Centrifugal clutch

Abstract

A centrifugal clutch for a transport refrigeration system including an engine and a compressor is characterized by an improved drive connection between the clutch and the compressor. The clutch includes a rotor assembly connected with the engine, a housing centrifugally activated for rotation with the rotor assembly, and a coupling adaptor for transmitting rotation of the housing to a drive shaft of the compressor. The rotor assembly, housing coupling adaptor, and drive shaft are all coaxially arranged. The housing contains a plurality of radial rubber bushings for receiving drive pins which pass through radial openings in the coupling adaptor and which extend parallel to the axis of the adaptor. The drive pins and bushings minimize noise and vibrations within the clutch and prevent radial forces from being delivered to the compressor drive shaft.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.