Patent GB-699682-A (GB)
Title: Coupling device
IPC: F16D11/16
Filed: 1949-06-28
Abstract: 699,682. Operating clutches. BRUNI, R. June 28, 1949 [June 30, 1948], No. 17123/49. Class 80 (ii). A clutch of the kind having a rotary driving component and at least one coaxial driven component adapted to be coupled to and uncoupled from the driving component in any one of a number of definite positions in space and relative to each other, by means of a finder comprising an electromagnet whose exciting circuit includes a brush, rotating with or at a speed proportional to that of the driving component, and a bank of fixed contacts connected individually to manually operable contacts of a selector, is characterized in that the contacts are distributed uniformly around the entire coupling circumference and correspond to equal divisions thereof over which the driven member may be. caused to travel, and in that the driven member travels, between coupling and uncoupling, through an angle proportional either to the angle through which the finder brush travels between an origin position and finding a fixed contact connected to a selectively closed one of the selector contacts or the angle complementary thereto. As applied to the clutch mechanism of Figs. 1 to 9 of Specification 687,772, the brush 66 thereof is replaced by a brush 166, Fig. 5, carried by an arm 150 fast with the driving member 1 and co-acting with a fixed contact bank 67(o), 67(1) &c., Fig. 6, of an electrical control system which includes switches J, j, Figs. 5 and 6, closed by the arm 150 passing over them at an origin position corresponding in spatial location to the contact 67(o), and switches Z I, Z II closed by cam projections on the driven members 9, 75 when these members respectively reach origin positions. The brush 166 is connected via a brush 151 to the slip ring 77 feeding the electromagnet 25, the electromagnet 42 being fed by a slip ring 70 as before. Clutch operation is as follows : (a) To couple the member 9 alone to the driving member, after previous uncoupling by energization of the electromagnet 25 when the mechanism is loaded, the normally open switch MOV I is manually closed so that, on the arm 150 passing its origin position, first the electromagnet 42 and, by interaction of the switches 61, 62 and 63, 64, immediately afterwards the electromagnet 25, is energized. When, after loading, which is effected almost immediately owing to the provision of multiple external fixed cams on a ring 156, the brush 166 finds an energized contact of the bank 67, uncoupling occurs. (b) To couple the member 75, the normally closed switch MOV II is manually opened, closing the switch MOV I through a push-piece C. Upon the arm 150 passing its origin position, only the electromagnet 25 is energized and both members 9, 75 are coupled to the driving member, the member 75 being uncoupled when the brush 166 finds an energized contact as before and the member 9 being uncoupled when the arm 150 again passes its origin position. An undesired repetition of coupling and uncoupling actions is prevented by a relay N which, when energized, opens contacts In, 2n and closes contacts In, 3n and its own holding contacts 4n, 5n. A switch 173 closed with the switch MOV I allows such energization, by closure of the switch j, only at appropriate times. Return of the respective members 9, 75 to their origin positions is effected by manual closure of normally open switches RZ I and RZ II which respectively operate switches MOV I and MOV II through links B, A. In an alternative electrical control system, Fig. 7 (not shown), coupling is effected when the brush 166 finds an energized contact of the bank 67 and uncoupling when the arm 150 passes its origin position. In Fig. 8 (not shown) the system of Fig. 6 is adapted and extended to control a plurality (as described, three) of clutch units of the kind shown in Fig. 5, having driving components fast on a common shaft rigid with a single potential finder brush co-acting with a fixed contact bank connected in parallel to selectors each proper to one unit, the arrangement being such that the units operate simultaneously independently of each other in response to the settings of their selectors. The selectors each have a single sliding contact which can be set to co-act with any of the fixed contacts and which is automatically solenoidreturned to the origin position after coupling has been effected in its unit. In Fig. 9 (not shown) three clutch units of the kind shown in Fig. 5 are mechanically connected in the manner of Fig. 8 and have a single potential finder brush on the driving shaft co-acting with a fixed contact bank having a selector of the sliding-contact kind feeding the three units consecutively through an automatically-operating unit selector. Alternatively, successive units may be put into operation by switches controlled by a driven component of the preceding unit, operation of the first unit only being manually initiated. The potential finder and/or the switch J may each have incorporated therewith one or more rotary switches controlled by the driving component or components and connectible at will in shunt or series with the finder or switch J respectively so as to modify operation thereof. In Figs. 1 to 4 (not shown) the invention is applied to a clutch somewhat similar to that of Figs. 13 to 17 of Specification 687,772, having one driven component only. A modified clutch, which may be used in conjunction with suitably modified forms of any of the above electrical control systems comprises a driving disc 201, Fig. 11, entraining, as by frictional means, a driven disc 209 unless the disc 209 is stationed by engagement in notches 205 thereof of one or both of teeth 207, 208 on levers 210, 211, which co-act with the armatures 216, 220 of electromagnets 42, 25 and actuate through levers 246, 247 switches 63, 64 and 61, 62. When uncoupled, a cam on the disc 201 co-acts with an arm 203 on the lever 210 to turn the levers 210, 211 (the lever 210 acting on the lever. 211 through a pin 217) anti-clockwise against springs 221, 222 and load the device as shown, the previously engaged tooth 207 being replaced by the tooth 208 to maintain the disc 209 stationary. Subsequent energization in turn of the electromagnets 42, 25 first releases the lever 210 and allows coupling and then releases the lever 211 and causes uncoupling. To bring the disc 209 back to an origin position a re-setting key 226 is depressed to bring a catch 227 into the path of a stop 228 on the disc 209 and to close suitable contacts RZ to energize both electromagnets 25, 42. As the catch 227 has an abutment which mechanically turns the lever 211 anticlockwise or prevents its turning clockwise if already so positioned, the disc 209 is entrained until the members 227, 228 co-act, when release of the key 226 allows the tooth 207 to engage a notch 205. In a variant of the clutch of Fig. 11, Fig. 15 (not shown), only one electromagnet, 25, is used, coupling being effected mechanically on loading and uncoupling by a potential finder acting through the electromagnet. In both Figs. 11 and 15 the disc 209 may have ratchet teeth so as to act according to the invention in one direction of rotation only of the disc 201. The driven disc 209 of the clutch' of Fig. 11 may have further notched peripheries, or further series of notches on its single periphery, with each of which a respective toothed lever operated by a corresponding subsidiary electromagnet may co-act to effect uncoupling.