Low inertia clutch and brake system

A clutch and brake system for a press comprising:

• a rotatable shaft,
• a low speed clutch assembly including friction clutch surfaces mounted about said shaft,
• a high speed clutch assembly including friction clutch surfaces mounted about said shaft and spaced from said low speed clutch assembly,
• a brake assembly disposed between said low and high speed clutch assemblies and including friction surfaces mounted about said shaft, said brake assembly normally engaged to prevent rotation of said shaft,
• a pair of nonrotating integral annular pistons having first surfaces disposed against opposed sides of said friction surfaces of said brake assembly for normally engaging said brake assembly to prevent rotation of said shaft, said pistons also having second surfaces disposed radially outwardly from said brake assembly,
• spring biased rods associated with each of said pistons being disposed radially outwardly of said brake assembly for normally urging said piston toward said brake assembly, and
• means for applying pressurized fluid against said second surfaces to move said pistons toward said clutch assemblies to disengage said brake assembly and to engage one of said clutch assemblies.

In a low inertia clutch-brake assembly wherein a brake is located around a rotating shaft and is disposed between two clutch assemblies, the combination comprising:

• a pair of nonrotating annular pistons disposed about said shaft on opposite sides of the brake,
• a plurality of fastening means extending between said pair of pistons and disposed radially outwardly from said brake,
• springs for exerting a biasing force against said fastening means to normally bias said pistons toward one another to normally engage the brake, and
• means for admitting pressurized fluid against a selected one of said pistons to disengage the brake and to engage one of the clutches.

A clutch and brake system comprising:

• a rotatable shaft,
• a low speed clutch assembly including friction clutch surfaces mounted about said shaft,
• a high speed clutch assembly including friction clutch surfaces mounted about said shaft and spaced from said low speed clutch assembly,
• a brake assembly disposed between said low and high speed clutch assemblies and including friction surfaces mounted about said shaft, said brake assembly normally engaged to prevent rotation of said shaft,
• a stationary housing encircling said brake assembly,
• first and second integral annular pistons laterally slidable in opposite sides of said housing and having piston surfaces disposed radially outwardly of said brake assembly,
• said pistons also having brake engaging surfaces normally bearing against the sides of said brake assembly,
• said pistons also including clutch actuating surfaces for causing engagement of said clutch assemblies,
• means in said housing for selectively directing pressurized fluid against said piston surfaces to move said pistons laterally away from said housing for disengaging said brake assembly and for engaging a selected one of said clutch assemblies,
• a first set of bolts connected at one end to said first piston and extending into said housing,
• a second set of bolts connected at a second end to said second piston and extending into said housing,
• said first and second set of bolts alternatingly positioned circumferentially about said housing, and
• springs disposed about each of said bolts for biasing said pistons toward said housing.

A clutch and brake system comprising:

• a rotatable shaft,
• a low speed clutch assembly including friction clutch surfaces mounted about said shaft,
• a high speed clutch assembly including friction clutch surfaces mounted about said shaft and spaced from said low speed clutch assembly,
• a brake assembly disposed between said low and high speed clutch assemblies and including friction surfaces mounted about said shaft, said brake assembly normally engaged to prevent rotation of said shaft,
• a stationary housing disposed about said brake assembly and engaging outer peripheries of ones of said friction surfaces, said housing having a plurality of lateral apertures annularly spaced around said housing,
• first and second annular nonrotating pistons disposed about said shaft and laterally slidable in said housing,
• said pistons having piston surfaces disposed radially outward of said housing and having brake engaging surfaces for abutting the sides of said brake assembly,
• a first plurality of bolts connected at one end to said first piston and extending through alternate ones of said apertures in said housing,
• a second plurality of bolts connected at one end to said second piston and extending through the remaining alternate ones of said apertures in said housing, springs disposed about said bolts within said apertures in said housing for biasing said pistons toward one another for normally causing said brake assembly to be engaged, and
• means in said housing for directing pressurized fluid to a selected one of said piston surfaces to move one of said pistons to engage one of said clutch assemblies and to disengage said brake assembly.