Patent GB-687772-A (GB)
Title: Coupling device
IPC: H01H63/24
Filed: 1948-06-28
Abstract: 687,772. Operating clutches. BRUNI, R. June 28, 1948 [June 28, 1947], No. 17383/48. Class 80 (ii). A clutch for coupling or uncoupling a rotary driving component and one or more co-axial driven components at spaced positions of the respective driven component or components in space by means of at least one spring-actuated coupling member is characterized by a device for loading springs which, provided all the springs have acted since the last preceding loading and are relaxed, is operated to load the springs by an external device at each passage of one of the components through a predetermined position and in that means are provided to ietain the coupling member or members and a member of the spring loading device temporarily and later, at the moment of coupling or uncoupling which is determined by a further external device, to free one or more of them whereupon coupling or uncoupling is effected by reason of the brisk operation of one or more of the springs. In a form having a driving member 1, Figs. 5 and 8, and two driven members 9, 6, the members 1, 6 have opposed peripheries formed with notches 4, 5 with which co-act coupling members in the form of semi-cylindrical clutch pins 7, 8 movable in a radial slot in the member 9. The pins 7, 8 are simultaneously or selectively operated by mechanisms mounted on the member 9, being carried by rockers 21, 18, Figs. 1 and 12, independently pivoted about a pin 19 thereon. Also pivoted on the pin 19 are rockers 27, 30 which, together with the end of the rocker 21 remote from the pin 7 and a spring 39 anchored to the member 9, co-operate to position a lever 38 pivotally mounted on a loading arm 36 itself pivoted on a pin 11 on the member 9. Independently pivoted on the pin 11 is a loading rocker 10 having (a) an extension 12 coacting with a catch 49 on an armature lever 43, (b) a nose 58 co-acting with the rocker 27, (c) a shoulder 59 co-acting with the end of the rocker 18 remote from the pin 8 and (d) an arm 34 bearing on a leaf spring 32 positioned between a pin 33 on the member 9 and the free end of the rocker 30. With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, in which the pins 7, 8 are both at the limit of their inward radial travel so that the pin 7 is disengaged from the notches 5 and the pin 8 engages one of the notches 4 to entrain the member 9 alone on rotation of the member 1, the rocker 10 is held by a spring 15 against a stop pin 48 and the rocker 27 is held, by a spring 29 anchored to the member 9, so that a flat surface on one end 28 abuts flat surfaces on the heads 21a, 20 of the pins 7, 8. The pins 7, 8 are retained in this position by an armature lever 24 having a catch 23 engaging an extension 22 on the head 21a. The armatures 24, 43 are retracted from the extensions 22, 12, against the action of springs 26, 44, by the energization of electromagnets 25, 42, the operating circuits of which are shown in Fig. 10. On rotation of the member 9, a brush 66 thereon wipes over a series of stationary contacts 67, evenly disposed around the circumference of the member 9 and the same in number as the notches 4 or 5, until it meets one to which potential from a battery 69 has been supplied by closure of the appropriate one of a series of switches 68, when, provided that switch contacts 61, 62 are closed, the electromagnet 25 is energized. Upon closure of a switch 74 connected to a brush 78 contacting an insulated slip ring 77 mounted on the member 9, the electromagnet 25 can be energized at any time. The electromagnet 42 can similarly be energized at will through a switch 73, brush 71 and slip ring 70, at such times as switch contacts 63, 64 are closed. The contacts 63, 64 and 61, 62 are controlled by levers 46, 47, Fig. 1, pivoted on the member 9 and spring urged to engage the rockers 18, 27 so that outward movement of the latter normally closes the respective contacts, an insulated strut 76 being, however, provided, of such length that closing of the contacts 63, 64 by the lever 46 opens the contacts 61, 62 whatever the position of the lever 47. Operation: When the member 1 rotates with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1, on a nose 57 of the loading arm 36 encountering an external device in the form of a fixed cam 56 the arm 36 is moved inwards away from a stop pin 60. Owing to the relative loading of the springs 32, 39, the lever 38 is held as shown so that a nose 40 thereon drives back the rocker 10, against the spring 15 and a spring 16 interconnecting the rockers 10, 18, until the arm 12 is held by the catch 49, the nose 58 at the same time acting on the rocker 27 to move it against the spring 29 so as to close the contacts 61, 62 through the lever 47. The device formed by the members 10, 36, 38 has now loaded the springs 15, 16, 29. Upon closing of the switch 74 or upon the brush 66 reaching a further external device in the form of a contact 67 whose switch 68 is closed, the resulting energization of the electromagnet 25 withdraws the catch 23 from the extension 22 and both pins 7, 8 move outward into a notch 5 under the action of the spring 16, so that the member 9 is freed from the member 1 and connected to the member 6, which may be provided with resilient means engaging external notches therein to prevent its fractional entrainment by the member 1 when not positively driven. The outward movement of the rocker 18 acts through the lever 46 to close the contacts 63, 64 and at the same time open the contacts 61, 62 to de-energize the electromagnet 25. The catch 23 of the released armature 24 now engages the other side of the extension 22, as shown in Fig. 3, so that upon energization of the electromagnet 42 by closing the switch 73 the pin 7 remains in engagement with the member 6 whilst the pin 8 moves inward under the action of the shoulder 59 on the rocker 18. Both the members 6, 9 are thus entrained by the member 1. The lever 46 having opened the contacts 63, 64 and allowed the contacts 61, 62 to close, wiping of the brush 66 over a further contact 67 to which potential is applied, results in release of the rocker 21 and inward movement of the pin 7 under the action of the spring 29 to restore the clutch to its original condition. When the pin 7 is in engagement with the member 6, the rocker 21 forces the lever 38 into a position shown in Fig. 3 where, upon depression of the arm 36 by the cam 56, the nose 40 does not act upon the rocker 10, even when this is released by the armature 43. The members 9, 6 can thus make more than one revolution before the electromagnet 25 is energized to cause disengagement of the member 6 from the member 1. By closing both switches 73, 74 together at any time when the pins 7, 8 are in their outer position and the members 9, 6 disengaged from the member 1, both pins will move inward together and the member 9 alone be engaged with the member 1. The apparatus as described is also susceptible of modification to give a sequence of operations in which the member 9 is never disengaged from the member 1 but merely picks up and releases the member 6. The shaft 2 mounting the member 1 may carry a further clutch or clutches such as described above. In a modified clutch, having a single driven member 9<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 17, and a fixed member 6, a single coupling pin 53, Fig. 13, and associated rocker 18' only are employed, coacting with the armature 24 through a one-way catch 22, 23 and with switches 82, 83 through a lever 46. The loading rocker 10<SP>1</SP> is directly acted upon by an external cam 56. With the operating circuit shown in Fig. 18, after loading of the springs 15, 16 as before, passage of the brush 66 over a selectively energized contact 67 energizes the electromagnet 25 and the pin 53 leaves one of the notches 4 in the driving member 1, in which notch it has previously been engaged to entrain the member 9' from the member 1, and enters one of the notches 5 in the member 6 to station the member 9'. Energization at will of the electromagnet 42 by closing of the switch 73 releases the rocker 10<SP>1</SP> and restores the clutch to its original condition. Clutches according to the invention are applicable to calculating machines, remote control plants and switches of automatic telephone systems.