Synchronized hub clutch
AssigneeThe Bendix Corporation
InventorRichard T. Hendrickson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A remotely controlled manual hub clutch assembly includes an axle and a wheel hub rotatably mounted on a vehicle housing. A pair of relatively movable coupling portions provide an engageable and disengageable driving connection between the axle and the wheel hub. The vehicle operator may engage and disengage the coupling members by moving a linkage connected to a movable one of the coupling members. A synchronizer prevents engagement of the coupling members until the rotation speeds of the wheel hub and the axle are substantially equalized so that the hub clutch can be engaged or disengaged while the vehicle is in motion. A non-rotating sleeve surrounds the axle and acts as a linkage to operate the coupling members.
Claims9
A hub clutch mechanism for a wheeled vehicle having a wheel support member rotatably mounted on the vehicle, a shaft member for transmitting torque to and from the wheel support member, coupling means for engaging and disengaging the wheel support member with the shaft member and linkage means with a first end and with a second end connected to the coupling means for engaging and disengaging the coupling means in response to operator input signals applied to the first end thereof, characterized by:
- synchronizing means for preventing engagement of the coupling means unless the rotation speed of the shaft member is substantially equal to the rotation speed of the wheel support member so that the coupling means may be engaged and disengaged while the vehicle is in motion;
- the coupling means comprising a first coupling member mounted for rotation with one of the shaft and wheel support members, and a second coupling member mounted for rotation with the other of the shaft and wheel support members, the coupling members being engageable and disengageable in response to movement of the linkage means;
- and
- the synchronizing means comprising a ring member mounted coaxially with respect to the shaft member and having a clutch surface thereupon, one of the ring and first coupling members having an axial bore defined therewithin, the other of the ring and first coupling members having a pin extending therefrom and received by the axial bore, and a clutch member mounted coaxially with respect to the shaft member, mounted for rotation with the second coupling member and having a clutch surface thereupon for frictional engagement with the ring member clutch surface to equalize the rotation speeds of the first and second coupling members.
A hub clutch mechanism for a wheeled vehicle comprising:
- a housing having a bore therewithin;
- a wheel support member rotatably mounted on the housing;
- a shaft member for transmitting torque to and from the wheel support member;
- coupling means for coupling and uncoupling the shaft and wheel support members, the coupling means comprising a first coupling member mounted for rotation with the wheel support member and a second coupling member mounted coaxially with respect to the shaft member and movable axially into and out of engagement with the first coupling member;
- linkage means with an end connected to the second coupling member for engaging and disengaging the coupling means in response to operator input signals applied to the other end thereof;
- and
- synchronizing means for preventing engagement of the coupling means unless the rotation speed of the shaft member is substantially equal to the rotation speed of the wheel support member so that the coupling means may be engaged and disengaged while the vehicle is in motion, the synchronizing means comprising a first ring member mounted for rotation with the second coupling member, the first ring member having a pin extending axially therefrom and having a first clutch surface thereupon, a second ring member extending from the first coupling member, the second coupling member having an axial bore therewithin for receiving the pin and the second ring member having a second clutch surface engageable with the first clutch surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.