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US 6,058,591 AGranted
Clutch drum and method of manufacture
AssigneeKoppy Corporation
InventorRonald E. Prater
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clutch drum is formed from a single piece of material. The clutch drum includes an inner surface having a plurality of spline portions interspersed with inner wall spaces. Each spline portion includes at least one slot to form at least one snap ring groove within the clutch drum. The outer surface of the clutch drum is smooth and continuous and adapted to receive a brake band. The clutch drum does not include any perforations or breaks through the single piece of material forming the cylindrical portion of the clutch drum.
Claims10
A method of forming a clutch drum comprising the steps of:
- (A) forming a generally cylindrical portion from a single piece of material such that the cylindrical portion has an inner wall and an outer wall;
- (B) forming a plurality of spline portions extending radially inward from said inner wall such that the spline portions are arcuately spaced by interspersed inner wall spaces;
- (C) forming a slot in each spline portion by deforming a portion of the material along each spline portion radially outward without perforating the cylindrical portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.