Improvements in and relating to Friction Clutches.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 20th June, 1898-Accepted, 27th Aug.,
1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Friction Clutches.
We, ALEXANDER PATTERSON MORROW, Mechanical Expert, and HARMON HEALY
FULTON, Manufacturer, Citizens of the United States of America, residing respec-
tively at 312, West First Street, and 468, West Grey. Street, in the City of
Elmira, County of Cheyenne and State of New York. United States of America,
do hereby declare the nature of our invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
Our invention relates to clutch mechanism designed for use with pulleys,
sprocket wheels, gear wheels and the like, to cause the pulley or wheel to revolve
with its axial support in a forward direction, but operating to instantly release the
pulley or wheel when backward motion is imparted to its shaft or axial support.
The broad idea of interposing friction clutch devices between the hub and rim
of sprocket wheel or pulley has been embodied in a variety of constructions
heretofore patented, but so far as we are aware, such devices are defective for the
reason that sufficient provision is not made for insuring an equal distribution of
the frictional strain throughout the width or transverse area of the friction balls
or rollers, the result being that the latter are frequently twisted, flattened, or
broken, thus rendering them inoperative.
The object of the present invention is to provide a clutch device of such con-
struction, that its friction rollers will be guided throughout their length, and
pressed into position to receive the frictional bite, by a device which operates on
both ends of the rollers simultaneously and equally, as distinguished from a
central or other pressure which might result in the contact of one end or portion
of the roller with the friction surfaces, before the other end thereof is in opérative
position.
The characteristic features of our improvement will be fully described herein-
after, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a friction clamp and sprocket wheel embodying
our invention with one of the securing rings removed.
Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of a clutch device embodying the invention.
Figure 3 is a transverse section of the same.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the hub or friction ring of the clutch, and
Figure 5 is a detail perspective view illustrating one of the friction or clutch
rollers and its spring-pressed guide block.
The reference numeral 1 designates the hub or friction ring of the device, inter-
nally threaded for a portion of its width for engagement with a shaft or axial sup-
port, and arranged within the rim 2, which latter is here shown as provided with
integral peripheral sprocket teeth 3. The periphery of the hub is formed with
a series of radial slots or recesses 4, which are equidistant from one another and
within each of which is located a friction roller 5 and a guide block 6. One
wall 7 of each of the recesses is preferably rounded while its opposite wall is in
the radial plane of the hub 1, to serve as a contact bearing surface for the head 8

page_text: of the pin 9 which extends into an opening 10 in the adjacent side of the block 6.
A coil spring 11 surrounds the pin 9, bearing at one end against the head 8,
and at its opposite end against the bottom of the opening 10.
By recessing the periphery of the hub 1, a series of radial lugs 12 is formed
thereon, having outer rounded surfaces 13, which bear against the inner surface
of the rim 2. The bottom or bearing surface of each of the recesses 4, for a
distance approximately half its length, is rounded or concentric with the inner
periphery of the hub, as shown at 14, to adapt it to conform to the rounded inner
surface 15 of the guide block 6, while the remainder of said surface, that is to say,
from the point 16 to the end 17 of the recess, is slightly bevelled, for the purpose
of gradually narrowing the space 18 hetween the hub and rim in which the roller 5
is confined. The end 19 of each of the guide blocks which contacts with the
roller, is preferably grooved or hollowed out to conform to the surface of the roller,
as shown in Figures 1 and 5.
It will be noted that the guide blocks 6 bear against the rollers 5 throughout
the length of the latter, and hence, that the rollers are operated upon equally at
both ends, as will be referred to again hereinafter. 20 and 21 designate rings
arranged at opposite sides of the hub to secure the latter in proper relation to the
rim. These rings are removably secured by screws or other means, and the ring 21
is provided with an inwardly extending annular flange 22 which is internally
threaded, and adapted to fit within the shaft opening of the hub against the
unthreaded portion of the latter.
The operation of the clutch will be readily understood from the foregoing descrip-
tion, in connection with the drawings, and may be explained as follows:-
Normally the rollers 5 are held within the space 18 by the pressure of the spring-
pressed guide-blocks 6, thus firmly clamping the sprocket rim 2 to the hub, so
that the latter and its shaft will be driven by the sprocket as long as the sprocket
is revolved in a forward direction as indicated by the arrow in Figure 1. The
instant that this forward revolution of the sprocket is arrested, the momentum
of the shaft and hub continues their forward revolution, and the frictional contact
between the blocks 6 and the inner periphery of the sprocket rim causes the
blocks to recede slightly, thus compressing the springs 11 and permitting the
rollers 5 to move toward the wider end of the space 18, out of biting or clamping
contact. The hub will continue to revolve in a forward direction, while the
sprocket is held stationary.
The clutch as above described is capable of use for a variety of purposes, and
we therefore desire to protect the same for use with all mechanism to which it is
applicable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. A friction clutch comprising concentric rings arranged one within the other.
one of said rings having peripheral recesses, in combination with rollers arranged
within said recesses, and spring-pressed guide blocks, arranged one in rear of each
roller, said blocks bearing against the rollers throughout their length.
2. A friction clutch comprising a hub formed with peripheral recesses, and a
ring encircling said hub, in combination with transverse rollers loosely supported
in said recesses, a series of guide blocks also located in said recesses, in rear of
the rollers, and extending throughout the length of the rollers, and springs
located in rear of said blocks, and adapted to project the blocks against the rollers,
while the hub and ring are revolving together, but to be compressed by frictional
contact of the blocks and ring when the revolution of the latter is arrested.
3. A friction clutch comprising a hub, formed on its periphery with a series
of equidistant recesses, each of which is rounded and bevelled at its bottom, and
a ring encircling said hub, in combination with rollers located within the recesses
and having movement on the bevelled surfaces thereof, and a series of spring-

page_text: pressed guide blocks, one for each roller, located in said recesses in rear of the
rollers and adapted to slide on the rounded surfaces of the recesses.
4. In a friction clutch, the combination with a hub formed with a series of
equidistant recesses separated by radial lugs, of a sprocket rim encircling the hub,
a roller within each of said recesses, a bearing block in each recess in rear of its
roller, bearing against the latter, throughout its length, and formed at its rear side
with a pin opening, a pin supported loosely in said opening, and a coil spring sur-
rounding the pin.
5. In a friction clutch, the combination with a hub formed on its periphery
with a series of equidistant recesses, a sprocket rim encircling said hub, a roller
within each of said recesses, and a spring-pressed guide block located in each
of said recesses in rear of the roller, said blocks being rounded or hollowed out
on their surfaces, and bearing against the rollers throughout the length of the
latter.
A
1
T
1000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.