Overrunning clutch

In a combination of a sprag clutch with a deep-groove ball bearing having inner and outer races having circumferential grooves and axial shoulders defining a raceway;

• a plurality of bearing balls disposed in the raceway in alignment with the common central radial plane of the races;
• a plurality of sprags disposed in pairs in the raceway, the sprags of each sprag pair being situated axially adjacent on one and the other side of the raceway occupied by the bearing balls;
• the bearing balls and the sprag pairs being arranged alterantely in the circumferential direction;
• spring means for urging each sprag into coupling engagement with the race shoulders;
• and a cage ring disposed in the raceway for supporting the balls and the sprags and maintaining a spacing therebetween;
• the improvement comprising two identical radial cage ring halves abutting one another in and along the zone of said radial running plane to constitute said cage ring;
• each cage ring half having:
• a. a continuous circumferential terminal wall disposed spaced from the abutting faces of the two cage ring halves, said terminal wall having an outer face constituting the outer radial edge face of said cage ring half;
• b. means defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced first recesses, each receiving and pivotally supporting a sprag and its associated spring means;
• c. means defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced pockets, each receiving a bearing ball;
• the number of said pockets being one half the number of said bearing balls;
• each pocket being formed as a jaw surrounding the associated bearing ball over more than one half of its circumference;
• and
• d. means defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced second recesses, each receiving a bearing ball;
• the number of said second recesses being one half the number of said bearing balls;
• said pockets and said second recesses being arranged alternately;
• the two identical cage ring halves being staggered with respect to one another by the extent of one ball pitch, whereby with each said pocket provided on either cage ring half there is axially aligned one of said second recesses in the other cage ring half.