Patent ID: 8033374

Claim:
A drive arrangement for a shaft, the arrangement having a module which is carried, in use, by the shaft and includes a motor, a driven wheel fixed, in use, for rotation with the shaft and drivable, in use, by the motor, and clutch means operable between the motor and the wheel, the clutch means including a base structure carried, in use, by the shaft, a first carriage structure movable relative to the base structure and carrying the motor, a drive wheel driven by the motor, and a belt around the drive wheel and the driven wheel, whereby the belt can be releasably engaged with the wheels by means of movement of the first carriage structure relative to the base structure, and wherein the arrangement includes a second carriage structure movable relative to the base structure into and out of driving engagement with the shaft to provide drive of the shaft, independently of the motor, wherein the second carriage structure and the shaft carry respective toothed members which mesh when the second carriage structure and the shaft are in driving engagement, wherein the second carriage structure includes a manually operable drive means for manually driving the shaft when the second carriage structure and the shaft are in driving engagement, wherein control means are provided, wherein the control means is a Bowden cable extending from the assembly to a remote location and having an inner cable and sheath attached to respective ones of the first and second carriage structures, and the Bowden cable is operable, in use, from the remote location to releasably apply a force between the first carriage structure and the base structure, to urge apart the drive wheel and the driven wheel, thereby engaging the clutch means and the Bowden cable is operable, in use, from the remote location, to cause the second carriage structure to move into and out of driving engagement as soon as the clutch means is disengaged and engaged, respectively.