Abstract: A clutch housing and pulley assembly is formed from a plurality of stamped metal components. A plurality of annular discs are mounted on a radially extending base of a V-grooved pulley member. A cup-shaped clutch housing having a radially extending base is mounted in abutting relationship with one of the outer discs on one side of the pulley base. A plurality of rivets extend through axially aligned holes formed in the pulley base, discs and housing base to assemble these components into a single unit. A ring bearing is telescopically mounted in the axially aligned central openings of the discs and pulley base for rotatably mounting the clutch housing and pulley assembly on a drive shaft which is adapted to extend through a central opening of the clutch housing base.The pulley member and discs are arranged in a stacked relationship on a plurality of guide pins extending through the rivet-receiving holes.

Abstract: A device which maintains a predetermined tensioning force on the endless drive belt for vehicle accessories by use of a one-way clutch which prevents return of the tensioning means from its forwardmost tensioning position. In the preferred embodiment, a cylindrical shaft is mounted in a fixed position adjacent the drive belt. A roller clutch assembly is mounted on the shaft and includes an outer clutch housing rotatably mounted on the shaft. An outwardly extending lever is attached to the clutch housing and has an idler pulley rotatably mounted on the extended end of the lever. The pulley is moved into tensioning engagement with the drive belt by a torsional spring which is telescopically mounted on the shaft and clutch housing. The spring moves the pulley in a belt tensioning direction.

Abstract: A belt tensioning device for an endless drive belt for a vehicle accessories drive system. A sheet metal bracket is adapted to be mounted on an engine in a stationary position adjacent the drive belt and has a lever plate pivotally mounted thereon. An idler pulley is rotatably mounted on the lever plate and is movable into belt tensioning engagement by coil springs mounted on the bracket and engaged with the lever plate. A pair of pockets is formed in the bracket, each of which has an inclined surface which extends upwardly toward the lever plate. A camming block formed of a friction material is movably mounted in each pocket. Each block has an angled surface which is slidably engaged with the inclined surface of the pocket and has a planar coupling surface which frictionally engages the lever plate. The friction blocks provide a damping force on the lever plate when the lever plate attempts to move in the non-belt tensioning direction.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioning arrangement for an endless drive belt for a vehicle accessories drive system. The vehicle alternator is pivotally mounted on the engine and is driven by a pulley which is drivingly engaged with the drive belt. A hydraulically actuated piston is mounted in a generally fixed position on the engine closely adjacent to the alternator and is operatively connected to the alternator for pivotally moving it to a belt tensioning position. Hydraulic fluid is supplied to the piston cylinder from the vehicle's power steering fluid supply. A ratchet bar is mounted on the piston cylinder and is slidably engaged in a guide bracket mounted on the alternator. A spring-biased pawl is mounted on the guide bracket and is engageable with a series of teeth formed on the extended end of the ratchet bar.

Abstract: A gap-framed type press has a horizontal bed which holds a lower die that cooperates with an upper die mounted on a vertically reciprocally movable ram to perform a metal-working operation therebetween. Hydraulic cylinders are operatively engaged with the ram for moving the die members into and out of engagement. The ram is movably mounted on a pair of spaced vertical side plates which are bolted to the press bed. The bed is supported on a pair of side frame members by a pair of spaced spherical bearings. The side frame members extend parallel with and closely adjacent to the ram-carrying side plates and are connected to the side plates by a sliding connection. The elastic bending and deformation forces which are applied to the press frame during each operation are transmitted between the side frame members and side plates through their sliding connection and between the bed and side frame members by the spherical bearings.

