Clutch lever for racing car
AssigneeDon Schumacher Racing Corp.
InventorJoseph Albert Heath
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clutch lever for a centrifugal clutch applies axial pressure on one or more clutch disc assemblies as a function of the rotational speed of the engine. The clutch levers are formed with two pieces when joined together form a joint that opposes the shear force exerted on the contact surface when the clutch lever is applying axial forces against the clutch disc assemblies. One piece is formed as a replaceable nose piece or contact surface portion which obviates the need to replace the entire clutch lever when one becomes damaged. The other piece is complementary and is configured to be pivotably mounted with respect to the pressure plate, When the nose piece portion breaks, only one piece of the clutch lever needs to be replaced.
Claims21
A clutch lever for applying an axial clamping force to a clutch assembly portion of a centrifugal clutch as a function of a centrifugal force applied to the clutch lever, the clutch lever comprising:
- a lever portion, said lever portion having (i) a first aperture adapted to enable said lever portion to be pivotally mounted with respect a pressure plate that forms a portion of said clutch assembly, and (ii) a first mating surface,
- wherein the lever portion is configured to pivot about a pivot axis;
- and
- a replaceable nose piece portion, said replaceable nose piece portion having a second mating surface,
- wherein said second mating surface is (i) complementary to said first mating surface, and (ii) configured to form a joint with said first mating surface that enables said replaceable nose piece portion to slideably engage said lever portion in a direction substantially parallel to the pivot axis,
- wherein said lever portion and said replaceable nose piece portion slideably engage to form a single clutch lever for use in a said clutch assembly.
A clutch assembly for use in a centrifugal clutch, the clutch assembly comprising:
- a pressure plate, the pressure plate being configured to rigidly coupled with a flywheel of a vehicle engine;
- spacer plate operatively coupled to the pressure plate, wherein the spacer plate is spring biased toward the pressure plate;
- a plurality of clutch discs, wherein one of said plurality of clutch discs is configured to selectively engage the spacer plate;
- and
- a plurality of clutch levers pivotally connected to the pressure plate by way of a pivot point, each of said plurality of clutch levers having
- (1) a lever portion, said lever portion having (i) a first aperture adapted to enable said lever portion to be pivotally mounted with respect the pressure plate, and (ii) a first mating surface,
- wherein the lever portion is configured to pivot about a pivot axis, and
- (2) a replaceable nose piece portion, said replaceable nose piece portion having a second mating surface,
- wherein said second mating surface is (i) complementary to said first mating surface, and (ii) configured to form a joint with said first mating surface that enables said replaceable nose piece portion to slideably engage said lever portion in a direction substantially parallel to the pivot axis.
A centrifugal clutch, the centrifugal clutch comprising:
- a pressure plate, the pressure plate being configured to rigidly coupled with a flywheel of a vehicle engine;
- spacer plate operatively coupled to the pressure plate, wherein the spacer plate is spring biased toward the pressure plate;
- a plurality of clutch discs, wherein one of said plurality of clutch discs is configured to selectively engage the spacer plate;
- and
- a plurality of clutch levers pivotally connected to the pressure plate by way of a pivot point, each of said plurality of clutch levers having
- (1) a lever portion, said lever portion having (i) a first aperture adapted to enable said lever portion to be pivotally mounted with respect the pressure plate, and (ii) a first tapered mating surface,
- wherein the lever portion is configured to pivot about a pivot axis, and
- (2) a replaceable nose piece portion, said replaceable nose piece portion having a second tapered mating surface,
- wherein said second tapered mating surface is (i) complementary to said first tapered mating surface, and (ii) configured to form a joint having an irregular profile with said first tapered mating surface that enables said replaceable nose piece portion to slideably engage said lever portion from a single direction that is substantially parallel to the pivot axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.