Abstract: A centrifugal clutch including a drive hub having a rotational axis, a drum coaxial with the driver, a plurality of shoes engaging the drive hub so as to rotate with the driver, each shoe having an aperture therethrough in the axial direction, the shoes being radially movable between a radially outward position in which the shoes contact a surface of the drum and a radially inward position in which the shoes are spaced apart from the drum, and a plurality of springs urging the shoes toward the radially inward position, each spring being located in the aperture of a corresponding shoe, each spring having a radially inward end engaging one of the shoes and an opposite radially outward end engaging the driver.

Abstract: A bi-directional overrunning clutch includes a housing and a pair of hubs substantially coaxially aligned within the housing. A pair of roll cages position a plurality of rollers between each hub and an inner cam surface of the housing. The rollers are positioned to wedge between the hub and the inner cam surface when one of the hub and the housing is rotated with respect to the other. End caps are attached to the housing adjacent to the hubs. A friction disk mechanism includes a friction plate rotating in combination with each the roll cage and a spring compressed between the end cap and the roll cage for biasing the friction member into frictional contact with the hub. An intermittent coupler is located between each roll cage and configured to engage the roll cages so as to permit indexing of one roll cage relative to the other.

Abstract: A centrifugal clutch is disclosed including a driver adapted to engage and to be rotated by an input shaft, a drum adapted to engage a driven component, a plurality of shoes located between the driver and the drum, and a plurality of springs, each spring engaged with adjacent shoes for urging the shoes together. The shoes are radially movable between an outward position in which the shoes contact the drum and an inward position in which the shoes are spaced apart from the drum. Each shoe has an asymmetrical contacting member for engaging the drum, the contacting member having a toe protruding circumferentially therefrom in one direction. Each shoe is capable of being independently installed into the clutch with the toe of the contacting member facing either towards or away from the direction of rotation of the driver, provided that the driver remains rotationally balanced.

Abstract: A pump includes a cam member and an armature plate received on an input shaft rotatably supported with a differential housing of a clutch. The pump also includes a cylinder rod slidingly received in a chamber of a master cylinder to pressurize a hydraulic fluid. The cam member includes a ring and a back plate. The ring has an outer, preferably symmetrical, surface with a variable radius defining a ramped portion for outwardly driving the cylinder rod when the cam member is rotated either forward or backward with respect to the differential housing. A coil generates an electromagnetic field when activated drawing the cam member towards the armature plate such that contact forces causes the cam member to rotate with the armature plate. A roller disc is rotatably supported at one end of the cylinder rod for rolling contact between the cylinder rod and the cam surface of the cam member ring.

Abstract: A radial flow cartridge, especially for use with an ion exchange resin, includes inner and outer tubular cages, and a tubular knitted liner extending the length of the cartridge between the inner and outer cages and spaced apart from the outer cage. The resin medium fills the space between the liner and the inner cage. During use, the medium absorbs fluid and expands, stretching the knit liner radially and, thereby filling the space between the liner and the outer cage.

Abstract: A radial flow cartridge, especially for use with an ion exchange resin, includes inner and outer tubular cages, and a tubular knitted liner extending the length of the cartridge between the inner and outer cages and spaced apart from the outer cage. The resin medium fills the space between the liner and the inner cage. During use, the medium absorbs fluid and expands, stretching the knit liner radially and, thereby filling the space between the liner and the outer cage.

Abstract: A centrifugal clutch including a driver adapted to engage and be rotated by an input shaft, a drum adapted to engage a driven component, a plurality of shoes located between the driver and the drum, and a plurality of springs, each spring engaged with adjacent shoes for urging the shoes together. The shoes are radially movable between an outward position in which the shoes contact the drum and an inward position in which the shoes are spaced apart from the drum. Each shoe has an engagement surface which is arranged to contact the drum, and a support. One end of the support is attached to the engagement surface and the other end extends radially inward. A pair of spring attachment mounts are formed on the radially inward end of the support. Each spring is engaged with one spring attachment mount on a shoe.

Abstract: A bi-directional overrunning clutch for transmitting torque to segments of a primary drive axle. The clutch includes an input gear, a clutch housing, and hubs extending out of the housing that attach to the segments. A roll cage is located within the housing and has rollers arranged in two sets, each set located adjacent to a hub. The rollers wedge between the hubs and first tapered portions on the clutch housing when the roll cage is rotated in a first direction relative to the housing (forward-engagement position), and between the hubs and second tapered portions on the clutch housing when the roll cage is rotated in a second direction relative to the housing. A friction member contacts the roll cage to engage the roll cage to the hub to wedge the rolls between the hubs and the clutch housing.

Abstract: A spring assembly for biasing rolls in a roll cage of a bi-directional overrunning clutch. The spring assembly adapted to bias two adjacent rolls in opposite directions. The spring assembly includes a bridge having two ends. A first spring attached to one end of the bridge. The first spring having arms extending in opposite directions from the bridge, each arm having an end adapted to contact a roll. A second spring attached to the other end of the bridge. The second spring having arms extending in opposite directions from the bridge, each arm having an end adapted to contact a second roll.

Abstract: A bi-directional overrunning clutch differential is disclosed for controlling torque transmission between a pinion input shaft and at least one output hub in a vehicle. The differential includes clutch a clutch housing and a roll cage. An electromagnetic indexing device is mounted adjacent to the cage and adapted to place the cage in position to engage the output hub to the input shaft. An electrohydraulic device is mounted adjacent to the clutch housing and includes a housing attached to the clutch and adapted to rotate in combination with the clutch housing. A hydraulic piston is located adjacent to a drive plate and adapted to cause the drive plate to engage to the housing when actuated, thereby providing dynamic torque between the output hub and the clutch housing.