Abstract: A belt tensioning device for an endless drive belt for a vehicle accessories drive system. A bracket, which terminates in a pair of outwardly extending end flanges, is adapted to be mounted on a vehicle engine adjacent the drive belt. A cylindrical cup-shaped housing is mounted on each of the bracket flanges and contains a pair of volute springs. A plunger is operatively engaged by each of the volute spring pairs and is biased outwardly from an open end of the housing toward the oppositely mounted spring housing. The axes of the plungers are parallel to each other and spaced apart. A lever is pivotally mounted on the bracket intermediate the spring housings and extends from the bracket perpendicularly with respect to the axes of the plungers. The plungers are connected to the lever, one on each side of the lever pivot point.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioning device for maintaining a predetermined amount of tensioning force on an endless drive belt of a vehicle accessories drive system. A housing is mounted in a fixed position on the engine in close proximity to the drive belt. A shaft is movably mounted within the housing by an elastomer block which biases the shaft in a belt tensioning rotational direction. A lever extends outwardly from the housing and is integrally connected to the shaft for pivotal movement upon rotation of the shaft. An expandable bladder or actuator is mounted in the housing and is engageable with the shaft and pivots the rotor and lever toward a belt tensioning direction when the bladder is expanded by hydraulic fluid. A hydraulic fluid supply and pump assembly supplies fluid under pressure to inflate the bladder. An idler pulley drivingly engages the fluid pump and is driven by the endless drive belt for actuating the pump.

Abstract: A belt tensioning device for an endless drive belt for a vehicle accessories drive system. A sheet metal bracket is adapted to be mounted on an engine adjacent the drive belt and has a lever plate pivotally mounted thereon. An idler pulley is rotatably mounted on the lever plate and is adapted to be moved in a belt tensioning direction for engagement with the drive belt. A coil spring is mounted on the bracket and is engaged with the lever plate biasing the lever plate and pulley in the belt tensioning direction. A series of ratchet teeth is provided in the lever plate and is engaged by a detent which is mounted on the bracket and formed of a strip of spring steel. The spring steel detent-ratchet teeth engagement retards movement of the lever plate in a direction opposite to belt tensioning direction. Also the detent will bow outwardly due to the resiliency thereof while retarding the reverse movement of the lever plate to provide a damping effect on the belt engaging pulley.

Abstract: A centrifugal clutch has a pair of clutch shoes pivotally mounted on a pivot collar for outward movement under the influence of centrifugal force to drivingly engage a concentrically mounted clutch housing. Extension springs bias the swinging ends of the clutch shoes toward retracted position. The pivot collar has a hollow cylindrical sleeve with a pair of nearly cylindrical projections mounted diagonally opposite of each other on the external surface of the sleeve. The cylindrical projections are similar to and are located parallel with each other and to the axis of the sleeve and have cylindrical circumferences greater than 180.degree. and less than 360.degree.. The imaginary circumferences of the outer surfaces of the projections lie in an overlapping or abutting relationship with the imaginary circumference of the outer surface of the sleeve.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming a sheet metal pulley from a cup-shaped blank in a single hydraulic forming operation. A pair of die holding members supports a plurality of groove-forming inner dies and is movably mounted on a base for horizontal reciprocal movement between open and closed die positions for capturing a pulley-forming blank therebetween. Tapered pins extend vertically through aligned openings formed in overlapping shelf members of the die holding members to wedgingly clamp the dies toward each other and to lock them in a horizontally closed position. A ram plate is mounted on a plurality of vertical posts for reciprocal vertical movement with respect to the captured blank. The ram plate has a top die which exerts axial pressure on the hub portion of the blank during the hydraulic bulging of the blank side wall by a confined fluid within the blank in cooperation with the groove-forming inner dies.

