One revolution clutch assembly using gears

A one revolution clutch assembly comprising:

• a drive rotating assembly which is mounted on a continuously rotating drive shaft, the drive assembly including a cylindrical cam having an engaging portion at a point on its peripheral surface, and a drive gear disposed for integral rotation with the cam;
• a driven rotating assembly including a driven gear having a hiatus along part of its periphery and disposed for intermittent engagement with the drive gear, and a cylindrical cam follower disposed for integral rotation with the driven gear and having on its peripheral surface means for engaging the engaging portion of the cylindrical cam;
• a retainer for retaining the driven gear in position whenever the hiatus of the driven gear is located opposite to the drive gear, the retainer comprising a cylindrical retaining cam coaxially mounted on the driven assembly, and a movable piece having its one end biased by a combination of an electromagnetic plunger and a spring into engagement with the retaining cam, the actuation of the electromagnetic plunger being effective to attract the movable piece against the resilience of the spring, the movable piece being engageable with a detent on the retaining cam to retain the driven assembly in position;
• and
• an engagement guiding device for guiding the cam follower into a position where it is engageable with the engaging portion of the cam when the retainer ceases to retain the driven gear, the engagement guiding device comprising a lever drive shaft mounted on a side face of the driven assembly at a location which is eccentric to the axis thereof, a crank lever having its one end rotatably mounted on the lever drive shaft, and resilient means connected to the crank lever for biasing the crank lever in one direction resiliently, the lever drive shaft being located such that when the retainer ceases to retain the driven gear, the crank lever permits a rotation of the driven assembly in order to engage the means for engaging of the cam follower with the engaging portion of the cam;
• the means for engaging being located such that when it has engaged the engaging portion to permit a rotation of the driven assembly, the drive gear can mesh with a tooth on the driven gear which is located at the terminal end, as viewed in the direction of rotation, of the hiatus.