Clutch assembly with two outputs for an agricultural harvester row unit

A row unit, comprising:

• a first rotor assembly;
• a second rotor assembly;
• and
• a dual-output clutch assembly comprising:
• a shaft;
• a first gear configured to drive the first rotor assembly to rotate;
• a second gear configured to drive the second rotor assembly to rotate;
• a first radial pin clutch comprising a first plurality of radial pins movably coupled to the shaft, wherein the first gear has a first plurality of recesses configured to receive the first plurality of radial pins, the first plurality of radial pins is configured to move in a radial direction between a first engaged state and a first disengaged state, the first plurality of radial pins is configured to engage the first plurality of recesses while in the first engaged state to block rotation of the first gear about the shaft, and the first plurality of recesses is configured to drive the first plurality of radial pins to the first disengaged state to enable rotation of the first gear about the shaft in response to a first torque between the first gear and the shaft exceeding a first threshold torque;
• and
• a second radial pin clutch comprising a second plurality of radial pins movably coupled to the shaft, wherein the second gear has a second plurality of recesses configured to receive the second plurality of radial pins, the second plurality of radial pins is configured to move in the radial direction between a second engaged state and a second disengaged state, the second plurality of radial pins is configured to engage the second plurality of recesses while in the second engaged state to block rotation of the second gear about the shaft, the second plurality of recesses is configured to drive the second plurality of radial pins to the second disengaged state to enable rotation of the second gear about the shaft in response to a second torque between the second gear and the shaft exceeding a second threshold torque, and the first radial pin clutch is configured to operate independently of the second radial pin clutch.

A method of manufacturing a dual-output clutch assembly for a gear drive assembly, comprising:

• disposing a first radial pin clutch and a first gear about a shaft, such that the first radial pin clutch is disposed between the shaft and the first gear, wherein the first gear is configured to drive a first rotor assembly to rotate;
• and
• disposing a second radial pin clutch and a second gear about the shaft, such that the second radial pin clutch is disposed between the shaft and the second gear, wherein the second gear is configured to drive a second rotor assembly to rotate;
• wherein the first radial pin clutch comprises a first plurality of radial pins movably coupled to the shaft, the first gear has a first plurality of recesses configured to receive the first plurality of radial pins, the first plurality of radial pins is configured to move in a radial direction between a first engaged state and a first disengaged state, the first plurality of radial pins is configured to engage the first plurality of recesses while in the first engaged state to block rotation of the first gear about the shaft, and the first plurality of recesses is configured to drive the first plurality of radial pins to the first disengaged state to enable rotation of the first gear about the shaft in response to a first torque between the first gear and the shaft exceeding a first threshold torque;
• wherein the second radial pin clutch comprises a second plurality of radial pins movably coupled to the shaft, the second gear has a second plurality of recesses configured to receive the second plurality of radial pins, the second plurality of radial pins is configured to move in the radial direction between a second engaged state and a second disengaged state, the second plurality of radial pins is configured to engage the second plurality of recesses while in the second engaged state to block rotation of the second gear about the shaft, and the second plurality of recesses is configured to drive the second plurality of radial pins to the second disengaged state to enable rotation of the second gear about the shaft in response to a second torque between the second gear and the shaft exceeding a second threshold torque;
• and
• wherein the first radial pin clutch is configured to operate independently of the second radial pin clutch.