Abstract: An electromagnetic brake system is disclosed for controlling motion of a component that is movable relative to the brake system. The system includes a magnet body mounted to a support and having at least one electrically controlled magnetic device on it for generating a magnetic force when activated. A back plate is mounted adjacent to the magnet body on one side of a movable component. An armature plate is located between the magnet body and the movable component. At least one spring is located on the magnet body between the magnet body and the armature plate for biasing the armature plate away from the magnet body. The spring has a spring force that is less than the magnetic force of the magnetic device such that activation of the magnetic device urges the armature plate toward the magnet body, overcoming the spring force.

Abstract: An actuator for a brake system includes variable depth cam grooves on a pivotable lever which slide on spherical cam members moveably supported by a caliper for braking the disc portion of a disc assembly. An intermediately located maximum depth for the cam grooves provides for actuation of the caliper assembly in either of opposing first or second directions of pivot of the lever from a minimum separation position of the lever.

Abstract: A small diameter plastic eel with an overrunning clutch assembly mounted to the hub of the wheel. The wheel designed to be used with self-propelled power equipment operating at less than 1000 RPM. The overrunning clutch includes a clutch housing of generally annular cross-section having an outer periphery and an inner periphery. The housing has a radial stiffness which prevents deformation of the housing during use. The housing has recesses spaced equidistantly thereabout. Each recess has a throat opening, an outer wall, and a pair of side walls. A roller bearing is located in each of the recesses. One of the side walls has a concave surface. The other side wall has a spring for engaging the roller bearing and biasing the roller bearing toward the concave surface of the side wall.

Abstract: A bi-directional overrunning clutch is disclosed for controlling torque transmission between a secondary drive shaft and secondary driven shafts. The overrunning clutch includes a pinion input shaft in a differential housing that engages with a clutch housing rotatably disposed within the differential housing. At least one race is located adjacent to the clutch housing and is engaged with an output shaft. A cage is located between the race and the clutch housing. The cage is movable with respect to the clutch housing. A first coil is mounted within the differential housing adjacent to the cage and is adapted to produce an electromagnetic field when energized which causes the cage to drag with respect to the clutch housing. The dragging of the cage with respect to the clutch housing positions the cage to engage the clutch housing with the race when wheels on a primary drive shaft lose traction. A second coil is mounted within the differential housing adjacent adjacent to the cage.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for achieving a high degree of vacuum pumping in an enclosure utilizing a single-stage pump. A vacuum pumping unit is coupled to a plurality of interconnected enclosures through a series of valves. When evacuation of a selected enclosure is desired, the valves are opened sequentially for a brief duration such that the enclosures are alternatively evacuated to the atmosphere and to other partially evacuated enclosures.

Abstract: A multiple driven axle vehicle, such as a four-wheel drive recreational vehicle having its front, steerable wheels being optionally driven by providing double acting overrunning clutches in the hubs of the front wheels. A transmission mechanism is provided for driving the front, optionally driven wheels slower than the driving surface otherwise drives those wheels so that the slower driven wheels overrun and do not engage when the steerable wheels are turned as the vehicle is driven through a turn, thereby eliminating the need for a differential between the steerable wheels and between the front and rear wheels. The overrunning roller clutches of the optionally driven hubs desirably include an intermittent friction apparatus operative between the roller cage and the vehicle chassis to intermittently exert a force tending to retard rotation of the cage with respect to the chassis, thereby indexing the roller cage and rollers to the forward or reverse engagable position.

Abstract: A filter device is provided with a multi-layer filter which includes a central highly absorbent layer which expands in the presence of moisture and positioned between an outer layer of absorbent paper and an inner layer of fiber glass adjacent to an inner ply. The filter is longitudinally pleated.

Abstract: An improved flexible drive coupling is provided in which a driver and driven mechanisms are in adjacent housings that are fixedly connected by a shroud through which the drive coupling extends. The driver and driven gear hubs, respectively, are interconnected through a flexible spacer member having corresponding meshing gear elements wherein the spacer and at least one of said gear hubs have longitudinally extending, aligning lines which are slideably engageable when the gear elements of said spacer and hub are in spaced-apart relation to maintain the gear elements in meshing alignment where said respective housings and shroud are moved longitudinally toward each other during assembly. Thus external access is provided for positioning said gear elements in meshing alignment before said housings and shroud are brought into final mating position.

Abstract: An oil filter cartridge comprising filter discs and separator discs stacked alternately, the separator discs having inlet and outlet chambers walled in by the contiguous filter discs. The filter discs have inlet ports in registration with the inlet chambers for introducing unfiltered oil therein. The separator discs are provided with slots registering with the inlet ports of the filter discs. These slots, in combination with the adjacent inlet ports, provide enlarged inlet orifices which are not readily blocked by swelling of the material of the separator discs due to water-contaminated oil.

Abstract: A bi-directional overrunning clutch is disclosed for controlling torque transmission between a secondary drive shaft and secondary driven shafts. The overrunning clutch includes a pinion input shaft in a differential housing that engages with a clutch housing rotatably disposed within the differential housing. At least one race is located adjacent to the clutch housing and is engaged with an output shaft. A cage is located between the race and the clutch housing. The cage is movable with respect to the clutch housing. A first coil is mounted within the differential housing adjacent to the cage and is adapted to produce an electromagnetic field when energized which causes the cage to drag with respect to the clutch housing. The dragging of the cage with respect to the clutch housing positions rolls within the cage to engage the clutch housing with the race when wheels on a primary drive shaft lose traction.