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US 4,057,134 AGranted
Automatic clutch wear adjuster
AssigneeBorg-Warner Corporation
InventorSidney Ulane Gatewood
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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AssigneeBorg-Warner Corporation
InventorSidney Ulane Gatewood
Estimating the term…
An automatic clutch wear adjuster incorporated in a clutch release bearing assembly which automatically compensates for facing or lining wear while maintaining clearance between the release bearing and clutch release levers in the engaged position of the clutch to provide the requisite free play at the clutch pedal and eliminate undesirable constant bearing engagement. The bearing assembly includes a sleeve encompassing the driven shaft, a collar telescoped on the sleeve, and a pair of oppositely disposed one-way clutches between the collar and sleeve to prevent relative movement between the sleeve and collar except where the clutch linings are worn resulting in greater return movement of the release levers. Where wear has occurred, the sleeve will move relative to the collar to adjust the length of the bearing assembly and retain the desired clearance between the bearing and release levers.
A self-adjusting clutch release bearing assembly operated by a clutch release fork, the clutch including clutch release levers adapted to be engaged by a release bearing to disengage the clutch, said bearing assembly comprising a bearing carrier adapted to axially reciprocate on the driven shaft and including a sleeve encompassing the driven shaft and supporting the release bearing, a collar telescoped over said sleeve and adapted to move relative thereto, means to limit movement of said collar away from said clutch, said clutch release fork being operatively connected to said collar, a pair of opposed one-way clutches between said sleeve and collar, and biasing means urging said one-way clutches apart so that at least one clutch is always engaged with said collar and sleeve and, at other times, both clutches are engaged with said collar and sleeve.
A self-adjusting clutch release bearing assembly operated by a clutch release fork and positioned on a driven shaft between a clutch and a transmission for a vehicle, the clutch including clutch release arms adapted to be engaged by a release bearing to disengage the clutch and said transmission including a stationary sleeve extending towards said clutch and encompassing the driven shaft, said bearing assembly comprising a bearing carrier axially reciprocable on said stationary sleeve and including a movable sleeve encompassing said stationary sleeve and supporting the release bearing on the end adjacent said clutch, a collar telescoped over said movable sleeve and operatively connected to said release fork, means to permit relative axial movement between said movable sleeve and collar but prevent relative rotation therebetween, said release fork preventing rotation of said collar, a reactor having an outer cylindrical wall partially encompassing said collar and an inner cylindrical wall joined by a base portion, said outer reactor wall having an offset providing a stop for the rear end of said collar, a pair of oppositely disposed pins extending outwardly from said collar, said outer reactor wall having a pair of axially elongated slots receiving said pins to limit relative axial movement between said collar and reactor, a compression spring extending between said reactor base portion and said collar, a stop shoulder on said transmission adapted to be engaged by said reactor base portion, said collar being cutaway at the rear portion of its interior surface to provide a pair of inclined surfaces diverging from a central point with each surface converging toward the exterior surface of said movable sleeve, a plurality of balls adapted to engage each inclined surface to form a one-way clutch between each inclined surface and said movable sleeve, a flat washer engaging each set of balls, and spring biasing means between and urging said washers outwardly against said sets of balls such that at least one set of balls and, at other times, both sets of balls are in continuous engagement with said collar and sleeve, said reactor inner wall terminating in a stop edge adapted to extend into said cut-away portion of the collar and engage the adjacent set of balls when said collar is retracted into said reactor, a bellows seal encompassing said collar and reactor and in sealing engagement with said collar and transmission, and a second seal on the front end of said collar in contact with said movable sleeve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.