Improvements in or relating to Friction Clutch Couplings.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 24th Jan., 1900-Accepted, 24th Feb.,
1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Friction Clutch Couplings.
I, HANS HAMILTON BENN, of Prerau, Moravia, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows: -
The present invention relates to a friction clutch for coupling shaftings.
According to my invention, I fix a hollow drum on the end of the driving shaft
said drum being entered by the drivan shaft on which latter is mounted within
the drum, a pair of friction plates adapted to be simultaneously forced into con-
tact with the opposed inner faces of the drum by means of toggle or knee levers
connected by links with levers carried by a sliding head mounted upon the driven
shaft. Springs acting on the levers last mentioned tend to extend the toggle or
knee levers when the clutch coupling is at work and thus keep the friction plates
pressed by active force against the inner faces of the drum. By moving the
sliding head away from the drum the toggle or knee levers are drawn by the
links into their bent or contracted position thus moving the friction plates out
of contact with the friction surfaces of the drum and putting the clutch out of
action.
To put the clutch coupling into action, the sliding head is moved towards the
drum which causes the links to force the toggle or knee levers into their extended
position thereby pressing the friction plates against the friction surfaces of the
drum, at the same time the springs before referred to are placed in tension.
When the chutch coupling is in its working position, as above described, the
pivots at the ends of the links nearest the shaft will have passed the line of the
pivots which connect the links with the toggle or knee levers so that there will
be no tendency for the sliding head to slip back.
I, HANS HAMILTON BENN, of Prerau, Moravia, 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:-
The present invention relates to a friction clutch primarily intended for coup-

page_text: phery of the drum a adapted to engage with the notches a² in the periphery of
the cover, as will be readily understood.
Although I have described and illustrated my improved friction clutch as
arranged for coupling shafting it may obviously be equally well utilized for simply
throwing a belt pulley or gear wheel into and out of action, said belt pulley or
gear wheel being provided by a suitable construction of the periphery of the
drum a,
which in this case would be revolvable about the shaft upon which the
friction plates b are keyed.
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 friction clutch the combination of a hollow drum, friction plates con-
tained therein, toggle levers connected with the latter and adapted when extended
or contracted to move the same simultaneously into or out of contact with opposed
friction surfaces of the drum, means for operating said levers from without the
drun, and springs which when the clutch is in its locked position exert their
force to keep the toggle levers fully extended whereby the friction surfaces are
forcibly held in contact by a constant active pressure, substantially as described.
2. The combination and arrangement of friction clutch comprising a hollow
drum containing friction plates adapted to be moved simultaneously into and out
of contact with its ends by means of interposed toggle levers which are connected
by links with levers carried by a sliding head, the last mentioned levers being
acted on by springs which, when the clutch is locked by sliding the said head
forward, exert their force to keep the friction surfaces in forcible contact, sub-
stantially as described and illustrated.
3. In a friction clutch the combination of a hollow drum, friction plates con-
tained therein, toggle or knee levers connecting said friction plates, means for
extending and contracting said toggle levers and thus moving the friction plates
into and out of contact with the drum ends, an adjustable end to the said drum
and means for holding the same in its adjusted position whereby the take up of
wear is permitted, substantially as described and illustrated.
4. The general construction, arrangement and combination of parts constitut-
ing an improved friction clutch coupling, substantially as described with reference
to and illustrated in the annexed drawings.
Dated this 94th dor of January 1900