Patent · US Expired

Spring clutch assembly

US4863004A · kind A · utility

3Cited by
8References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 28, 1988
Grant dateSep 5, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 28, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF16D13/48
  • WIPO fieldMechanical elements
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A clutch assembly having an annular cover member attached to an engine flywheel, an annular pressure plate which is floatingly attached to the cover member by a plurality of drive straps, a friction drive assembly which is splined to a transmission shaft for rotation therewith and sliding movement therealong, and which is positioned between the pressure plate and the engine flywheel, a plurality of radially extending release levers, each of which is pivotably attached to the cover member at a location between the ends of such release lever, and a belleville spring trapped between the cover member and the release levers to normally bias the release levers so that the outer end of each of them imposes a load on the pressure plate which tends to urge the pressure plate against the friction drive assembly and the friction drive assembly against the flywheel, each of the drive straps having an outwardly projecting extension which is positioned between the pressure plate and the outer end of an adjacent release lever to prevent the outer end of the release lever from imposing wear loads on the pressure plate.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.