projected outwardly from one side of the combined guide and retaining plates 19, that slidably secure the shank of the inner clutch-jaw 12 on the frame-arm 11. The yoke-plate of the springholding yoke 49 is secured by means of a bolt 55 to the outer side of the shank 14 of the inner movable clutch jaw or memberl2, as clearly illustrated in the drawings.

The tension of the springs 53 is adjusted by the adjustment of the togglelink 29, as will be obvious, and said tension of the springs is always exerted in a direction to force the inner clutch jaw or member away from the clutch rim or flange of the pulley, thereby holding the inner clutch jaw or member against the centrifugal force away from the rim when the clutch is thrown off and maintaining the same clearance from the rim or flange by both jaws or members of the clutch, notwithstanding that there maybe lost motion in the toggle connections and levers. In the construction of friction-clutches it has been the practice in some makes of clutches to apply a spring to the outer jaw or member, as set forth in my former patent, No. 412,674, and at the same time to also make the outer jaw or member heavier than the inner jaw or member, so that the centrifugal force, together with the spring, will hold the clutchjaws apart when the clutch is thrown 01f; but in practice lost motion and the wear of the different parts is such that very frequently the inner clutch jaw or member is not prevented from being thrown outward by centrifugal force and rotated in frictional contact with the rim or flange 3 and often producing fire. The construction herein described obviates these disadvantages and further permits the weight of the outer jaw or member tob'e materially reduced, as whatever the weight of the outer jaw or member may be the centrifugal force is always ample to hold it, out of contact with the rim or flange when the clutch is released.

Each frame-arm 11 of the spider clutchframe 10 is provided in opposite side edges 56 with metal provides for balancing the weight of each clutch-arm and the clutch devices carried thereby and avoids the necessity and expense of fastening an unsightly piece of iron on the clutch-frame for this purpose.

In order to provide for a proper balancing pf the weight of each clutch-arm and of the clutch devices carried thereby, it is preferable that the pockets 56 be formed in the opposite side edges of each radial arm. Furthermore, it will be observed that the pockets 56 partially pierce the side portions of the arm and have their open sides facing the spaces between the arms, so as to be exposed in a manner that they may be conveniently filled with molten metal, a sufficient quantity of which metal is poured into the difierent pockets until the clutch-frame is properly balanced. It is also to be noted that by reason of having the pockets 56 formed directly in the clutch-arm the soft-metal fillings are entirely housed or concealed and practically form a homogeneous part of the spider clutch-frame, and by reason of said weight-pockets being disposed in the plane of rotation of the clutchframe there is no tendency of the metal fillings to work loose and fly out of the pockets under centrifugal force.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a friction-clutch, a pair of inversely and radially movable clutch-jaws, a pivotally-supported T-lever having a pivotal con- .nection with each of said jaws and provided with a straight lever-arm, a suitably-supported angled toggle-lever having a short arm disposed in an outward direction, a straight toggle-link having a connection with the inner extremity of the T-lever, a pivotal knuckle connection with the outwardly-disposed arm of said toggle-lever,a slide-block, means for adjusting the toggle-link longitudinally within' its knuckle connection, and a toggle-link connection between the slide-block and the other arm of the toggle-lever, thereby completing a system of levers providing forimpartinga variable motion to the straight lever-arm of the T-lever, substantially as set forth.

, 2. In a friction-clutch,the combination with a shaft and a pulley having a clutch-rim, of a clutch-frame having a longitudinally-slotted frame-arm, inner and outer oppositely-movable clutch-jaws mounted to slide on opposite sides of the frame-arm and each provided with a shank portion having therein a bearing pocket or recess, a T-shaped adjustinglever having a straight lever-arm and a crosshead at the outer end of said lever-arm, said cross-head being centrally pivoted in the slotted frame-arm and provided with rounded ends having a peripheral pivotal bearing in the bearing pockets or recesses of said jawshanks, a suitably-supported angled togglelever, a toggle-link having a connection with the straight lever-arm of the T-lever and a knuckle connection with one end of said toggle-lever, aslide-block, and a toggle-link connection between said slide-block and the other end of said toggle-lever, substantially as set forth.

3. In a friction-clutcl1,the combination with a shaft and a pulley having a clutch-rim; of a clutch-frame having a frame-arm, the inner and outer oppositely-movable clutch-jaws, a T-lever pivoted at the center of its cross-head to the frame-arm and having a pivotal connection with each of said jaws in recesses thereof, a suitably-supported angled togglelever, a knuckle-collar pivotally mounted at one end of the outwardly-disposed arm of said toggle-lever, a toggle-link having an adjustment throughout its entire length within said kn uckle-collar and having a pivotal connection at one end with the inner extremity of said T-lever, a slide-block, and a togglelink connection between said slide-block and said toggle-lever, substantially as set forth.

4. In afriction-clutch,the combination with a shaft and a pulley having a rim; of a clutchframe having a frame-arm, inner and outer oppositely-movable jaws, a T- shaped adj usting-lever pivoted at the center of its crosshead to the frame-arm and having the opposite ends of its cross-head pivotally engaging with said jaws in recesses thereof, a suitablysupported angled toggle-lever comprising a pair of twin-spaced members angled to form short and long arms, a knuckle-collar having an unthreaded opening therethrough and oppositely-disposed trunnions pivotally engaging the short outwardly-disposed arms of the angled toggle-lever, a straight toggle-link threaded from end to end and extending through the opening in the knuckle-collar, said threaded toggle-link having a pivotal connection with the inner extremity of the T- shaped lever, locking-nuts mounted on the threaded link at opposite sides of the knucklecollar, a slide-block, and a toggle-link connection between the slide-block and said toggle-lever, substantially as set forth. I

5. In a friction-clutch,the combination with a shaft and a pulley having a clutch-rim; of a clutch-frame having a frame-arm provided with a pair of offstanding projections, the inner and outer oppositely-movable jaws, a separate yoke-plate fixedly secured to the inner jaw and provided with a pair of oppositely-extending arms, and springs fitted to the separate arms of the yoke-plate and bearing against the projections of the frame-arm, substantially as set forth.

6. In a friction-clutcl1,tl1e combination with a shaft and a pulley having a clutch-rim; of the clutch-frame having a f ra me-arm provided with outwardly-projected shoulder-flanges, the inner and outer oppositely-movable jaws, a separate yoke-plate fixedly secured at its outer end to the inner jaw and provided with a pair of oppositely-extending arms having at their extremities outwardly-disposed studs or spaces between the arms, and soft metal 7 pins, springs arranged over said studs or pins Weights filling and concealed Within said and bearing at one end against said shoulderpockets, to provide for balancing the weight I 5 flanges, and'means for adjusting the jaws toof each arm and of the clutch devices carried 5 ward and against said rim, substantially asthereby, substantially as set forth.

set forth. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 7. In a friction-clutch, the spider clutchmy own I have hereto affixed my signatnrein frame provided in the opposite edges of each the presence of two witnesses.

radial arm with weight-pockets disposed in NOAl-I SHAV. IO the plane of rotation of the frame, said pock- Witnesses:

ets partially piercing the side portions of the H. G. STEARNS,

arms, and having their open sides facing the J. ANDERSON.

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