Abstract: An air conditioning refrigerant compressor assembly includes a swash plate disposed on a drive shaft centrally within a housing. Three double-ended pistons are reciprocally supported on the swash plate within respective front and rear compression chambers. A pulley is freely rotatably supported concentrically about the drive shaft and connected by a flexible endless driving belt to a power take-off of an engine. A hub is fixedly retained on the end of a drive shaft. An annular torque cushion made of an elastomeric material is bonded to the hub and extends radially outwardly therefrom to support an outer ring concentrically about the drive shaft. An armature plate is fastened to the outer ring. An electromagnetic solenoid creates a field of magnetic flux when energized which draws the armature plate into frictional engagement with the pulley causing the rotary motion of the pulley to be transferred to the drive shaft which rotates the swash plate within the housing.

Abstract: An electromagnetic clutch assembly adapted for use in actuating a refrigerant compressor having a drive shaft with a continuously driven pulley rotatably supported about the drive shaft. An armature plate is supported in spaced parallel relationship from the pulley friction plate by an elastomeric torque cushion which extends between the drive shaft and the armature plate. The elastomeric torque cushion is capable of flexing to allow the armature plate to bridge the gap under the influence of an electromagnetic force to engage the pulley friction plate thereby translating power from the pulley to the drive shaft. The torque cushion includes at least one reinforcing member disposed within the cushion for preventing the torque cushion from buckling as torque is translated from the pulley through the armature plate and the torque cushion to the drive shaft.