Abstract: Utilizing the characteristic that a hydraulic pump, such as a gear pump, having the fluid flow from its outlet restricted will tend from the increasing internal pressure to rotate with the input shaft, a variable speed transmission is designed which includes such a hydraulic pump having a rotating input shaft coincident with the input shaft of the transmission, a fluid flow regulating unit between the fluid outlet and fluid inlet of the pump, and an output shaft connected to the external housing of the pump. The fluid flow regulation unit, which includes a first fluid containing chamber connected to the pump outlet and a second fluid containing chamber connected to the pump inlet, adjustably varies fluid flow between the two chambers. A cylindrical sleeve member, having a plurality of perforations interconnecting the two fluid containing chamber, and a blocking piston slidably installed within the cylindrical sleeve permit variation between no and full fluid flow.

Abstract: A friction disc, in particular for a motor vehicle clutch, comprises a carrier member in the form of a simple thin metal radial disc, with a plurality of friction pads distributed on the carrier disc coaxially with it. Each friction pad is fastened to the carrier disc by at least one fastening member, and is in the form of two pad portions arranged respectively on either side of the carrier disc. The carrier disc is formed with windows, with each friction pad being mounted in line with a respective one of these windows, in such a way that it can at least partially engage in the window at its periphery. The window defines a tongue which is fixed with respect to the carrier disc and extends into the window, and the fastening member, or each fastening member, for each friction pad is secured to the corresponding tongue.

Abstract: Apparatus for engaging, disengaging and otherwise regulating the operation of an automated friction clutch in a motor vehicle has a pedal which can be depressed in the same way as the clutch pedal in a vehicle without an automated clutch. The speed of movement and/or the position of the pedal is monitored by a sensor which transmits appropriate signals to a circuit serving to engage, disengage and/or otherwise operate the clutch by way of a hydraulic system by taking into consideration one or more additional parameters, such as the RPM of the engine, the RPM of the input shaft of the variable-speed transmission and/or others. If the circuit and/or the hydraulic system is out of commission, the clutch is operated by a bypass power train which is independent of the circuit. Depression of the pedal is resisted by a biasing element in imitation of resistance which is encountered by the clutch pedal in a vehicle not embodying an automated friction clutch.

Abstract: A compact torque limiting clutch provides spring cup bolt assemblies for interengaging a pressure plate and input plate and input flange on opposite sides of a friction flange of an output hub. The spring cup assemblies include bolts employed for securing the clutch elements together, such bolts being restricted from rotating during the assembly process by engagement with noncircular apertures passing through the retainer plate. The torque limiting clutch is of a pancake design, contained between axially displaced planar surfaces defined by an input flange on one side and a pressure plate on the other.

Abstract: An actuator, especially for a motor vehicle clutch, is of the kind that has a casing carrying a reversible electric motor which has a drive spindle, a driving element for coupling the actuator to an actuating member of the clutch, a coupling mechanism which couples the motor drive spindle to the driving element and which includes a toothed sector plate coupled in rotation to the driving element. The coupling mechanism also includes an actuating force reducing mechanism having a compensating spring. The actuating force reducing mechansim includes a compensating lever which is articulated on the toothed sector plate and on an intermediate pivoting lever, which is itself articulated to the casing, the intermediate pivoting lever being coupled to the compensating spring.

Abstract: A self-braking electromagnetic wrap spring clutch having a wrap spring control ring and a brake control armature plate at separate locations within a common magnetic circuit.

Abstract: A hub member receives a tapered collect for gripping a drive shaft such as a shaft projecting from an electric motor. The hub member extends into a surrounding cylindrical housing which is secured to rotate with the hub member and carries a set of generally square clutch plates. An annular drive member is supported for relative rotation by the hub member and has an inner portion projecting into the housing to support a set of annular clutch disks which interfit between the clutch plates. The housing encloses oil which circulates between the clutch plates and disks, and a set of rotary seals confine the oil within the housing while providing for rotation of the drive member relative to the hub member and housing.

Abstract: According to an illustrative example of the invention, a foot pedal acts upon a first master cylinder and with delay upon a second master cylinder. Both master cylinders are connected with a slave cylinder which acts upon a clutch releaser. In a first range of movement adjacent the clutch engagement condition, the foot pedal acts only upon the first master cylinder such that there is a small transmission ratio between the movement of the clutch pedal and the movement of the clutch releaser. In as second range of movement subsequent to the first range of movement, the clutch pedal acts upon both master cylinders so that there is a higher transmission ratio between the movement of the clutch pedal and the movement of the releaser.

Abstract: A cylindrical cassette body contains the movable balls and ball-biasing springs of a ball-type clutch. The balls ride in grooves in an element disposed within the body. Exteriorly, the cog body has longitudinal keyways to receive internal teeth of a set of cogs all of which have the same internal diameter. The exterior of the body is also threaded and is selectively employed in combination with a free-wheeling cog adapter having two different outer diameters, such adapter receiving a set of cogs having two different inner diameters.

Abstract: A cluth device (20) for a printing press (22) having a rotatably mounted elongated drive shaft (24), a device (26) for rotatably driving the shaft (24), a bearing member (30) rotatably mounted on the shaft (24), a pulley (32) rotatably mounted on the bearing member (30), and a clutch member (54) for selectively securing the pulley (32) to the drive shaft (24) in an operatng condition of the press (22) to drive said pulley (32), and for locking the pulley (32) to a stationary member (48) of the press (22) with the pulley (32) being maintained stationary with respect to said shaft (24) and bearing member (30).

