Patent ID: 6874606

Claim:
A regulated torque limiting clutch, comprising: a drive flange; an end plate in fixed spaced relation to said drive flange; interleaved friction and separator disks interposed between said drive flange and said end plate; a pressure plate; a spring assembly urging said pressure plate against said interleaved friction and separator disks and urging said friction and separator disks into forceful engagement with each other, establishing a characteristic torque for the torque limiting clutch; a torque regulating plate secured to said pressure plate, said torque regulating plate and said end plate defining a cavity therebetween; and a liquid within said cavity, rotation of said end plate imparting centrifugal force to said liquid and forcing said liquid radially and axially outwardly in said cavity, said liquid axially urging said torque regulating plate and said pressure plate, changing said characteristic torque.