Back to results
US 4,796,738 AGranted
Controllable clutch
AssigneeJ. C. Pemberton
InventorGregory M. East
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mechanical clutch which is selectively engageable and disengageable. Interposed between an input member and an output member are a plurality of clutch rollers. In disengaged mode they rotate freely, relative to the members. In engaged mode they bunch together, thereby locking together and to the members, all of which then move together as a unit. A control member is applied to the clutch rollers to either engage or disengage the clutch. The movement of the members may be rotary or linear.
Claims16
A clutch for selectively clutching and declutching a first member and a second member, comprising:
- a rail on said first member;
- a plurality of clutch rollers each in the form of a circular surface of revolution mounted for rotation about clutch roller axes transverse of said rail;
- said clutch roller axes being disposed on a clutch roller line substantially paralleling said rail;
- said clutch rollers being movable toward and away from each other;
- coupling means for coupling said rail and said clutch rollers for applying a rotative torque to said clutch rollers about their respective said axes, upon relative movement between said first member and said clutch rollers whenever said members are in a declutched condition;
- bunching means for causing said clutch rollers to bunch frictionally together and bind against rotation, thereby to lock said first member and said clutch rollers together, and including:
- control means distinct from said first member for selectively causing a control clutch roller at one end of said clutch roller line to move toward and contact the adjacent clutch roller;
- and
- load means including a load clutch roller disposed at the other end of said clutch roller line, and coupled to said second member for transmitting a load between said members, thereby clutching together said members.
6 more elements
A clutch comprising:
- a first member having a rail
- a plurality of clutch rollers mounted for rotation about clutch roller axes transverse of said rail;
- said clutch roller axes being disposed on a clutch roller line substantially paralleling said rail;
- said clutch rollers being movable toward and away from each other;
- coupling means for coupling said rail and said clutch rollers for imparting rotation to said clutch rollers upon relative movement between said first member and said clutch rollers and including meshing gear teeth on said rail and certain of said clutch rollers;
- bunching means for causing said clutch rollers to bunch frictionally together and bind against rotation, thereby to lock said first member and said clutch rollers together, and including:
- control means for causing a control clutch roller at one end of said clutch roller line to move toward and contact the adjacent clutch roller;
- a second member at the other end of said clutch roller line and
- load means including a load clutch roller adjacent said second member for transmitting a load between said members.
6 more elements
A clutch comprising:
- a rotatably mounted shaft member having a pair of axially spaced flanges;
- a cylindrical member mounted for rotation co-axially circumjacent said shaft member, leaving an annular space between said shaft member and said cylindrical member;
- a plurality of clutch rollers extending between said flanges in said annular space and having axes paralleling the axis of said shaft member and said cylindrical member, the axes of said clutch rollers being disposed on a generally circular clutch roller line;
- said clutch rollers being rotatable and being translatable toward and away from each along said clutch roller line;
- coupling means for coupling said cylindrical member and said clutch rollers for imparting rotation to said clutch rollers upon relative rotation between said cylindrical member and said shaft member;
- bunching means for causing said clutch rollers to bunch frictionally together along said clutch roller line and bind against rotation, thereby to lock said cylindrical member and said shaft member together;
- said bunching means including control means for causing a control clutch roller at one end of said clutch roller line to move toward and contact the adjacent clutch roller;
- and
- a load clutch roller at the other end of said clutch roller line for transmitting load between said cylindrical member and said shaft member.
6 more elements
A clutch comprising:
- a rotatably mounted shaft member having a pair of axially spaced flanges;
- a cylindrical member mounted for rotation co-axially circumjacent said shaft member, leaving an annular space between said shaft member and said cylindrical member;
- a plurality of clutch rollers extending between said flanges in said annular space and having axes paralleling the axis of said shaft member and said cylindrical member, the axes of said clutch rollers being disposed on a generally circular clutch roller line;
- said clutch rollers being rotatable and being translatable toward and away from each other along said clutch roller line;
- coupling means for coupling said cylindrical member and said clutch rollers for imparting rotation to said clutch rollers upon relative rotation between said cylindrical member and said shaft member and including internal rack teeth on said cylindrical member and meshing gear teeth on certain of said clutch rollers;
- bunching means for causing said clutch rollers to bunch frictionally together along said clutch roller line and bind against rotation, thereby to lock said cylindrical member and said shaft member together;
- said bunching means including control means for causing a control clutch roller at one end of said clutch roller line to move toward and contact the adjacent clutch roller;
- and
- a load clutch roller at the other end of said clutch roller line for transmitting load between said cylindrical member and said shaft member.