Abstract: A clutch assembly for automotive vehicle four-wheel drives either in association with an axle disconnect or wheel hub incorporates a power shift mechanism which can be remotely activated either when the vehicle is static, in motion and during either forward or reverse direction of movement to positively drive the clutch members into and out of engagement with one another. The power shift mechanism includes sealed envelopes in the form of expandable and contractable compartments which in response to a remote control valve will positively shift the clutch members into and out of engagement, and the members will remain in the shifted position without the continued application of force until positively shifted away from that position by the power shift mechanism. In the alternative, a spool-like shifter may be utilized with positive locking elements which will lock the clutch members in the engaged and disengaged position at the end of travel of the shift mechanism.

Abstract: Energization of an electric coil produces flux for attracting an armature of a clutch into engagement with a rotor in order to couple an input shaft to an output pulley. When the coil is de-energized, two angularly spaced permanent magnets pull the armature away from the rotor and into engagement with fixed pole pieces which cause a braking torque to be applied to the output pulley. The magnets are located closely adjacent one another and only along a short arc of the armature in order to enable the flux of the coil to overcome the flux of the magnets and effect easy release of the brake and engagement of the clutch when the coil is energized.

Abstract: An overrunning clutch has a drive shaft, a driven shaft coaxial with the drive shaft and a cylindrical body secured to and coaxial with the driven shaft. The cylindrical body is arranged to surround a transmission section of the drive shaft and includes a plurality of cam surfaces formed in its inner peripheral surface. The cylindrical body acts as an overrunning clutch. Recesses are radially formed in the corresponding cam surfaces and adapted to hold rollers against the action of spring. A retainer is held within the cylindrical body and includes a plurality of roller pockets corresponding to the cam surfaces, a plurality of rollers rollingly disposed within the roller pockets and contactable with the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body and the peripheral surface of the transmission section of the drive shaft, and springs disposed within the roller pockets and adapted to urge the rollers in the direction in which the rollers are locked in the cam surfaces.

Abstract: A fluid coupling apparatus comprises a torque convertor and a locking clutch having a torsion damper. The coupling plate which couples the torsion damper to a coupling element of the clutch, arranged to act as a piston, is provided with two sets of circumferential tongues, with the tongues of at least one of these sets each having a slight, wave-shaped, axial deformation.

Abstract: A viscous fluid clutch includes an internally-mounted pump plate for separating a working chamber from a reservoir. Discharge ports in the pump plate permit fluid flow from the reservoir to the working chamber. Return orifices in the pump plate direct return flow back to the reservoir. A rotatable control arm is supported by arcuate baffle walls formed in a cover to enhance the seal provided at the discharge ports. The baffle walls limit the amount of fluid which can collect at a discharge port from the reservoir when the clutch is at rest.

Abstract: The spreading apart and keeping apart of the individual disks in friction disk sets or clutches and/or brakes makes it possible to avoid drag torques and the losses of energy caused thereby. Spreading elements, in the form of magnetic bodies (8), which are inserted in disk carriers (1, 10) radially with respect to magnetizable marginal zones of the disks (4, 13) lead to equal polarity in the marginal zones concerned. A reciprocal rejection force of the individual disks (3, 14) in axial direction thereby results. Since the magnetic bodies (8) are firmly introduced in the disk carriers (1, 10), interruptions in operation and difficulties in assembly, the same as special processing of the disks, are avoided. The spreading forces themselves remain equal independently of the position and the speed. When electromagnetic coils (8A) are used, the spreading force can be switched off, for example, when actuating the piston (19) and thus the piston force is kept small.

Abstract: A viscous fluid clutch includes an internally-mounted pump plate for separating a working chamber from a reservoir. Fill openings in the pump plate permit fluid flow from the reservoir to the working chamber. Orifices in the pump plate direct return flow back to the reservoir. Fluid accumulators formed in a cover are aligned with each of the pump plate orifices. A non-radical channel formed in the cover begins at a respective accumulator and terminates at an inner reservoir chamber. Centripetal forces of the rotating clutch pump fluid from the accumulators to the reservoir. The geometry of the channels prevents migration of fluid from the reservoir to the working chamber without the use of mechanical valves when the clutch is at rest.

Abstract: A release device for a clutch including a cylinder aligned coaxially with a release bearing, a cylindrical piston adapted to fit in a cylindrical operation chamber of the cylinder, and an annular packing mounted adjacent an annular end of the piston within the operation chamber, the operation chamber being connected to an external operating pressure control device through a liquid pressure control passage, the piston being axially connected, at its one end positioned outside the operation chamber, to the release bearing, wherein an annular slide member is fixed to an end of the packing which adjoins the piston, the slide member being greater in hardness than the packing and lower in friction coefficient against the piston than the packing.

Abstract: An engine braking control system for automotive automatic transmissions, comprises shift solenoids activated for executing a down-shift operation by selectively engaging or releasing frictional elements of a gear train, in response to engine braking requirements, sensors for monitoring a vehicle speed, an opening angle of a throttle valve, a depression amount of a brake-pedal, and a controller for controlling the down-shift operation on the basis of the signals from the sensors. The controller activates the shift solenoids for executing the down-shift operation only when the throttle opening angle is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold throttle opening angle, the brake-pedal depression amount exceeds a predetermined threshold depression amount and the vehicle speed is less than a predetermined threshold vehicle speed.

Abstract: A power transmitting clutch has a transient torque damper with a floating ring and spring members disposed in torque transmitting relation between an input member and an output member. The floating ring has a pair of stop surfaces that are axially and radially aligned with stop surfaces on the input member and output member respectively. Cooperation between the stop members limits the amount of spring compression and the relative angular excursion between the input member and the ring and between the ring and the output member.