Improvements in Clutches.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 17th Aug., 1900-Accepted, 22nd Sept., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Clutches.
I, JAMES LYONS SAMPSON, of Harewood Chambers, 274, Oxford Street, London,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that type of clutch in which the gripping action
is obtained by means of a series of rollers or their equivalents acting in con-
junction with a series of inclined planes, and its object is to cause all the rollers
or their equivalents to mount the inclined planes simultaneously and thus dis-
tribute the strain and wear equally between them.
In carrying my invention into practice, I cut or form in the periphery of the
inner drum of the clutch a series of recesses forming inclined planes in one
direction only. The outer drum which has a plain interior surface fits over and
takes a bearing on the periphery of the inner drum, and in each of the recesses
in the periphery of the inner drum is a roller of such a diameter what when it is
lying in the deeper end of the recess it is out of engagement with the interior
surface of the outer drum but engages therewith as it moves up the inclined
plane of the recess.
The two drums are kept in their relative positions by means of two floating
plate rings arranged one on either side of the drums and engaging with shoulders
thereon. These floating rings are connected to one another and kept the proper
distance apart by means of distance pieces and transverse drawing-up screws,
so arranged in pairs that they pass through the recesses in the periphery of the
inner drum and each pair acts as a cage for the roller in the recess through
which they pass. By this construction the rollers, although they each have a
free and independent radial movement, have no independent circumferential
movement, and are therefore all brought into engagement simultaneously by
reason of the friction between the outer drum and the floating plate rings.
Instead of caging the rollers by means of the distance pieces and drawing-up
screws connecting the floating plates, they may be caged by causing the ends
of the rollers which are preferably reduced in diameter-to engage with radially
arranged slots in the floating plates.
A
1
1000

page_text: invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to that type of clutch in which the gripping action
is obtained by means of a series of rollers or their equivalents acting in con-
junction with a series of inclined planes, and its object is to cause all the rollers
or their equivalents to mount the inclined planes simultaneously and thus dis-
tribute the strain and wear equally between them.
In the accompanying drawing which illustrates some forms this invention
may assume.
Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a sprocket wheel fitted with the clutch
showing the upper half of one of the floating plate rings removed.
Figure 2 is a view in section on line -x of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 1 showing a modified form of clutch,
and
Figure 4 is. a view in section on line y-y of Figure 3.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
In carrying my invention into practice, I cut or form in the periphery of
the inner drum A, which in the present case is screw threaded internally to
adapt it to be fixed to the hub of a velocipede, with a series of recesses a forming
inclined planes in one direction only. The outer drum 13, which in the pre-
sent case is provided with teeth 6 for the driving chain, has a plain interior
surface and fits over and takes a bearing on the periphery of the inner drum A
and in each of the recesses a therein is a roller C of such a diameter that when
it is lying in the deeper end of the recess it is out of engagement with the
interior surface of the outer drum B but engages therewith as it moves up the
inclined plane of the recess a.
The two drums A and B are kept in their relative positions by means of two
floating plate rings D, D, arranged one on each side of the drums and engaging
with shoulders thereon. These floating plate rings D, D, are connected to one
another and kept the proper distance apart by means of distance pieces and
transverse drawing-up screws so arranged in pairs that they pass through
the recesses a in the periphery of the inner drum A and each pair acts as a
cage for the roller C in the recess through which they pass. By this construc-
tion the rollers C, although they each have a free and independent radial move-
ment, have no independent circumferential movement, and are therefore all
brought into engagement simultaneously by reason of the friction between the
outer drum B and the floating plate rings D. D.
Instead of caging the rollers C by means of the distance pieces d and drawing-
up screws d connecting the floating plates D, D, they may be caged by causing
the reduced ends c of the rollers-see Figures 3 and 4-to engage with radially
arranged slots or recesses d² in the floating plate rings 1), D, in which case the
said floating plate rings D, D, are connected to one another by means of distance
picces d firmly, secured to one of the said rings and threaded internally to
receive screws passing through the other ring. These screws and distance
pieces may either pass through the recesses a in the inner drum as shown, or
they may in some cases pass through circumferential or concentric slots formed
in the inner drum for their reception.
It will be understood that although I have described my invention with
reference to a clutch for velocipedes it is equally well adapted to clutches of
all kinds in which the driven axle or its equivalent may overrun the driving
axle or its equivalent and is particularly adapted for use in starting gas or
explosion motors of motor cars.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner 'the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
(1) In a clutch of that type in which the grinning setion is obtained hu

page_text: means of a series of rollers or their equivalents acting in conjunction with a
series of inclined planes, so caging or connecting the rollers or their equivalents
to one another as to cause them to mount the inclined planes simultaneously.
(2) In a clutch of that type in which the gripping action is obtained by means
of a series of rollers or their equivalents acting in conjunction with a series
of inclined planes, so mounting the rollers or their equivalents as to allow each
of them a free radial movement, but no independent circumferential movement.
(3) A clutch consisting essentially of an inner drum provided with a series
of peripheral recesses forming inclined planes in one direction only, of an outer
drum having a plain interior surface fitting over and taking a bearing on the
periphery of the inner drum, of a series of rollers or their equivalents each of
such a diameter as to be just clear of engagement with the interior surface of
the outer drum when in the deepest part of its recess, of two floating plate rings
arranged one on each side of the drums serving to keep the said drums in
position and connected to one another by means of screws and distance pieces
or their equivalents passing through the recesses of the inner drum, the said
screws and distance pieces being so arranged as to cage the rollers or their
equivalents and whilst allowing the rollers or their equivalents free and in-
dependent radial movement prevent them having any independent circum-
ferential movement, as set forth.
(4) A clutch consisting essentially of an inner drum provided with a series of
peripheral recesses forming inclined planes in one direction only, of an outer
drum having a plain interior surface fitting over and taking a bearing on the
periphery of the inner drum, of a series of rollers or their equivalents each of
such a diameter as to be just clear of engagement with the interior surface of
the outer drum when in the deepest part of its recess, of two floating plate rings
arranged one on each side of the drums serving to keep the said drums in
position and connected to one another by means of screws and distance pieces
their equivalents passing through slots
or
or
recesses
or
recesses
in
formed
the
in
the inner
drum and of radial slots
said floating
plate rings and adapted to receive the ends of the rollers so as to prevent the
said rollers or their equivalents having any independent circumferential move-
ment whilst allowing them free and independent radial movement, as set forth.
(5) A clutch constructed and arranged substantially as herein before described
and illustrated by Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing.
(6) A clutch constructed and arranged substantially as herein before described
and illustrated by Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawing.
1-1 1
A
1000
Dated this 17th day of August 1900.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc.M.Inst.C.E., M.I.Mech. E.,
Chartered Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.; Agent for the Applicant.