Detent arrangement for the coupling pin of an overload element, particularly in an overload clutch

An overload clutch comprising:

• (a) a first clutch half;
• (b) a second clutch half facing said first clutch half;
• (c) a housing disposed adjacent said first clutch half;
• (d) a coupling pin including a longitudinal axis, a front pin end disposed within said first clutch half and a rear pin end disposed within said housing;
• (d) a detent arrangement having a locked position and an unlocked position, the locked position of said detent arrangement being defined by said front pin end being in form locking engagement with said second clutch half, and the unlocked position of said detent arrangement being defined by said form locking engagement having been released due to an overloading of said clutch, said detent arrangement being configured such that, during an overloading of said clutch, said coupling pin moves along said longitudinal axis and away from said second clutch half for releasing said form locking engagement, said detent arrangement further including a spring arrangement surrounding said rear pin end within said housing, said spring arrangement having a front spring end facing toward said front pin end, and a rear spring face facing toward said rear pin end;
• wherein said detent arrangement further includes:
• (i) a slide ring disposed within said housing and having a front slide ring face and a rear slide ring face, said front slide ring face being urged against said rear spring face, said slide ring thereby supporting said spring arrangement within said housing at said rear spring face;
• (ii) a radial shoulder disposed on said coupling pin at said front pin end, said radial shoulder being urged against said front spring face for supporting said spring arrangement within said housing at said front spring face;
• (iii) a radially outwardly extending coupling pin cone envelope face disposed on said coupling pin at said rear pin end, said coupling pin cone envelope face being oriented toward said second clutch half;
• (iv) a contact face disposed on said housing and oriented toward said second clutch half;
• and
• (v) a plurality of locking elements circumferentially distributed about said coupling pin such that, in a locking position of said detent arrangement, said locking elements are captured between said slide ring, said coupling pin cone envelope face, and said contact face, and such that, during an overloading of said clutch, said locking elements are displaced initially toward said longitudinal axis and thereafter generally parallel to said longitudinal axis within a housing bore surrounding said coupling pin and disposed further away from said second clutch half than said contact face.