US 4,830,163 A · Centrifugal clutch

Abstract

A centrifugal clutch comprises a driving plate having oppositely facing surfaces secured to an input shaft operatively connected to a driving source, a cylindrical bottomed drum detachably secured to an end, projecting from the input shaft, of an output shaft concentrically and relatively rotatably disposed within the input shaft, the cylindrical bottomed drum surrounding the driving plate, and a plurality of clutch springs each connected to each of a plurality of shoes which are supported on the plate for movement toward and away from an inner peripheral surface of the drum respectively by a plurality of stub shafts parallel to the input shaft, the clutch spring providing a spring force in a direction away from the inner peripheral surface of the drum. In the centrifugal clutch, a group of the shoes and clutch springs having respective weight and load which are set to transmit a relatively large torque between the input shaft and the output shaft are arranged closer to the closed end of the drum, and another group of shoes and clutch springs having respective weight and load set so as to transmit a relatively small torque between the input shaft and the output shaft are arranged closer to an opened end of the drum.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A centrifugal clutch comprising a driving plate having oppositely facing surfaces secured at its central portion to an input shaft operatively connected to a driving source, a cylindrical bottomed drum detachably secured to an end of an output shaft, projecting from said input shaft concentrically and relatively rotatably supported within said input shaft by bearing means, said cylindrical bottomed drum surrounding said driving plate, and a plurality of clutch springs each connected to each of a plurality of shoes which are supported on said plate for movement toward and away from an inner peripheral surface of said drum respectively by a plurality of stub shafts parallel to said input shaft, said clutch spring providing a spring force in a direction away from the inner peripheral surface of said drum, wherein a first group of said shoes having a weight and said clutch springs having a load which are set so as to transmit a relatively large torque between said input shaft and said output shaft are arranged on the driving plate surface facing the closed end of the drum and a second group of said shoes having a weight and said clutch springs having a load which are set so as to transmit a relatively small torque between said input shaft and said output shaft are arranged on the driving plate surface facing the opened end of said drum.

A centrifugal clutch for operatively connecting an input shaft to an output shaft, comprising:

a substantially disc-like driving plate having oppositely facing, radially extending surfaces secured to said input shaft,
a cylindrical drum concentrically surrounding said driving plate and said output shaft and being connected to said output shaft,
a plurality of first shoes connected to one of said driving plate surface for pivotal centrifugal movement about axes substantially perpendicular to said one surface into engagement with said drum for transmitting torque between said input shaft and said output shaft,
a plurality of second shoes having a different torque transmitting capacity than said first shoes connected to the other of said driving plate surfaces for pivotal centrifugal movement about axes substantially perpendicular to said other surface into engagement with said drum,
said cylindrical drum having a closed bottom end and an open end, said closed bottom end being depressed at a central portion thereof toward said open end and being secured at said depressed central portion to the position on said output shaft which is substantially axially aligned with the shoes located adjacent said bottom end of said drum, and
said shoes having the greater torque-transmitting capacity being disposed adjacent said closed drum bottom end.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Centrifugal clutch

Life of this patent

Centrifugal clutch

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25