Improvements in Friction Clutches.
Year: 1892

page_text: te of Application, 16th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Communicated from abroad by EDWARD WALDRON, of 3733, Walnut Street,
Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Mechanical
Engineer.]
Improvements in Friction Clutches.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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:
This invention relates to that class of friction clutches designed for the trans-
mission of power by means of clamping the opposite sides of an inwardly
projecting clutch flange.
The primary objects of this invention are the production of a clutch which shall
be flexible and shall also be efficient, durable and free from complexity, and which
shall be of the least possible weight and take up the least possible space on the
shaft in proportion to its capacity to transmit power.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a face view of a friction clutch constructed in accordance with my
invention and
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same on the line x, x of Figure 1.
In these drawings like letters indicate the same parts in each figure.
The shaft A has mounted thereon a loose pulley B. The hub of this pulley is
kept in contact with that of the clutch member D by means of the collar B₁ bearing
against the other end of the hub of the pulley.
The collar B is held in place on the shaft by means of a set screw.
C is a clutch ring fitted to the inner side of the rim of the pulley B. It is
loosely fitted so as to give it freedom of lateral movement and its outer edge is
The pins d
rounded, as shown, for the purpose of allowing oscillatory movement.
which are fastened in the pulley B project through holes or openings d³ at or near
to the periphery of the ring c. The diameter or width of each hole or opening da
is greater than that of the pin which passes through it, and the said holes or
openings are flared as shown in Figure 2 with the object of retaining for the ring c
freedom of lateral and oscillatory movements on the pins d. The object of this
arrangement is to so connect the clutch ring c to the pulley or other object from or
to which power is to be received or transmitted that while the said ring and pulley
or other object must move rotatively in unison, they shall be respectively
independent as regards lateral or oscillatory movements and in this manner avoid
destructive strains or the friction due to shafts being out of line or deflected or
having a lateral movement. This feature of flexibility is especially important
where the clutch is used to couple shafts.
The clutch members D and D' are made in the form of discs or wheels. The
clutch member D is placed so that its periphery extends between the clutch ring C
and the pulley B and the hub of said clutch member is rigidly keyed to the shaft.
The clutch member D₁ is placed on the opposite side of the clutch ring C. This
clutch member D₁ is free to move in line with the axis of the shaft but is held to
rotative movement with the clutch member D by means of pins d' which are
fastened in the said member D and pass with a sliding fit through the clutch
member D¹.
Those portions of the clutch members D and D' having frictional contact with
the clutch ring C are faced with wood or other suitable material d³.
The clutch member D' has pivoted to it at E¹ the levers E and the long arms

page_text: of said levers pass through openings in the clutch member D¹ and are connected to
the sleeve B by means of the links f and the pins E' and f¹.
This arrangement secures compactness as, for instance were the levers pivoted
to the clutch member D' they would project much further out, and it is desirable
and often necessary that a clutch shall not occupy much space on the shaft and in
addition to this it also has the advantage of bringing the threaded ends of the
adjusting pieces G through the clutch member D' so that the adjustment is effected
on the outside of the face of this clutch member. The short arms of said levers E
are connected by pins G¹ to the adjusting pieces G which project through suitable
holes in the clutch member D' and the projecting ends are threaded and have
screwed on them the nuts G' and said nuts abut against the clutch member D'.
The nuts G have bored into them the holes G for the purpose of receiving
the points of the screws G' which screws are held by the lugs D' which
project from the clutch member D and so set the screws G hold the nuts G'
in fixed contact with both the adjusting pieces G and the clutch member D'.
It will now be seen that the main features of this invention are a clutch ring
having freedom of lateral and oscillatory movements and clutch members for
grasping the opposite sides of said ring, the member nearest the sleeve having
freedom of lateral movement and the member nearest the pulley or other object
from or to which power is received or transmitted being rigidly fastened to the
shaft and the pivoting of the levers to this latter member.
The operation of this clutch is as follows:-To release it from engagement, the
sleeve B is moved away from the hub of the clutch member D. This causes the
long arms of the levers E to swing towards the shaft and the short arms to swing
towards the clutch member D¹ and as said arms are pinned to the adjusting pieces G
the nuts G2 of which are held to contact with the clutch member D' by means of
screws G the said member is thrust away from contact with the clutch ring C
which ring being free to move laterally releases itself from contact with the clutch
member D.
To move the clutch into engagement the sleeve is moved back into contact with
the hub of the clutch member D thus forcing the long arms of the levers to swing
outwardly from the shaft and the short arms to swing in a direction away from the
clutch member D', pulling the said member with it into contact with the ring c
which is thus forced into contact with the clutch meinber D and clutched between
both of said members.
When it is desired to increase the grip of the clutch members on the clutch ring
the screws Gare screwed out from contact with the nuts G2 and said nuts are then
screwed further on to the adjusting pieces G. In screwing the nuts G' care should be
taken with each nut at the finish to bring one of the holes (+³ into line with its
respective screw G' which should then be screwed in until its point has entered the
hole and its head bears firmly on the lug D³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :—
First. In a friction clutch the combination of a shaft, a sleeve movable length-
wise on said shaft, a ring, clutch members for grasping the opposite sides of the
ring, lateral pins for loosely supporting said ring, the outer edge or periphery of
said ring being rounded, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth, and
lev mechanism connected with said sleeve and clutch members to clamp or release
said ring.
Second. In a friction clutch the combination substantially as set forth, of a shaft,
a sleeve movable lengthwise on said shaft, a clutch ring loosely supported by con-
nection at its outer edge to another part of the device and clutch members for
gripping the opposite sides of said ring the clutch member extending further from
the sleeve being rigidly fastened to the shaft levers fulcrummed to said member
having their long arms linked to the sleeves and their short arms attached to an

page_text: adjusting piece which is connected to the opposite clutch member substantially as
set forth.
Third. In a friction clutch the combination of a shaft, a sleeve movable length-
wise on said shaft, a ring C clutch members D and D' for gripping the opposite
sides of the ring, said ring being flexibly connected at its outer edge to another
part of the device, the clutch member D extending further from the sleeve being
rigidly fastened to the shaft, levers E fulcrummed to member D and connected to
the opposite member D¹ and to sleeve B2, pins d secured in the pulley B and
extending through the ring C at or near the outer edge of said ring, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. In a friction clutch the combination of a shaft, a sleeve movable length-
wise on said shaft, a ring, clutch members for grasping the opposite sides of the
ring, said ring being loosely connected at or near its outer edge to another part of
the device, pins d' secured substantially as shown to one of said members and
passing through the opposite member for the purpose set forth, and lever mechanism
connected with said sleeve and clutch members to cause the latter to clamp or release
ring, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. In a friction clutch, the combination of a shaft, a sleeve movable length-
wise on said shaft, a ring, clutch members for grasping the opposite sides of the
ring, said ring being loosely connected at or near its outer edge to another part of
the device and having at or near its outer edge holes or openings flared towards
the said opposite sides of the ring and projections from said other part of the
device entering said holes, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth
and lever mechanism connected with said sleeve and clutch members to cause the
latter to clamp or release suid ring.
Sixth. In a friction clutch, the combination of a shaft a sleeve movable length-
wise on said shaft, the ring C clutch members D and D' levers E adjusting pieces G,
lugs D screws G and nuts G provided with holes G³ to receive said screws G
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Seventh. In a friction clutch the combination. of a shaft a sleeve movable
lengthwise on said shaft, the ring C, clutch members D and D' levers E adjusting
pieces G lugs D' nuts G2 and screws G* which have contact with said nuts substan-
tially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 16th day of An 1809
1 this 16th day of A noust 1809
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.