Patent ID: 8371400

Claim:
A downhole drill string component, comprising: a first end and a second end for attachment to an adjacent drill string component; a bore in said drill string component for receiving drilling mud; a turbine disposed within said bore configured to be rotated by drilling mud passing through said bore; a centrifugal clutch that includes a gripper attached to a spring, said centrifugal clutch being connected to said turbine and operable by the rate of rotation of said turbine between an engaged position and a disengaged position; a linear actuator coupled to said centrifugal clutch when said centrifugal clutch is in said engaged position and decoupled from said centrifugal clutch when said clutch is in said disengaged position, said linear actuator including: a collar with a structure extending from said collar; a cam housing with a guide slot formed in the cam housing, said structure of said collar interacting with said guide slot to rotate a cam; and, a driving gear; a planetary gear system mechanically connected to said driving gear; a screw connected to said planetary gear system and configured for connection to another component in the drill string, said screw being rotatably operable by said linear actuator when said centrifugal clutch is in said engaged position.