6 more elements
Continuously variable transmission, comprising:
- frame means;
- first and second shaft means journalled in said frame means;
- a clutch comprising
- a first member coupled to said first shaft means and having a rail;
- a second member coupled to said second shaft means;
- a plurality of clutch rollers mounted for rotation about clutch roller axes tranverse of said rail;
- said clutch roller axes being disposed on a clutch roller line substantially paralleling said rail;
- said clutch rollers being movable toward and away from each other;
- coupling means for coupling said rail and said clutch rollers for applying a rotative torque to said clutch rollers about their respective said axes, upon relative between said first member and said clutch rollers whenever said members are in a declutched condition;
- bunching means for causing said clutch rollers to bunch frictionally together and bind against rotation, thereby to lock said first member and said clutch rollers together, and including:
- clutch control means distinct from said first member for selectively causing a control clutch roller at one end of said clutch roller line to move toward and contact the adjacent clutch roller;
- load means including a load clutch roller disposed at the other end of said clutch roller line and coupled to said second member for transmitting a load between said members;
- and
- variable speed control means coupled to said clutch control means.
11 more elements
A clutch for selectively clutching and declutching a first member and a second member comprising:
- a rail on said first member;
- a plurality of clutch rollers each in the form of a circular surface of revolution mounted for rotation about clutch roller axes transverse of said rail;
- said clutch roller axes being disposed on a clutch roller line substantially paralleling said rail;
- said clutch rollers being movable toward and away from each other;
- coupling means for coupling said rail and said clutch rollers for applying a rotative torque to said clutch rollers about their respective said axes, upon relative movement between said first member and said clutch rollers whenever said members are in a declutched condition;
- bunching means for causing said clutch rollers to bunch frictionally together and bind against rotation, thereby to lock said first member and said clutch rollers together, and including:
- control means distinct from said member for selectively causing a control clutch roller at one end of said clutch roller line to move toward and contact the adjacent clutch roller or move away from and out of contact with said adjacent clutch roller;
- and
- load means including a load clutch roller disposed at the other end of said clutch roller line and coupled to said second member for transmitting a load between said members, thereby clutching together said members.
6 more elements
A clutch comprising:
- a first member having a rail;
- a plurality of clutch rollers mounted for rotation about clutch roller axes transverse of said rail;
- said clutch roller axes being disposed on a clutch roller line substantially paralleling said rail;
- said clutch roller axes being disposed on a clutch roller line substantially paralleling said rail;
- said clutch rollers being movable toward and away from each other;
- coupling means for coupling said rail and said clutch rollers for imparting rotation to said clutch rollers upon relative movement between said first member and said clutch roller and including meshing gear teeth on said rail and certain of said clutch rollers;
- bunching means for causing said clutch rollers to bunch frictionally together and bind against rotation, thereby to lcok said first member and said clutch rollers together, and including:
- control means for causing a control clutch roller at one end of said clutch roller line to selectively move toward and contact the adjacent clutch roller or move away from and out of contact with said adjacent clutch roller;
- a second member at the other end of said clutch roller line;
- and
- load means including a load clutch roller adjacent said second member for transmitting a load between said members.
8 more elements
A clutch for selectively clutching and declutching a first member and a second member comprising:
- a rail on said first member;
- a plurality of clutch rollers each in the form of a circular surface of revolution mounted for rotation about clutch roller axes transverse of said rail;
- said clutch roller axes being disposed on a clutch roller line substantially paralleling said rail;
- said clutch rollers being movable toward and away from each other;
- coupling means for coupling said rail and said clutch rollers for applying a rotative torque to said clutch rollers about their respective said axes, upon relative movement between said first member and said clutch rollers whenever said members are in a declutched condition;
- bunching means for causing said clutch rollers to bunch frictionally together and bind against rotation, thereby to lock said first member and said clutch rollers together, and including:
- control means distinct from said first member for selectively causing a control clutch roller at one end of said clutch roller line to selectively move away from and out of contact with said adjacent clutch roller thereby declutching said members;
- and
- load means including a load clutch roller disposed at the other end of said clutch roller line and coupled to said second member for transmitting a load between said members, thereby clutching together said members.
6 more elements
A clutch comprising:
- a first member having a rail;
- a plurality of clutch rollers mounted for rotation about clutch roller axes transverse of said rail;
- said clutch roller axes being disposed on a clutch roller line substantially paralleling said rail;
- said clutch rollers being movable toward and away from each other;
- coupling means for coupling said rail and said clutch rollers for imparting rotation to said clutch rollers upon relative movement between said first member and said clutch rollers and including meshing gear teeth on said rail and certain of said clutch rollers;
- bunching means for causing said clutch rollers to bunch frictionally together and bind against rotation, thereby to lcok said first member and said clutch rollers together, and including:
- control means for causing a control clutch roller at one end of said clutch roller line to selectively move away from and out of contact with said adjacent clutch roller;
- a second member at the other end of said clutch roller line;
- and
- load means including a load clutch roller adjacent said second member for transmitting a load between said members.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.