Improvements in Friction Clutch Mechanism.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 11th May, 1995
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Friction Clutch Mechanism.
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1, JOHN WALKER, of 576 West Adams Street, in the City of Chicago, County
of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same. is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained, in and by the following
statement:-
My invention relates to the class of clutch mechanisms in which a movable clutch
member is caused to slide longitudinally with respect to the shaft on which it is
mounted toward a stationary member for the purpose of producing an operative
engagement of the two members, or of causing to be grasped between them an
interposed flange or disk or series of disks.
.
My invention consists in the construction and combination of parts shown in the
drawings and hereinafter described, as definitely pointed out in the claims:
..
In the drawings, Figure I is a side view partly in section of a clutch containing
and embodying my invention; and Fig. 2 is a detail of the novel operating
mechanism.
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Referring to the parts by letter, A represents a shaft; and B the stationary
clutch member having a sleeve b which is keyed to the shaft.
C represents the movable clutch member or pressure collar which is adapted to
slide on said sleeve.
D represents a collar which is mounted on the sleeve 6 and during the operation
of the parts which produce the engagement and disengagement of the clutching
surfaces this collar is rigid with the hub. The parts of the proximate faces of the
collar D and inovable member C are oppositely inclined, and the operating wedges
are moved inward between the collar D and movable member C with which the
operating wedges engage, and in engagement with the inclined surfaces thereon.
G represents the sliding sleeve which is mounted on the collar D in the usual
manner.
H represents a liuk which is pivoted to ears g on the sliding sleeve and extends
therefrom inward toward the shaft. Two blocks E E are pivoted to the inner end
of the link on opposite sides thereof, at such points that a line connecting the pivots
will be substantially at right angles to a line extending lengthwise centrally of the
link from its pivot in the ears y. A portion of these blocks lies at all times
between the collar D and movable member C and in engagement with the inclined
surfaces thereon; when in such engagement the outer faces of the blocks are
oppositely inclined and form a wedge which when forced toward the axis of the
shaft cause the movement of the movable member C from the collar D.
The action of the device is clear from the drawings and foregoing description.
The more closely the link H approaches a position perpendicular to the axis of
the shaft, the farther the wedge is moved inward toward the said axis. There is
consequently a movement of the movable clutch member due to this movement of
the wedge. But there is an additional movement of the movable member due
to the expansion of the wedge or its increase in effective width measured in a line
parallel to the axis of the shaft. For as the link assumes the perpendicular
position the pivots by means of which the blocks E E are secured to the link, are
moved toward a plane parallel to the axis of the shaft, and consequently the hori-
zontal distance between the pivots of said block grows greater and the wedge is
increased in effective width. There is therefore an additional movement of the

page_text: movable member due and equal to the increase in the width of the wedge. When
the sleeve is moved backward the wedge is withdrawn and decreased in effective
width at the same time. When, in moving the sleeve forward, the outer pivot of
the link is moved past the point at which the link is perpendicular to the axis of the
shaft, the clutch is locked; and the clutch is also locked when the link is so moved
that the line passing through the pivot of the two blocks E E passes the position
in which it is parallel to the said axis.
I have described only one system of operating mechanism although two or four
or more of such systems are generally employed for the purpose of gaining power
and in order that the power may be so applied as to move the clutch member evenly
along the shaft.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. In a clutch, the combination of a longitudinally movable clutch_member; a
fixed collar, and a sliding sleeve, with a simultaneously expansible and inwardly
movable wedge which lies between the fixed collar and movable member,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. In a clutch, the combination of a longitudinally movable clutch member and
a fixed collar both of which have oppositely inclined surfaces on their proximate
faces, with a sliding sleeve, a link pivoted thereto, and two blocks pivoted to the
inner ends of said link.
March 1X45
WALPO LN18 ZAEN DAY OF MArch IXYA
JOHN WALKER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.