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US 4,832,542 AGranted
Clutching means adapted for tapping attachment
AssigneeTapmatic Corporation
InventorsAllan S. Johnson, Alf Eriksson
Life of this patent
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AssigneeTapmatic Corporation
InventorsAllan S. Johnson, Alf Eriksson
Estimating the term…
Clutching device particularly adapted for use in tapping attachments. The clutch is of the type having axial aligned driving and driven elements. The invention is illustrated in a reversible tapping attachment. In a preferred form the driving element is in the form of a sleeve having axial splines. The driven element has axial grooves. A ball retainer with angularly spaced balls provides for drive between the drive element and the driven element, the balls being engageable with the axial splines and with the axial grooves in the driven element. The improvement resides in that the axial grooves are not of the same width as the diameter of the balls but are of a width greater than the diameter of the balls, the width being preferably twice the diameter of the balls. Improved operation is realized in clutching and declutching and in the transfer through a neutral zone from direct drive to reverse drive. In the preferred embodiment the tapping attachment is of the free-axial float type.
In a coupling means for transmitting torque, in combination, means comprising a first element for imparting drive and a second element, which is a driven element, the coupling means being constructed to transmit torque between the first element and the second element, a ball retainer having angularly positioned drive balls, the said ball retainer and balls being interposed between the said elements, one of said elements having angularly spaced axial splines engageable with the balls, the other of said elements having angularly spaced vertical grooves engageable with the balls for transmitting drive, the said elements being relatively movable axially between engagement and non-engagement positions, the said vertical grooves having a width, which is greater than the diameter of the balls whereby engagement of the balls and disengagement with respect to the splines is facilitated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.