Bi-directional centrifugal clutch

A bi-directional centrifugal clutch comprising:

• a clutch drum;
• a driving clutch member adapted to be rotated in first and second directions and having first and second drive pins;
• a pair of clutch shoes, each shoe defining a slot for receiving one of said drive pins and each having a pair of friction surfaces oriented to selectively engage said clutch drum, each of said slots having a pair of opposite slot ends engaged by one of said drive pins in accordance with rotation of said driving clutch member in said first and second directions;
• each of said clutch shoes being pivotable about its respective drive pin in response to rotational forces acting on said clutch shoe;
• one of said pair of friction surfaces on each clutch shoe engaging said clutch drum when said driving clutch member is rotatably driven in said first direction and the other of said pair of friction surfaces on each clutch shoe engaging said clutch drum when said driving clutch member is rotatably driven in said second direction.

A bi-directional centrifugal clutch comprising:

• a combination clutch drum and pulley operably connected to said drive shaft;
• a clutch drive plate adapted to be rotatably driven in first and second opposite rotational directions and having first and second drive pins thereon operable in both directions for driving said pulley member;
• a pair of clutch shoes, each shoe defining an arcuate slot for receiving a respective one of said drive pins and a pair of friction surfaces operable to engage said combination clutch drum and pulley selectively in accordance with rotation of said drive clutch plates in said first and second directions, each of said arcuate slots having a pair of opposite slot ends operable respectively in accordance with said first and second directions to be driven by a respective drive pin when received therein;
• each of said clutch shoes in cooperation with said respective arcuate slot being configured to effect pivotal movement of said respective clutch shoe about its respective drive pin in response to centrifugal force occasioned by the configuration of said clutch shoe and the rotation of said drive clutch plate in either of said first and second directions;
• whereby one friction surface on each clutch shoe is operated into engagement with said pulley when said drive clutch plate is rotatably driven in said first direction and the other friction surface on each clutch shoe is operated into engagement with said drive clutch plate when said drive clutch plate is rotatably driven in said second direction, said combination clutch drum and pulley being selectively driven when said drive clutch plate is driven in said first direction and said pulley driving said transmission drive shaft when said drive clutch plate is driven in said second direction.

A bi-directional centrifugal clutch comprising:

• a clutch drum;
• a driving clutch member adapted to be rotatably driven in first and second directions and having a plurality of drive pins thereon operable for driving said driven clutch member in both directions;
• a plurality of clutch shoes, each shoe defining a slot for receiving a respective one of said drive pins and a plurality of friction surfaces operable to engage said clutch drum selectively in accordance with rotation of said driving clutch member in said first and second directions, each of said slots having opposite slot ends engaged by a respective drive pin received therein in accordance with rotation of said drive clutch member in said first and second directions;
• each of said clutch shoes in cooperation with said respective slot being configured to effect pivotal movement of said respective clutch shoe about a drive pin in response to centrifugal force occasioned by the configuration of said clutch shoe and the rotation of said drive clutch member in either of said first and second directions;
• whereby one friction surface on each clutch shoe is operated into engagement with said driven clutch member when said drive clutch member is rotatably driven in said first direction and the other friction surface on each clutch shoe is operated into engagement with said drive clutch member when said drive clutch member is rotatably driven in said second direction.