Patent GB-402957-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in clutch operating mechanism for motor vehicles
IPC: F16D23/10
Filed: 1933-02-06
Abstract: 402,957. Operating clutches. MAYBACH - MOTORENBAU GES., Friedrichshafen-on-Bodensee, Germany. Feb. 6, 1933, No. 3587. Convention date, Feb. 12, 1932. [Class 80 (ii).] In a motor vehicle wherein the clutch is automatically disengaged and engaged upon decreasing and increasing, respectively, the supply of combustible mixture to the engine, the apparatus being adapted to be rendered operative or inoperative by the action of a manually-operable control member, the arrangement is such that the clutch will be re-engaged after disengagement only when the two clutch parts run in approximate synchronism, both when the manually-operable control member is in the " on " and in the " off position. A three-way piston valve 16 loaded by a spring 18 and connected by a slotted link 17 to the accelerator 1 controls communication of a conduit 32 with either a conduit 14 leading to the engine intake 13 or with a port 38 leading to the atmosphere, while another three-way piston valve 19 coaxial with the valve 16 controls communication of a conduit 34 with either a conduit 15 leading to the intake 13 or with a port 39 leading to the atmosphere, the valve 19 being loaded by a spring 20 at the end adjacent the valve 16 while its other end is open to a chamber 27. A gear pump 26 driven from the driven shaft 6 delivers liquid from a casing 31 into the chamber 27, while a gear pump 21 driven from the engine shaft 23 delivers liquid from the chamber 27 into the casing 31. A spring-loaded valve 33 normally connects conduits 36, 44 with the conduit 34, but when the valve 33 is depressed by the foot of the driver the conduit 36 is connected with the conduit 32 and the conduit 44 is closed. The conduit 36 leads to a servomotor 11<1>, the spring- loaded piston 11 of which is connected by a slotted link 40 with the clutch pedal 4, while the conduit 44 leads to an auxiliary servomotor 45, the spring-loaded piston 46 of which acts on an arm 11 of the accelerator 1. If, with the valve 33 held depressed, the accelerator is released, the valve 16 is moved to the position shown and engine suction is applied to the servomotor 11<1> through the conduits 14, 32, 36 to disengage the clutch 5, 7. Pressure now builds up in the chamber 27, moving the valve 19 to the right to the position shown, in which it abuts against the valve 16. If now the accelerator is depressed, movement of the valve 16 to the left under the action of its spring 18 to produce clutch engagement is prevented until the engine speeds up sufficiently to allow the valve 19 to move to the left under the action of its spring 20. If, when the vehicle is freewheeling, the valve 33 is released, engine suction is now applied to the servomotor 11<1> through the conduits 15, 34, 36, since the valve 19 at this time occupies its right-hand position. Engine suction is also applied to the servomotor 45, causing the accelerator 1 to be operated automatically so as to speed up the engine sufficiently to permit the clutch to engage, after which the pedal 1 is released. By reason of the slotted link 40, the pedal 4 may be operated by the driver at any time to disengage the clutch.