Abstract:
An improved self-engaging clutch having a carrier plate with one or more clutch actuator fingers formed into the carrier plate.

Description:
1. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/076,234 filed on Nov. 6, 2014. This parent application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     2. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to improvements to a self-engaging clutch. More particularly, the present invention relates to a carrier plate having one or more actuator fingers formed from the carrier plate. 
       3. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention is an improvement to the Manual Disengaging and Self-Engaging Clutch disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,891,641 (the &#39;641 Patent). The &#39;641 Patent is incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0004]    The &#39;641 Patent relies on an engaging plate with one or more bores formed radially in the circumferential edge of the engaging plate. Each bore has a coil spring inserted into it along with a plunger pin. It is this structure that is used to engage the clutch. 
         [0005]    The shortfall of the design of the engaging plate shown in  FIG. 8  of the &#39;641 Patent is that it requires extensive and precise machining of the engaging plate. This adds to the cost of manufacture of the device. 
         [0006]    What is needed, therefore, is an improved engaging plate that does not require extensive machining. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention achieves its objections by providing an engaging plate that is useable with the self-engaging clutch found in the &#39;641 Patent.  FIGS. 2-4  of this application show the improved mechanism in use on a winch with a three stage planetary gear drive. The clutch action occurs on the third stage gear set. When the clutch is disengaged, the ring gear of the third stage rotates freely within the winch housing. Thus, the motor input shaft is disengaged from the drum. This is seen in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0008]    In the engaged position, as best seen in  FIG. 4 , the clutch plunger is in one of the clutch engagement cavities of the third stage ring gear. This locks the third stage ring gear relative to the winch housing. This causes the rotation of the motor input shaft to be transferred through the output gear set or third stage and onto the rotation of the drum. In the engaged position, the motor input shaft is engaged with the drum. 
         [0009]    The present invention has a clutch actuator finger that is cut into or otherwise formed from the second stage carrier plate. The clutch actuator finger has suitable dimensions to provide a resilient or springy character. Thus, the actual dimensions of the clutch actuator finger are dependent upon the characteristics of the material and dimensions of the carrier plate. 
         [0010]    With the semi-automatic clutch in a disengaged position, the carrier plate rotates about the center line of the planetary gear drive. This causes the clutch actuator finger to push on the shoulder of the actuator. As the finger pushes the actuator past center, a spring force pushes the clutch plunger to the engaged position where it locks the third stage ring gear relative to the winch case. The clutch can be disengaged by the operator rotating the clutch handle such that the linkage pulls the clutch plunger out of the clutch engagement cavity of the third stage ring gear. 
         [0011]    The present invention may also incorporate more than one clutch actuator finger on the carrier plate. This configuration would have the benefit of only requiring a partial revolution of the carrier plate before the clutch is engaged. For example, if two clutch actuator fingers are used, it would only take half a revolution of the carrier plate to engage the clutch. Similarly, if four clutch actuator fingers are used, it would only take a quarter revolution of the carrier plate before the clutch is engaged. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be shown in further detail. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings (which are not to scale) where: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a winch with a planetary gear drive; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a cross section view of a winch with a planetary gear drive containing an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention with the mechanism in the dis-engaged position; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention with the mechanism in the engaged position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0017]    Turning now to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like or similar parts throughout,  FIG. 1  illustrates a winch  10  with a planetary gear drive  12 .  FIGS. 2-4  provide cross section views to better explain the invention. In this case the planetary gear drive  12  has a first, a second and a third planetary gear set  14 ,  16  and  18 . The winch  10  has a frame  20  carrying a motor  22 , drum  24  and planetary gear drive  12 . Line  26  is wound on the drum  24 . Rotational power is transferred from the motor  22  to the planetary gear drive  12  via a drive shaft  28  passing through the hollow center of the drum  24 . The rotational power is transferred from the planetary gear drive  12 . Thus the motor  22  can be used to wind and unwind the line  26  from the drum  24 . The drum  24  can also be placed in a free wheel condition by disengaging the clutch  40 . This allows the line  26  to freely unwind from the drum  24 . 
         [0018]    Each of the first, second and third planetary gear set  14 ,  16  and  18  have a sun gear  30  with a plurality of planet gears  32  engaging with and orbiting around the sun gear  30 . Each planet gear  32  is mounted on the planet carrier  34  by a planet pin  36 . Each gear set  14 ,  16  and  18  also has a ring gear  38  extending around and engaging with the planet gears  32 . 
         [0019]    Rotational power is transmitted from the first gear set  14  to the second gear set  16  and on to the third gear set  18  in a manner that is well known in the art. When the clutch  40  is disengaged the ring gear  38  of the third gear set  18  is allowed to rotate relative to the frame  20 . Thus the rotational power is not transmitted onto the drum  24 . This rotational power can be transmitted to the drum by engaging the clutch  40 . This locks the ring gear  38  of the third gear set  18  relative to the frame  20  of the winch  10  and causes the rotation power to be transferred through the third gear set  18  and into the drum  24 . 
         [0020]    The clutch  40  can be manually engaged or disengaged through operation of the handle  42 . The frame  20  has a cavity  44  located adjacent to the ring gear  38  of the third gear sets  18 . The exterior surface  46  of the ring gear  38  has one or more cavities  48  which pass next to the cavity  44  in the frame  20 . There is a pin  50  adjacent to the handle  42  such that movement of the handle  42  causes the pin  50  to move into and out of the cavities  44  and  48 . 
         [0021]    When the pin  50  is extended it fits into the cavities  44  and  48 . This locks the ring gear  18  stationary relative to the frame  20  and places the clutch  40  in the engaged position. The rotational power is then transferred to rotating the drum  24  either in or out. 
         [0022]    The planet carrier  34  of the second gear set  16  has a clutch actuator finger  52 . The finger  52  is located such that as the planet carrier  34  of the second gear set  16  rotates it contacts the clutch actuator  54 . This moves the pin  50  into the engaged position such that the ring gear  38  of the third gear set  18  is locked relative to the frame  20  of the winch  10 . Thus the clutch  40  is engaged and the motor  22  is engaged with the drum  24 . 
         [0023]    In the preferred embodiment, the clutch actuator finger  52  is elongated and extends beyond the edge of the planet carrier  34 . It is also cut or stamped from the same material as the planet carrier  34 . Thus, when the planet carrier  34  is formed or cut the clutch actuator finger  52  is cut from the same plate or material. Further, a plurality of clutch actuator fingers  52  may be located on the planet carrier  34 . Thus, the planet carrier  34  would only have to rotate a fraction of a revolution before one of the clutch actuator fingers  52  contacts the clutch actuator  54  and engages the clutch  40 . For example, if there are two clutch actuator fingers  52 , the planet carrier  34  does not have to rotate more than 180 degrees before the clutch  40  is engaged. If there are four clutch actuator fingers  52 , the planet carrier  34  does not have to rotate more than 90 degrees before the clutch  40  is engaged. 
         [0024]    The foregoing description details certain preferred embodiments of the present invention and describes the best mode contemplated. It will be appreciated, however, that changes may be made in the details of construction and the configuration of components without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Therefore, the description provided herein is to be considered exemplary, rather than limiting, and the true scope of the invention is that defined by the following claims and the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled.