Improved Frictional Clutch Apparatus.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 20th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Frictional Clutch Apparatus.
I, CARL LÜHRIG, of Reichstrasse No. 30 Dresden, Germany, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a frictional clutch apparatus in which the loose parts are
forced into frictional contact with the fixed part by means of screw action, such
action being effected by connecting to the sliding sleeve of the coupling the one end
of connecting rods the other ends of which are connected to lever arms on screw
spindles that act upon the two half clutches, so that on moving inwards the sleeve,
the connecting rods in assuming a less angular position, effect the turning of the
screw spindles so as to press the clutch halves toward each other.
Between the clutch halves is introduced a disc fixed on the driving shaft and
having wood cheeks against which the two clutch discs are forcibly pressed by the
screw spindles.
By means of this arrangement the frictional mechanism heretofore employed
within the discs in friction clutches are entirely dispensed with, and the action
of the improved construction takes place without shock, while effecting an
instantaneous and reliable connection of the parts to be coupled.
On the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 shews a sectional side view and Fig. 2
a front view of the improved clutch.
The discs and are both loose on the driving shaft a while the disc e, having
wood cheeks fixed on each side thereof, is fixed on the shaft between the inner faces
of b and c.
The disc e carries a number of screw spindles g at its periphery which are free to
turn with a cylindrical part g¹ in c while they screw into threaded holes in bushes f
fixed in the disc-b. The outer ends of the screw spindles have lever-arms /
projecting therefrom which are connected by ball and socket joints ¹ to the one
end of connecting rods !, the other ends of which are connected by ball and socket
joints k¹ to pins k projecting from a sleeved that can slide with a feather and
groove upon the extension C of the boss of the disc c, loose on a.
From this arrangement it will be seen that when the sleeve d is slid in one
direction or the other upon the extension c¹, the varying angular positions which the
rods will be made to assume will cause them to turn the screw spindles g in one
direction or the other in the discs b and c. This action is such that when the
sleeve d is moved into the position shewn at Fig. 1, the screw spindles g will be
turned so as to draw the discs bc towards each other, thereby pressing them
forcibly against the wood cheeks of the disc e which is fixed to the shaft a. By the
frictional grip thus produced upon the disc e this, being carried round by the driving
shaft a, will in its turn carry round the cheeks bc and will thus impart motion to
the toothed or other gear fixed on the extended bosses thereof. On the movement
of the sleeved in the contrary direction, the screw spindles 9 will also be turned in
the contrary direction and the above described frictional grip of the clutch will be
released, thus disconnecting the gear connected thereto from the shaft a.
It will be seen that owing to the considerable frictional surface afforded by the
wood cheeks of the disc e, a comparatively slight drawing together of the discs b, c
by the screw spindles will afford the requisite frictional grip for transmitting the
motion. Also, it is possible with this construction to put the clutch in and out of
gear so gradually as to entirely avoid all shock.
Dated this 22nd day of February 1893.
ABEL & IMKAI,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.'
Improved Friotional Clutch Apparatus.
I, CARL LÜHRIG, of Reichstrasse No. 30 Dresden, Germany, 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 a frictional clutch apparatus in which the loose parts
are forced into frictional contact with the fixed part by means of screw action,
such action being effected by connecting to the sliding sleeve of the coupling the
one end of connecting rods the other ends of which are connected to lever arms on
screw spindles that act upon the two half clutches, so that on moving inwards the
sleeve, the connecting rods in assuming a less angular position, effect the turning of
the screw spindles so as to press the clutch halves toward each other.
Between the clutch halves is introduced a disc fixed on the driving shaft and
having wood cheeks against which the two clutch discs are forcibly pressed by the
screw spindles.
By means of this arrangement the frictional mechanism heretofore employed
within the discs in friction clutches are entirely dispensed with, and the action
of the improved construction takes place without shock, while effecting an
instantaneous and reliable connection of the parts to be coupled.
On the drawing accompanying my Provisional Specification Fig. 1 shews a
sectional side view and Fig. 2 a front view of the improved clutch.
The discs b and c are both loose on the driving shaft a while the disc e,
having wood cheeks fixed on each side thereof, is fixed on the shaft between the
inner faces of b and c.
The disc c carries a number of screw spindles g at its periphery which are free
to turn with a cylindrical part g' in c while they screw into threaded holes in
bushes fixed in the disc b. The outer ends of the screw spindles g have lever-
arms h projecting therefrom which are connected by ball and socket joints / to the
one end of connecting rods 1, the other ends of which are connected by ball and
socket joints k¹ to pins & projecting from a sleeve that can slide with a feather.
and groove upon the extension C¹ of the boss of the disc c loose on a.
From this arrangement it will be seen that when the sleeve d is slid in one
direction or the other upon the extension c¹, the varying angular positions which
the rods will be made to assume will cause them to turn the screw spindles g in
one direction or the other in the discs b and c. This action is such that when the
sleeve d is moved into the position shewn at Fig. 1, the screw spindles 9 will be
turned so as to draw the discs bc towards each other, thereby pressing them
forcibly against the wood cheeks of the disc e which is fixed to the shaft a. By
the frictional grip thus produced upon the disc e this being carried round by the
driving shaft a, will in its turn carry round the cheeks c and will thus impart
motion to the toothed or other gear fixed on the extended bosses thereof. On the
movement of the sleeve d in the contrary direction, the screw spindles g will also
be turned in the contrary direction and the above described frictional grip of the
clutch will be released, thus disconnecting the gear connected thereto from the
shaft a.
It will be seen that owing to the considerable frictional surface afforded by
the wood cheeks of the disc e, à comparatively slight drawing together of the
discs b, c by the screw spindles will afford the requisite frictional grip for trans-
mitting the motion. Also, it is possible with this construction to put the clutch in
and out of gear so gradually as to entirely avoid all shock.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
A frictional clutch apparatus wherein two loose discs bc are brought into close
frictional contact with an intermediate disc e, fixed on the shaft, by means of screw
spindles that are rotated by the action of a sliding sleeve d to which they are
connected by rods l, substantially as described.
g
Dated this 20th day of November 1893.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.