Semi-automatic roller locking clutch
AssigneeWarn Industries, Inc.
InventorThomas M. Telford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A semi-automatic roller type locking clutch for use between concentric rotational driving and driven members comprises a semi-automatic locking means and a manually activated locking means. The semi-automatic locking means is adapted to displace a plurality of rollers each disposed within a plurality of grooves circumferentially disposed on one member up onto one edge of the grooves and into contact with one edge of each of a plurality of grooves disposed on the other member whenever the driving member rotates faster than the driven member. The manually activated locking means is adapted to urge a clutch ring member slidably splined to one member into splined engagement with the other member when the members are nonrotational with respect to each other.
Claims9
In a semi-automatic roller type locking clutch for use between rotational, concentric driving and driven members, with one of said members having a plurality of axially extending grooves therein opening radially outwardly toward said other member with each of said grooves having a roller disposed therein, and the other member having a plurality of axially extending grooves therein opening radially inwardly toward said other grooves, said clutch comprising:
- (a) torque responsive means moving each of said rollers radially out of its groove up onto one edge thereof and into contact with one edge of each groove disposed within said driven member whenever said driving member rotates faster than said driven member;
- (b) a clutch ring axially slidable along and in splined engagement with one of said members, said clutch ring being urgeable into a simultaneous splined engagement with the other of said members;
- and
- (c) a dial member having a dial screw extending within and spaced apart from said clutch ring;
- (d) a clutch cup abutting said clutch ring and disposed around and in spaced apart relation from said dial screw, said clutch cup being axially slidable along one of said members;
- (e) a clutch nut abutting said clutch ring and in threaded engagement with said dial screw, said clutch nut being slidably engaged to said clutch ring and movable axially along said dial screw apart from said clutch nut as said dial member is rotated and said clutch ring is not urged into a simultaneous splined engagement with said other member;
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- (f) means urging said clutch cup into said clutch ring and said clutch ring into a simultaneous splined engagement with said members when said members are nonrotational and said dial member is rotated.
A manually operable means for locking rotational, concentric driving and driven members each having a plurality of axially extending grooves therein, with the grooves in one member opening radially toward the grooves in said other member comprising:
- (a) a clutch ring being axially slidable along and in splined engagement with the grooves of one of said members, said clutch ring having a plurality of grooves disposed circumferentially along its inside surface thereof adapted to be urged into a splined engagement with the grooves in the other of said members;
- (b) a dial member disposed adjacent said clutch ring having a dial screw secured thereto, said dial screw adapted to extend coaxially within said clutch ring and in spaced apart relation thereto;
- (c) a clutch cup abutting said clutch ring and disposed about said dial screw in a spaced apart relation thereto, said clutch cup being axially slidable along and in a splined engagement with the grooves of said driven member;
- (d) a clutch nut abutting both said clutch ring and said clutch cup and in a threaded engagement with said dial screw, said clutch nut having a plurality of teeth disposed circumferentially around its outside surface thereof adapted to be axially slidable along and in a splined engagement with said grooves disposed within the inside surface of said clutch ring, said clutch nut being adapted to move axially along said dial screw and apart from said clutch nut when said dial member is rotated and said grooves in said clutch ring are not aligned with said grooves in said other member;
- and,
- (e) means urging said clutch cup into said clutch ring and said clutch ring into a simultaneous splined engagement with said members as said dial member is rotated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.