Abstract: A tensioning device for maintaining a predetermined amount of tensioning force on an endless drive belt for a vehicle accessories drive system. A housing is mounted in a fixed position on the vehicle engine adjacent the drive belt. A lever is pivotally mounted on a shaft which is located within the housing and extends generally radially outwardly from the housing and is adapted to move in a belt tensioning direction. A first pair of cylindrical, torsional coil springs is telescopically mounted on the shaft, with the springs being located one on each side of the lever. A second pair of cylindrical, torsional coil springs is telescopically concentrically mounted on the shaft and surrounds the first spring pair. One end of each spring is attached to the housing with the other spring ends being attached to the lever. The spring pairs are placed in torsion and bias the lever in the belt tensioning direction.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioning device for maintaining a predetermined amount of tensioning force on an endless drive belt for the vehicle accessories drive system. A hydraulic cylinder is adapted to be mounted in a fixed position with respect to the vehicle engine and is operatively connected to the hydraulic fluid system of the engine. A bellcrank mechanism is pivotally mounted on the cylinder and has a belt-engaging idler pulley rotatably mounted on an extended end of one of the levers. The other lever is operatively engaged by the cylinder piston which pivots the idler pulley into tensioning engagement with the drive belt. A check valve is provided in the incoming hydraulic fluid passage of the cylinder and keeps that portion of the cylinder chamber which is located behind the piston filled with hydraulic fluid to maintain a constant predetermined tensioning force on the belt whether the engine is running or stopped, and to provide a shock-absorbing damping action for the idler pulley.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioning device and arrangement which maintains a predetermined amount of tensioning force on an endless drive belt of the vehicle accessories drive system. A hydraulically actuated piston applies a predetermined force to one of the vehicle accessories which is pivotally mounted with respect to the engine to tension the drive belt which is drivingly connected to this vehicle accessory. A self-contained hydraulic fluid supply and pump assembly is mounted in a fixed position on the vehicle engine and has a fluid pressure line connected to the piston for hydraulic actuation of the piston. An idler pulley is rotatably mounted on the fluid supply and pump assembly and is engaged with and driven by the drive belt for actuating the pump to supply hydraulic fluid from the fluid supply to the piston. A coil spring mounted within the piston cylinder applies a portion of the tensioning force on the belt tensioning accessory with the major portion of the tensioning force being applied hydraulically.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioning device for maintaining a predetermined amount of tensioning force on an endless drive belt for the vehicle accessories drive system. A self-contained hydraulic fluid supply and pump assembly is mounted on the swinging end of a pivotally mounted lever and is moved toward the drive belt by a hydraulically actuated piston which is mounted in a fixed position on the engine. An idler pulley is rotatably mounted on the fluid supply and pump assembly and is engaged with and driven by the drive belt. The drive belt rotates the idler pulley which hydraulically actuates the piston by driving the pump which supplies hydraulic fluid to the piston from the fluid supply. The piston pivots the lever toward the belt whereupon the idler pulley engages the belt and exerts the desired tensioning force on the belt. Check valves in the pump assembly regulate the amount of hydraulic force applied to the piston and ultimately to the belt.

Abstract: A hydraulic tensioning device for maintaining a predetermined amount of tensioning force on an endless drive belt for the vehicle accessories drive system. A hydraulic cylinder is adapted to be mounted in a fixed position with respect to the vehicle engine and is operatively connected to the low-pressure hydraulic fluid system of the engine. A bellcrank mechanism is pivotally mounted on the cylinder and has a belt-engaging idler pulley rotatably mounted on an extended end of one of the levers. The other lever is operatively engaged by the cylinder piston which moves the idler pulley into tensioning engagement with the drive belt. The cylinder has a plurality of discs mounted in a spaced relationship on the piston rod for imparting movement to the rod when acted upon by hydraulic fluid. Each disc forms a movable forward wall of a separate hydraulic subchamber located within the cylinder. A hollow bore is formed in the rear portion of the piston rod to provide a fluid passage between the spaced subchambers.

Abstract: A belt tensioner for an endless drive belt for vehicle accessories has a shaft which is mounted in a fixed position adjacent the belt. A lever is pivotally mounted on the shaft and has an idler pulley rotatably mounted on an extended end of the lever. The pulley is movable into tensioning engagement with the belt by rotation of the lever. A first cam plate is slidably mounted on the shaft and is engaged with a second cam plate which is attached to the lever for rotation with the lever. The cam plates each have a plurality of a series of camming surfaces which are mutually engageable with the opposite cam plate surfaces. A plurality of spring discs are telescopically mounted on the shaft and bias the first camming block into engagement with the second block applying a rotational force on the lever to move the pulley into tensioning engagement with the drive belt.

Abstract: A clutch construction has an improved arrangement for pivotally mounting a pair of centrifugally actuated clutch shoes on the drive rotor assembly of the clutch. A backing plate and drive flange are mounted in a spaced axial relationship with respect to each other on a hub of the rotor assembly for rotation with the hub which is adapted to be mounted on a drive shaft of a prime mover. A clutch housing is rotatably mounted on the hub by a bearing ring and is driven by the clutch shoes upon a predetermined shaft speed being reached. A pair of openings are formed in the backing plate located diametrically opposite of each other and are axially aligned with a pair of similar openings formed in the drive flange. A resilient bushing is telescopically mounted in each of the backing plate and drive flange openings to provide a shock-absorbing effect between the clutch shoes pivot pins and the drive flange to prevent fracture of the drive flange.