Patent ID: 7344011
Filing Date: 2008-03-18
Classification: F16D

Abstract:
1. A self energising friction clutch comprising; a shaft which is rotatable about its axis, a clutch disc which is concentrically fixed to the shaft, engaging means for disengaging and engaging the disc from and with structure adjacent the disc, including a wedging arrangement which includes a wedge member having a wedge angle [ ], a first face of which rests on a first face of the disc with the second face of the wedge member, opposite its first face, tapering towards the first face of the member in the direction of rotation of the disc and from a first end of the wedge member towards the smaller second end of the wedge member, an actuator for moving the engaging means between its disengaged and engaged positions of operation, including a pin which passes through the structure in a direction normal to the disc face and carries a head which has a formation which projects beyond the side of the pin to bear on the first end of the wedge member, and a ramp formation, which is fixed to the structure and on which the second face of the wedge member is movable by the actuator in the direction of rotation of the disc between its rest position on the disc and a second position to which the disc is progressively locked by wedging action to the structure with the locking force applied by the wedge member to the disc, during rotation of the disc, being substantially greater than the actuator force required to move the wedge to its locked position with the disc stationary relatively to the structure.